Concealed Seventh Heaven

Chapter 30 - Resurgence

Isabelle's POV

Agad akong bumangon ng may ngiti sa labi nang makita kong umaga na.

"You're not like this, Isabelle." sabi ko sa sarili ko habang nakatingin sa salamin at nakangiti pa rin

What's wrong with me? Gosh. Umiling na lang ako at tumawa dahil kinakausap ko yung sarili ko.

Dumiretso na ako sa bathroom para gawin ang morning rituals ko. It's Sunday today, ano kaya ang magandang gawin? Should I watch movies? Should I go to church?

Pagkatapos kong maligo ay nagbihis na ako ng shirt at shorts na pambahay kasi dito lang din naman ako buong araw more or less.

Umupo ako sa kama habang nagsusuklay ng buhok kinuha ko yung lalagyan ng Instax at tinignan ang pictures na nandun that was already developed. I smiled at the picture of me and Zac that was captured secretly by Dawn.

Holy cow! The reaction paper! I almost forgot about the reaction paper about the museum!

"Damn." I cussed

How can I forget about it? Bukas na ipapasa yun so I need to do it today pero kakain muna ako. I'm hungry.

Agad akong lumabas ng kwarto na may ngiti na naman sa labi. Why am I so hyper?

Napatigil ako sa pagbaba sa hagdan nang may tumawag sa pangalan ko

"Isabelle." that voice. That powerful voice.

He's back....

I looked back at the man who's standing so firmly and was looking at me intently "Daddy....." mahinang banggit ko

It can't be. He's really back?

Bigla siyang ngumiti sakin "I'm back. You didn't miss me? Where's my hug?" tugon niya

Hindi ako makapaniwala. My dad's back and it seems like he's okay. Hug? Should I hug him? For the past years he didn't asked me once to hug him. Panaginip ba 'to? Hindi ako nakagalaw sa kinatatayuan ko habang nakatingin lang ako sa kanya. Para akong natameme sa nakikita ko ngayon.

"Isabelle." banggit niya ulit sa pangalan ko

I can't move. I can't say anything. I don't know what to do. I want to cry but my tears were stuck inside my eyes. I want to hug him but I can't.

Because I know, he doesn't love me anymore. He already rejected me as his child and I don't know if what I'm seeing now is real or not.

"My princess." sambit ni daddy nang makita niyang hindi ako lumapit sa kanya

Tumulo ang mga luhang kanina ko pa pinipigilan dahil sa pag tawag niya sakin ng ganun. It's been years since I heard him call me by that endearment.

Agad niya akong nilapitan at niyakap ng mahigpit dahilan kung bakit mas lalo akong umiyak ng malakas. Nababasa ko na yung damit niya dahil sa mga luha ko. Damn! I don't like it when I cry like this!

"I'm sorry, Isabelle. I'm sorry for not being here beside you. I'm sorry for making you feel like I don't love you. I'm sorry for leaving you. I'm sorry for not being a loving father to you. I'm sorry princess. I'm really really sorry." he hugged me tight inside his arms

I want to shout at him! Sabihin sa kanya yung lahat ng nararamdaman kong sakit. Yung mga pagkukulang niya sakin. Yung mga araw na wala siya dito. Yung mga araw na kailangan ko ng ama nasaan siya? Na nasaktan din ako nung mamatay si mommy.

But I can't. Parang hindi ko kaya na isumbat sa kanya lahat ng yun. Because I know he's in pain, so much pain when mommy died, when his wife died.