Chapter 21
I was smiling the whole time while watching Rake and Prince. Gaya ng ipinangako ni Rake, they went swimming for an hour. Halatang sabik na sabik ang mag-ama na makipaglaro sa isa't isa. Buhat-buhat na ito ni Rake ngayon at ibinaba para tanggalin ang life vest na suot ng anak.
I bit my lip dahil napunta sa iba ang focus ko. Nalipat ang tingin ko sa halos hubad na katawan ni Rake. It was wet and his abs were still on point. Lalo na't ngayon na natatamaan ng araw ang balat nito. Kitang-kita ko rin ang ugat na kadugtong ng nakatagong parte ng katawan niya.
Napalunok ako at nag-iwas ng tingin nang mahuli niya ako kung saan tulala. Oh shit. I think I was blushing. Hinaplos ko na lamang ang buhok ni Rebecka habang nakahiga sa hita ko at natutulog.
"I did great swimming! I'll swim with dolphins next time! Promise me, we'll do it again!" ani ni Prince kay Rake.
Ginulo nito ang buhok at hinawakan ang kamay. "We will, buddy. Anywhere you want, I got you."
"Yey!"
Nahawa na lamang ako sa ngiti ng anak ko. Nagkatitigan kami ni Rake at agad na lamang ako nagbaba ng tingin. I stared down to Rebecka's sleeping face. Hinaplos ko ang kilay niya... Ang haba ng mga pilik-mata niya gaya ng sa akin. Habang lumalaki siya, I could see she was becoming to look like me than her dad. Parang dati lang, ang liit niya pa at halos hindi ko siya mahawakan. Pero ngayon, hinding-hindi ako magsasawang titigan ang maganda niyang mukha.
The time flew so fast kapag nage-enjoy ka. Prince and Rebecka were playing at the bed. Nakatayo lamang ako sa gilid habang kumakain ng mansanas.
"Kung hindi mo siya itinago sa akin dati, I could've given him a better life," komento ni Rake sa gilid ko.
Pareho kaming pinapanood ang mga anak namin.
"It's for the better," mahinahong sagot ko. "And for his safety. Ikaw ang huling taong hihingan ko ng tulong dahil ayaw ni Greg."
Tumawa si Rake ng mapakla. "Mainit ang dugo niya saakin? I got something he can't have," he proudly told me.
I raised my brow. "And what is that, Mr. Alicante?"
Lumapit ang mukha niya sa akin. Napalunok na lamang ako dahil unti-unti nanaman kinakabahan ang puso ko kapag ganitong kayang-kaya niya na ako kontrolin ngayon.
"You."
Nagulat ako nang halikan niya ako ng mabilis. Not that I expected it. Nagtaka na lamang ako sa inasal niya. Not so Rake. He would always crash his lips against mine kapag may mga ganitong pagkakataon.
"Andyan ang mga bata. Don't want them to see us kung paano sila nabuo," he answered my unspoken question.
Hinampas ko siya ng marahan. Pero agad niyang nakuha ang kamay ko at hinalikan iyon ng dahan-dahan. He then pulled me closer to him, nasa likod ko siya at nakayakap ang kamay niya sa bewang ko habang pinapanood namin pareho ang mga bata.
Kahit matigas ang katawan niya na nakadikit sa likod ko, I could feel his unsteady heartbeat. I smiled a little. Perhaps, this was really my favorite desire, to see my family altogether and have a peaceful life. Bakit nga ba ang lupit sa akin ng mundo? When all I wanted now was to be happy, without any conflicts.
Maaring tama nga ang kasabihan, na kung ano ang iyong itinamin ay 'yon din ang iyong aanihin. I was a bad bitch before... Though sometimes, I'm still am, but atleast I'm making an effort to be good now.
"There are too many questions running in my mind," aniya at hinaplos ang tiyan ko. "Why do you have selective amnesia? At bakit ito sumusumpong ng pabigla-bigla?"
Huminga ako ng malalim. I rested my head on his chest. "I don't want to figure it out yet. Maybe, kapag naayos na ang lahat. That's the next thing I need to do, to look after myself."
"And I'm looking after you. And the kids," bulong nito sa tainga ko. "But Ericka, please be safe. Do anything to stay alive. Hindi basta-basta si Greg, he has the power to manipulate anyone around you. Be mindful, all the time."
Kahit na alam kong alam niya na kung sino ang kausap niya ngayon. I wouldn't ask him how I got here at kung bakit andito na si Greg. When all I did before was to hide from him. I had to end the game I started. I need to win this for my family.
"I will... I survive all the time, Rake."
He locked his both hands and pulled me even closer to him. "Kahit na ayoko pang pakawalan ka, it's time... They're waiting for you."
Dahan-dahan siyang bumitaw sa akin then he turned me around to faced him. His dark eyes were serious as he tucked my hair under my ear.
"Andito ka dahil nanalo si Mama sa bidding. Dinamitan namin si Gracia para maging kamukha mo so we can distract Greg's bodyguard."
Naguguluhan ako sa sinasabi niya pero tumango na lamang ako.
"Greg offered us your freedom, pero kailangan mapunta ng share ng mga leader sakanya. We all need to sign it even it is impossible for the other to do it. Whatever happens, Ericka, you need to trust me on this. Naguguluhan ka o hindi. Just trust me. Kailangan mo lang paniwalain si Greg na ikaw parin ang Ericka no'ng umalis ka. H'wag kang papahuli. This is our only chance. We must be very careful."
I bit my lip. This was really harder than I could ever imagine. Bakit ba kasi ako may sakit na ganito? Why does it have to complicate my problematic life?
Binago ko ang ekpresyon ng mukha ko. Kung kailangan ko ilabas ang Ericka na kinalimutan ko na, gagawin ko. Para sa kalayaan ko.
Sabay kaming lumapit sa mga bata. I kissed Rebecka on her forehead and Prince as well.
"Mommy, you said you'll never leave me..." Rebecka told me, her voice was sad.
Nangingilid ang luha sa mata ko. "I don't want to leave, too. But I have to... Para sa inyo. Para kapag bumalik na ako, we can be together forever."
"But mom... I'll miss you. I don't want you to leave," sabat naman ni Prince ng nakanguso.
Hinawakan ko ang pisngi. "I need to find your sister, darling. Babalik ako ng kasama ko na siya. So you guys can play and sleep together. Sabay-sabay tayong matutulog, while your dad is reading you your bed time story. We will wake up the next day, with the smile on our face as we make pancakes for breakfast..."
Hindi ko na alam kung si Prince pa ba ang kausap ko o ang sarili ko nalang. My tears started to drop. Habang pumipiyok na ang boses ko.
"Until then... I can finally have the peace I'm longing for myself. I'll see you, until then."
I kissed them both on their lips as I waved my goodbye. Mabilis akong tumayo at nagpahid ng luha. My kids were both crying when I left. Pinigilan lang ni Rake si Prince sa paghabol sa akin. Rake hugged me tightly, I couldn't breathe.
Afterwards, he let go of me. I smiled at him one more time at saka naglakad palabas ng yatch ng hindi lumilingon sa mga anak ko. I needed to be strong for them. I needed to this for one last time.
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Just a short update to keep me going. I'm losing this again. Lumilipad na ang mga ideya sa utak ko. 😂 anyway, there will be 9 chapters left plus epilogue. Brace yourself!!!! Matatapos ko rin ito bago matapos ang taon! 😂😊
