My Extra Large Girl [Completed]

XL 32

XL 32

Medyo kabado akong pumasok sa bahay nila Treble pero naalis din iyon nu'ng sinalubong kami ng kaniyang ama.

"Umupo ka, Denzel." Ani Sir Marco. "Sakto, kakatapos ko lang mag-handa ng kape."

I glanced at the coffeemaker on the center table and felt more at ease. Nag-abala pa talaga siya na gumawa ng kape.

"Treb, do you mind picking up your mom? Nandoon siya kina Tita Phoebe mo." Aniya kay Treble na agad namang pumayag.

"Feel at home," habilin pa ni Treble bago siya umalis para sunduin ang kaniyang ina.

"Nag-enjoy ka ba sa party?" Tanong ni Sir Marco.

"Sakto lang po," tapat na sagot ko. "Masarap naman yung pagkain at nag-enjoy ako sa palaro ninyo kahit na hindi ako nanalo."

Damn this mouth. Minsan ay sobrang honest, parang feeling ko nagiging rude na minsan.

"But you knew the answers..." He said as if he was certain.

"Du'n po sa unang tanong, I knew it was from Neil Gaiman's book but I was unsure kung alin sa mga 'yun. Du'n naman po sa pangalawa, alam na alam ko ang sagot. But I got distracted..."

Bwisit po kasi yung anak niyo, biglang tumayo at umalis ng walang pasabi. Nawala tuloy ako sa focus.

"Because of my son?"

Napatingin ko sa kaniya, gulat dahil alam niya ang dahilan. Hindi ako makapagsalita. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang dapat kong sabihin.

"It's getting late and I don't want to take up too much of your time so I'll get straight to the point." Aniya. "Okay lang ba?"

"Ah, opo..."

"As a father who has watched my son suffer, I'm happy to see him like this— inspired, motivated, happy. Kung alam mo lang kung gaano kahirap para sa amin, lalo na sa akin, na panuorin ang anak ko noong may sakit siya, for the love of God, sobrang hirap. It would always remind me of how I lost his mother while giving birth to him..."

"Po?" I asked, astounded.

"My current wife is not Treble's biological mother." He revealed. "My first wife died while giving birth to Treble and I have never...even for once...forgotten how much blood there was on that operating table...on the floor, even."

"S-sorry po..."

"Don't be. You know... it wasn't anybody's fault. It was never anybody else's fault. People go when it is their time to go. My son always thought it was his fault— kung hindi raw sana siya ipinanganak, buhay pa siguro ang Mama niya. But it doesn't work that way."

"Hindi niya kasalanan 'yun..." I muttered.

"Yes... but it took me a long time before I was able to convince him that he was not at fault. At kung kailan naman nakumbinsi ko na siya, siya naman ang nagkasakit. It was not easy, lalo na at mag-isa lamang ako noon. I did not have Sofia with me yet, kasi naka-focus lang ako sa anak ko. It was tough looking at how frustrated Treble was when he was told that he wasn't allowed to sing anymore. But look at him now...he's upbeat, excited, in love."

Namula ako bigla. Parang nahiya ako. Una dahil du'n sa sinabi niyang in love raw si Treble (kahit di naman niya sinabing sa akin) at pangalawa dahil napagtanto ko na hindi lang pala talaga ako ang may pasan-pasan na problema at hinanakit sa buhay.

Treble lost his mom, too. He suffered a lot, too. He even believed na siya ang may kasalanan ng lahat pero hindi 'yun totoo. Sabi nga ni Sir Marco, people go when it is their time to go. Siguro ay ganoon din si Mama. Sana matauhan rin ang lola ko at ma-realize niya 'yun.