Behind Her Innocence (Hughes Series)

Chapter 9: Encouraging

I was humming a song and caressing my daughter's hair while she was deep asleep. She must be tired from the whole day of strolling around Disneyland theme parks. But in spite of that, I knew she was overly happy for being able to visit her favorite place again. I was the happiest seeing how happy I made her day.

"Ang gandang bata ano? Mana sayo."

I glanced at Manang Daisy while there's a smile plastered on my face. I saw admiration in her eyes as she looked at us.

Lumapit siya sakin and sat on the edge of Rosetta's bed. Napaupo ako to face her.

"Hindi ba niya kayo pinapahirapan, manang?"

She laughed a bit. "Kilala mo yang anak mo. Napakakulit niyan at napakaplayful din. Madalas ba naman ako pagtripan. Pero kahit ganyan yan, napaka-sweet at napakabait na bata. Lagi akong niyayakap niyan kahit na walang dahilan. Sobrang sweet niya kagaya mo."

I smiled hearing those from her. I felt accomplished again as a mother knowing my daughter grew up to be what I expected her to be —loving and jolly.

Namana niya kay Aaron ang pagiging makulit at playful. She liked to have fun at lagi lang siyang nakatawa. Siya ang dahilan bakit lagi akong nakatawa lalo na nung mga panahon na may mga problema ako. Her smile was the most beautiful smile I had ever seen in this world.

"Tingnan mo, namumula ang kutis niya. Kasing puti mo siya."

I smiled sadly. "I think she got that from Aaron, manang. Pareho kaming maputi ni Aaron, but his skin is glowing and more pinkish than mine."

"Kung hindi ka lang iniwan ng lalaking yun, magpapasalamat pa sana ako sa kanya dahil nakuha ni Rosetta ang magandang lahi niya."

There's no doubt Aaron came from a family with good and strong genes. That's also one of the reasons why I was having a hard time forgetting him and moving on. Paano ko yun magagawa kung may laging nagpapa-alala sa akin sa kanya. Rosetta looked like the female version of him. Sabagay, hindi na ako nagtataka. Ako lang naman kasi ang nagmahal at sumeryoso sa aming dalawa.

"Nabanggit mo sakin nung tumawag ka nung nakaraan na nagkita na kayong dalawa. Tama ba?"

Dahan-dahan akong tumayo mula sa kama ng anak ko at kinumutan siya ng maayos bago ako naglakad palabas. Sumunod naman sakin si manang. Ayaw ko kasi pag-usapan ang bagay na yan sa harapan ng anak ko. Kahit na hindi siya masyadong nakakaintindi ng Tagalog, ayoko parin ni marinig niya ang pangalan ng ama niya.

We settled in the balcony then humarap ako kay Manang Daisy.

"He's the same guy that I first met 10 years ago, manang —immature, selfish, playful and very carefree. Sinasabi niya lahat ng gusto niyang sabihin kahit na hindi dapat. He does what he does. Walang pag-aalinlangan. Sometimes, I envy him dahil ang tapang niya na kontrahin ang gusto ng dad niya. I can see that he's happy because he gets to live the life he wants, yung buhay na nagagawa niya lahat-lahat ng gusto niya." Napayuko ako at napahawak sa railings ng balcony. "I wish I can be strong and brave like him. I hate how scared I am with my dad. Naiinis ako dahil hindi ako tuluyang masaya dahil sa takot ko at dahil sa mga bagay na pumipigil sakin na maging masaya. I can't be happy knowing that I have secrets that I have been keeping from my family."

Inakbayan ako ni manang at pinahiga ang ulo ko sa balikat niya. I was taller than her so my head settled perfectly on her shoulder.