Not Your Ordinary Cinderella Story

Chapter Twenty Six

"Pa-Pascua?" I look over the dining table where Lorenzo and Mr. Pascua,my body guard are talking silently.

"He's your dad. Marcus knows about him. He pleaded not to tell you since he regrets letting you go in the past. But I think it is right for you to know that your dad loves you so much." ma'am Maitha explained.

I was busy caressing my daughters shoulder and face when they left. Mr. Pascua, my dad,sent them home. Marcus and Maxine,my children, are with me in the living room of the  villa.

"Maxine, I'm sorry for not being beside you. How have you been? Are you really well now?" Tears fell from my eyes.

"Yes, mama. And I don't resent you or any of them. Mama, I need to tell you something...."

She exchanged look with Marcus. Marcus sat properly and draw near to us.

"Mom, she knew who our father is but she insist on not telling me." Marcus explained.

"I know. But since things are going out of tita Maitha's hands, I'll tell you both. Everything.. I know more than what you both know about the past. I've been strong mama, Marcus. And I will remain strong, specially now that I'm with both of you" I hug her. Marcus joined our hug.

"Spill it, sis. Haha" laughed  Marcus. Maxine just smiled slightly.

"Mama, you were mentally sick when you left our Papa's home." she started.

"What do you mean Maxine?" I asked.

"Mama,you left papa when you heard from him that he's not ready to start a family. You think he's marrying you for your body."

"Oh, tell me who our father is, I know mom never lies." Marcus interupted but I stopped him.

"Don't interupt your sister Marcus."

"Oh, sorry." he said sheepishly.

"That's when you asked for tita Maitha's help. And she helped you leave papa's home. You were sent to Manila. But then, papa found you after sometime. That's when you were with tito Patrick,tita Maitha's nephew. Papa got jealous and said mean things to you. You were shocked and that's when you bleed. You were uh, four months pregnant that time, if I'm not mistaken." she smiled at Marcus. Marcus looked taken aback.

"You were sent to the hospital where tita is connected. They told you that you almost lost your babies. But then, you acted like you lost one. You believed that one of us died. That's when they found out you were mentally ill. You must be so stressed with everything around you and papa's acts that you think you lose something. It's one of the symptoms pregnant woman sometimes  experience. Anxiety, stress and overthinking they lead you to depression. And so, you were sent to Paris to keep you away from here and to entertain you.

Everything is going well for you, but when the time for delivering us, you fainted. So when we were born, you thought you only have one child. By that time, my body is weak and tita thinks it's not good to stress you out.

I survived. I was always near both of you. I even played with Marcus at school.

But then I was diagnosed with leukemia. That was around the time you went blind because of the accident. That's also the first time I met Tatay Edgar, your father and our lolo. He was happy to find us but he was aching at the same time. After your surgery, tatay chose to follow me to US for my treatment. When I was cancer free, I move back here in the Philippines to live a simple life at the  Andrade residence while tatay and kuya Marcus stays with you. I don't resent you mama. I love you and I love watching over you."

We stayed quiet for some time. Then Marcus broke the ice.

"Hey sis, who really is our father? You haven't mention his name." he complained.

" I keep on watching over him too, since he was so near. He is....

Jesse Boas. He's mama's first love and first heartbreak."

I feel like I was stoned. I really am Marianne then. I still can't believe it.

Someone tap my left shoulder. My father.

"Papa?" he smiled at me lovingly.