Sweet Surrender

14

              ALEXIE smiled when she saw her nieces and nephews playing in the patio. After a wave of her hand she went inside their old house.

Aura went back to Manila this morning. She had a meeting with Mr. Zena and other board of directors.

She was approaching the kitchen when she heard her two sisters and brother, Leo, talking. She was about to call their attention when she heard Aura's name.

She decided to eavesdrop and hide at the back of the cupboard near the kitchen entrance.

"Kuya(big brother), just because you don't want Alexie to be estranged again, we are going to tolerate her relationship with Aura." She heard her other sister, Dahlia. She is her third sibling, right after Viola.

"They love each other."

"Pero hindi dapat (But it was wrong)."

"Dahlia, let's respect their relationship." Ate (big sister) Viola said.

"What are we going to say to the kids when they asked who Aura is? What would other people say? This is embarrassing for the family."

She did not hear anything from her other two older siblings.

"Besides, Shawn still loves Alexie. He wanted our sister back."

"It's not nice to meddle with our sister's affair." Kuya Leo butted in.

"Shawn is good for her, Kuya."

"Who are you to say that Shawn is good for me?" She cried out when she was not able to contain her annoyance.

Surprised were apparent in their faces when she showed herself. None of them wanted to look at her in the eyes.

"Shawn is better for you, Alexie." Ate Dahlia said without looking at her.

"Says who?"

"Siya ang tamang tao para sa'yo (He's the right person for you)."

"By who's standard?"

"What would other people say-----?"

"Did you bother to think about the other people when you decided to have an illicit affair with a married guy?"

Dahlia looked at her wide-eye. Her mouth opened but no words came out.

Alexie was not able to stop her mouth.

She left home five years ago since she can no longer stomach her sister's unlawful behavior. She advised her to end the relationship seeing that both of them were married. However, her Ate Dahlia refused to give in. Fortunately, there was no child brought forth from the said relationship.

"Next time, before you judge me, before you became righteous, look at yourself in the mirror."

"Alexie, tama na (enough)." Ate Viola uttered.

"It's in the past." Kuya Leo added.

"Don't involve yourself in my affair. You know nothing about mine and Shawn's business. Don't concern yourself with it."

"But he is----"

"He cheated on me! I would never trust him again." She screamed before she could finish her statement. "I love Aura. Deal with it. If you have a problem with that, tell it to someone who wanted to listen."

She left without another word.