Me And You Against The World

CHAPITRE 2

Chapter 2

Nagising ako sa aking silid at pilit itinayo ang sarili at sumandal sa headboard ng kama ko.

"Argh! My head hurts as hell!" bulong ko sa sarili.

Ilang saglit pa'y bumangon na ako at hinanda ang sarili ko para sa trabaho. Humarap ako sa salamin habang inayos ang ribbon na necktie ko. I also tied my hair in a clean bun. At dinikit sa may dibdib ko ang badge na may nakalagay na Manager.

Lumabas na ako sa silid ko at sumakay sa elevator pababa.

Paglabas ko ng evelator may nakita akong batang lalaking umiiyak na nakaupo sa couch habang pilit syang pinapakalma ng mga kasamahan kong hotelier.

"Mommy! Mommy!" Iyak at sigaw ng bata. Linapitan ko sila.

"Hey what happened?" Tanong ko sa mga receptionist.

"He can't find his mom." Sagot ni Yvette na isa sa mga receptionist.

"What's the name of his mom?"

"He said it's Belle maam, but no names found in the guest who's been check-in here." Paliwanag nya.

"How long he's been here and crying?" I asked.

"He's been here for almost 3 hours and he's been crying for almost an hour." That long? Lumapit ako sa bata at umupo sa harap nya para magkapantay kami.

"Hey sweetie, why are you crying?" Tanong ko sa bata.

"My mom left me here *sniff* and i don't want to go home." Hikbi na sagot nung bata.

Binalingan ko ng tingin ang mga receptionist.

"Go back to work now." i said to them at agad rin naman silang umalis.

I sighed heavily at tumabi ng upo sa bata.

"How old are you?" tanong ko.

"I'm 4" *sniff* sagot nya habang pinunasan ang mata nya.

"Wanna eat something?"

"Yeah. I want ice cweym." Cute nyang sabi.

"Okay then, lets go." kinarga ko yung bata at nag tungo sa restaurant ng hotel.

Ini-upo ko ang bata sa upuan at tinawag yung waiter para umorder ng Ice cream.

"1 order of chicken, spaghetti, ice cream, and 2 juice please."

"Okay Maam noted. Your order will be served in 10 minutes maam. Thank you." I just nod at umalis na ito.

After 10 minutes dumating na yung order namin at agad syang kumain. Halata sa bata na gutom sya kakaiyak.

"What's your name?" Tanong ko habang nakatitig lamang sa kanya.

"Cwol" i laugh. Puno ng pagkain ang bibig nya kaya nahihirapan syang magsalita.

"Oh boy! Okay okay. Well talk later. Just don't talk when your mouth is full." Binigyan ko sya ng tubig at agad nya rin namang ininom ito.

Habang pinagmamasadan syang kumain ay nakikita ko ang sarili ko sa kanya. Iniwan rin daw kami ni mama sa simbahan. Pagkatapos kasi nung mass nagpaalam si Mama na may bibilhin lang. Magdamag kaming naghintay ni Marie sa loob hanggang sa umiiyak na sya. Tanging haplos at yakap lamang ang ginawa ko sa aking kapatid para di sya matakot. Ngunit hindi na kami binalikan ng aming ina and we end up in Orphanage.

"Buuuuuurp! Opps sowey." Nahihiya nyang sabi and i just smile.

"So what's your name again?" Tanong ko ulit.

"Cole." sagot nya habang sumasandok ng ice cream.

"What's your family name?" He just shrugged.

"After you eat that ice cream we will search for your mom okay?" He look shock at may lungkot na may halong takot sa kanyang mga mata.

"Why?" I asked.

"Can you just keep me and can i call you mom?" naguguluhan ako sa sinabi nung bata. But wait? What?

Mom?

Bakit ang sarap pakinggan? Tangina ang sarap ears!

"Okay, you can call me mom but wait? Did something happend?" Takang tanong ko.

"My dad is bad. He always beat my mom. And mom is crying everyday. But i guess mom is bad too." Sabi nya at yumuko.

"Because she fought back?" And he nods.

"And i saw dad laying in the floor. But mom said that dad is just playing dead. That's why we left the house and stayed at the hotel because dads wants to play and mom didn't." He pause at kumain ng ice cream.

"She said that i will wait there and she will comeback. But she didn't." Linaro-laro nya ang cream nya hanggang sa matunaw.

"I don't want to go with my mom cause i'm scared of her cause she beats me." I was totally schocked.

How can a mother beat a 4 years old child?

Naaawa ako kay Cole. Kaya tinawagan ko si Damien and i shifted his day off to mine. Si Damien ang naka duty ngayon kaya nagbihis na at pumunta kami sa malapit na mall dito sa Hotel.

Pagpasok namin sa Mall agad kaming pumunta sa kids sections na mga damit. Binilhan ko sya ng maraming damit kasi for sure kakailanganin nya.

"Marcella?" lumingon ako sa tumawag sakin.

"Nikholai? Ow, Hi!" Bati ko.

"Hey hello! uhm so what are you doing he--" lumingon sya sa nagsalita.

"Mom i like that!" Turo nya sa damit na may drawing na mukha spongebob.

"Ow? You're with your son." He smiled awkwardly.

"Uhm no. Its a long story. I mean complicated situation." Depensa ko.

"Hm. I'm willing to listen. Infact i'm doing nothing right now and accidentally passing by here and then viola! I see you. And this little kiddo here." Pinantayan nya ng upo si Cole.

"What's your name little fella?" Tanong nya.

"I'm cole." at ngumiti si Cole sa kanya.

Tumayo si Nikholai at kinarga si Cole. Tumingin sya sakin.

"Mind if i can join you two?" I smiled at him and nod.

Bumili rin kami ng laruan para kay Cole. Nasa may arcade kami ngayon at naglalaro ng basketball. Kinarga nya si Cole at pinaupo sa leeg nya habang si Cole naman ay masayang nag sho-shoot ng bole. Naki shoot narin ako, habang tumatawa ay may narinig kaming bulong-bulungan sa paligid.

"Awww, aren't they cute?"

"Yeah. And they really look good together. How i wish i was in love too like them." Nagulat ako sa sinabi nila.

"And they're son is so adorable." Naubo ako sa sinabi nya. What? Son?

"Hey are you okay?" Concern na tanong ni Nikholai.

"Yeah. I think we should grab some lunch already. It's almost 12."

He just nod at umalis na para kumain. Habang kumakain kami ay kwenento ko sa kanya lahat kung bakit mom tawag sakin ni Cole.

"Oh really? So what's your plan then? Are you gonna return him to his mom?" Tanong ni Nikholai.

"I don't know yet. Maybe i should keep him for a while." Sagot ko nalang.

"I don't think his mother's gonna show up right now or later. Maybe the Police officers are hunting him now." Napaisip ako sa sinabi nya.

"Yea. And i'm taking care of him."

Tama. Baka sinadya nya talagang iwan ang bata sa hotel para hindi madamay.

"From now on, you can call me Daddy Zam."

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