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Chapter 7: The Revelation
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< Seir's POV >
"Mom, nung iniwan tayo ni Dad, umiyak ka ba?" tumutulo pa ang luha ko ng tinanong ko si Mommy tungkol kay Dad.
Ewan ko ba kung bakit ako naging ganito ka iyakin. Hindi naman ako iyakin eh. Pero nung gabing yun eh naluwagan yata ang takip ng tear-producing organs ko kaya ayun bumulwak at bumaha ng luha.
Noong mga oras na iyon ay tulog na sina Ate Melissa at Milco kasi nga naman po hatinggabi na akong dumating. Wala eh. Pasaway eh. Nagmahal lang naging tanga na.
"Son, I....I.....I'm sorry kung hindi ko nagawang ipaglaban ang Dad mo."
"I was scared. I was afraid that he still wouldn't choose me."
"The day he left us, you were still so young. Di mo na nga yata naaalala ang araw na yun. But that day, was one of the saddest days of my life."
Ngayon ko lang ulit nakita umiyak ng ganito si Mom.
The first time was when our grandfather died. I was in grade school then, grade three to be exact, when my lolo died. His name was Benjamin Ricaforte a.k.a lolo Ben.
He used to tell us funny stories and folklores that tickled our young minds and also scared the jitters out of us. He told us stories about the moon, the ghouls at night, the fairies and dwarfs that would make us feel like we're in some enchanted plays.
He definitely was a great storyteller. Tapos ang galing din ni Lolo pag dating sa visual arts.
Even just using a pencil, he would create masterpieces. He even made a sketch of my face using a pencil. Siguro sa kanya ako nagmana ng malikhaing kamay. Malamang Oo. haha
Aww. I think I'm gonna cry again. Parang kailan lang kasi. Habang tumatagal, nagiging iyakin na talaga ko. hahaha. Confirmed o confused? hahaha
Noong mga oras na yun ay nakita kong nangingilid na ang mga luha sa mga mata ni mom na anytime soon ay wala ng makakapigil sa pagpatak ng mga ito. So I hugged her. I hugged her tight.
I guess we both needed hugs that night. It was a gloomy evening for us both.
That felt like the most heartbreaking thing I could ever feel. Seeing my mother cry tore my heart to pieces and it was very painful to see your source of strength slowly crumbling and falling to pieces.
Ang sinabi sakin ni Mom dati na ang reason kung bakit umalis si Dad was because of his work abroad. He was a Senior Consultant of a Japanese firm.
She told us, masyado daw tight ang schedule ni dad that's why he can't manage to go home.
We three believed it ever since but not until one day when I heard auntie Beth and mom were talking. I was in the 8th grade then when I discovered what really happened.
I don't usually listen to adults when they're talking because it's disrespectful and rude. But that morning, hindi ko naiwasang makinig sa seryoso nilang usapan.
---------------FLASHBACK--------------
"Lory, kailan mo pa ba sasabihin sa mga anak mo kung ano ang talagang nangyari?"
Nangyari? Ano ba ang nangyari? May nangyari ba kay Dad? Anong nangyari kay Dad? Kinabahan ako. Grabe.. Medyo paranoid lang at speculative. Gumana yata ang inquisitiveness ko ng mga panahon iyon.
