Barely Naked

Epilogue

She will be loved

Two thousand five hundred and fifty-five days later...

"Mommy, sabi ng classmate ko abnormal daw ako."

Nabahala ako nang marinig ko iyon mula kay Fides. Pasakay pa lang ako ng kotse. Ihahatid ko siya sa school malapit na nga kaming ma-late na dalawa dahil kanina pa kaming dalawa nagpipilitang pumasok. Wala si Berry, mayroon siyang conference sa Laguna kaya ako ang naiwan sa mga bata. Si Jose Yto naman ay iniwanan ko muna sa kapangalan niya total, walang alam ibang gawin si Papa kundi i-spoil ang mga apo niya kaya inuwi ko muna doon ang bunso namin ni Berry.

"And why would your classmate say that?" Inaayos ko ang seatbelt niya sa likod. Lumabi si Fides at saka naghalukipkip.

"Kasi puro ako Mommy. Wala akong daddy. I got two Mommies but I have no Daddy. Hindi daw po ganoon ang family. Sabi ng isa kong classmate tomboy daw kayo ni Mommy. Ano ba iyong tomboy? Bad ba iyon? Why are they making fun of me?" Paiyak na si Fides sa mga oras na iyon. Wala akong maisagot sa kanya. I'm not good with all this talk – si Berry ang mas makakasagot sa anak namin.

"Hindi ka abnormal, anak. You are blessed." I smiled at her. "Because you have two mommies and that we both love you very much. Plus, remember a family has no standards, basta nagmamahalan ang lahat ng miyembro ng pamilyang iyon, walang tama o mali."

Napansin kong hindi na siya nakasimangot.

"Do you feel love, Fides?" I asked her.

"Yes, Mommy."

"See? It doesn't matter if you have no Daddy, you have me, Mama, Jose and of course all your uncles."

"I know po. I tried to explain to them the intidro, Mommy pero they told me it's crazy."

"Anak, it's invitro. Mama and I went to the same procedure for us to have you and Jose. Walang masama doon. It's science." Pinindot ko ang ilong niya. "Next time the call you abnormal, tell them that God loves you. Nothing will ever be wrong with God's love. Alright?"

"Okay." She smiled at me. That was my signal. I drove away from our home. Binusinahan ko ang maids para isara ang gate ng bahay ko. Araw – araw ay inihahatid ko si Fides sa school. Ayoko kasi siyang ipagkatiwala sa school bus, saka na siguro kapag malaki na siya but right now, tyagaan lang talaga.

Berry and I got married a year after we both proposed to each other. It was just a simple ceremony held in Uncle Helios' Island. Ninong siya sa kasal naming dalawa. It wasn't really a wedding but a ceremony of two hearts becoming one.

Napakasaya ko nang araw na iyon kasi hindi ko naisip kahit kailan na magiging possible ang lahat ng iyon sa harapan pa mismo ng pamilya naming dalawa.

I talked to Berry's Dad before we told everyone about our engagement and I promised him that I will never leave Berry or even hurt her. Madaling kausap ang pamilya ni Berry, wala silang demands kundi ang siguruhin kong magiging maayos ang pagsasama naming dalawa. Of course, I cannot guarantee that. It's a marriage, a relantionship and I haven't heard of anything as perfect as anyone's bu I told her father that I will try my best.

Naniwala naman siya noon. Her family is very loving. Wala akong naramdaman na itinuturing nila ako bilang ibang tao. They treated me as their own. Hindi lang si Berry ang minahal ko kundi silang lahat na rin.

In my side, wala naman nang gaanong naging problema – well except for Mama, hindi naman major – when I told her I plan to get married, she cried – not because she couldn't accept the fact that I am marrying a woman – she just feared that I'd be wearing a tux. Sabi niya kasi, fourteen years old pa lang ako, iniisip na niya ang concept ng wedding gown ko. She stopped crying when I told her that I am not comfortable in cross dressing and that I prefer to get married, wearing a wedding gown.