Lea's POV
"Babes." I call my husband almost in whisper. He looks at me.
"Turn off the tv na. Claire is already sleeping." I move her head on the pillow to make her comfortable. I look at Aga again and he's still watching.
"Aga!" I hissed. He looks at me again.
"I told you to turn off the tv. Tulog na ang anak mo."
"Babes, I'm still watching." Ghad! Buti pa sana kung hindi niya pa napanood ng limang beses but he already did and this will be the sixth time.
"Isa pa. Papatayin mo yang tv o ikaw ang papatayin ko?" He chuckles and turns off the tv immediately then he lays beside me. I am now between the two of them.
"Grabe ka naman sa akin, babes. Papatayin mo talaga ako? Don't you love me?" He asks as he hugs me from the back since I am facing my daughter.
"I love you, babes. But I love our daughter more." Claire tightens the grip of her hold on my hand. Is she dreaming?
"Mom, please don't leave me..."
"Sweetie?"
"Mom... Don't leave." A tear fell from her left eye.
"Sshh... Mommy's here. I'm not going to leave you." I hug her tight.
"She missed this, babes." Aga said hugging us.
"I know. I missed this too." He kissed my head and our daughters head.
"Goodnight my princess and my queen. I love the both of you."
"Goodnight, babes. I love you too." And we fell into a deep slumber.
Morning came and I just finished cooking and preparing the table. Aga and Claire are already in the table. From the very day Manang Loida and Mandy came back, kitchen has been my small world. I just asked Manang Loida and Mandy to maintain the cleanliness of the house since Aga doesn't want me to do heavy duties.
"Babes, here is your coffee. And sweetie, this is your milk. Let's eat." We do so. Aga and I talk about our plan on our outing this weekend. Claire seems to be so silent.
"Hindi ba maganda ang tulog ng baby ko? Why so silent?" Here he goes again.
"Dad, please not this early."
"Okay, boss. So, do you agree with our plan?" Aga asks her. She looks at us clueless.
"Plan? What plan?"
"I and your dad planned to go to Tagaytay this coming weekend. What do you think?" She plainly smiles.
"Okay. Kung ano pong gusto niyo." Parang naman walang gana.
"Um, do you want to go somewhere else instead?" I ask.
"Oo nga. Saan mo ba gustong pumunta, 'nak? Pupuntahan natin yan." Aga also asks. She seems not in the mood.
"Why are you asking me that, dad? Why don't you ask mom kung saan niya gustong pumunta. I'm sure she would love to go somewhere colder than Tagaytay." She asks with a blank face.
"Why? Did she tell you? Saan? Baguio ba? Pwede naman, babes." What???
"No. I never said I want to go to Baguio. Claire?" She rolls her eyes before turning her gaze to us. What is wrong with this kid? She's being cold again.
"Hindi naman po kasi Baguio ang gusto niyong puntahan, di ba? It's in New York. Am I right?" Aga and I were just surprised with what she suddenly jested.
"You planned to go out this weekend and next weekend para naman hindi ko masabing you're not making time for me. You know what, mom? Let's just not go out at all. Pampalubag loob lang naman yan e. Don't worry. Hindi ko naman po kayo susumbatan. You can leave and go wherever you want, I'm cool with it." She speaks very calm yet her voice is full of anger and disappointment. I and Aga are still waiting for the right timing to tell her about this. How did she know that I'm leaving for New York?
"Claire, we're sorry if you learned about this in a different way. We wanted to tell you, but we were just waiting for ----"
"You were just waiting for me to be disappointed. I am now disappointed. Sasabihin niyo na po ba sa aken?"
"I'm sorry if I disappointed you. ---"
"Yes, you both disappointed me. Mom, you told me to be there on my play. You promised. But why do you keep making promises when you know you cannot keep it? And, dad, of all people... Do you want me to repeat the history? Do you want me to wait for her on my play like how I waited for her on my twelveth birthday?"
"Claire, don't even get there." He stops our daughter. He knows how I hated myself during those time. When she got into that accident, it took a year before I had the courage to face her. I was so ashamed of myself. That was when my relationship with Claire started to get cold.
"Mom, you promised not to accept any project abroad. I told you that you don't have to, but you insisted. You still promised. You even stopped your whole career here in the Philippines. I never asked you to do it but I felt guilty. I convinced you to come back, but again you insisted. You promised. In return, I gave you the chance for us to be okay like before. Before the accident happened. We became closer more than before... But where is your promise?" How can she manage to keep herself composed when I cannot even control my tears?
Every word stubbed my heart. She's right. I was the one who insisted everything. I promised. But I keep disappointing her. Aga is just holding my hand, trying to ease my pain probably.
"I'm sorry, anak. But it's just for a month. I just really need to be there because I already signed the contract even before I decided to leave broadway. If I will not do what is stated in the contract, they can sue me."
"I understand. And it's okay if you're leaving for months or years. That won't be difficult for me. Sanay naman na po ako e. Do you know what's the most difficult here, mom?" She looks at me straight in the eye. Pain is all over her eyes.
"It is the fact that I can no longer believe in any of your promises next time."
"Mary Claire." Aga says in a stern voice.
"I'm done. I'd better go. I'm going to be late for school. Bye." She walks out of our house. Here I am still on my seat. My mind shut down and my heart was cut off.
"Ssshh... Babes, I'm sure she doesn't mean it. Galit lang yung anak mo. Nabigla lang siya. Remember last night? She asked you not to leave. She pleaded you to stay. Natatakot lang ulit yan na iwan mo siya."
"She will never trust me again." Aga keeps wiping my tears but it's useless.
"Don't mind what she said. Hindi naman talaga ganun ang ibig niyang sabihin e. I know our daughter. What she just wants you to understand that she's been hurt really hard. Wag ka ng masyadong umiyak, babes. Claire did not even shed a tear. Mas iyakin ka pa sa anak mo." I slap his arm and he giggles.
"She's really a tough young lady. I salute you for raising a kid like her. She's great."
"I know, babes. She's just like you." By the very second he said it, I cry really hard.
