Forgotten Child

Tenth Chapter

"You're kidding."

"I'm afraid not."

Napalunok ako bago magsalitang muli. "P-Papaanong-" I shook my head bago ko hilamusin ang aking mukha. "It doesn't make sense. Paanong nangyari 'yun?"

Napangisi si Sylvester Travis. "It was pretty simple, actually. Violet and I had a wild sex and we didn't use any protection. Long story short, my sperm met her egg ―"

"Stop!" tinakpan ko ang aking mga tenga.

His words were just like my words. Gosh, mana-mana ba 'to? Ganto ba agad 'yun? Eh hindi pa nga nakakasiguro na anak ako ng isang Travis eh!

"Just trying to help you make sense out of it," he said shrugging.

I bit my lower lip. "Teka lang po, ha? Parang kanina lang tinalo niyo pa ang imbestigador kakahingi ng proof whatever para mapatunayan na ako talaga ay anak ni mama Violet, tapos ngayon? Parang pinupush niyo na anak niyo ho ako?"

"Well, you're also pushing that you're Violet's daughter, so might as well push that I'm your dad, hija."

Napatigil ako.

"I'm your dad."

"I'm your dad."

"I'm your dad."

Hindi ko alam kung bakit pero something inside me felt warm when he said that.

Ito ba ang tinatawag na lukso ng dugo?

"Hija, I hope you get what I mean by wanting you to prove to me that you are really the result of me and Violet's lovemaking," he said, rather gently. "Hindi ko inaakalang mabubuntis ko siya, kaya I need that assurance that you also have Travis blood running through your veins."

Napalunok ako. "P-Pero po paano?"

He smiled at me. "There's always a doctor who can help you anytime, especially if it's for his family."

"Si Doctor Rafael po?" Tumango ito. Umiling ako. "Hindi po ako parte ng pamilya niya, kaya po I don't think that ―"

He clicked his tongue thrice. "That's where you're wrong, Maiah. You are valuable in the lives of the Krausses."

Napakunot-noo ako. The Krausses?

Napatingin ako sa katabi ko at nakita ko siyang nakatiim-bagang. Tsaka ko ulit binalingan ang kaharap ko.

"A-Ano po ang ibig niyong sabihin? At tsaka ho, alam niyo po ba kung bakit nasabi ni tita Zie na ako daw ang dahilan kung bakit nabaliw si Mama Violet? Ano po ba ang mga nangyari noon? Bakit po ―"

"Haha, you ask so many questions at the same time," he sighed. "Another trait you got from her, I see," he muttered to himself. "My meeting time with you is limited, kaya hindi ko masasagot ang mga katanungan mo. Pero I am sure that you can find someone who could help you answer those questions."

"Oh." My shoulders went down.

"About naman sa kung bakit nasabi ni Mac na ikaw ang dahilan ng pagkabaliw ni Violet," his eyes went hard. "She wasn't kidding. You really were the reason, if you are her daughter."

I ignored the last part that he said. "Pero ho bakit ako? Ano po bang nagawa ko? Kasalanan? Isa po bang malaking kasalanan na maipanganak sa mundong ito? Iyon ba 'yun? Edi sana pinalaglag niyo na lang ako!"

Hindi ko namalayang napapataas na pala ang boses ko.

Naramadaman ko na lang ang kamay ng katabi ko dahil hinawakan niya ang kamay ko ng mahigpit ― telling me to calm down. I'm breathing hard right now, trying to fight back my tears tsaka ko nakita na napatiim-bagang si Sylvester.

"That wasn't what I mean," he said. "When Violet found out that she was pregnant, siya mismo ang hindi makapaniwala sa balita. You see, kahit nakakulong kami, dahil kay Mac at sa awa niya, pinapayagan niya kaming magsama-sama every special occasions. Yes, heavy security pa din kami pero nasa labas naman sila ng room. My mom and dad died a month shortly after we got put behind the bars. Inatake sa puso si Dad Theo habang si Mom Sylvia naman eh na-stroke a few days after Dad died, kaya sa mga special occasions, kami lang dalawa ni Violet sa room," he smirked. "Alangan namang magjack-en-poy kami o magbahay-bahayan 'di ba?"

I rolled my eyes inwardly. Of course. Ano nga ba naman ang gagawin ng mag-lovers sa iisang kwarto?

"Pero that day was different than the others," pagpapatuloy nito.

"Paanong different?" tanong ko.

He chuckled to himself. "We role-played."

Anak ka ng butete ―

"Para maiba naman," dugtong nito na may halong tawa. "Kaya nauwi sa wild sex and what made it more special was we were celebrating the day when we first met." Bumuntong-hininga siya. "Anyway, doon ka nabuo. Doon ko siya nabuntis. She found out about her situation because she was having the signs of being a pregnant woman. And with the help of other people, she got a pregnancy test kit and tested herself."

I was holding my breath when our eyes met, and I could see his eyes were happy about the result of the past.

"It was positive," he smiled gently. "Naging excited siya, at kahit ako na binalitaan lang ay halos magtatatalon sa tuwa," he sniffed before shaking his head. "Anyway, mabalik tayo sa tanong mo, kaya nasabi 'yun ni Mac ay dahil hindi maayos ang pagbubuntis ni Violet noon. Ang bata sa loob ng sinapupunan niya ay wala sa dapat na pwesto nito, at dahil sa sakit na nararamdaman niya," nagdilim ang mukha nito. "Halos mamatay na siya sa sobrang sakit that led her to --"

"Lose her mind or take me out of her stomach and throw me to the trash?" I cut bitterly.

Napatigil siya sa pagkukwento tsaka ako tinignan maigi. "Both."

Napasinghap ako.

"The first one that you said happened first, of course, but the second one?" he smiled secretly. "I'll be leaving that to you."

"Ha?"

Pinagholding hands niya ang mga kamay niya tsaka nilapag sa table at naglean forward. "Find out what happened to Violet after she lost her mind. Find out how did she ended up near the VioZon Club because, yes, Maiah, doon siya nakitang duguan at walang-malay. Pero paano siya napadpad doon? Paanong nangyaring hindi nakita ang sanggol? Find the answers to those questions, Maiah."

"At ano naman ho ang mapapala ko kapag nakita ko ang mga kasagutan sa mga katanungan na 'yan?" tanong ko.

He tilted his head. "Why, not only you would make me believe that you really are our baby, but also, you would give me the evidence that I need to make me tell you a very important thing."

I gulped. "And that would be?"

Nakatango ang ulo ni Sylvester pero ang mga mata niya lang ang naglook up para i-meet ang mga mata ko. That made him look like a devil in disguise and when he smiled, he became more sinister than a second ago.

"The consequences of being Sylvester Theo Travis' child."