Smoke and Mirrors

𝕊𝕞𝕠𝕜𝕖 26

     I silently watched my son eating next to his Mom. That night when I pushed Amanda, I saw the fear in Skye's eyes. Pero kahit ganon, tinulungan pa rin niya itong itayo kasabay ang pagturo sa akin ng bad habang umiiyak.

I couldn't be mistaken. I saw how scared Skye was while hugging his mother. It seemed that he was forced to agree to hug her, idagdag pa ang mga salitang binanggit niya. That's how I feel.

"Amanda, when will you leave my house?" I asked suddenly, making them stop eating. Mom and Dad were here too.

Uminom siya ng tubig at pinunasan ang bibig. "Hindi mo ba nakikita na sa akin lang malapit si Skye. I will stay until my son wants me to leave." Her tone grew more defiant with each passing day.

Habang tumatagal ang pananatili niya dito sa pamamahay ko, her gentle and meek tone has been replaced by a sense of entitlement, as if she owns everything around her. She even acts like my son can't live without her presence

How did I fall in love with a woman like her?

"I can take care of my son, Amanda. He was with me when he was two years old, remember?" makahulugan kong sagot.

I saw the change in her expression. She was nervous about what I might say next. She knew that Papa and Mama didn't know the real reason for our divorce. She had almost killed my son that time, and I still remembered it vividly.

"Fine, I'll leave," she snapped, throwing down her napkin and standing up. But Skye immediately grabbed her.

Nakita ko ang maliit na ngiti sa kaniyang labi sa ginawa ng anak ko. Samantalang si Skye ay masamang nakatingin sa akin. Hindi galit kundi takot ang ipinapakita niya. Malinaw na sa akin. Naiintindihan ko na ang pinapahiwatig ng mga tingin niya. 

"Bad!" he shouted at me, hitting me on my arms. "Bad! Bad!"

Every time he calls me a bad person, it means I'm not protecting Claude. He's the one protecting Claude. It's been a month, and he's still protecting Claude for reasons I don't understand.

Tumayo ako na patuloy pa rin siya sa paghampas sa akin.

"See, Lucian. Your son is acting like that because you want to keep me away from him," Amanda hissed.

"I said, get out of my house," I commanded firmly, my voice filled with authority.

"Lucian, ano ba ito? Hindi sa harap ng bata," suway ni Mama sa akin.

I picked up Skye and hugged him, even as he continued hitting me. "Bad! Bad!"

"I know, and I'm sorry," I said in a gentle tone. "You've been very brave, Skye. Claude would be proud of you."

Unti-unti siyang natigil sa pagwawala ngunit may narinig akong nabasag kaya sinundan ko kung saan galing. Nakita ko ang basag na baso malapit kay Amanda.