The Replacement

Chapter 7

"Clara?! Clara?! Anak!, manang umuwi na ba si Clara?" Lea came rushing inside their house. After the scene with her daughter earlier, she decided to go home immediately and explain her side.

"Wala pa Lea, bakit may problema ba sa inyong mag-ina?" Lea just shook her head and wiped the tears that is continuously running on her cheeks.

"Pakisabihan na lang po ako pag andiyan na si Clara." The latter just gave her a nod kahit pa gusto niyang tanungin ito. She cares for the both of them because she treated Lea as her own daughter at si Clara naman bilang apo niya.

--
"Babes? What happened? Bakit sabi ni manang umiiyak ka kanina, nag-away ba kayo ni Clara?" Aga asked worriedly

"Ba-babes" she sobbed "Alam na niya babes, n-narinig niya lahat, A-aga pano kung ayaw niya na sakin? Aga galit sakin ang anak ko, i don't know what will i do." She cry harder and Aga immediately enveloped her in a tight embrace.

He faced Lea, and tucked some loose hair behind her ears "Psssshhh... Tahan na babes, she's just overwhelmed sa mga nalalaman niya, maybe now she's mad pero kilala naman natin ang anak natin di ba babes? Hindi niya kayang magtanim nang galit especially for the both us, lalo na sa iyo, mahal na mahal ka nun eh. Kaya nga minsan unfair na yung anak natin." She chuckled on the last part of what he said, pero tuloy pa rin siya sa pag-iyak. She knows tama ang sinasabi ni Aga, Clara, their daughter has a pure heart and she can attest to that.

"She just need time babes, don't worry everything will be alright."

--
Clara
Kanina pa ako palakad lakad dito sa park, ayaw ko munang umuwi, ayaw ko muna silang makita I don't know what to do, i'm torn. Half of me wants to know the truth, but the other half doesn't want to hear anything from them for the mean time. Nasasaktan ako sa mga nalaman ko at di ko naman masisisi ang sarili ko dahil normal naman sigurong masaktan ako. Pero galit? Hindi ko alam, since i was a child hindi ko naramdaman na ibang tao ako sa kanila, they treated me as their own, kaya nga siguro hindi ko naramdaman na hindi pala nila ako anak. They gave me everything i need, and most especially ramdam ko ang pagmamahal nila para saakin. Mom, even if she's busy, she always makes time for me at sinisigurado niya na naattendan niya lahat ng mga importanteng okasyon sa buhay ko, and dad, he's my superhero, he's my superman, my super dad, my knight in shining armor. He always got my back.

"Ate, i think you need this po." I wiped my tears and looked up to the little girl that is offering her handkerchief. She smiled sweetly at me at umupo sa tabi ko. I smiled back, at kinuha ang panyo sa kamay niya. "Salamat."
"Alam mo ate ganda, kanina pa kita tinitignan, mukhang ang lungkot lungkot mo, tapos umiiyak ka pa. Bakit po ba? If you don't mind me asking" Ibinaling ko sa kanya ang tingin ko and she's looking at me too with hopeful eyes. Ang daldal naman ng batang ito, she seems so eager to know kung ano ang isasagot ko sa kanya.

I shook my head "Nothing, napuwing lang ako." I shortly answered and she rolled her eyes at me. My gosh! Ang bata bata pa neto halatang maldita na.
"Liars go to hell, sige ka ate ganda." Pagbabanta niya pa. Napabuntong hininga na lang ako dahil sa sinabi niya. "What's your name, young girl?"

"Zoey, my name is Zoey ate ganda, ikaw po what is your name?" I just say mine at nakipagshake hands siya sa akin. I chuckled lightly and pinched her cheeks, that made her frowned. Hahaha i can't help it she's so cute.

"Naman eh!!!" Pagmamaktol niya habang hinahawakan ang pisngi niya, at nag pout pa sa akin.

"Oopss sorry."

"Okay ate ganda, apology accepted na, hehehe. Pero sige okay lang kung ayaw mong ishare sa akin ang problema mo. Basta ate ganda, always remember na kung ano man ang problema mo malalampasan mo din yan. Basta be strong lagi ha? Tapos isipin mo lang yung mga taong nagmamahal sayo, like your daddy and mommy.That's my teacher taught us kasi. Sabi niya, if we are lonely, we just need to reminisce those happy memories with our love ones, and also, we need to open up to them kasi kahit anong mangyare they will always be on our side no matter what, at sabi pa niya if someone daw hurt you  wether intentionally or not, dapat lagi tayong handang magpatawad." My mouth hang open when i heard what this kid just said at dahan dahang pinunas ang mga luha ko gamit ang panyo na binigay niya. How can i do that, ngayong alam ko na na kasinungalinan lang pala ang lahat? Hindi ko nga alam kung tunay ba ang pagmamahal na ipinaramdam nila sa akin buong buhay ko. How can i count on the people i love kung sila mismo ang dahilan kung bakit ako nagkakaganito.

"Okay ate ganda?" I nodded my head as an assurance cause she seems to wait for it. Her face lit up and gave me a gentle hug. Hinigpitan ko ang pagyakap ko sa kanya cause that's what i need. This kid is basically a stranger pero ang gaan ng loob ko sa kanya.

Saglit akong napabitaw ng may maalala ako."Sino nga pala ang kasama mo?" This place is not that crowded pero delikado sa isang batang katulad niya ang mag-isa sa ganitong klase ng lugar.

"Oh, i'm with my m--" hindi na niya natuloy ang sasabihin niya when a woman who i think has the same age as mom came running towards Zoey with her worried face.

"My gosh anak! I've been looking for you the whole time. Why did you runaway on yaya?!" Agad siyang lumapit dito  at niyakap ito ng mahigpit.

Zoey faced her mom and made a peace sign."Ooopps! I'm sorry mommy, i'm really sorry." She said apologetically at ibinaling ang tingin niya saakin, dahilan para mapansin din ako ng mommy niya.

"Mommy? She is ate Clara, ate Clara, my mom." Pagpapakilala nito, her mom gave me a warm smile and extended her hand which i gladly accepted.

"Oh nice to meet you Clara, I'm Claire, and please just call me tita."

"Oh, okay po tita. Sige po i have to go na. You have a very smart and outspoken child po hehehe"

"Ay naku sinabi mo pa. Anyway ihahatid ka na namin." Napaisip ako sa sinabi niya. Well, who wouldn't first of all, they are strangers i just met them today. Tatangi sana ako but they insisted kaya hinayaan ko na lang but instead of going home straightly, here i am sitting with them in the cafe enjoying my chocolate cake and a cup of cappuccino cause Zoey, being the madaldal told her mom about my problem at kung gaano ako kalungkot kanina.

"Ano ate, those sweets helps you to feel better di ba?" I sighed at tumango sa kanya and she goofily smiled at me in return "Actually, your mom is right. Thank you tita for treating me, i owe you one." Well, i have no complain, them dragging me here, It made me feel better.

"Oh, no biggie anytime Clara. If you want someone to talk too, here's my number i'm just one call away."

"Thank you po." Kinuha ko ang calling card niya at kinuha ang cellphone ko para sana masave na ng makita ko ang dami ng missed calls and text messages sa akin. Agad agad akong nagpaalam sa kanila, magtataxi na lang sana ako pero ayaw pumayag ni tita kaya hinatid na lang nila ako.

"Thank you po tita, thank you Zoey."I closed the car's door ng may ngiti sa labi ko at hinintay ang sasakyan nila na makalayo.  Kahit papano nakalimutan ko na may problema nga pala ako. Saglit kong pinagmasdan ang bahay namin mula sa labas, I don't know kung papasok ba ako o hindi.  After a couple of minutes, napagdesisyunan ko na kung ano ang dapat kong gawin. I want to hear their sides, i want them to explain everything. Ayaw kung maging duwag.

Dahan dahan kong binuksan ang pinto at agad na nabaling ang tingin ko kay mommy. She's sitting on the couch, me facing her back.

"Please, D baka magawi diyan si Clara, please tell her  to go home. Salamat." She hung up the phone and leaned on the sofa. Her audible sobs, is piercing my heart i know she's hurting, but i am too. 

"Babes, uminom ka muna ng tubig you were crying the whole day and now umii--" hindi na ni dad natuloy ang sasabihin niya ng makita niya ako.

"Anak." He called out agad na nagbaling ng tingin sa akin si mommy at agad agad na tumayo para yakapin ako. Instead of pushing her away, as what my mind said, hinayaan ko na lang siya dahil alam ko na ito din naman ang gusto ko.

"Explain, m-mommy please i want to know everything."