Second Chance

THEODORE 24

As soon as I departed from Korea, pumunta ako agad sa condo ni Sabrina. It was a relief they were still there pagkarating ko.
Hinihingal pa kong dumating doon.

Naabutan ko si Sabrina na naglalabas na ng mga kahon sa unit.

"Sab..."

She looked at me with her blank face. Nilapitan ko siya at kinuha ko yung kamay niya.

"Sab please. Don't do this...", pagpapakiusap ko dito.

But she ignored me. Inalis niya yung kamay ko sa kanya at nagdire-diretso lang siya para ilabas yung kahon niyang hawak.

Sinundan ko pa din siya.

"Nasan si Becca???"
"Nauna na sila ni Kian."

I received a message late last night. Sinabi niya nga na sasama na sila ni Becca kay Kian sa states at ngayon ang alis nila.
Hinawakan ko naman siya sa braso. I was starting to get frustrated.

"How can you just go with that guy??? At kelan pa na naging kayo???"

She brushed me off at di pa din niya ko sinagot.

"SABRINA, you can't do this to me. Ako pa din ang legal guardian ni Becca. I have a say in this!!!"
"Look, Theo. Since you've given up everything for Athena, you lost all the rights to my daughter."
"Then I'll see you in court!"

Pinanlisikan naman niya ko ng mga mata niya. If she can't be persuaded, idadaan ko na lang to sa korte. She can't just take Becca away from me!

"Kian is Becca's father, Theo! He found out everything!!"

Kian??? Si Kian??? Panong...

"Ang sabi mo sakin...sabi mo, you didn't know the guy...."

Sabrina grabbed her hair out of frustration. Napaupo siya sa sofa.

"I didn't tell you...I didn't want to. Hindi din alam ni Kian noon and we were just living carelessly then. Nung nalaman kong buntis ako, natakot ako... I was then trying to get over you kasi ikakasal ka na kay Athena non. But when I found out na iniwan ka niya...I shamelessly went to you for help...and you didn't disappoint. You were a good father figure kay Becca..."
"You mean...you knew all along and you didn't tell me???"

Sabrina started to cry. I hated when she does that. That doesn't fix anything, lalo na ngayon.

"You made me look stupid! All this time kilala mo naman pala yung tatay niya and yet you came to me???"
"At bakit ikaw! Don't you think you made me look so foolish too??? Ginawa ko ang lahat Theo. All those years I stood by you! You didn't give me a chance, even once...kahit na ilang beses kitang suyuin, o tanungin. You didn't give me the chance to make you happy."

Her tears flowed more and as I was starting to feel guilty about everything, I remembered the reason why I can't let her in my life.

It was Athena all along. Kahit masakit, she was there, torturing me with her memories. Tapos...may mas sasakit pa pala. Why can't we be happy?

"Kian found out weeks ago. He wanted to make up for all of those years, ang sabi niya...magsisimula ulit kami sa US. I honestly didn't want to...that's why I became so aggressive to you....kasi ang gusto ko, ikaw ang makasama namin ni Becca. Pero anong magagawa ko...kung ayaw mo. You gave up on us. Tama lang naman diba na piliin ko yung taong pinili kami??"

I couldn't answer her. I knew she was right...

Pinahiran niya yung mga luha niya and she got her bag.

"It's probably best for us not to see each other anymore."

She was about to get out nang lumingon ulit siya sakin.