CHAPTER 27

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Paggising ni Eilie ay hapo niya ang ulo na umupo. Paulit-ulit din siyang tumikhim dahil nakakaramdam siya ng hindi komportable sa lalamunan. Mukhang uubuhin siya.

Mabigat ang katawan na bumangon siya para magtungo sa banyo dahil para siyang masusuka na naman. Hindi nga siya nagkamali at nagsuka siya. Pagkatapos niyang mag-toothbrush ay bumalik siya sa silid at binuksan ang bag dahil naalala niya kahapon na may candies at gamot na nakalapag sa desk niya at nilagay niya ito sa bag.

Hindi niya alam kung kanino ito galing, possibleng kay Sol ulit pero pwede rin namang hindi. Sa pagmamadali na rin kahapon ay wala na siyang oras mag-isip.

Kibit balikat siyang nagbukas ng gamot at kumuha ng candy saka nagtungo sa kusina. Tahimik ang bahay animoy wala ang mga kasama niya. 8 na rin kasi ng umaga, marahil ay naglakwatsa na ang mga kapatid lalo pa at Sabado. Wala rin naman ulit ang tatay nila.

Or so she thought.

She turned her head when the door on the bathroom suddenly opened. Muntik pa niyang maibuga ang tubig na ininom nang makitang babae iyon... at hindi pamilyar sakanya.

The woman is wearing her father's robe for Pete's sake. Her chest starts to beat faster than it should. She's not that dense and stupid. She has a hint what exactly this woman to her father is. 

Her grip to the glass tightened and she almost run out of breath when the woman smiled at her and casually walked towards their father's room. 

She is shaking. Really really shaking. Oa na kung oa pero hindi niya kaya. Oo, hiwalay na ang mga magulang nila and her mom has her new partner pero... hindi pa siya handa. 

"Oh nak, gising na ba ang Tita Bea mo? Bumaba na ba siya?" muntik na siya maiyak nang marinig ang boses ng tatay niyang kaswal siyang tinatanong tungkol sa kabit nito

She couldn't help but to question his actions. How the hell can he say those casually? Na parang wala lang iyon sakanya... sakanila ng mga kapatid niya... sakanya.

He could have at least try to open up about is sakanila. Does their opinion don't matter to him? Wala ba silang karapatan na mga anak niya magsalita? Is he neglecting them... for that woman? What more in the future? Lalo pa at inuwi na ito ng tatay nila. 

Eilie didn't answer. She quietly walked towards her room. She lied there... fed up with her thoughts. Didn't even go down to eat breakfast and lunch. When dinner came, she heard Lucio's knocks outside her door.

"Ate bumaba ka raw sabi ni papa hindi ka pa raw kumakain" malumanay na tawag ulit ng kapatid niya mula sa pintuan

Mas lalo lang siyang napaluha. How can her parents do this to them? 

Nang hindi siya sumagot ay napagpasyahan na ng bunsong Vajellos na pumasok. He saw his sister lying on her bed and staring blankly on her ceiling. 

He is not naive... he knew she's heartbroken. So is he. Lalo pa at makita ang pinakamalakas at pinakamatapang sakanilang tatlo na mag-breakdown ng ganun. She's crying and he knows she can't accept it. He knew it well, he knew her well.

His sister acts tough pero deep inside... she's just a girl—a child. A girl who got robbed of her childhood because she was forced to act mature at a young age to take care of them. All because their family fell apart and their parents were busy throwing shade towards each other. 

"Ate..." he softly calls her and sat on the edge of her bed

Only then Eilie's eyes met his. Her eyes are blank. 

"Kain ka na..." he softly encouraged her

Doon lang muli naramdaman ni Eilie na nilalamig siya... at may sakit.

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