Hiding The Mafia's Son

Chapter 8

CURIOSITY get the best out of me.
Nagmamadali akong tumungo sa kama at doon umupo. Pakiramdam ko kasi parang jelly ace ang mga tuhod ko dahil sa panlalambot at pwede akong mabuwal any time. I was preoccupied that I forgot about the chair just in front of my study table where I was standing near a few minutes ago.

I go through pages to pages of the documents that is along the pictures. Wala akong pinalampas. Pinag-aralan ko ring mabuti ang mga larawan. Maybe this is photoshopped? But it seemed legit. I scanned the whole thing with shaking hands.

Unbelievable. This is crazy.

As the days went on, the more all these things get so confusing. Everything became too complicated– so difficult to comprehend. Everything is too much. Hindi pa nga ako tapos na intindihin at lubusang i-digest ang isang bagong impormasyon ay susundan na naman iyon ng isa pang nakakalitong impormasyon.

I saw nothing but pictures of an entire surgery of that kid. Hanggang sa naging kamukha niya si Stephan. As in kamukhang kamukha. Kopyang kopya. I was in daze after going through all of it not because I am amazed on how the doctor was able to do that but because of the fact that someone out there has exactly my bestfriend's face. I mean, my ex-bestfriend's face.

But the main question is,

Who is my bestfriend? Is it the copy or the original one?

Who copied his face and why?

Another is,

Why does Zykiel have all these information and how did he even get this? Isn't it confidential?

I massaged my temple as it pulsate in pain because of too much information. There are too many questions also that bombarded my head, all at once. Too much for me to digest.

When will all of these would end? Right, when he's gone– far gone.

Nahilo ako sa binasa at parang sasabog ang ulo ko sa sakit at pagkalito. I was just distracted by a soft knock. Maya maya pa ay bahagya bumukas ang pinto ng kwarto ko at sumilip si Aki.

"Mom, I'm home."

I frowned.

"Already?"

Now it's time for him to draw his brows into one line. More confused than I already am.

"You don't want me home yet?"

Oh no. Did I offended him with my question? Agad akong umiling.

"No. That's not what I mean. Parang kakaalis mo lang kasi and now you're back already."

Mas lalong nangunot ang kanyang noo. He stared at me, face painted with utter confusion. Mali ba ang mga salitang lumalabas sa bibig ko? Why do I feel so stupid under my son's confused stare?

"6:30 pm. If you haven't noticed it yet," he stated. Like it can make everything have some sense.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko at agad napalingon sa wall clock. And true to his words, it's already 6 in the evening. Ganun ako katagal nakaupo rito? Pinag-aaralan ang lahat ng papeles at pictures na ibinigay ni Zykiel!? O baka naman ang pag-uusap namin ang nagtagal nang husto? O baka 'yong pag-iyak ko? Either of these three possible reasons, it is 6 in the evening already.

"Busy."

Napakagat labi ako at tumango na lang. Not bothering to keep the pictures and papers scattered on the floor and on the bed. Mas maghihinala lang siya na may problema kung gagawin ko 'yon. He's a smart kid. Smart enough to not keep things from him or everything between you two will be shitty.

He shrugged. "Where's dad?"

Tumayo ako at inayos na ang mga nagkalat na papel at pictures. I then neatly arranged it on the study table.