THE STORY OF BERNICE

CHAPTER 20

Ilang buwan pa ang lumipas, nabalitaan ni Ivo na nanganak na si Lynn. Sa Pilipinas siya nanganak pero after few weeks bmalik din agad sa Singapore at iniwan dito yung bata para ayusin ang passport nito. Pabalik balik sa Pilipinas si Lynn, pero hindi sila nagkikita ni Ivo. Nagkakausap lang sila. Nilinaw din nito na hindi siya magdedemand ng sustento galing sa kanya. Nag uusap na din sila ni Joan kahet papano, especially when it concerns Bernice. Bago mag isang taon ang anak ni ivo with Lynn, uuwi si Lynn sa Pilipinas para makita ito ng parents niya, at Ivo na din.
Ivo: Lynn will be arriving this weekend. (he said casually over dinner. Wala si Bernice dahel nag sleep over ito sa lola niya)
Joan: is she staying here for good?
Ivo: I don’t know. She just texted me if ever I wanted to see Paolo (yung son niya with Lynn)
Joan: what did you say?
Ivo: I don’t know yet. Gusto mo ba?
Joan: why are you asking me?
Ivo: siempre I want to know if you want me to meet him.
Joan: anak mo yun eh. I don’t think tama na sumama ko pag imemeet mo siya.
Ivo: Lynn wanted to meet you din naman, and Bernice too. (hindi umimik si Joan) sige hindi kita pipilitin. Tell me if you’re ready to meet her. (tumango lang si Joan)

Ilang linggo na lang babalik na si Lynn sa Singapore kaya ininvite na niya si ivo at ang pamilya nito over dinner.

Ivo: she’s inviting us for diner, and wishes we could come.
Bernice: sino dad?
Ivo: Lynn. (lumingon si Bernice sa mom niya na walang reaction)
Bernice: mom, can we?
Joan: gusto mo ba?
Bernice: if you want to… (gusto ni Bernice na pagbigyan ang dad niya, pero with great respect pa din sa mom niya na alam niyang hanggang ngayon hindi pa din tanggap yung anak ng dad niya sa iba.)
Joan: if you want to, we will.
Bernice: thanks mom (she hugged her mom)

Before meeting Lynn, nagkaroon ng girls night out sina Chesca, Joan, Mimi, Nikki and Kris (lance’s wife) hindi naksama ang wife ni Mike dahel may pasok ito. Nasa coffee shop sila, chitchatting.

Mimi: so you’ll be meeting her? How does it feel?
Joan: siempre kabado. My gosh, hindi ko hinangad na someday makikipag kita ako sa babaeng naanakan ng asawa ko no.
Nikki: well jo, I know you can do it. Be civil. Besides andun naman si Bernice.
Kris: and I’m sure hindi ka naman iiwanan ni Ivo in a very awkward situation dba?
Mimi: kamusta nab a kayo ni Ivo?
Joan: ok naman.
Nikki: ok naman meaning???
Joan: we talk, unlike before. Hindi na din kame madalas magtalo. Maybe I should thanks my daughter for that.
Kris: yang anak mo talaga, ibang klase.
Joan: yah.. would you imagine, kasabwat niya pa ang dad niya sa lahat ng bagay para lang magkausap kame ni ivo. 
Mimi: ehem.. chesca! Are you with us??
C; huh??
Kris: asan nanaman yung diwa mo chex?
C: sorry.. what was that again? Si francis kase ang kulit.
Nikki: pinapauwi ka nab a?
C; no, hindi naman. nawiwindang na sirguro sa mga bata. Nag aaway daw kase yung twins. Eh alam niyo naman, walang takot yung twins sa kanya. More of saken takot yung mga yun. Sinasabayan pa ni Karl.
Mimi: naku hayaan mo siyang mawindang sa bahay niyo.
C: sabi ko nga, instead of texting me, sana sinasaway na lang yung dalawa. Anyways, going back…
Kris: well, yun nga. Joan here is meeting Lynn efore she leave for Singapore.
C: naku, isa lang advice ko sayo dear, look beautiful. 
Mimi: iba ka din mag advice no chex…
C: well, look. Don’t let her feel na super affected ka with what happened between her and Ivo. Ipakita mo na kahet ganun yung nangyari, hindi halatang bumagsak yung mundo mo no. besides, siguro naman ako, hindi mo na kelanan iplease si iv kase hindi ka naman iiwanan nun, im sure of that. All you have to do is to act normal, and act as if nothing happened. Let her see na your happy, because you have your famly with you, okay?
Nikki: yeah right, take it from Chex, she’s been there.
C: oi grabe naman. Basta joan, kung kelangan mo ng sundo, call us… go kame para sunduin kayo ni Bernice, okay
Joan: thanks..
C: (nag ring ang phone niya) Girls, excuse ha.. (saka nito sinagot ang phone niya coz it’s Francis) Hello baby.
Mimi: hoi Francis, Minsan lang namen hiramin si Chesca kinukulit mo pa ha…
F: si mimi bay un?
C: yup, bakit ba?
F: hindi ka pa uuwi?
C: maya maya, why? How’s the twins?
F: tulog na.. karl too.. go home na.. 
C: early pa oh.. la pa nga 11PM.
F: sunduin kita?
C: no na, I brought my car. Stay home, wait for me na lang. 
F: san ba kayo?
C: ATC lang baby oh, super lapit. We’ll go home in a bit, hatid ko lang si Joan.
F: okay.. bye take care. Love you.
C: thanks love you more. (then she dropped the call)
Nikki: ano yun just checking?
C: ano pa nga ba? 
Kris: ako na lang maghahatis kay Joan, para makauwi ka na agad chex.
C: hindi ok lang, yaan mo yun mag antay. Haha
Joan: don’t worry about me, Ivo’s picking me up daw after work.
Mimi: oh that’s good.

Maya maya pa andun na si Francis sa coffee shop kung nasaan sina Chesca.

Nikki: naku girl, ayan na yung sundo mo..
Joan: ako? Impossible, kakalabas lang ni Ivo sa work..
Nikki: no I mean Chex.
C: ako?? (lumingon ito) bakit andito ka?
F: wala akong kasama sa bahay eh, I decided to join you. (he sipped on his wife’s frappe pa)
C: sinong kasama nung Kids?
F: yaya violy. What’s up girls?
Mimi: hindi mo talaga matiis si Chesca, Francis. Wala pa ngan isang araw na nawawala sinusundan mo na.
F: siempre no, mahirap na.. O Ivo.. pare, musta? Sumusundo ka din?
Ivo: oo eh…
Kris: ayan, pag talaga may nagagawang kasalanan nagiging sweet.. tsk tsk.
C: correct! 
Mimi: Kaya magtataka ko pag naing extra sweet ang asawa ko saken.
Nikki: ay ako din, buti na lang kahet ganun si Kevin, hindi makalokohan.
C: tara na?? may dala kang car Baby?
F: wala.. I took a cab, sayang pag nagdala ko ng car tapos may dala ka din.

It was the night kung kelan magkikita sina Joan at Lynn. Sa Makati sila magkikita, kasama din nila si Bernice. Pag baba nila sa parking lot ng G5, hinawakan ni Ivo ang kamay ni joan hanggang sa makarating sila sa Chateau 1771, dun kase nila imemeet si Lynn.

Lynn: Ivo, here! (lumapit sila)
Ivo: hi (they shook hands) this is my wife Joan and my daughter, Bernice.
Lynn: hi (she shook hands with Joan and Bernice) Bernice, I have something for you. (inabot niya ditto ang gift niya kay Bernice na binili niya sa Singapore.) BTW, this is paolo. (binuhat siya ni Ivo, saka ito nilaro ni Bernice) Uhmmmm, Joan, can we talk? 
Joan: sure. (tumayo sina Bernice at Ivo kasama si Paolo at saka iniwan sina lyn at Joan sa table nila)
Lynn: I know hindi ka kumportable having me around. I would also feel the same if I’m on your shoes. But I want you to know that there’s really no feeling whatsoever between me and your husband. Ayokong sabihin na accident lang si Paolo, but really, when something happened, it was not planned. Hindi naging kame ni ivo. My boyfriend akong iniwan sa Singapore. Umuwi lang kames a Pilipinas dahel may mga kelangan akong papirmahan kay Ivo. We actually talked about it na before. Hindi ko alam kung nasabi na niya sayo. My boyfriend wanted to adopt Paolo. Ngayon kase apelyido ni Ivo yung nasa birthday certificate niya, ganun kase dito sa Pilipinas right? 
Joan: pumayag ba si ivo?
Lynn: well yes he did. Kaya lang ayoko naman na ipagkait sa kanya si Paolo, dahel kahet anong gawin ko, siya pa din ang biological father nito. Sabi naman ng boyfriend ko, he can visit paolo kung gusto niya. But the thing is, we’re planning to get married sa Singapore and dun na kame magi stay for good. My boyfriend is a Singaporean, may business siya dun.
Joan: so you’re bringing Paolo with you na? 
Lynn: yah… so if you guys will be in Singapore soon, feel free to visit us. Don’t worry, I assured Ivo naman na hindi ko ipapagkait yung anak niya sa kanya, ang I will be honest to Paolo. Joan, I know how much ivo loves you. I know na as a father, ayaw mong basta basta na lang ipa adopt yung bata sa ibang tao at ibigay ang apelyido nito sa anak mo, but he did it for you, and your family. Ayaw niyang masira yung pamilya ninyo because of me and of Paolo. I’m sorry for whatever problem I have caused you and your family. And I am hoping that we can be friends. I know sounds so awkward pero really, I’m hoping that someday we will be friends.

Joan, without saying a word, offered her hand to Lynn, she accepted it.
Lynn: thank you.
Joan: no, thank you.
Lynn: you’re welcome.
Joan: Best wishes to your upcoming wedding.
Lynn: I hope you could come. Sa Singapore yun gagawin, I’ll understand if you can’t make it but I’ll sent you invites anyways.

After nilang magusap, iniwan ni Lynn yung adoption papers na kelangan pirmahan ni Ivo.
Lynn: you can still bring it with you for you to read it. Hindi naman yan nagmamadali eh. We’re leaving next week, kung hindi mo pa napipirmahan, you can send it through mail na lang, okay?
Ivo: (he nodded) okay, thank you.
Lynn: so, we have to go. Maaga pa din ako bukas may lalakarin pa din ako para sa wedding eh. It was nice meeting you Joan. Bye Bernice.
Bernice: bye Tita Lynn.
Lynn: I’m happy you called me tita, I appreciate it, really. Bye.
Bernice: thanks for the gift.
Lynn: you’re welcome.

Sumunod na din sina ivo na umalis. Ivo was reviewing the papers when they reached home.
Joan: do you think you made the right decision? (she asked pero hindi ito sa kanya nakatingin)
Ivo: huh? (niligpit nito yung mga papers)
Joan: I mean the adoption. Do you really want it?
Ivo: I’ve made up my mind. Matagal ko na ding pinag isipan yun.
Joan: you can still change your mind, hindi mo pa naman napipirmahan yan eh. (saka ito tumingin kay ivo) Look, if you’re doing this for us, you don’t need to. That adoption papers won’t change the fact na anak mo pa din si Paolo. Don’t get me wrong Ivo, pero kung hindi whole hearted ang pag papaadopt mo kay Paolo, I will understand.
Ivo: Don’t worry, anytime naman I can talk or see him whenever I want to. Okay na saken yun. Besides, mabait din naman yung mapapangasawa si Lynn, I know he will take good care of Paolo. And so does Lynn. You and Bernice are the most important person in my life right now. But it doesn’t mean na hindi importante si Paolo. Nagkataon lang na okay din yung idea of adoption kay Lynn and sa boyfriend niya. 
Joan: ikaw ang bahala, ayoko lang na pagsisihan mo yung desisyon mo in the end kase kung ako naman ang tatanungin mo, okay lang saken kahet hindi.
Ivo: so does this mean we’re okay? I mean really okay?
Joan: let’s just say na I finally proved to myself kung ano yung kaya mong isacrifice for me and for Bernice.
Ivo: I told you, I will do anything para isave ang family naten. Thank you Joan.
Joan: thank you, hon. (she hugged him)
Ivo: I know i’ve made the right decision coz not only did I saved my family, but I also won you back. I love you joan.
Joan: I know. 

Bago makaalis si Lynn, napirmahan na ni Ivo yung ga papers. Still, Lynn assured him na kikilalanin pa din siya ni Paolo as a father pag lumaki ito. Sinabi din niya na masaya siya dahel finally okay na sila ni Joan.