Hudunnit Series

Untitled Part 36

NABILI NIYA ANG LUPA NOON NAGLALARO PA SIYA PARA SA AZKALS. BUKOD SA sweldo ay nakapag-endorso siya ng health supplement at mga sportswear kasama ang ilang kagrupo. In twelve months, nabayaran na niya ng buo ang lupa na wala pa namang dalawang milyon ang halaga noon dahil nasa sixty square meters lang ang laki.

Nang sa wakas ay nakipag-usap sa kanya ng maayos si Christine at ibinigay na sa kanya ang custody kay Angela, noon pa lang nagdesisyon si Cade na pagawaan ng bahay ang kanyang property. He didn't want anything fancy and his budget was limited. Simpleng dalawang palapag lang iyon, tatlo ang kwarto--nasa ibaba ang isa at maliit lang, dalawang bathrooms na very basic lang--toilet and shower.

Now, looking at the scene in his kitchen, he congratulated himself for purchasing the lot and building the house. It seemed that those decisions were made solely for this moment.

Si Geraldine, nakaupo sa kabisera--Cade's usual place at the table--may binabasang papel sa isang kamay, coffee mug naman sa kabila. Nakasuot ng pale blue button down top na nakapaloob sa back gabardine pants. Naka-French twist ang buhok, litaw ang teynga at leeg. Cade remembered how her skin felt and tasted last night and before that. His groins reacted.

But Angela was also there in the kitchen. Seated at her usual place, sa kanan ng kabisera. Naka-uniporme na ito, nakalugay pa ang buhok dahil basa-basa pa. Kumakain ng cereals.

"Coffee?" Tanong ni Geraldine kay Cade, bahagyang nag-angat ng mata buhat sa binabasa. "Nag-sandwich lang ako." Sumulyap ito sa tasty na nasa mesa at jar ng cream cheese.

Hindi nga s'ya nagluluto, nangingiting naisip ni Cade. But it didn't matter. The scene was perfect. Parang eksena sa TV commercial except that no TV ad could capture the easy comfort he was witnessing. The whole scene was so relaxed , it felt like it was the way it was every morning. Angela was in her usual semi-bored, semi-lost in thoughts demeanor. Walang pakialam sa mundo. Bagay na kinaiinisan niya dati. Hindi na ngayon dahil alam na niya kung bakit ganoon ang anak niya. Thanks to that teacher, na mukhang wala ring pakialam sa kanya masyado sa umagang ito. Binalikan na ang binabasa. Meaning, magtimpla ako ng sarili kong kape.

Iyon nga ang ginawa ni Cade at dumulog na rin siya sa mesa, kumuha ng tinapay at pinahiran ng palaman.

Ibinaba ni Geraldine ang binabasa sa pagitan nito at ni Angela, kinausap ang teenager, "Original naman ang kwento. Nangopya lang talaga s'ya ng dialogues, some narration, kaya hindi ko maramdaman itong kwento."

"Copy-paste." Sabi ni Angela, mukhang bored pa rin.

"Hindi consistent ang voice. Maski alam mo kung sino'ng character ang nagsasalita, magba-backread ka pa rin kasi hindi ka sure. Sometimes, the female character sounds like a male."

"She lacks imagination. She's not really a writer."

"I don't know. Baka kailangan lang ng workshop, more practice. There's always a room for improvement."

Sumimangot si Angela.

"I'll talk to her." Sabi naman ni Geraldine. Walang pakialam sa simangot ng kausap.

"Do what you want." Sabi lang ni Angela sa babae pero hindi nagwala. Cade was amazed. Kung siya ang kausap ng anak at hindi niya sinang-ayunan ang mga sinasabi nito, tiyak nag-walkout na si Angela, itataktak pa ang upuan.

Sumabad na si Cade, "yan ba 'yung kwento ni Missy?"

"Yup." Sabay pa ang dalawa.

"Tungkol saan?" Tanong niya.

Si Angela ang sumagot, "There's this vampire king and he has an apprenctice who is in love with him and who is killing a lot of people because she thinks killing them will please the king."

"Kinakagat sa leeg?" Kinagat ni Cade ang sandwich niya.

"No! They're all vampires already, they don't bite each other."

"So, how do they kill each other?"

"A lot of ways. For example, she threw a vampire priest off a cliff cos she hates that vampire's son--"

"Vampire priest has a kid?" natatawa si Cade. "And they die when they break their bones? They don't regenerate or something?"

"Apparently, nope." Ininom na ni Angela ang Milo sa mug.

"Ano ending?" Kay Geraldine naman tumingin si Cade.

"Hindi ko pa alam. Hindi ko pa nababasa kasi nga, pabalik-balik ako dahil nakakalito s'ya."

"It's not finished yet." Sagot naman ni Angela. "It's like..to be continued all the time that's why it's so confusing na. Too long, too many characters surfacing, too many side stories, like every character has their own story. Like, for example, the vampire priest who is already dead suddenly has a backstory cos his stick, I mean, staff has superpowers she didn't mention in the beginning--"

"Wait, what?" Sabi ni Geraldine, dinampot uli ang mga papel, in-scan.

"The vampire priest?" Si Angela. "Why?"

"Uh, nothing." Itinaktak ni Geraldine sa mesa ang mga nalikom na papel at pumaling kay Cade, "Sasama ka sa school, ha. Doon ka muna kaya magshower ka na. Bilisan mo."

"What?"

"Paano kita mababantayan dito, may pasok ako? Doon ka muna sa school. Sa faculty, sa library, sa office n'yo or tumambay ka sa canteen. Better yet, mag-sit-in ka sa klase ko."

"May iba pa 'kong trabaho." Totoo niyang trabaho, as a matter of fact.

"Absent ka muna. Tawagan mo si Candy. 'wag ka nang umangal, Cade. It's for your safety."

"Yes, Daddy. Do as she says." Segunda ni Angela. "Isn't it your dream, anyway? To tail me in school all day. I'll let you do it now."

"But I'll be fine. I won't leave the office, I'll have Candy with me--"

"Kung tapos ka na kumain, magshower ka na." Sabi ni Geraldine.

Walang nagawa si Cade kung hindi sumunod sa dalawang babae. It pissed him off . The thought that he'd be doing nothing whole day. But why? Why on earth it still seemed perfect. Him. Geraldine. Angie.

Lalo na nang minutes later ay pasakayin niya sa kotse ang dalawa at balewalang sumampa sa backseat si Angela, na parang hindi man lang naalala na sa unahan ito pumupuwesto araw-araw.