Forgotten Child

Ninth Chapter

"S-Sylvester Theo Travis?" di-makapaniwala kong tanong.

Tumango si tita. "In case you were wondering why, I'll tell you. My husband and I talked to Syl after the day we got some info about you. Niets couldn't really help us because of the confidentiality, so we took care of the problem ourselves."

Kinausap nila ang lalaking mahal na mahal ng nana —

"Hinihintay ka niya," putol ni tita Zie sa pag-iisip ko. "After telling Syl about you, he told us that he wants to meet you."

Napalunok ako. "Bakit po?"

Tita Zie gave me ghostly smile. "Because he wanted to meet the sole reason why Violet Kizon got lock up in the asylum in the first place."

Napailing ako sa sinabi ni Tita Zie.

Was she trying to say that I was the reason kung bakit nabaliw si Mama Violet? Iyon ba ang ibig sabihin niya?

A couple of days na ang nakakalipas after ng encounter ko with the Krauss and Casteñeda families. Pagkatapos ng paguusap namin na iyon ay pinagpahinga nila ako sa isang kwarto ng mansion na iyon. 

That guy na kakilala ko ang naghatid sa'kin nun and I was so thankful that he didn't talk to me ng ihatid niya ako sa kwarto.

Nakatulog ako agad after nun at nagising na ng the next day. I was surprised that they even treated me as a visitor despite how I acted in front of them the day before.

Nakilala ko din sila Sir Sebastian at Sir Tino sa two days na pagsstay ko dun. I stayed two days dahil gustong ipakita sa'kin ni tita Zie ang mga ari-arian ng Travis sa Cebu noon na naka-on hold ngayon, meaning ang Ayala, Krauss, at Lim families ang nagpapatakbo muna.

Bakit? Hindi ko din alam. Hindi sinabi sa'kin.

"A penny for your thought, dame de mon cœur."

Napalingon ako sa katabi ko na seryosong nakatingin sa'kin.

Kanina pa ba niya ako tinitignan?

I shook my head. "You already know kung ano ang tumatakbo sa isipan ko. No need for a penny."

He sighed. "Why are you so aloof? You still haven't forgiven me from before?"

Napapikit ako. "Sorry kung aloof ang tingin mo sa pakikitungo ko sa'yo, pero I'm not. Masyado lang talagang magulo ang mga nangyayari sa buhay ko ngayon," I sighed and looked at him, giving him a small smile. "And no, I have forgiven you. Wala ka namang kasalanan sa nangyari eh. Pasensya ka na at nagalit ako sayo noon."

Nagulat ako ng bigla niyang itaas ang arm rest na namamagitan sa'min at hinigit ako papunta sa kanya at yakapin ng mahigpit at may pag-iingat.

"You have every right to be mad at me, Maiah, mon cœur," he stroked my hair, pulling me closer to his body and I couldn't help but inhaled his manly scent. "I took him away from you." He buried his face to my neck, breathing in deeply. "Je suis désole. I am sorry."

Hindi ko alam kung bakit, pero my hands just moved on their own. My left hand went to his back to hug him back, while my right hand went to his hair and gently stroke it. "You didn't take away anything from me. And knowing Aidan — may his soul be rest in peace — he chose it to happen. He chose to give it to you." Lumayo ako sa kanya ng bahagya para hawakan ang ulo niya ng dalawa kong kamay. "Don't be sorry for receiving my late boyfriend's present to you. Cherish and take care of it. Mas matutuwa pa siya, kahit ako, kung ganun ang gagawin mo."