Denise

Chapter 3

Terrence-

I waited for Denise to come down but it is almost an hour and she is still upstairs. Gaano ba katagal maligo ang babaeng yun?

When I got impatient I stand up and went to her room. Its already 10 pm and she is still not having her dinner. Tsk, pasaway kaya palagi kong napapagalitan.

I was about to knock when I noticed that the door was not properly shut. I gently pushed it and saw her lying in her bed quietly snoring. Tapos na itong maligo at nakapagpalit na ng damit. Pero natulog itong basa pa ang buhok. Ni hindi ito maayos na nakahiga sa kanyang kama. Nasa paanan ito ng kama at ang mga paa ay nakabitin pa sa dulo ng higaan. Konting galaw nalang nito ay mahuhulog na ito sa gilid ng kama kung saan naman nakabitin ang kanyang kaliwang kamay.

Nakaramdam ako ng awa, malamang ay napagod ito sa kakasunod kay Michelle sa mall. Sa apat na taon naming magkasama, I grew fond of Denise. I care for her like how a brother care for his younger sister. Madalas ko man siyang sermonan at yun ay dahil ayaw kong may masamang mangyari sa kanya.

Minsan kasi ay careless din ang isang to. Nagagalit ako rito kapag hindi nito ginagamit ang utak. Isang beses na nasigawan ko siya ay noong nabasag niya ang isa sa pinakamamahalin kong vase. I wasn't mad because of the broken vase. What boils my blood is when she tried to pick up the sharp, broken glasses using her bare hands. I mean she can use a fucking dustpan and a broom, right?

Sa taranta at kamamadali niya ay nasugatan ang kanyang kamay. I was so angry and shouted at her and I kept telling her how stupid she is. She was so afraid and just cried in front of me. Akala ko nga ay maglalayas na ito at hindi na babalik.

Isa lang yun sa maraming bagay na ikinakagalit ko sa kanya. But I can see that she is no longer affected with my outburst. Lumalabas nalang sa kabilang tenga nito ang mga sermon ko sa kanya. Minsan nga ay nahuhuli ko itong pinipigilan ang tawa kapag galit na galit ako. Somehow, she find it funny when I am mad.

Lumapit ako sa kanya at marahang tinapik ang kanyang pisngi upang gisingin para kumain. Pero umungol lang ito at tinapik pa ang aking kamay. Aba't.

She should eat, ang payat payat na nito. Tsk, malamang ay dahil ito sa kakalinis ng bahay. Wala rin kasi itong pahinga. Kapag walang pasok ay madalas itong mag general cleaning. Buti nga ay pumayag ito noon na magresign sa kanyang part time job.

I did not ask her to be my maid, pero ipinilit niya ang bagay na iyon. I just want her to live in my house and focus on her study. She is smart, scholar ito at running for suma cum laude. I am actually proud of her, just like what a brother will feel towards her younger sister, or so I thought!

When I was still in my condo ALONE, may regular na nagpupunta sa unit ko para maglinis. Umuuwi rin ang mga ito pagkatapos ng trabaho. Ayaw ko kasing may kasama ako sa bahay kaya wala akong stay in na katulong. But she came and I let her stay. Simula ng dumating siya ay wala ng matrabaho ang mga tagalinis ng condo ko dahil ginagawa na niya ang mga iyon bago pa man sila dumating. I asked her to stop but I don't know why she got offended.

I got mad and command her to stop doing those household chores. Natakot naman ito sa akin at tinigilan ang paglilinis. But what she did next really pissed me off. Naghanap ito ng part time na may mas malaking sahod at nagpaalam na aalis na. Nakahanap na raw ito ng malilipatan. When I asked her why, she just said that she don't want to be a freeloader. It's the must ridiculous reason I've heard in my entire life. Other people will gladly follow what I wanted. I am basically handing her her needs and wants for free. But her being the stubborn Denise, she don't like it. Instead, she packed her things and prepared to leave.

In normal days, I will definitely let her go. I already did my part to help her and she just declined my generosity, I should not be held accountable on what ever happens to her outside my roof. Well, that's the asshole me!

But I can't believe that there is still goodness in my lungs. Guilt crept in when I imagine her living in a tiny room with cockroaches flying around, she won't be able to focus on her study. Or what if she will instead stay with her friend together with the seven brothers that Ace mentioned before? At sixteen, she can already be mistaken as 18 or 20. Maganda ito at maganda ang hubog ng katawan kaya nakakabahala kung pitong lalaki ang kasama nito sa bahay.

She is still a fucking minor and it feels like she is my responsibility.

So without any second thought, I followed her before she can even ride a taxi and agreed to her damn terms. Wala pang ibang nakapagpasunod sakin. Tanging ang batang si Denise na noon ay labing anim na taong gulang. She resigned from her part time job at simula noon ay siya nga ang gumagawa ng mga gawaing bahay. I am giving her allowance but she is calling it as salary. Hindi na ako nakipagtalo at baka maisipan na naman nitong mag-alsa balutan.

Tsk, good thing that this woman is not aware of her effect on me. Alam kong hindi ko ito mahindian ano man ang kanyang hilingin, just like a spoiled little sister. Mas mabuti ng may takot ito sa akin. Ayaw kong malaman niyang maari niya akong mapasunod sa lahat ng kanyang gustuhin. Because she might use it against me!

Tsk, its my parent's fault. I might don't feel this way if they only gave me a little brother or sister before. Being an only child, I sometimes long for a sibling.  And maybe I found that in Denise. Maybe she is the sister that I never had.

Maybe!