Love Me, Hate Me (Chasing Dreams Series #1) | C O M P L E T E D

Chapter 55

My mother, Melanie Heytzenstein Schmidt, looks so much like me—only that she had a lighter skin complexion and is more fiercer based on the picture. Her hair was tied up into a French twist. She was wearing a deep v-neck wine red dress. It seems like she was ready to drink that red wine as she inclined her body to my father.

Kuya Marcus, who's two years older than me, got his serious and intimidating demeanor from our father. On the picture, Michael Meyer Schmidt wrapped his arm around my mother's waist. He didn't smile, but his eyes were twinkling while he was looking straight into her eyes.

I couldn't believe that I'm looking at my parents right now! I know that they're not here physically, but I could feel our connections! Nag-u-umapaw talaga ang puso ko ngayong alam ko na ang kanilang mga itsura!

The picture exudes power and love. Halatang mga de-kalibre at hindi basta-basta ang aking mga magulang.

Kuya Marc told me that our father is a successful German businessman. He's the owner of a luxury hotel chain. Lumago iyon ng lumago hanggang sa maitayo niya ang Schmidt Holdings Inc. na siyang pinapatakbo niya ngayon. On the other hand, Kuya Marc manages our hospitality business although our father still holds the biggest share in the company.

Gulat na gulat ako nang nalaman iyon dahil pagma-may-ari pala ng pamilya ko ang hotel na minsan ko nang napuntahan noon.

Si Me—Mommy naman ay isang may-bahay at madalas ay kasama sa mga business trip ni Mic—Daddy.

Ang parents ni Daddy na parehong entrepreneurs ay namayapa na at nakahimlay sa Germany. Ganoon din sa mga magulang ni Mommy. His father, Valentin Heytzenstein, was a famous opera singer and came from an old money family. Her mom, Mila Hoffman, was a defense lawyer. Hindi ako sure kung talagang O.A. lang si Kuya Marc dahil wala raw hindi nakakakilala sa mga Heytzenstein at Schmidt doon sa Germany. Our grandparents were known for being kind and generous. Hanggang ngayon pa rin naman dahil ipinagpatuloy ng aming mga magulang ang nakagawian ng pamilya namin.

Hinalikan at niyakap ko ang litrato. Natawa si Kuya Marc sa ginawa ko.

"Can I keep this, Kuya?" tanong ko at pinagmasdan ulit ang litrato.

Kuya Marc nodded. "Of course, Maxine. You can keep it. Pagdating natin sa Germany, magpapakuha tayo ng family picture. Sa lahat kasi ng family pictures namin noon, palaging may naiiwang espasyo para sa 'yo. And now that you're finally here, mapupunan na ang puwang na iyon."

Umupo ako sa iron chair. Narito kami ngayon sa veranda ng guest room na tinutuluyan ni Kuya Marc. Pinagmasdan ko ang langit. My eyes are swollen and I couldn't cry anymore, but his words really hurt me.

Hinila ni Kuya ang isa pang upuan at itinabi iyon sa akin. Inakbayan niya ako at unti-unting kinabig para makahilig ako sa kanyang dibdib. Bumaba ang tingin ko sa litrato at mabilis na pumatak ang luha ko doon.

"Kuya..." Nakangiti akong tumingala sa kanya. "Alam mo bang inakala kong magiging masaya talaga ako 'pag natagpuan ko na ang tunay kong pamilya? Pero hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit sobra akong nasasaktan ngayon?"

Tumingin siya sa malayo at bumuntong-hininga. "Dahil ang mga taong mahal mo ang dahilan kung bakit ka nasasaktan, Maxine. You're hurting because you thought we forgot about you. You're hurting because it took us long enough to find you. At nasasaktan ka dahil nag-iwan kami ng malaking sugat sa puso at pagkatao mo; na hindi pa rin maghihilom kahit pa nandito na kami sa tabi mo. Oo, naghirap kami, pero ikaw 'yung mas nahirapan. You are the real victim. Our parents lost you because of their negligence. Pinagsisisihan nila iyon hanggang ngayon. Mommy was depressed and we thought we'd lost her, too. Natulungan namin siya dahil narito kami sa tabi niya. But you? Sino ang nasa tabi mo sa tuwing nahihirapan ka? People around you can really be deceiving. You don't know who's being real and who's being fake. Some of them has a good motives, and some are just pretending that they care because they could get something from you..."