Forgotten Child

Eighth Chapter

Nanatili akong nakatayo at nakatitig sa kanya.

"There's no time to waste, mon cœur." Seryoso niyang saad bago siya naglakad papalapit sa'kin.

His tall built is towering over my small one, and I couldn't help but look up. His eyes that have mixed colors are meeting my boring dark-brown eyes.

"Bakit ka nandito?" I finally asked while gripping my hand on the handle of my duffel bag.

Instead of answering me, he touched my chin and angled it upward as he lowered his head. "It has been so long since then, dame de mon cœur." He closed his head until our lips were barely touching. "Tu m'as manqué. I missed you."

Hindi na ako nagdalawang-isip at hinampas ko sa kanya ang duffel bag ko. "Back. Off."

Ngumisi lang siya tsaka hinawakan ang pinaghampas ko sa kanya. "Glad to know you missed me too, mon amour. As much as I want to keep you to myself, there are important people who have been waiting for you. Come," lintanya niya sabay bitbit ng gamit ko at nauna ng maglakad.

Sumunod na lang ako at kahit na namamangha ako sa mala-mansyon na papasukan namin, I kept my reactions to myself hanggang sa makarating kami sa loob. Tuloy-tuloy lang kami hanggang sa makarating kami sa pintuan ng parang office room ng bahay.

"She's here," he announced through the door before opening it.

And just like that, I wanted to take everything that I said, leave the place, and hide for all eternity.

Who won't feel like that? There are only two people here that I know, excluding this guy who is currently carrying my bag. Only tita Zie and her husband I just met last night, Doctor Xian Rafael, and the rest? 

I have never seen them in my entire life!

"Thank you, son," sabi nung lalaki sa tabi ng babaeng katabi ni tita Zie. Bali ganto ang pwesto ay, from left to right: si Doctor Rafael, si tita Zie, yung babae, tapos yung lalaki. Tapos sa dalawang pang-isahang upuan ay may dalawang matandang lalaki ang nakaupo dito.

Tumango lang siya bilang sagot bago ako bigyan ng makahulugang tingin. And his eyes told me this: "I'll be watching." After nun ay pumunta na siya dun sa may gilid at umupo sa pang-isahang sofa.

I gulped as I felt alone, standing with their watching eyes.

"Please," sabi ng babae na katabi ni tita Zie. "Take a seat."

I immediately made my way to the sofá na tapat sa kanila at umupo.

"We have met from last night but I'll introduce myself again," panimula ni Mr. Rafael. "I'm Xian Rafael, but I am also known as Sean Krauss, which is my birth name."

Ohh, kaya pala Krauss ang last name ni tita Zie.

"This is my wife, Mackenzie Ayala Krauss," pakilala niya kay tita sabay hawak sa bewang nito. "This is my one and only little sister Sian —"

"Kuya, pwedeng 'one and only cute sister' na lang kaysa sa little?" Putol nung babae.

Napailing si Doctor Rafael sabay tango na may maliit na ngisi. "You want to do the honor of introducing ourselves, little sister?"

Nagroll eyes yung babae. "With pleasure." Napailing ulit si Doc pero ngayon, pati si tita Zie ay napailing na rin. "Anyway, na-introduce na ako ng pinakamamahal kong kuya so tuloy ko na sa aking pinakamamahal at faithful-dahil-kung-hindi-putol-ang-kaligayahan-niya kong asawa, Lance Casteñeda."

Napatawa ang dalawang lalaki sa gilid habang yung sinasabing Lance Casteñeda naman ay biglang kinabig ang balikat ni Miss Sian palapit sa kanya, at hinalikan ang buhok nito.