Splitting Hairs

Twenty Seven

I was smiling stupidly in the mirror. Weren't the roses red and violets blue? Oh, God. Nakangiti ako habang nakaharap sa salamin. I felt like the most beautiful woman in the whole world. Ay, hindi lang pala feeling 'yun. Alam ko talaga, I was Angelina Jolie's missing twin sister. Hindi pa lang siguro niya alam.

I frowned. Biglang sumipa si Baby JJ!

"Baby..." I cooed. There was unfamiliar warmth in my heart. Gumagalaw 'yung baby ko! It was amazing how God could implant a living soul within us. Siguro kahit papaano hindi rin naman malas ang mga babae. "Do you agree with mommy? Sumipa ka ulit baby para twice, meaning Oo."

Tapos hinimas ko ulit 'yung tummy ko. Baliw na ata ako at hinihintay ko ngang gumalaw ulit ito. Pero wala talaga. Don't tell me, nagmana ito ng tantrums sa daddy niya. Tsk. Bad vibes.

"You look hapy anak? Ganyan nga smile. Gumagalaw na ba 'yung apo ko?"

Mommy looked at me from head to toe.

"Why mommy?"

"Nothing..." She shrugged. "San ka pupunta?"

"Going to watch TV."

"No!"

Napataas 'yung kilay ko dun.

"Wala lang... baka kasi kung ano pang makita mo maging kamukha pa ng apo ko."

Mommy smiled at me. 'Yung ngiting halatang may itinatago. O baka gut feel ko lang. Whatever. Basta ang mahalaga I was way so happy to bother with the problems of the world. I picked one stem from the bunch of flowers.

I winced at her. "Mommy, I'm way past that stage. At saka..." I pouted. Picture kaya ni Julian 'yung tinititigan ko nung time na 'yun. "He loves me, he loves me not, he loves me... he..." Lalong tumaas 'yung kilay ko dun. Last petal.

"Jeannie!"

I frowned. What the hell was CM doing here? Again? Hindi kaya ang masama pa nito siya pa maging kamukha ng anak ko. Oh, God... no. I could smell something fishy.

At si CM nga ang masangsang na amoy na iyon.

"Look at this!"

"What?" I glanced at the newspaper he was holding in my face! I didn't even bother to look closely at the news clipping. "Ano 'yan?" Balewalang tanong ko. I was just waiting for Julian to drop by. Sabi niya pupuntahan niya daw ako ngayon. Nakakahiya naman 'di ba? Ngayon pa kami magliligawan kung kailan naka-bingo na. Sheesh.

"What's... this?"

I didn't know why my heart started hammering wildly. Narinig ko 'yung pagkatok sa pinto.

"CM... just excuse—"

"Ako na." Mommy volunteered.

"No mom, it might be Julia—" She was already out even before I could finish what I was going to say. CM avoided eye contact with me. After clearing his throat, he put the news clipping away. Ewan ko ba. Pero umandar na naman 'yung pagiging psychic ko. There was something wrong here.

"CM ano 'yan?"

"Ito? ah... wala." He smiled sheepishly.

"CM!" Mabilis kong kinuha 'yung dyaryo sa likuran niya. "Jeannie..."

He wasnow gnawing his nails. "Oh? Ito lang pala eh." Sabi ko. There was a couple captured kissing.

"Who are they?"

He winced. "Ay, tanga."

I gritted my teeth. Then... I slowly gasped. It was a major no-no!

"Hindi... hindi si..." I saw CM nodded rapidly at me. Na parang sinasabing: Oo, nakakaawa ka.