When You Were Mine

Chapter 23

DAN

INABUTAN ako ni Tito DJ ng beer in can tsaka siya naupo sa hood ng sasakyan niya katabi ko. Nakaharap kami sa madilim na paligid near a river park.

"So ano ang desisyon mo?" Tanong niya.

Uminom muna ako ng beer bago sumagot. "Hindi ko alam. Naguguluhan ako."

"Dahil?"

Napailing ako. "Si Kathy..."

"My daughter is a strong girl and the sweetest I know, just like her mother kaya kung aalis ka man I know she will understand."

"Pero hindi ko yata kaya."

"Kayanin mo kahit hindi na lang para sa kapatid mo kundi para kay Kathy na mismo." He patted my back. "I always like for my daughter, you're good for her but I want you to be the best for her. But how can you be even better kung hindi mo kaya manindigan sa kailangan mong desisyon? Think of this as your training ground on how to improve yourself for your future with my daughter."

Inubos ko ang hawak na beer at nagbukas pa ulit at inisang tungga crushing the can in my hand before throwing it out nowhere in frustration.

"Do I really have to choose between my sister and my girlfriend?"

"Choose what you think is the best decision."

"How can it be the best decision when it hurts like hell?" Nag-igting ang mga bagang ko.

"To love is to hurt." He shrug his shoulder.

"Fuck it!" I cussed, pulling my hair. "And how can you give me this advise as if we're not talking about your own daughter? Aren't you supposed to asked me not to hurt her?"

"I'm giving you my unbiased advise as a man not as a father. And I'm not telling you to hurt my daughter, bakit hindi ka na ba babalik? Come back when you become a better man, kapag kaya mo na sa sarili mo nang hindi nakadepende sa sariling pamilya. Come back for my daughter at kung alam ko na handa ka na ako mismo ang hihila sayo pabalik."

I smile with a bitter taste in my tongue. "You talk as if it's so easy to leave."

"I don't know. I never had to fucking experience what you're into and I will never wish to."

I chuckled. "Fuck you."

He punched my shoulder. "Bastos kang bata ka, tatay pa rin ako ng babaeng mahal mo."

"What? I thought you're here as a man not as a father?"

He shrug his shoulder, chuckling before giving me another can of beer.

"PRINCESS... Sorry nagising ba kita?" Kausap ko sa girlfriend habang nakatanaw sa bintana ng kwarto niya.

"Hmn? It's okay." I heard her yawn. "Where were you kanina?"

"Sorry kung hindi ako nakabalik like I've said first."

"It's okay nakatulog naman si Erin habang binabantayan ko at binilin ko siya sa nurse on duty before I left."

"Thank you." Nakatitig lang ako sa kwarto ni Kathy with the lights off and curtain drawn.

"Are you in the hospital now?"

"No..."

"Where are you?"

"Out."

"Out where?"

"Your house."

"What?!" I heard her shift in her bed.

"I wanted to see you."