New Species

Thirty-three: The Third Person

Thirty-three

"I don't want any more trouble, you understand me, Harlow?" malumanay na sabi ni Hugo habang nasa hapag kami kinabukasan at kasalukuyang nag-aalmusal.

"In case you haven't heard, Hugo, this niece of yours put snakes in our daughter's room. Together with her friends!" galit na sagot ni Camila.

"I heard that clearly, Camila. But she and Fallon, started it. And they did something worse. It almost killed Piper."

"I don't care what Harlow did to her. What I care about is what they did to Harlow. These two aether users should be sent back to wherever they came from."

"You can't say that you don't care what Harlow did, Ma. It endangered Piper's life!" si Declan naman ngayon ang nagsalita.

"So? What will I say? I don't care."

Tiningnan ko si Camila. Ito pala ang may kasalanan ng lahat.

"Kaya naging ganyan ang ugali ng anak mo, Camila eh. Ipinapamana mo sa kanya ang masama mong ugali," sa wakas ay nagsalita si Riley. Alam kong sasagot at sasagot ang isang to.

"What are you trying to insinuate, outsider?"

Nagpunas ng table napkin si Riley saka ipinatong niya ang dalawang siko sa mesa at pinagsaklop ang mga kamay n'ya. "I'm not trying to insinuate anything. What I'm trying to say to you is direct. Masama ang ugali mo. Napakasama. At aware ka sa bagay na yun. So, ayaw mo na ikaw lang mag-isa ang masama dito kaya ginagawa mo ang lahat upang maging katulad sa'yo si Harlow. Congratulations! You succeed!"

"I am just protecting my child!" sigaw niya.

"Really?" pero hindi nagpapigil si Riley. "Eh paano si Declan? Anak mo rin s'ya. Bakit hindi mo s'ya ginaganyan?"

Natigilan siya. Maging sina Hugo, Declan at Harlow.

Niyugyog ko ang braso ni Riley. "Tama na yan."

"Hindi eh. Curious ako. Akala n'ya siguro hindi ko napapansin na si Harlow lang ang itinuturing n'yang anak samantalang si Declan ay hindi n'ya pinapansin."

I gave Declan an apologetic look. Nakapa- insensitive talaga nitong kaibigan ko.

"I'm done here!" tumayo na si Camila at sumunod naman si Harlow.

"Such an old spoiled brat. Hindi na bagay sa'yo. Masyado ka nang matanda para d'yan!"

Sinapak ni Everett ang braso si Riley.

Muling lumingon si Camila. "Declan, is not my son. Did I answer your question?" aniya saka nagmartsa na sila palayo.

Natigilan kami buhat sa narinig. Nakayuko lang si Declan sa pinggan n'ya samantalang napanganga si Riley.

"Yan kasi eh," ani Everett sa kanya.

"Declan..." sambit ko sa pangalan n'ya.

He smiled. "It's okay. I know."

Tumango ako. Tumayo si Everett saka hinila na si Riley palabas ng dining hall. Kaya naman kaming tatlo na lang ang naiwan dito.

"Well, I think you should know as well," ani Hugo saka nagpunas ng table napkin sa bibig n'ya.

"I-It's okay," I don't wanna pry sa buhay nilang mag-anak.

"You're family, Piper," nakangiting sabi ni Declan sa akin. "You need to know."

I nodded.

"I had a relationship with a Devereaux before I met Camila. She was a good woman. I intended to marry her. But our relationship was a secret. On the night na magpo-propose na sana ako sa kanya, she was sent outside for a mission. Her team spent a very long time outside. Then one day, I was forced by my mother to marry Camila because she's from a family that they already know. Not knowing I had a girlfriend."