Hazel's Sweet Revenge

Kabanata 16

*** Hazel's ***

That's All That Matters

"The unspoken thing." A smile suddenly formed on his thin lips.

"I see... well, what can I say?" I heard him sighed as he leaned in more on the chair. "I want to meet her, maybe when I come back."

"That can be arranged, dad." Ako naman ngayon ang napabuntong-hininga. I'm thankful that my father took it well.

That was our other phrase for love—the unspoken thing. My father wasn't really the sort to say "I love you" all the time, but I suppose every father has a different way of conveying love to their kids.

Pero kahit ganoon, hindi naman siya nagkulang sa pagpaparamdam sa'kin kung gaano niya ako kamahal. It might not be said through words, but his actions are stronger.

Now, as I talk to him about love and relationships, I deeply appreciate his sentiments. He knew who Sab was. Kilala niya sa apelyido dahil naging kaibigan ni dad si Mr. Claudio Carvajal. But dad hasn't met her yet.

"Okay, sweetheart, by the way, how's school? Your graduation is approaching. What do you want as a gift?" Napansin ko ring sumingit sa video frame si tita Jasmin, ang asawa ni dad.

"Yes, sweetie, we're really looking forward to seeing you soon. We missed you so much!" tita said.

Napangiti ako. "I missed you too, tita. Pumayag naman po si mom na mag-take ako ng vacation dyan after grad."

"That's great! I will surely let little Charles know once he comes home from school." Si tita na hindi matago ang kasiyahan sa sinabi ko.

"How about your internship?" Dad asked.

Naalala ko ang email ni Miss Noelle. Nakabalik na ito galing New York.

"I will see her tomorrow, dad. She said she has something to say regarding my internship."

"I hope that's good news."

"I hope so too, daddy. By the way, how was your trip in Tahiti?"

Tita Jasmin is the one who flooded me with all the details. Kahit noon pa man ay mahilig na mag-travel si tita. She met dad on one of her travels while he was a peace corps volunteer.

Since then, they have started a journey around the world together. Mahilig sila sa beaches at natuto na rin si Daddy mag-scuba dive. Even Charles shares the same interests as his parents, and at the age of seven, he had been to forty-eight different countries. I wouldn't be shocked if someday Charles decided to be a travel journalist.

The day after the conversation with my little family in the US, Miss Noelle messaged me earlier and told me to come by her office. Dinala ko na rin ang mga pinagawa niya sa akin nitong nakaraang linggo. As soon as I open the frosted glass door, bumungad agad sa akin ang abot-langit na ngiti ni Miss Noelle.