Delgado Cousins #3: Kaden Theodore Delgado (Someone You Loved)

CHAPTER VII: SON

CHAPTER VII: SON

KADEN

"I'm sorry... But, listen, Raya... I don't want my wife to know about this..." I said.

And up until the end, I was still this selfish...

I watched Raya as she slowly nodded her head. Pagkatapos ay nag-angat siya ng tingin sa akin at nagkatinginan pa muli kaming dalawa. Then I noticed that she had changed a bit. I think she's more mature now. Siguro dahil nagkaanak na siya...

We have a son.

Parang sinuntok pa rin ako ng katotohanang ito. Halos hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala na may anak na nga ako sa ibang babae at hindi sa asawa ko. Hindi naman talaga ibang babae si Raya, she was a part of my past. But I have a wife now. And I'm just trying to make it up to Ayla. She doesn't deserve any more pain from me.

I let out a sigh. "I'm sorry, Raya."

Nakatingin lang naman siya sa akin at unti-unti muling tumango sa akin. Pumapayag siya na patuloy pa rin itong itago. Bahagya akong napalunok.

"But don't worry, I will support the child..." I told her.

Tumango lang naman muli sa akin si Raya.

Pagkatapos ay nauna na rin akong magpaalam sa kaniya na kailangan ko nang umalis. We just have a son, but there shouldn't be more to it. I know that I was being selfish yet again. Pero hindi lang naman ang sarili ko ang iniisip ko. I'm thinking about Ayla, too. Alam ko na masasaktan lang din siya ulit kapag nalaman niya pa ang tungkol sa bagay na ito. Kaya mas mabuti pa na huwag na lang niyang malaman.

I can't hurt my wife now. Lalo na at ngayon lang din kami nagkaayos. Mahabang panahon na rin na hindi kami naging okay. Kaya nga hindi ko rin maintindihan kung bakit kailangan pa itong mangyari ngayon.

"Ayaw mo bang makita ang anak mo, Kaden?" Tinawag pa ako ni Raya bago ako tuluyang nakaalis.

I just want to go home now. At para mas makapag-isip din ako nang maayos. Because, truth be told, I was still feeling the shock from what I just learned. I sighed. Umiling ako sa kaniya. "You only need my support, right?" I asked her coldly.

Nakita ko naman na umawang ang labi niya habang nakatingin pa rin siya sa akin ngayon. "Yes, but, hindi mo ba gustong makita rin ang anak mo? Aren't you even curious about your son, Kaden?" She asked me.

Umiling lang muli ako kay Raya. "I have to go home now, Raya. My wife is waiting for me at home," I just said to her.

Sa huli, wala na rin siyang nagawa nang tinalikuran ko na siya. "And, by the way, just contact my secretary if you need something," huling bilin ko sa kaniya.

Then, as I was already on my way home, I couldn't help but feel more guilty. I feel bad for Raya. I shouldn't have acted that way towards her. She's still a part of me in the past, and the mother of my child... But my mind was just in a mess, too...

Kaya naman hindi ko na rin maayos ang mga salita ko sa kaniya. And I didn't really mean for it to sound like that. But I did. I sighed heavily.

Pagkatapos, pagdating ko sa bahay, parang pakiramdam ko ay hindi ko pa alam kung paano ko naman ngayon papakiharapan si Ayla. And I feel more guilty now facing my wife. I would be lying to her—no, I just wouldn't tell her the truth about what I learned from Raya today. At para sa kaniya rin naman iyon dahil ayaw ko siyang masaktan... or probably, I was just scared for myself dahil ayaw ko lang na magulo rin ang buhay ko, ang buhay naming mag-asawa...

Gago ka pa rin, Kaden.

"Kaden!"

Pag-angat ko ng tingin, si Ayla na pala ang nandoon at mukhang sinalubong pa ang pagdating ko sa bahay naming mag-asawa. Napangiti naman ako nang makita ko siyang mukhang masaya while she welcomes me back to our home.