The Empire Series 1: Vander Lewis Rushed

10: Mommy Lianna's Angst

[Warning: Kailangan ng panyo o tissue. I had it when I wrote this part. O baka iyakin lang talaga ako. Hehe!]

Aubrey

Her mother in-law, Lianna, had always been nice to her. Kaya kahit sobrang masakit sa kalooban niya ang harapin ito ay hindi niya ito matanggihan.

She's been calling her parents at nakikiusap na makipagkita ito sa kanya.

"You know when Vander got you pregnant, I told my husband na huwag kayong ipakasal kasi sobrang bata niyo pa." Lianna started. "Your feelings could change." She wiped a tear and tried to control herself from crying.

Napayuko si Aubrey sa sinabi ng biyenan. They are inside a private dining room in a restaurant.

She remembered how stupid and stubborn they were that time. Tumanggi na nga ang mga ito na ipakasal sila noon, gumawa pa sila ni Vander ng paraan para pumayag ang mga ito.

They were very young then. Wala silang inisip kundi ang bugso ng damdamin nila.

"Pero yung daddy Vaughn niyo, isang iyak lang ni Vander handa na siyang kontrahin at awayin ako," natatawa nitong dagdag pero ramdam niya ang bigat ng kalooban nito.

"Wala akong nagawa, nagkasundo ba naman ang dalawang matigas ang ulo." Napapailing nitong dagdag.

Aubrey silently listened to her mother-in-law.

She must admit nasilaw siya sa karangyaang maaari niyang matamasa sa piling ni Vander.

Kaya naman talaga niya pinilit ang mga magulang noon na payagan siyang mag-aral sa exclusive school dahil gusto niyang makasalamuha ang mga mayayaman.

She was young and ambitious.

Well, she experienced the rich life she wanted when they got married but it came with a great responsibility and a huge price.

"You know you have always been a daughter to me since then," hayag nito. She reached for her hand and held it.

Napaluha siya sa pahayag nito.

"I know what Vander did was unforgivable. Kahit ako galit na galit sa ginawa niya. Any woman doesn't deserve to be disrespected by anyone." Lianna said sobbing in between.

Aubrey cried at what her mother-in-law just said. Of all people, she never expected that she would believe her claim against her son. Halos lahat na lang kasi hindi naniniwala sa kanya. Yung mga magulang nga niya tinanong pa siya kaagad kung sigurado ba siya sa binibintang niya.

"I never visited him in jail kasi masamang-masama ang loob ko sa ginawa niya." Umiiyak nitong dagdag.

"I don't wanna see him. I can not afford to look at the person who reminds me that I wasn't a good mother." Lianna's shoulders started shaking as she said it.

"Mom?" Aubrey wiped her tears and stared at her mother-in-law. She didn't expect that remark from her.

"Mommy, hindi niyo po kasalanan ang nangyari. Vander has his own mind." She said trying to at least ease a little of her mother-in-law's pains.

"He keeps telling that he did it because he loves you." Saad nito. Natahimik siya sa pahayag ng biyenan.

"Kung naging mabuti akong ina, sana naturuan ko siya ng ta-mang pag-res-pe-to at pag-ma-ma-hal sa i-sang ba-ba-e." Ramdam niya ang sakit sa bawat bitaw ng salita ng biyenan.

"I failed Aubrey. I failed to be a good mother to Vander. I am sorry." Humagulgol ito.

"Mommy wala po kayong kasalanan." Saad niya rito. It breaks her heart to see Vander's mom suffering. It was the last thing she wants to happen. Pero wala din naman siyang magagawa dahil nangyari na ang nangyari.

There was a long silence before Lianna spoke again.

"But you know what, no matter what my son did. Ayoko pa rin naman siyang makulong." Lianna wiped her tears and looked at her.

"You see, Aubrey, Vander claims that he did it out of love for you." She inhaled deeply before she continued but it sounded like she ran out of breath. "Hindi kulong ang kailangan ng anak ko. He needs psychological help, Aubrey. That wasn't normal."

"Please Aubrey. I am appealing to you, mother to a mother. Don't let him rot in jail."

Would she let the man who disrespected her womanhood at large?

She didn't expect her mother-in-law to plead like this. Ang sakit sa dibdib na sabihin ditong hindi siya pumapayag sa pakiusap nito.

"Mommy, noon pa man ganoon na ang ginagawa niya sa akin. If he's frustrated, he'd force himself on me." The pains and aches she felt before seem to come crushing her heart. Naalala niya ang lahat ng sakit na dinanas mula sa asawa.

"I know, I understand now. Iyon ang dahilan kung bakit ka umalis noon. I should have known it before. Sana nagawan ko ng paraan para maliwanagan ang isip niya."

Napayuko siya sa sinabi nito. She never told anyone about it. Nahiya na rin kasi siya. That was too personal to share.

"Pero ngayon kung makukulong siya I could never help him," her mother-in-law added.

"I promise kapag lumabas siya ng kulungan. We'll never allow him to get near you again." Nakikiusap ang mga mata nito habang nakatitig sa kanya.

"Your ate Vanna will take care of it. You know her kapag sinabi niyang hindi makakalapit si Vander, hindi iyon makakalapit kahit anong mangyari."

"I'm sorry, mommy. I can not let this thing pass. Mabigat po ang kasalanang ginawa ni Vander." Tugon niya rito. It was so hard to say those words knowing that she'll hurt Vander's mom.

"I am not pressuring you. I am just appealing. My son needs psychological help."

Hindi na siya nagsalita pa. 

There was a long silence before Vanna and Liam appeared and sat on the vacant chairs.

"Aubrey, we're very sorry of what Vander did to you." Liam stated. Napatingin siya rito. Liam never volunteered a conversation with her. Lagi itong tahimik at nagmamasid lang. Now, he's actually speaking his mind. Naalala niya ang sariling kapatid na sinabi pang nag-iinarte siya nang ikinuwento niya ang ginawa sa kanya ni Vander.

But maybe Vander's family just knows what he's capable of doing kaya naniniwala ang mga ito sa kanya.

"Vander seem to have accepted na makukulong na siya." Vanna interjected.

"I know how hard it is for you to forgive him but please do it for your children. Pag nakalabas siya, Liam and I promise na hinding-hindi siya makakalapit sa 'yo kahit hindi ka umalis ng bansa." Her sister-in-law uttered seriously.

"I am sorry ate, kuya. I can not give you any answer now. Because right now, the pain's too fresh to let him enjoy life outside of jail." She told them sincerely. No matter how good they are to her, she just can't let it pass that easy.

"We understand, anak. But please think about it a hundred times." Lianna said.

They all went to silent.

Parang pinipiga ang puso niya sa pagtangis ng biyenan sa harap niya. She exactly knows how she feels as a mother pero ibang kuwento kasi ang ginawa ng anak nito sa buong pagkatao niya.

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*Pagkukulang nga ba ng isang ina ang pagkakapariwara ng anak?*