FALLING SLOWLY

Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24

RAPHAEL

I am totally not in the mood to see Estella but I wanted to see my son. My very cute son... So, I headed straight to Suite 502.

Pagbukas ng pinto ay bumungad ang mukha ni Estella. Tumikhim ako at nag-iwas ng tingin. She's still beautiful. Parang mas lalo siyang gumaganda habang nagkaka-edad.

"Raphael? What are you doing here?"

"I would like to take Raffy to the rehearsal," diretso kong sagot.

"Rehearsal?" Tulala pa siyang tumitig sa akin.

At kahit pa ayaw kong tingnan ang mukha niyang iyon ay binabalik-balikan ng mga mata ko ang ganda niyang iyon.

"Yeah."

"P-pero... Hindi ba? Baka—"

"I don't care what you think. I want to take him there," nanunuplado kong sagot.

"W-worried lang naman ako sa 'yo." Nahihiya pa siyang yumuko.

"I don't need your concern," walang pakialam ko pa ring sagot.

Kinagat niya ang labi at marahang tumango. She was hurt by my words. That's what I intended to do, to make her feel my pain.

"It won't be too much if you'll let me come in, right?"

"Y-yeah... s-sorry..." nagluluha pang aniya sabay bigay daan sa akin. "Come in..."

I tried not to get affected so, I just looked away.

Walang pag-aalangan akong pumasok sa suite at agad kong namataan ang aking anak na nakaupo sa sofa at naglalaro sa ipad nito.

"Raffy, baby..." maagap na tawag ni Estella sa anak namin.

Our son.

Hindi pa rin gaanong mag sink-in sa akin ang realidad na may anak na ako. But I do feel good about it...

"Someone here wanted to see you," sabi pa ni Estella sa pinasiglang boses.

Mabilis na nag-angat ng tingin si Raffy at nang makita nga ako ay agad na nagliwanag ang mukha nito. Binitiwan nito ang ipad at nagtatakbong lumapit sa akin.

"Daddy!" malambing pang tawag nito at agad naman akong bumaba para salubungin ng yakap ito.

"Hey, kiddo." Binuhat ko siya at hinalikan sa pisngi.

Ngayon ko higit na nakita ang laki ng resemblance namin.

"Did you really come here to visit me? You missed me, huh, Daddy?"

I nodded and smile. "As promised, I'll take you to our rehearsal."

"Really? You'll let me watch you?" excited pang sabi nito.

Tumango ako. "Yeah..."

"Mom, did you hear that?!" Nakangising baling pa nito kay Estella.

"Yeah, that's cool, right?"

"Yeah! I'd love to see Dad perform on stage!" sabay baling ulit sa akin. "Can I take Mom too, Daddy? Can we watch you together?"

Seryoso akong bumaling kay Estella. I don't know exactly how to answer that.

"I don't think—"

"Marami pang gagawin si Mommy, Raffy. Ikaw na lang muna, ha," sabay pisil sa pisngi nito.

It's a good thing that she knows that it would be uncomfortable for both of us.

"Really?" malungkot pang sabi nito. "But you like watching Daddy perform, right? You've been watching him nonstop when we were in California."