Epigraph and Quintessence (STATION Series #4)

Kabanata 1

Kabanata 1

Utopia

I didn't like the utopia that my mother created. It was suffocating.

I was five when I had a taste of it.

Naaalala ko ang oras kung saan nagpakasal si Mommy. A lot of my father's relatives were distasted with this small event. Halata sa mukha nila na hindi sila pabor sa pagpapakasal nilang dalawa ni Mommy. Hindi ko alam kung bakit.

"Uy! Let's take a picture of the newly-weds!"

"Savannah, tara na?" Nilingon ko ang pinanggalingan ng boses at nalamang kay Kuya Warren nanggaling 'yon. He smiled gently at me when he lent me a hand. "Picture raw tayo ro'n kasama nina Mama."

Like an obedient little girl, I grabbed my elder brother's hand and stood beside my mother who is wearing her long, white wedding dress. When she saw me walking towards her, she helped me to stand beside her. Hawak-hawak pa ni Mommy ang bulaklak sa isa niyang kamay.

"You're so cute, Savie!" my mother exclaimed and touched my face. "Sa 'kin ka talaga nagmana!"

Nag-iwas ako ng tingin at sumimangot. "Hindi niyo naman po ako anak," pag-aakto ko.

She cooed at me and pinched my cheeks. "But I adopted you with your Kuya Warren, hindi ba? Malulungkot ka pa talaga sa araw ng kasal ni Mommy?"

Sighing, I forced a smile and properly stood beside her. I need to act properly so they won't know that I am the legitimate daughter of Lucinda Mujer. Kung mahuhuli kami ni Mommy rito, hindi ko alam kung saan na kami mapupunta.

Si Kuya Warren ay tumabi kay Daddy habang pumepwesto ang ibang kamag-anak.

When I peeked at my elder brother's place to give him a thumbs-up, a kid who seemed to be around my age caught my eyes. The color of his eyes looked odd. Kasama pa niya ang mas matangkad sa kan'ya na gano'n din ang kulay ng mata.

Nang tumingin ako kay Daddy ay hindi naman gano'n ang kulay ng mata niya. My father's was dark brown.

Ibinalik ko muli ang tingin sa batang ngayo'y katabi na ni Kuya. Nakangiting kinausap ni Kuya ang bata at tinuturo ang bowtie. Ang bata naman ay nagpakawala ng malawak na ngiti at tinuro pa ang kasama niya. It must be his elder brother.

"Smile na po, Ma'am, Sir! Say cheese in three, two, one!"

"Cheese!"

Malawak ang ngiti ko sa harap ng camera. Maraming kamag-anak ang nakasama sa picture pati na rin ang batang kakaiba ang kulay ng mata. Kumuha pa muli ng ibang litrato bago mawala ang mga nakakumpol sa paligid nina Mommy.

"Family picture naman po, Mr. and Mrs. Brenner!"

Nanatili kami ni Kuya sa pwesto hanggang sa mag-flash ang camera. The photographer asked another picture with the parents but the only one who went is my father's.

Nagtataka akong tumingin kay Mommy. She looked down at me, smiled, and patted my head. I saw a little sparkle beside her eyes. "It's okay, anak..."

Confused, I managed to let out a gentle smile for the sake of the picture. Pagkatapos no'n ay umalis ako mula sa hagdan at nagpunta sa harap. Inalalayan ni Daddy si Mommy pababa habang hawak niya ang gown. Kukuha pa yata sila ng isang litrato.

Nilapitan ko si Kuya. "Walang parents si Mommy?"

My elder brother held my hand and lightly dragged me away from the center. "Parang."

Ngumuso ako at sumunod sa paghatak ni Kuya. He brought me to the little boy who beside him earlier.

The elder guy beside the kid with the weird eyes looked at me. I curiously met his gaze and realized that his eyes were the same as the kid. Bakit walang kulay mata nila?