HIDING HIS DAUGHTER (UNDER EDITING)

CHAPTER 29

ANGELA'S POV

I hugged my daughter tightly as I whispered, "Nak, wag kang malikot ha inaantok pa si Mommy eh." I really wanted to get some more shut-eye kasi I felt like I just closed my eyes a few minutes ago.

Then out of nowhere, I heard Althea giggling loud as hell. "Ayieee! Ang cute nila Mommy!" Her voice was so bright it cut through the drowsiness na pumapalibot sa akin. I furrowed my brows kasi parang naririnig ko rin si Kuya Alvin - ng bakit naman makakarinig ako ng boses nila kung may kwarto silang sarili.

"Baby, patulugin mo muna kami ha - mga one hour pa lang, please?" That was definitely Kuya Alvin's voice. I tried to snuggle deeper into the warm body beside me, thinking it was my pillow or my daughter.

But then Althea shot back, "No Uncle! It's already 6 a.m. na po hindi na pwede matulog pa!"

That's when I snapped my eyes open - nang makita ko mismo na nakayakap ako kay Jaiden, tapos siya rin namang nakayakap sakin ng mahigpit. What the f*ck talaga. Parang biglang nag-freeze ang buong katawan ko kasi hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit kami naka-position na ganito. I mean, last thing I remember si Althea ang kagabi ko.

Jaiden opened his eyes too - at tumitig lang siya sakin ng walang kahit anong ekspresyon sa mukha. I wanted to ask him what his problem was, or kung sinadya ba talaga niya 'to, pero bago pa ako makapagsalita...

My eyes drifted to Althea, who was grinning from ear to ear - parang alam niya lahat ng nangyayari. Anong kalokohan nanaman ito? Baka naman siya talaga ang may gawa nito, e.

"Jaiden, yung kamay mo nga!" I said, tapping his arm na nakapulupot pa rin sa bewang ko. He just nodded slowly tapos tinanggal na ang kamay na nakayakap sa akin.

Right after that, Althea climbed up the bed - at yumakap din sakin ng mahigpit. Her little arms wrapped around my neck so tight, parang hindi niya ako makikita ng matagal.

"Good morning, Mommy!" She said it so cheerfully, parang walang katapusan ang enerhiya niya.

"Good morning din, baby ko. Bakit ka naman gising na ng ganito kaaga?" I kissed the top of her head, feeling all warm inside kahit medyo confused pa rin ako sa sitwasyon.

Then she turned to Jaiden - at ngumiti pa lalo. "Good morning, Daddy!"

Jaiden's face softened right away - parang nagbago bigla ang lahat ng tensyon sa katawan niya. He reached out and hugged her back. "Good morning din, baby girl ko. You're up early talaga, ha?"

I couldn't help but look over at my brothers - na nakatayo lang dun sa isang tabi ng kwarto, antok na antok at mukhang pinagod pa ng sobra. I literally laughed out loud nang makita ko ang mga mukha nila.

Kuya Adrian had lipstick smudged all over his cheeks and even on his forehead. Kuya Alvin had powder all over his face, plus someone drew an extra eyebrow on his cheek - sobrang clown talaga ng itsura niya. Only Kuya Anthony looked "decent" - pero mukha siyang pusa kasi may black eyeliner na guhit sa mata niya tapos may mustache pang pininturahan sa ibaba ng labi niya.

"Good morning mga Kuya! Ang ganda ng mga itsura niyo ha!" I said, still chuckling kasi talagang hindi mapigilan ng tawa ko.

"Walang good sa morning para sakin, Angela," Kuya Anthony mumbled, his voice raspy from sleep. He looked like he could collapse any minute.

"Inaantok pa ko ng sobra," Kuya Adrian added, rubbing his eyes tapos napansin niya yung lipstick sa kamay niya. He looked so shocked.

"Matutulog muna ko ulit at baka mapaso ako sa kainitan ng ulo ko kapag hindi ako makakatulog," Kuya Alvin said, already walking back to the door like a zombie.

But Althea ran over to block their way - at sabi niya ng mariin, "Wala po kayong makikitang tulugan ngayon hehe, Uncle! Hindi pwede!" I just smiled kasi alam kong tama siya - umaga na talaga, at baka lalo pa silang mahilo kung matutulog pa sila ngayon.

Jaiden just smiled and shook his head - parang sanay na siya sa ganitong eksena.

I turned to my brothers and asked, "What time did you three actually sleep last night?"

Kuya Adrian checked his phone - at sabi, "3:27 a.m. ako natulog. Naglalaro kasi ako ng video games tapos nakalimutan ko yung oras."

"2:38 a.m. ako," Kuya Alvin said, yawning so wide parang mapupunit na ang bibig niya. "Nag-aayos ako ng files para sa trabaho tapos biglang nadagdagan pa ng dami."

Kuya Anthony sighed deeply - at sabi, "Ako pinakamatagal - 4:08 a.m. ako natulog. Nagbabasa ako ng mga kontrata tapos hindi ko ma-gets yung ibang terms."

"Grabeng buhay 'to - hanggang kailan ba ako pahihirapan ng ganito?" Kuya Anthony complained, running his hands through his hair na parang nagugulo na naman.

"I can't take it anymore sobrang sleepy na talaga ako," Kuya Alvin added, already leaning against the wall para hindi siya mahulog.

But Althea clapped her hands excitedly - at sabi niya, "Hindi po kayo makakatulog - mag jo-jogging po tayo lahat! Para mawala yung antok niyo!"

I nodded in agreement kasi maganda naman talaga yun - exercise pa sila, tapos makakain sila ng mas masarap pagkatapos. "Sige na nga, maghihilamos muna ko tapos susunod na ako," I said to all of them, then got off the bed and headed to the bathroom.

Every single morning, kapag tinitingnan ko ang sarili ko sa salamin, parang sinabunutan ako ng isang daang tao. My hair was all over the place, my eyes were puffy, at mukha akong hindi natulog ng isang linggo. But that's normal naman for me.

While I was brushing my teeth, I could hear the boys talking outside the bathroom door. Their voices were loud kahit na sinisikap nilang bumaba ng boses.

"Kulang ako sa tulog - pero at least I'm still handsome naman, right?" That was so Kuya Anthony - kahit kailan hindi nawawala ang pagmamayabang niya. I just rolled my eyes even though they couldn't see me.

"Teka nga lang - bakit ba mukha kang pusa," Kuya Alvin asked, his voice full of amusement. "Parang nag-costume party ka tapos hindi mo natapos yung makeup mo."

"Oo nga, ano ba tong nasa mukha ko?" Kuya Adrian whined. "Baka naman sinadya 'to ng isang demonyita - nang para akong tanga ngayon."

"Ako ba talagang mukhang pusa?" Kuya Anthony asked, parang hindi makapaniwala.

"Mag-salamin nga tayo sa labas - para makita natin kung gaano tayo ka-'pogi' ngayon," Kuya Adrian suggested, tapos narinig ko na silang naglalakad papunta sa sala.

Then came the three of them shouting all at once:

"What the f*ck is this?!" Kuya Adrian yelled.

"Damn - sino ba gumawa nito sa amin?!" Kuya Alvin added.

"Tang*na talaga - sinong may gawa nito?!" Kuya Anthony cursed so loud.

I finished brushing my teeth tapos hinugasan ko na rin ang mukha ko gamit ang malinis na towel. After that, I stepped out of the bathroom to see what all the commotion was about.

"Gising na ba kayong lahat? Parang nagwawasak kayo ng bahay eh," I said, trying to keep a straight face pero napapangiti na ako.

"Gising na gising na nga - pero hindi ko matanggap tong itsura ko ngayon!" Kuya Anthony said, his face all scrunched up in anger. "Ang gwapo kong mukha, nagmukhang pusa lang bigla - tang*na talaga!"

I walked over to him and pinched his arm lightly. "Kuya, bawal magmura ha - lalo na kung naririnig ni Althea. Baka matutunan niya yun, e."

Then all three of them shouted at the same time: "ALTHEA!"

Althea peeked out from behind Jaiden - at ngumiti pa siya ng malaki. "E, hihi... sorry na po Uncle's! Ang cute niyo po kasi kaya ginawa ko yun! Promise, gaganda naman kayo pag naligo na kayo!"

The three of them started chasing after her - pero Althea ran straight to Jaiden and climbed up his arms. "Daddy! Mahuhuli ako nila Uncle, tulungan mo po ako!"

Jaiden lifted her up easily and held her close to his chest - at sabi niya, "Huwag kayong hahabol sa baby girl ko ha. Baka mapagalitan kayo ni Angela."

I just shook my head and laughed - tapos lumabas na ako ng kwarto para magpahangin. When I stepped into the garden, I saw Mom and Dad sitting on the bench near the fountain, nagkukwentuhan lang sila ng mahinahon. You could really see how much they love each other, parang kahit anong mangyari, hindi nila kayang mawalan ng isa't isa. It made me smile kasi sana all talaga - ganun ka-stable ang relasyon.

"Good morning Mom, Dad!" I said, walking over to them and giving both of them a kiss on the cheek.

"Good morning nak," Dad said, patting the empty spot beside him para umupo ako.

"Good morning honey. Kamusta naman ang mga anak mo - lalo na yang mga kapatid mong lalaki na parang bata pa rin," Mom said, laughing softly. "Kanina pa kami nakakarinig na gulo sa loob ng kwarto mo."

"Ang mga Kuya ko po kasi, umaga na natulog kagabi eh - ngayon lang sila nagigising tapos nagreklamo pa ng sobra," I said, sitting down between them.

Dad just chuckled at sabi, "Kahit anong edad na sila, hindi mawawala yun."

I looked at them and asked, "Kumain na po ba kayo? Gusto ko sana magkape muna bago mag-jogging kasama si Althea at mga Kuya."

"Hindi pa honey - hinihintay namin kayong lahat. Tsaka hindi pa rin tapos ang pagluluto - nagluluto pa lang ang mga kasambahay sa kusina," Mom said.

"Ah sige po punta po muna ako sa kitchen. Baka pwede akong makatulong sa pagluluto," I said, then stood up and headed to the kitchen.

When I got there, I saw the maids working together - some were chopping vegetables, some were cooking rice, at yung iba naman ay naghahanda ng mga ingredients para sa ulam. They all looked so busy pero organized pa rin.

"Hi po! Gusto niyo po bang tulungan ko kayo dyan?" I said.

"Ay wag na po Ma'am! Kami na po ang bahala dito - baka po kasi mapagalitan kami ng Mom at Dad mo po kung mapagod ka," one of the maids said, smiling politely tapos itinaboy pa ako ng mahinahon.

"Hindi naman po kayo mapapagalitan ako na po ang bahala sa kanila. Ano po bang maitutulong ko sa inyo? Baka naman pwede akong maghiwa ng mga gulay o ano pa," I insisted.

"Ma'am, talagang hindi na po kailangan baka po masugatan pa kayo eh," another maid said, laughing lightly. "Ang kulit niyo po talaga, Ma'am, parang hindi kayo may-ari ng bahay."

I just laughed with them - at lumapit na ako sa counter kung saan may mga gulay na hinihintay pang hiwain. "Sige na po - hayaan niyo na ako. Ako na po maghihiwa ng mga sibuyas at carrots dito."

"Ako na diyan, Ma'am! Baka po masugatan kayo!" The maid holding the knife tried to stop me - pero tinanggap ko naman yung kutsilyo mula sa kanya.

"Sigurado po kayo, Ma'am?" she asked, looking worried.

I nodded and gave her a reassuring smile. "Sigurado po ako mag-ingat lang naman ako. Wag kayong mag-alala."

First, I peeled the onions. After peeling, I started slicing them thinly - nang mabilis lang pero maayos. Then I moved on to the carrots - ang tigas talaga nila, kaya kailangan kong magpursige para makuha yung tamang lapad ng hiwa.

I was so focused on chopping that I didn't notice one of the maids picking up a heavy wok from the stove. Suddenly, the wok clattered on the floor with a loud bang - at napasigaw ako bigla kasi natigilan ako tapos nahiwain ko ang daliri ko.

It was just a small cut - malayo naman sa bituka ng daliri ko - pero medyo masakit pa rin. I dropped the knife tapos pinipigilan ko yung daliri para hindi masyadong dumugo.

Then someone grabbed my hand gently - at nang tumingin ako, nakita ko si Jaiden na nakatayo lang dun sa tabi ko. His face was serious parang galit o baka naman nag-aalala siya.

"Anong ginagawa mo dito?" I asked, feeling a little embarrassed na nahuli niya akong nasugatan.

He just looked at me - at sabi niya, "Watching you. Kasi alam kong hindi ka marunong mag-ingat sa sarili mo." Then he pulled me gently out of the kitchen and into the living room.

I sat down on the couch tapos pinapanood ko siya habang kumuha ng cotton balls at betadine mula sa drawer. He moved so carefully - parang hawak niya yung pinakamahalagang bagay sa mundo.

"Malayo naman yan sa bituka e - hindi naman ako mamatay dyan," I said, trying to make light of the situation. Pero deep inside, na-touch ako kasi hindi ko inakala na mag-aalala siya ng ganito.

He looked up at me - at sabi niya ng mahinahon, "Kahit na. Ayoko kitang nasasaktan - kahit pa maliit lang yun." Then he soaked the cotton ball in betadine tapos gently dabbed it on my cut. I winced a little pero tinignan ko lang siya - parang nakalimutan ko na yung sakit.