HIDING HIS DAUGHTER (UNDER EDITING)

CHAPTER 38

ANGELA'S POV

"Mommy, you've been eating for a while," sabi ng anak ko. I paused, napaisip tuloy ako.

Oo nga... She was right.

"Then your food is so weird, Mommy," she continued, ani niya. Anong weird dito? I looked at my plate, wala naman akong makitang kakaiba.

"Mommy, the mango is super sour, and you're dipping it in vinegar," she explained, at 'yung ekspresyon niya parang hindi niya kayang kainin. Her face was a mix of disgust and confusion.

It didn't taste sour to me at all; wala ngang lasa, e.

"You want it, baby?" I asked, holding out a piece.

"N-no thanks, Mommy, you can have it all," she quickly replied, backing away slightly. Medyo nagulat ako sa bilis ng kanyang pagtanggi.

Parang gusto ko bigla ng strawberry na may ketchup. Ewan ko ba, bigla ko lang naiisip.

"Ano po ba ang gusto niyong ulam ngayon, Ma'am?" tanong ng maid sakin, interrupting my thoughts.

"Adobong manok po, but puti po sana ang sabaw, ha," I instructed. "And also, puwede po bang after you cook it, pahingi akong strawberry, pakilagyan na rin po ng ketchup." Napatingin ako sa kanya, naghihintay ng sagot.

The maid's jaw dropped sa sinabi ko. Her eyes widened, clearly showing her surprise.

"M-Mommy?" Althea stammered, nauutal na sabi niya.

"Why, baby?" I asked, confused by their reactions. Ano bang masama sa gusto ko?

"OMG, I can't, Mommy! Nasaan ba kasi si Daddy?!" she exclaimed, sounding utterly frustrated.

"Umalis po ang Daddy niyo, mamayang gabi na raw po siya makakauwi kasi may aasikasuhin daw po siya," the maid informed us.

"M-Mommy, are you sure that's what we're having for dinner?" my daughter asked, parang hindi pa rin makapaniwala.

"Hmm, ayaw mo ba, baby?" I countered gently.

"A-ayoko po ng adobo, Mommy," she pouted, her lower lip trembling slightly. Ang cute niya talaga.

"What do you want?" I asked, willing to give in.

"Fried chicken," she declared, her eyes lighting up.

"Ah, sige, fried chicken din daw po para kay Althea," I told the maid, who nodded in understanding. Buti nalang at madali siyang kausap.

"Sige po," she replied with a small smile. I returned her smile, then went back to finishing my mangoes, which, para sa akin, were absolutely delicious.

My phone buzzed, pulling my attention away from my snack. There was an incoming call. Si Catherine. Ano nanaman kaya ang kailangan nito?

"Reese, punta ako diyan," a voice announced on the other end. At ano namang gagawin nito dito sa'min?

"You have nothing to do here, Catherine," I said, a playful tone in my voice.

"I have a lot, actually! I'm coming to eat your food," she retorted, making me roll my eyes.

"You're just going to finish all our food again," I teased, knowing her appetite all too well.

"You're mean to me, I'm not like that!" she replied, laughing heartily. Narinig ko pa 'yung tawa niya sa kabilang linya.

"Anong ulam niyo?" she then asked, her voice still laced with amusement.

"I asked the maid to cook adobo pero puti ang sabaw," I told her. There was a moment of silence on the line, then I heard her burst into loud laughter. Ang lakas talaga ng tawa niya, parang walang bukas.

"What the f*ck, HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Catherine roared, clearly finding it hilarious. I just rolled my eyes again. Ano bang problema nito sa adobo ko?

"Reese, does that even exist?" she managed to say between laughs.

"Yes," I said, a hint of mischief in my voice. Meron naman, diba?

"I've changed my mind, I'm not coming over anymore," she declared. Oh, okay.

"Okay, but do you want me to send you some of my food later?" I offered. I heard her cough violently on the other end. Halos malaglag ang telepono sa tawa ko.

"No thanks, I'll pass," she quickly declined. Narinig ko pa siyang nagpipigil ng tawa.

"Is your brilliant brother there?" she then asked, changing the subject.

"Which one of my brothers?" I asked playfully. Ang dami ko naman kasi na kapatid na lalaki.

"Who else but my baby?" she replied, and I chuckled. Nagbibiro lang ako, alam ko naman kung sino 'yung tinutukoy niya.

"Kuya Alvin, no, the three of them aren't here. Even your Kuya isn't here either," I clarified. Wala rin naman talaga si Jaiden.

"Aba, saan napunta 'yon? He left here a while ago, so I thought he was there," she said, sounding a bit surprised. Para siyang nagtatampo.

"Jaiden isn't here either; he said he went somewhere. I don't know where he went," I explained, shrugging slightly, even though she couldn't see me. Kahit ako, hindi ko alam kung nasaan siya.

"Xianna chatted with me, she's also looking for your Kuya Anthony. Isn't she chatting with you?" Catherine inquired.

"Wait, I'll check," I said, opening messenger. I saw her chat and replied to her message. Ay, oo nga pala, may message siya.

"She chatted with me too," I confirmed.

"Oh, you see, if your brother ever cheats, tell him not to show his face to me, or I might just kill him. He can go to hell with Satan," Catherine fumed, making me laugh. Napaka-prangka talaga ni Catherine, kaya gustong-gusto ko siya.

"You're so direct to the point. My Kuya would be so pitiful if that happened. But Jaiden... maybe Jaiden won't do that. If he does, I won't show him anymore, and he won't see Althea again. I'll really keep Althea away from him," I declared, suddenly serious. Hindi ko siya palalampasin kung sakali.

"Really, can you do that?" she challenged. Parang hindi siya naniniwala sa sinasabi ko.

"Of course," I responded confidently. Kaya ko, 'no!

"Sus, you're more easily swayed than me," Catherine teased, knowing me too well. Nagsasabi siya ng totoo, siguro nga.

"Your Kuya has a love life now! Your Kuya Adrian!" she announced, excited. Biglang nagbago ang topic.

"You're always the first to know, and I'm his sister, pero wala akong alam," I grumbled, feigning annoyance. Ang bilis niya kasing makakuha ng balita.

"Niligawan niya yung classmate ko nung elementary," Catherine revealed. Aha! Kaya pala.

"What's your classmate's name?" I asked, curious.

"Shean Ly H. Suparat," Catherine replied.

"What's her H for?" I pressed. Feeling ko may malalim na ibig sabihin 'yan.

"Hidalgo," Catherine said over the phone, and I nodded understandingly. Interesting.

"Does she have a mixed heritage?" I inquired further. Ang ganda siguro niya.

"Half Thai," Catherine answered. Sabi na nga ba!

"Kain na po," the maid announced, indicating that dinner was ready. Sakto, nagugutom na ako.

"Alright, I'm going to hang up, bye Reese," Cath said quickly. Bigla siyang nagpaalam.

"Bye," I replied, ending the call. I headed to the dining room to eat. As I ate, Althea kept looking back and forth from me to my food. Hindi pa rin siya sanay sa mga cravings ko.

Masarap kaya... I thought, enjoying my unusual meal. Bakit kaya hindi nila maintindihan?

After I finished eating, I went to my room. Althea was still downstairs; she said she'd go to sleep a little later. I reminded her not to stay up too late. Kailangan niya ng sapat na tulog.

Later, Jaiden... hindi pwedeng matulog dito. Bahala siya, I'm not in the mood.

I don't know why, but I felt incredibly exhausted. Sobrang pagod na pagod ako kahit wala naman akong ginawa.

I hadn't done anything all day, just ate. At 'yan ang nakakapagtaka.

All I wanted to do was sleep. Pero hindi ako makatulog sa dami ng iniisip ko.

I was lying on my bed, feeling utterly drained. Putcha naman kasi, hindi naman ako ganito dati, e.

Ano bang nangyayari sa akin?

I looked towards the door as Jaiden entered. Bigla siyang sumulpot.

He lay down beside me, but I instinctively moved away. Ayoko ng amoy niya.

"What's our problem, love, hmm?" he whispered, pulling me into a hug. I felt his lips on my neck. Humahalik ang loko.

"Lumayo ka nga sa 'kin, Jaiden," I said, annoyed. Naiinis na ako sa amoy niya.

"Why?" he asked, but he didn't move. Ang kulit niya talaga, hindi niya ba maintindihan na ang baho niya?

"You stink," I blurted out.

"W-what?" he stammered, clearly taken aback. Medyo nasaktan ata siya sa sinabi ko.

"Ang baho mo nga kasi, Jaiden, ibahin mo ang cologne mo, don't use that one," I said, but then I noticed he was smiling. Aba, ano'ng ikinangiti niya?

"P-pero love-" I cut him off before he could finish. Ayokong makarinig ng mga palusot.

"Walang pero-pero, lumabas ka na, go sleep in our daughter's room," I commanded, hugging my pillow tightly. Kailangan kong magpahinga mag-isa.

"Okay, thank you, and I love you," he surrendered, kissing my forehead. Ang kulit niya talaga, ayoko nga ng amoy niya, e.

Eh bakit may 'thank you'? Anong ibig sabihin noon?

I was about to ask him, but he had already left. Ang bilis niyang umalis, hindi man lang nagpaliwanag.

Ano sa tingin mo ang ibig sabihin ng "thank you" ni Jaiden?