Turn The Page

Chapter 49

"What does she want?" Sister Berlin asked. She didn't like what she just heard. "I really don't know, sister. She was with another woman who was claiming na dati daw nila ka-trabaho si kuya. It sounds believable, kaya if they're just lying, ang galing nila. Kung totoo naman na kaibigan sila ni kuya at coincidence lang na Page's mother is also their friend, I really don't know what to think. Parang sobrang coincidence masyado, sister," April said worriedly. "You think she found out that Page was adopted by a wealthy family?" Sister Berlin asked. April sat on one of the chairs as she sighed. "I have no idea. With the technology and internet that we have nowadays, hindi yun imposible. I-google mo lang lahat and everything pops up. Pero kung ganun nga, bakit hindi si ate June and hinahanap nila? Why my brother? Bakit si kuya? Iba kutob ko dito, sister," April said, then she bit her lip. "If they were a true friend of your brother, diba dapat nakarating na sa kanila somehow na he's already deceased?" Sister Berlin asked. She was frowning the whole time as she sat in front of April who was shaking her head. "Yun na nga po eh. Pero di ko talaga alam ano iisipin ko, sister. One of kuya's friends added me on Facebook and sent me a message just a few months ago. Nakita daw nila ako as a mutual friend sa isa sa barkada nila ni kuya so they thought about finding kuya's profile. They added me sa Facebook when they couldn't find him, and when I talked to them, it turns out that they had no idea about the accident. None of those people knew he already died dahil nag-settle down na sila sa abroad even before kuya got into that accident. They haven't kept in touch. This woman na kasama ng mama ni Page was claiming na sa Japan na sila nakatira tapos umuwi lang dito sa 'Pinas. They said they just wanted to drop by to say hello to my brother. It's possible na word about kuya's death never reached them. Kaya nga po nakakagulo ng utak, sister. You know, I would have let her in sa bahay kung hindi lang po ako kinutoban? I was almost that gullible. She was so believable. Pero Page's mom reminded me of Page kaagad, I don't know why. I don't know kung dahil nahawigan ako sa kanya kay Page or what. Kung bata pa si Page ngayon, siguro di ko mapapansin. But now that Page is an adult, a lot of their features are very similar. Maiisip mo kaagad si Page when you see her mom," April said. Worry was apparent in her eyes. Sister Berlin frowned as she stared at the table. "What could this be about, April? Anong kutob mo?" She was almost afraid to ask. April sighed in response. "Natatakot ako, sister," she confessed. She had the urge to cry. "What are you scared about?" Sister Berlin asked nervously. "If this is about the Torres' wealth, that I'm not too worried about. Nasa America na ang mag-ina, she can't do anything to harm them. Ang winoworry ko is—," April was about to say when another nun knocked and opened the door slightly. "Sister Berlin, sorry. Andito na yung mag-asawang gusto mag-ampon kay Joshua," the nun informed her. April and sister Berlin looked at each other before sister Berlin nodded at April and excused herself.

"Parang iba yung aura nung April ano?" Grace asked the moment they reached her car. "Parang," Tina agreed. "Parang meron syang tinatago. Parang merong pinoprotectahan. Ano kaya yun?" Grace asked curiously. "Ewan. Baka dahil mayaman. Diba ganyan naman yang mga mayayaman na yan? Pag may nagpakita ng biglaan sa bahay nila parang nagiging defensive, kala mo nanakawan," Tina answered. Grace laughed a little. "Baka nakutoban na andun tayo para kunin yung parte ng anak mo sa yaman nila," she claimed. Tina shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Ganyan pa naman mga ugali nyang mayayaman na yan. Akala mo lagi na lang mauubosan kahit ang dami dami naman ng pera nila. Kuripot kaya mayaman. Di marunong mag-bahagi ng yaman nila sa iba," Tina said. Grace stared at the road ahead. "Sige sabihin na nating protective sila sa yaman nila. Parang may iba pakong kutob. Pakiramdam ko may alam yung April. Pano kung nasabi sa kanya ng kapatid nya yung pagtataksil nya noon sa Japan? Kung sinabi yun ng kuya niya sa kanya, siguro ever since nun ineexpect na nya na bigla na lang may babaeng darating sa harap ng bahay nila, claiming na sya yung kabit ng kuya nya. Syempre poprotectahan nya yung kuya nya para hindi masira yung pamilya nya, diba? Baka kaya parang uneasy sya kanina," Grace explained. Tina nodded. "Tama ka. Parang may alam yung April," she said. Then she took out her phone and went on Facebook. A few moments later, "Ayan, April Torres. Hindi pa pala kasal yan. Pero wala naman ako makita sa profile nya. Naka-private lahat," Tina claimed. Grace glanced over her. "Try mo Dezmond. Try mo with a 'z' or 's'. 'Z' nga yata yun. Try mo lang ulit," she instructed. "Wala eh," Tina replied after a few minutes of trying to search for Dezmond's Facebook profile. "Umm, ano nga ba yung pangalan nung asawa? I-google mo nga ulit," Grace instructed again. Tina did as she was told. "June Torres tapos Summer Torres yung anak," she informed her. "O go, i-google mo pareho yang mga yan. Kita mo nga naman yung Dezmond ano? Matalino. Hindi nagso-social media. Marami na sigurong kalaguyo yung gago," Grace commented. "Grabe naman yung ganda nung June. Parang artista oh. Parang reyna. Mayaman na mayaman ang dating. Eto siguro yung anak, yung Summer Torres?" Tina said while she was showing Grace June's profile picture. "Oo nga friend, ang layo sayo," Grace joked which made Tina roll her eyes. "Eh wala ka naman masasagap na information dito. Private lahat except yung mga profile picture. Eh kahit yun aapat lang," Tina claimed. "Search mo yung anak," Grace said. After a few minutes of searching, "Walang profile yung anak," Tina informed her. "Baka iba yung pangalan na nilagay," Grace suggested. "Balikan mo yung profile nung asawa. Diba may kasama sya sa picture? Baka yung anak nya yung kasama nya. Tingnan mo kung naka-tag," she added. Again, Tina did what she was told. "Page Torres?" She said. Her eyebrows met. "Page Torres," she repeated. "Oh, baka may pangalawang anak," Grace replied. "Page Torres," Tina repeated as if she was trying to remember something. She stared long and hard at the young lady in the picture. "Pero kung may isa pa silang anak, bakit hindi nakalagay sa information dun sa google?" Grace asked, confused. Tina stared at the picture for another few minutes before she decided to click on the name that was tagged. "Page Torres," she said again as she stared at Page's profile. "Grace," she said to her friend. "Oh ano? Sana man lang yung sa anak may makuha kang information," Grace replied. "Nasa kanila si Page," Tina said. She stared straight ahead as if she couldn't process everything she had just seen. "Sino si Page?" Grace asked. Tina took a while to answer. "Huy," Grace called out to her. The two of them looked at each other. "Sila yung umampon sa anak ko," Tina said. Her words gave her the chills. "Ano? Anong pinagsasabi mo?" Grace asked, totally confused. "Diba sinabi ko sayo kinuha sakin yung anak ko ng mga madre? Edi san pa yun dadalhin kundi sa bahay ampunan," Tina said. She was shocked to say the least. Grace couldn't help but park at the nearby grocery store. "Di kita maintindihan," she claimed, still confused. "You mean to say na yung kumupkop sa anak mo eh yung tatay nya at yung pamilya ng tatay nya?" She asked. Tina turned her head to face her. Then she nodded as she frowned. "Then wala ka na nga talagang habol sa pera nila Tina, dahil sila naman pala nagpalaki sa anak mo," Grace claimed. "Pero paano naman ako? Paano naman yung limang taon na nagkanda-hirap hirap ako para lang alagaan yung anak nya?" Tina asked. Anger was fuming deep inside her. "Hindi mo na pwedeng i-sumbat yan sa tatay ng anak mo. What's five years na inalagaan mo yung anak nya compared to what? More than two decades na sila ang nagpalaki sa kanya ng maayos? Five years pero pinabayaan mo naman, kaya nga sya kinuha ng mga madre sayo diba? Mag-isip ka nga. Wala ka ng habol sa pamilyang yun. And besides, kaya ko lang naman talaga pinaalam sayo lahat ng toh dahil ang main concern ko eh yung anak mo. Gusto ko na rin makatulong sayo, pero ang gusto ko talaga is makuha ng bata yung dapat sa kanya. Pero nakuha naman na pala ng bata eh. Andun na pala sya sa papa nya. Hayaan mo na. Sinisisi mo na nasira yung buhay mo dahil sa pagbubuntis at pagtataguyod ng anak nya sayo ng mag-isa ka lang eh kinuha naman na pala sayo yung bata nung limang taon pa sya. Hindi na nila kasalanan na andun ka pa rin sa lugar na yun hanggang ngayon. Ang nangyari sayo is nalulong ka sa bisyo mo. Pwede ka naman na sana bumalik sa Japan after kunin sayo yung anak mo. Nangibang bansa ka sana ulit para ayosin yang buhay mo, pero ano? Kita mo san kita nahanap, sa sugalan. Pabayaan mo na yung bata ngayon. Nasa mabuting kalagayan na sya," Grace said. "Sya maginhawa ang buhay tapos ako nag-titiis sa madumi, ma-tao at magulo na lugar? Aba sinuswerte sya," Tina claimed angrily. "Aba Tina, hindi na kasalanan ng anak mo na nagpabaya ka sa kanya kaya nakuha sya sayo. Hindi na kasalanan ng bata na napunta sya sa pamilya ng tatay nya. Wala sa control ng bata yun kaya 'wag ka magalit sa kanya. Sige sabihin na natin na hirapan kang itaguyod yung bata ng limang taon. Pero after that, wala ka naman ng anak na inaalagaan. Edi sana nag-focus ka para itaguyod naman ang sarili mo. Wala ka ng excuse. 'Wag mo na gulohin yung bata. Nananahimik na sya kasama ang papa nya. Maging masaya ka na lang na sa papa nya sya napunta. Hindi ka man natulongan ng tatay ng anak mo nung maliit pa yung bata, bumawi naman sya dahil sya na nagpalaki sa kanya the rest of her life. Wala ka ng masusumbat pa dun lalo pag alam mo sa sarili mong pinabayaan mo din naman yung anak nyo," Grace explained. Tina shook her head, but she didn't say anything. After a short moment of silence, "Coincidence lang kaya na sa kanila napunta yung bata?" Tina asked. Grace shrugged. "Pwede. Bakit? Ano nanaman yang iniisip mo?" She asked. "Pano kung noon pa lang alam na nya na may anak ako tapos nagpa-plano na sya na kunin sakin yung bata?" Tina said. Grace frowned even more. "Pano naman nya malalaman yun?" She asked. "Mayaman yung gagong yun. Madali lang sa kanya na mag-bayad ng tao para ipahanap ako," Tina claimed. "'Wag kang nahihibang dyan, Tina. Bakit ka naman ipapahanap ng tatay ng anak mo? Sa tingin mo na-inlove din sya sayo and wanted to keep in touch? Kung ganun, bakit hindi ka nya kinontact? Bakit hindi sya nagpakita sayo?" Grace asked. "Hindi ko alam. Pero hindi ka ba nagtataka? Napaka-coincidence naman na sa pamilya ng tatay nya napunta yung anak namin. Eh baka nga yung tatay nya yung nagpadala ng mga madre dun samin eh. Kukunin kuno ng mga madre pero siguro yung tatay ng anak ko ang may gusto kumuha sa bata. Pwede ko syang kasuhan ng kidnapping," Tina said. "Ay naku, Tina. Baka nga coincidence lang. Ano ano na kasi pumapasok dyan sa isip mo eh. 'Wag kang magpadalos dalos. Baka ikaw pa makasuhan nila sa pagbabaya mo sa anak ninyo," Grace replied. "Parang hindi coincidence yun. Pano kung nag-bayad talaga sya ng tao para sundan ako para makasiguro na walang makakaalam na nag-taksil sya sa asawa nya. Tapos nalaman na buntis pala ako. Baka kaya hindi nya ako nilapitan dahil nga buntis ako," Tina explained. "Ano ka ba? So sa tingin mo nag-assume kaagad yung tatay ng anak mo na anak nya yung dinadala mo? Mag-isip ka nga," Grace said. She was starting to get annoyed. "Pano kung nasundan ako sa hospital? Pano kung nag-bayad sya ng tao para malaman kung sya yung tatay ng anak ko? Pano kung habang tulog ako at wala sakin yung baby, pina-DNA test na nya pala at dun nya nalaman na sya yung tatay ng batang dinadala ko? Tapos simula nun sinusundan na nya kami ng anak ko, naghihintay para sa tamang oras na kunin nya sakin yung anak namin," Tina said. "Ano toh? Buhay mo teleserye? Hindi sa pagiging mean Tina ha, mahal kita alam mo yan pero sa tingin mo may lalaking mag-aaksaya ng panahon para manmanan ka ng ganun katagal? Lima hanggang anim na taon? Ikaw na mismo nag-sabi sakin na napapabayaan mo yung bata, sa tingin mo hihintayin nya na mag-limang taon yung bata para kunin sya sayo? Kukunin nya yun agad agad lalo kung napapabayaan mo na pala. Coincidence lang lahat ng toh. Naniniwala akong walang ni isa sa mga toh ang planado. Kaya 'wag kang nahihibang dyan, Tina. Ano ano na naiisip mo. Kumain na lang tayo. Gutom lang yan," Grace said as she started the car again and drove off.