She Who Charmed The Prince (COMPLETED)

[SWCTP] 35.1 - Bittersweet Memories

I do admit na Daddy's girl ako. Paano kase... si Dad, siya lagi 'yung nandoon para sa akin everytime may umaaway sa akin no'ng bata ako, 'pag may nang-aagaw ng crushes ko no'ng junior high at 'pag inaaway ako ng magaling kong Kuya. Sabi pa nga niya sa akin dati... ako ang angel niya.

Alam ko na hindi sila okay ni Mom. Though, noon, hindi ko talaga maintindihan kung bakit. Naaalala ko pa na laging late umuuwi si Mom galing sa trabaho niya sa isang marketing company. Si Dad naman ay may sarili ring trabaho sa isang law firm. Bukod pa roon, may ilang business din siyang mina-managed. Kaya nga minsan, hindi na nakakapagtakang hindi na nila naaabutan ang isa't isa sa bahay.

Pero si Dad... kahit sobrang busy niya, he always see to it na may time pa rin siya sa amin ni Kuya. Lalo na sa akin. He's always telling me na kami ni Kuya ang stress reliever niya. Pero siyempre mas lamang daw ako nang ilang percent dahil ako ang bunso. Napapangiti na lang talaga ako kapag naaalala 'yon.

Nagpatuloy 'yung ganoong set up nila ni Mom. My brother and I... we hardly saw them together even kahit naka-day off sila o wala sa work. Madalas kase kapag nasa bahay, si Dad nakabantay sa amin ni Kuya at tinuturuan kami sa assignments and projects namin. But our mother... kung hindi siya nakakulong madalas sa kuwarto at may inaasikasong paper works, umaalis naman siya at may ibang pinupuntahan.

That's why I was wondering. I was wondering if something's wrong. Sa tuwing naiisip ko 'yung mga tinginan nila sa mga iilang sandaling nakikita namin silang magkasama, hindi ko maiwasang magtaka. The fire in their eyes... they were wavering. Hindi ko alam kung bakit gano'n gayong ang alam ko ay mahal naman nila ang isa't isa.

Hangggang sa dumating ang araw na 'yon.

Nasa high school ako no'n nang mangyari 'yon. Kadarating ko pa lang galing sa school nang makita ko si Mom na papalabas ng kuwarto nila ni Dad. May hila siyang isang maleta at hawak na isang bag. Bago pa siya makapagpatuloy sa paglalakad ay napatingin siya sa akin.

May idea na ako sa kung anong nangyayari pero ayokong tanggapin. Kaya... tinanong ko siya no'ng araw na 'yon. I asked her about what happened, why she had that luggage with her, why she's almost crying, where she's going, and... why Dad was just standing beside the door of their room, looking at her with pain in his ever-tender eyes.

And that... was the day when I realized that we're no longer complete. That... was the day when I finally came into my senses. Mom and Dad... they're no longer together.

I remember na bago tuluyang umalis si Mom noon, hinabol ko siya. I held her arm, begging her to just look at me and explain everything. I was holding on to that vague thread of chance that she'll change her mind. I was chasing after that flicker of hope that everything was just a dream and we're still complete when I wake up.

But what she said next crushed the hope inside me.

"I-I can't be with your father anymore. I-I'm sorry, my child. Please remember that I... I love you and your brother. Take care of yourselves for me."

And just like that... she broke my heart. I didn't think she could hurt me that much.

Pero mas masakit 'yung sumunod na nangyari after niyang umalis at mang-iwan. Si Dad... nagkasakit siya bigla. Isang araw ay bigla na lang siyang inatake. Noon pa lang namin na nalaman na na-mild stroke pala siya.