Perfect Imperfection

Chapter 10

Father and Son

"Mama" Habang nakapikit ang mga mata. Nakahilata ang ulo ko sa window car ng kotse ni Zyon. Pero nagmulat ako ng may yumuyugyog sa balikat ko. Si Zyker. Si Zyon ang nagmamaneho ng driver's seat. Inihahatid na nya kami. "Why Baby?" I tried my best to smile while facing him.

"Are you okay?" He asked me. I tried my best to hold my tears. And nodded in response. Tila napawi ang mabigat na bagay saking dbdib ng dambahin nya ng yakap ang tyan ko. "You're also sad." He said in a low, tiny voice. I raised my brow.

What does he mean by also?

"What do you mean?" I asked softly, I felt Zyon's peripheral vision look at the front mirror. "A man approached me earlier. He kept denying he was sad, but when I hugged him, what I got in response was he cried and cried." Zyker explained while playing with my dress. My smile slowly faded.

He's talking about Riley?

"Did you know why he's crying?" I asked playing with his hair a little. He shakes his head. "No." He looks at me with a hesitant face. "Mama." tawag nya sakin. "Hmm?" I asked.

"Do you know him?" I didn't know how to respond. "No, Baby," I said with a forceful smile. 

"Mama. Are you mad at Papa?" Saglit na ngunot ang noo ko sa tanong nya. 

"What, your Daddy Zyon---"

"Mama." Inayos ko ang kanyang upo sa kandungan ko. "My real Papa" he said in a low yet serious tone. 

"Zyker" Pagseseryoso ko. "Your biological father was long dead," I said seriously. 

"But Daddy Zyon said my Daddy's not died. And you hate him, that's why we left him" Agad akong napatingin sa direksyon ni Zyon, sa rearview mirror. He just gave me an apologizing look.  

"You hate that man, Mama. Does that mean he's my Papa?" tanong niya muli. Sa pagkakataong iyon, hindi ko na alam kung paano sasagutin.

"Hershey." 

"Hershey."

Kapapasok lang ni Zyker sa bahay. Nakarating na kami sa bahay. Kinukuha ko ngayon ang gamit ko sa kotse ni Zyon sa likod ng kotse nya pero napatigil ako ng hawakan nya ang aking magkabilang balikat bago iniharap sa kanya. "Hershey, don't be mad. Please?" He said in a almost begging tone.

"Why would you do that?" Kunot noo kong tanong. It took him a minute before he spoke. 

"He's longing for his father. One time in school, he got involved in a fight because other kids said that he doesn't have a dad so to lighten up his mood... I told him that his dad's still alive." He explained.

"Now, he's doubting that Riley's his father," I said, chuckling unbelievably. He stared at me for a second and sighed.

"It's true naman." He holds both of my shoulders.

"I think he deserves to know. Kilala mo si Zyker, Hershey. He's smarter than the kids of his age." I bit my lips. And that's what worries me more. I know how curious Zyker is about his father.

It's already been three days, naghihintay sa labas ng daycare ni Zyker. 

Paglingon ko sa gate, napangiti ako ng mamataan sya, lalapit pa sana ako pero agad akong natigilan ng makita ang hindi inaasahang tao—si Zyker, nakasakay sa likod ng leeg ni Riley habang buhat-buhat nito ang maliit na bag ng bata. 

Parang pinako ang mga paa ko sa sahig.

Nang makalapit sila, walang paalam na bumaba si Zyker mula sa balikat ni Riley at tumakbo palapit sa akin. "Mama!" masigla niyang sigaw. Pinilit kong ngumiti habang hinahaplos ang kanyang ulo. Pero ang mga mata ko, diretso kay Riley.