GETTING CLOSER [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER 37

-STEPHANIE

Katahimikan ang namayani sa amin kasi dumating na si Mommy at Daddy. Binati sila ng magulang ni Zafiro. Mas lalo akong kinabahan lalo na ang seryoso ng mga mukha nila.

“Good morning, shall we start?” tanong agad ni Daddy pagka-upo nʼya after their shake hands.

“Of course, we can start our discussion.”

Ako naman ay tahimik lang na nakikinig habang sa tabi ko ay ang anak ko na tahimik lang din. Napansin ko na nakatitig sa isaʼt isa si Zafiro at ang anak ko. Seryoso lamang ang tingin ni Zaphira habang ganoʼn din si Zafiro.

“I really want to know what the real reason of your son. He kidnapped my daughter when she was 5 years old. He give my daughter to someone. Gusto ko lamang malaman kung ano ang reason nʼya para gawin ito?” seryosong tanong ni Papa habang pilit na pinapakalma ang sarili.

Si Mama naman ay tahimik na lang nakikinig. Napatingin ang lahat kay Zafiro na tahimik lamang kanina. “Good morning, Sir. I know I do something very bad and unacceptable to your family. I do those mistakes for my selfish desires. I grow up in the family who favored me a lot and give everything to me but I want someone else. I want love and attention but they didnʼt give to me. Then I meet your daughter when I was young and sheʼs 5 years old that time. She caught my attention because of her smile and elegant but she never looked at me. Thatʼs why my selfish desire kick in that I want her attention and love. I kidnapped here by making order to one of our personal guards and I instructed him to give your daughter to someone that I met. That someone is Stephanie non-biological mother, she met me in the street and I heard from her that she want child since she canʼt conceive a child. I give your daughter to her. I know that I did mistakes, and I am regretting it. Although, I said last time to Cyziel and Stephanie that I donʼt regretted it but I really regretted it this time. I was young back then and I didnʼt know that I did those mistakes for my personal wants. I am really sorry and I hope you could forgive me soon,” Zafiro said with sincerity.

I can sense the sincerity from his voice. I can also sense the tense that he feels right now. “I understand that but forgiveness takes a lot of time especially when we blamed our son Cyziel for not taking care of his sister. To be honest, I really want to cut ties this partnership but your family help us from the very start until the end. I am grateful for that because they never turned their back to our family. I hope that you can understand right now that you can be a father to your daughter but I canʼt let you to get married or to be with my daughter again for now. Because we want to spend time with her for the lost moments that we didnʼt spend with her. Do you understand, Hijo?” tanong ni Papa at tiningnan sa mata si Zafiro.

Tumango-tango naman si Zafiro. “I understand, Sir. I respect your decision. But I want to take this opportunity to ask of you or your family na payagan sana ako bumawi kay Stephanie at sa anak ko. Gusto ko rin gawin ang lahat ng gusto nʼyo para mapatawad nʼyo ako. I will also to take this opportunity to court Stephanie because I really love her from the bottom of my heart.” Ngumiti si Zafiro at nilingon ako na napatulala sa sinabi nʼya.

Si Cyziel naman ay napaismid sa aking tabi habang hindi gusto ang sinabi ni Zafiro. “I get your point, Hijo. Stephanie will be the one who will decide that thing and we respect her decision,” sabi ni Papa at lahat sila ay napatingin sa akin.

Pati mga magulang ni Zafiro ay nakatingin sa akin. Gosh, this is the most nervous moment in my life. “Can I think time of it? Nabigla lang ako sa narinig ngayon,” mahina kong sabi at napatango ang both parents ni Zafiro.

Sumang-ayon din sina Mama at Papa. Bumulong sa akin si Cyziel kasi katabi ko sʼya. “Hʼwag kang maging marupok. Bahala ka na kung sasaktan ka nʼya ulit. Wala akong tiwala sa gago na ʼyan,” bulong ni Cyziel sa akin.