The Wedding That Never Was

Rings 5 - A complicated family

Rings 5 - A complicated family

"Angelo, are you listening?" 

Angelo blinked and stared at his mother-in-law. "I'm sorry, Ma." he apologized, "What were you saying?"

His mother-in-law sighed, "Sa tingin ko maganda ng itigil ang home schooling ni Peter.", she stated. 

Hindi niya alam ang pwede niyang sabihin kay Matilda. Gusto niya si Madilta. HIndi ito katulad ng ama ni Georgina na arogante. Mabait si Madilta. Nakita niya kung paano nito mahalin ang anak at ang apo niya.

Kaya hindi niya alam kung paano tatanggihan ang gusto nito. She meant well but she didn't know how hard it could be for Peter. How it would be difficult for Peter to be in school. Peter won't be able to follow with his classmates. 

"Lumalaki na si Peter, Angelo. Hindi maganda sa isang bata ang maging isolated sa ibang kabataan." dagdag ni Madilta. 

"Ma, alam mo naman kung gaano nahihirapan si Peter. Ayoko lang na ma bully siya." 

"Ayoko rin naman mangyari iyon pero Angelo walang kaibigan si Peter. Ni hindi siya nakikipag laro dahil sobra natin siyang na isolate"

Maybe that was his fault. Peter barely survived the accident. Angelo already lost his wife and he'd be damned if he also lost his son. And when Peter was stable and then diagnosed with alexia, the family felt that they needed to shield him from the world. Angelo was only thinking that it'd be for Peter's good. He was protecting Peter. Georgina would have wanted that too. 

When Peter was diagnosed with alexia, he saw the struggle of his son. Nakita niya kung paano nahirapan ang anak niya sa pag susubok na makapag basa. Walang magawa si Angelo kundi panoorin ang anak niya na mahirapan. Sa lahat ng therapy na nasubukan ni Peter, nakita niya ang paghihirap ng anak. 

His son who laughed freely before the accident was no more. He became irritant. He became sullen. And Angelo knew that if they send him to school, he'd be more sullen. 

"We can't protect him from the world forever, Angelo."

But he can try. Peter was still a kid. It was Angelo's job to protect him. "Ma, hindi pwede. Ayokong mahirapn si Peter. Kung kaibigan lang naman, papayagan ko siyang makipag laro sa mga bata sa may park. Pero ang pagpasok sa school?"he shook his head, "Hindi pwede. George wouldn't want that."

It was low blow to use Georgina with her mother but at the end of it, he was right. Georgina would never allow Peter to be in school and be bullied. Of course, Peter wouldn't have alexia if only she didn't took him and left. 

Damn it. 

He promised to never speak ill of Georgina. To stop blaming her. She's gone for god's sake. 

"Georgie would want her son to be happy." 

"I'm trying to be a better father to Peter, Ma. Alam ko na madami akong pagkululang pero lahat ng ito para kay Peter din. Ayoko mahirapan ang anak ko. I don't want him to see the cruelty of the world. George loved that boy so much, Ma."

Madilta sniffed, "I just want him to experience new things, Angelo."

"I want that too. But school is not an option." Angelo said with finality. He won't allow Peter to enroll at any school. Home schooling was the safest choice. He drank the iced tea and stood. "Ma, puntahan ko muna si Peter."

Tumango si Madilta, "Samahan na kita." sabi nito at tumayo na rin. Nasa mansyon sila ngayon ng mga Carter. Birthday kasi ni Madilta at hiniling nito na bumisita naman sila ni Peter kaya eto bumisita sila.