✔ The Casanova's Angel (Filipino Novel)

Kabanata 39

And in that moment, nothing else mattered to me. Not even Nic. My eyes focused on that familiar person.

That woman.

The same one who nurtured me when I was growing up.

My mother.

She seem different. Ibang iba sa kilala ko. The way she moves has an air of sophistication na hindi tulad dati. This woman moves like an aristrocrat - powerful, intimidating and hard to approach - while my mother had the welcoming aura that made everyone liked her.

But, she looks the same when my mother was still healthy.

Everything that happened after was a blur.

Ang bilis ng pangyayari. Natauhan nalang ako nung may narinig akong isang malakas na crash followed by Nic calling my name. I looked at him in confusion, naka kunot ang noo while looking at me in worry.

And suddenly my confusion grew. Bakit siya nakatayo? And why was he looking at me like I did something crazy.

"Excuse me, crazy woman."

I looked at the source of the voice, and to her arm that I'm holding. Kelan nangyari to? It's as if my body has a mind of its own that my brain can't comprehend. Tinignan ko ulit ang mukha niya.

My mom.

I couldn't control it. I burst into tears and hugged her tight.

Which well, a lot of things happened after.

In one second, I was roughly pulled away from her by her bodyguard who I didn't noticed before while a woman my age was looking for bruises on my mother look alike. 
Nic then saw this as an act of violence and quickly shielded me from them.

He pulled me gently on the side and asked, "Are you okay?" And just like the woman tending to my "mother", he did the same to me.

"I-I-I.." was speechless. Nakakahiya ako at the same time hindi ako makapaniwala na I saw my mother again, maybe not the same person but how she looked before the nightmare happened.

"Excuse me." A soft voice interrupted us.

Tinignan  namin kung sino nagsalita. She was the petite, beautiful girl tending to the one I just harrassed. Sobrang ganda niya with an air of an heiress. She's petite but with her 4-inch high heels, she looks taller than me. Her posture is perfect. Para bang nasa Ms. Universe. She has long black wavy hair which sits perfectly on her back. Her eyes are framed with long dolled up lashes and her smile is the most radiant thing I've ever seen.

Overall, she's a goddess.

"No way.." she said when she saw us, well, Nic. Her eyes scanned me but stayed on Nickko.

"Amira." Nic said, stiffening.

"Nic. My Nickko Romano." She said smiling, as if she just saw someone very important to her.

"Nickko?" My mother look alike asked, suddenly appearing in front of us.

"Ms. Elliot." Nic said and smiled. "You look ravishing as always."

"Oh dear, no need to be so polite. But thank you." She said, patting Nic's arm. "My daughter here missed you dearly. Alam mo ba.." She began talking which I zoned out on.

I only looked at her face. The face of the one most important to me.

And for the second time that night, the tears poured.

And that's when they noticed that I'm here.

My mother look alike or Ms. Elliot narrowed her eyes on me then looked at Nic. "Nickko, do you know this crazy woman?"

"She's not crazy. And yes, she's my date."

If my heart can speak up, feel ko magugulat yun. Did he just defend me from someone he seemed to be close with?

She tsk-ed and said, "Just a date then. Nic, we'll be here til next week. Mind showing us around the area? We missed so much here in the Philippines and Mira is dying to explore her home country."

"I can make arrangements on your trip, Ms. Elliot. Until then, please enjoy the country. Oh and by the way, she's my girlfriend and she has a name, Angel. My Angel."