Case #4 (Completed)

C #31

C #31

Hindi alam ni Eunica kung paano magre-react sa nalaman mula sa nobyo. Is he saying...

"You heard it, anak ako sa labas ng tatay ko." Pagkumpirma ng binata sa kanyang iniisip.

Darren took a deep breath bago ngumiti ng mapait na para bang mayroon itong naaalalang hindi magandang pangyayari sa buhay nito.

All she could do was to stare at him. She will finally know things about her boyfriend.

"Tell me about it." Yakag niya dito. Darren nodded his head once saka ngumiti sa kanya.

"I'll tell you, but not here." Saka nito inilahad ang kamay sa kanya at pinasakay na siya ng sasakyan.

Pumunta sila sa isang burol malapit sa bahay nila. Ngayon pa lang niya nakita ang lugar na iyon. She's been living in that place for so long but never did she ever come across this place.

Gusto niya sanang itanong kung paano nito nadiskubre ang lugar na iyon but now is not the right time. Mas kailangan ng nobyo ngayon ay ang taong makikinig dito. And she will be that person for him.

Bumaba ito at pinagbuksan siya nito ng pinto. Darren lifted her up on the hood of his car and made her sit there. Sumunod din ito at umupo sa tabi niya.

She saw him looked away for a second bago siya muling tingnan at bigyan siya ng maliit na ngiti. He reached for her hand saka nilaro ang kanyang daliri na para bang doon ito kumukuha ng lakas ng loob upang masabi sa kanya ang lahat.

"My mother." He started, looking right through her eyes. "My biological mother, was a secretary of my father in his clinic. And just like in the stories they had an affair. The result was me."

He took a deep breath before continuing. "Upon knowing about the affair, Mrs. Anhelika Lee fired my mother and send her back to her province. My mother didn't know that she was pregnant with me when she went back. But then, she carried on with the pregnancy, with me. Hanggang sa ipinanganak niya ako. We lived together, alone. Just me and her. Itinaguyod niya akong mag-isa. I was so happy with her but then..."

Kitang kita niya ang paglukob ng takot sa mga mata nito habang inaalala ang nakaraan.

"She was killed." Sabi nito sa basag na boses. Humigpit din ang hawak nito sa kanyang kamay. When he looked at her, fear was all she can see in his eyes. "My mother was killed before my very eyes."

Tuluyan ng nabasag ang boses nito at nag-unahan na sa pagtulo ang mga luha nito. The sight almost killed her. She had never seen this man so weak, so vulnerable. Can't help it anymore, kinabig niya ito palapit at niyakap.

"It's okay, it's okay." Alo niya dito habang yakap yakap ang binata. She can feel his body trembling like he was really scared and didn't want to go back to that part of his life.

Hindi niya lubos akalain na ganoon pala kahirap ang pinagdaanan nito. Suddenly she can see in her mind the young version of Darren, sitting on a corner and watch helplessly as they kill his mother. She can't imagine how hard it was for a young boy to deal with that kind of event in his life.

His situation is a proof of the saying 'not all wounds are visible'. Hindi mo man lang aakalain na may dalahin pala itong ganoon kabigat. Minsan kung sino pa ang akala nating mga taong masaya ay sila pa ang may mga mabigat na problema.

Nakalma na ito ngunit nanatiling nakayakap sa kanya. He was about to speak again when she interrupted.

"Stop. Stop it, ayokong nakikita kang nagkakaganyan." She said softly habang hawak ang magkabilang pisngi nito.

Darren looked away. Para bang nahiya ito sa kanya. He shouldn't be, he can tell her everything. Pero hindi naman nito kailangang pilitin ang sarili na sabihin lahat sa kanya ng isahang beses at sa bawat pagkakataong babalikan niya ang mga pangyayaring iyon ay nilulukob ito ng takot. He can tell her bits by bits, that's okay with her.