HIDING HIS DAUGHTER (UNDER EDITING)

CHAPTER 5

ANGELA'S POV

"Napaka gandang bata naman talaga, kamukang-kamuka ko!" Narinig ko 'yung boses ni Mom na punong-puno ng tuwa, habang hawak niya 'yung maliit na ulo ng bata.

"Correction lang Ma - kamuka ko 'to, My! Tingnan mo 'yung panga n'ya, eksaktong eksakto sakin!" Sagot agad ni Kuya Anthony, tapos kinurot pa 'yung pisngi ng sanggol ng dahan-dahan para hindi masaktan. Nakangiti siya ng malaki, pero para sa 'kin parang lahat ng ngiti nila ngayon ay parang tinutusok-tusok ako sa loob.

"I'm the one she takes after, Ma! Her eyes are the same shade as mine when I was a kid!" Kuya Alvin squeezed in next to Mom, taking the baby's small hand to compare it with his own. The happiness on his face was clear as day - it was like he was the one who'd carried her for nine months, and nothing else mattered to him right now.

"Hey hey hey! I'm the lookalike! Her ears match mine perfectly - you guys just aren't paying attention!" Kuya Adrian called out, though he lowered his voice a little so he wouldn't disturb the baby, who was quietly staring at all of us.

"Tumigil kayong lahat! Ako ang kamuka ng apo ko, 'wag na kayong magtatalo-talo! Napaka gandang bata naman talaga - saan pa magmamana kung hindi sa lolo n'ya? Tingnan mo 'yung ilong n'ya, eksaktong eksakto sa 'kin noong ako ay binata pa!" Sabi ni Dad tapos tumawa pa siya ng malakas - 'yung tawa n'ya na dati kong naririnig tuwing may okasyon, pero ngayon parang boses lang 'yon na pumapasok sa tenga ko pero hindi umaabot sa puso ko. Natawa na rin ako kahit papaano, kasi ayaw kong makita nila na may kakaiba sa akin, pero sa totoo lang parang may bigat na bagay na nakapatong sa dibdib ko na parang hindi ko kayang itayo.

"Oh! You're awake already, Angela! I thought you'd sleep till later!" Sabi ni Kuya Anthony nang mapansin n'ya na nakatingin ako sa kanila - mga mata ko pang namumutla pa dahil sa pagod, saka 'yung bibig ko namamaga pa mula sa pag-iyak kanina bago pa sila dumating dito sa kwarto. Sinamaan ko s'ya ng tingin agad - bakit ba kasi lagi n'ya akong pinapansin sa mga oras na ayaw kong mapansin? Parang alam n'ya na may tinatago akong bagay na ayaw kong malaman ng iba.

"Oh, buti naman gising ka na rin Kuya! Akala ko pa naman hindi ka na magigising" Sagot ko nang may kasamang sarkasmo, saka inayos 'yung unan sa likod ko - pero kahit paano ko inayos 'yun, parang hindi pa rin ako komportable. Alam kong medyo pangit 'yung boses ko, pero ayoko na magpanggap pa na okay lang ako.

"Oo nga naman e! Sino nga ulit 'yung nahimatay kahapon!" Asar pa ni Mommy, tapos tumawa pa s'ya kasama sina Kuya Alvin at Kuya Adrian - 'yung tawa nilang parang walang problema sa mundo, parang hindi nila alam na ang anak nila at kapatid nila ay nagdadalawang-isip kung paano niya ibibigay sa mundo ang bata nang walang ama na kasama.

"Hey Anthony! I didn't raise a gay son, you know! Next thing you know, you'll be fainting when you see your own partner in labor!" Dad joked, and all three of my brothers laughed even harder.

"Dy, I'm not gay! I promise! Do you want me to give you a grandchild right now to prove it?" Kuya Anthony said, then suddenly Kuya Adrian and Kuya Alvin smacked him on the head at the same time.

"Aray naman! Ang sakit n'yo naman talaga! Mga bully!" Daing ni Kuya Anthony habang hawak-hawak 'yung ulo niya, tapos tumawa pa 'yung dalawa.

Mom and Dad just shook their heads at them - their eyes full of love. They walked over to me slowly, adjusting the blanket wrapped around the baby who was now lying peacefully in Mom's arms.

"Let me hold her for a while, anak. You must be tired, and your body still needs to get strong again." Mom said softly.

I stared at my daughter for what felt like hours - she was lying in Mom's arms, her eyes still hazy but you could already see how beautiful she was. Fair skin, cheeks as round and soft as unripe apples, hair as fine as thread. But you know what? Every bit of her beauty - from the shape of her face to the way she looked at things - was exactly like Jaiden's. I was the one who carried her for nine months. I was the one who cried every night when I couldn't sleep from the pain in my belly. I was the one who shopped for her things all by myself. I was the one who prayed every single day that she'd be healthy... and yet she doesn't look like me?