RGS#1: TO BREAK AN AFFAIR (PUBLISHED)

PROLOGUE

Kanina pa ako nangangati sa suot kong gown at gusto ko nang umuwi upang makaligo at makapagpahinga. I'm jonesing for a relaxing bubble bath in the tub. I just couldn't stand watching my father and his new wife sweetly dancing to a love song played by our hired band. Panay ang kabit ng mga perang papel sa kanilang kasuotan.

Of course I'm happy to see my father smile and laugh like he used to noong buhay pa si mama. But with another woman? It just makes me miss my mother more. Paulit ulit sa'king isip na walang makakapantay sa kanya. Kung hindi lang dahil sa traydor niyang sakit, siguro buo pa rin kami ngayon.

"What's with the frown sis?" bungad ng papalapit kong kapatid coming from God knows where. Tinabihan niya ako sa hiniligan kong mesa. May hawak siyang kopita laman ang nangangalahating wine. "Huwag mo namang ipangalandakan sa iba na may bugnutin akong kapatid, mapapahiya ako niyan." Humalakhak siya.

Hinampas ko siya sa tiyan na mas ikinatawa pa niya.

"Hatid mo na nga lang ako. Gusto ko nang buhusan ang sarili ko ng tubig and get rid of this make up," inis kong anas, kinakamot ang aking balikat at braso.

Nakangisi siyang sumimsim sa kopita saka nilapag ito sa mesa. "Oh c'mon! Maybe you just need some hooking up."

Inis ko siyang pinasidahan. Doon ko lang napansin na wala na ang kanyang vest, nakasabit na ito sa kaliwa niyang balikat. Nakabukas ang unang apat na butones ng kanyang white button down. Gusot na rin ang manggas nito na hindi na nakatupi. Just by looking at him, I could tell very well his prior endeavour.

Kumunot ang ilong ko. "I'm not like you, Lauris."

Flirty as he is, Lauris has a fair share of women. But he doesn't sleep with them, he just merely makes out with them somewhere, then leaves as if wala lang ang nangyari. That's what he told me, which is something that is hard to believe.

"Hindi mo man sabihin, alam ko kung bakit atat ka nang umuwi. You don't like Antonia for dad." deklara niya.

Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin.

Nagkibit balikat siya. "Twin instinct."

Mabuti nalang at mas malakas ang tugtog ng banda upang walang makarinig sa kanya. He may have said the truth, ayoko namang ipangalandakan ito. I don't want to create an issue.

And besides, I don't like talking about her. She's good and all, let's say perfect but I just don't like her guts. Pero para kaya dad, I'll try to accept her.

Lauris on the other hand doesn't mind, as long as he has a place with a roof to go home to, masaya na 'yan.

"Why do you hate her? Wala siyang ginawa sa'yo. Plus, she's a perfect housewife candidate. Di ko masisi si dad." kinuha niya ang kopita at muling sumimsim dito.

Antonia doesn't seem like in her thirties. She has hypnotized our father because of her elegance. Para siyang isang former beauty queen at pinaninindigan ito through still looking like one despite of age. Slim figure, porcelain skin, at talo pa ako sa kakinisan ng kanyang mukha. She's got a medium length brown hair and mile-high legs to die for.

Noong una ko siyang nakita, she answered my scrutinizing stare with a smile. A radiant one. At unang sumagi sa isip ko...No one should replace our mother. Nobody. But the other side of my brain told me na may karapatan ding sumaya si daddy. He's been taking care of us alone for almost a decade, and being aware that it's not easy handling the two of us, he deserves something for his patience and hardwork. And I could say that was Antonia.

Maybe me and Lauris weren't enough. He sought for a partner in life and now he has found her and marries her, who makes him happy as much as how our mother made him. I held back and didn't argue further. Kahit labag sa loob ko, as long as my dad is happy, I don't have the right to barge in.