Pieces of Pastiche

Kabanata 25

Kabanata 25

"Please don't tell Lorenz."

Muli kong pinagmasdan ang bata. You can't really deny that it's Lorenz's kid. Busy ang bata sa pagtawa sa kung ano mang sinasabi ni Ben. I smiled at the sight. He looks cute with a kid though.

Pero bigla, nakaramdam din ako ng lungkot. It would be better if Lorenz is here. Pakiramdam ko ang nagagalit. Ninakawan ni Mikaela ng panahon si Lorenz na makasama ang anak.

"Only if you tell me what really happened."I don't want to impose on her. Pero kahit saang angulo ko tignan hindi tama na itinago niya ang bata. I can't imagine how this will break Lorenz.

"I...I was raped." I sighed when I heard it from her. Sinabi na iyon sa akin ni Lorenz pero iba pala kapag sa biktima na mismo nanggaling. I don't know how it feels and I can't imagine the hell she went through.

"I'm sorry." Tanging nasabi ko. She smiled sadly at me as she look at the kid, or how she named him, Lorence. Hindi man same ng spelling, but she still named her after his father.

"I was pregnant with Rence and I decided to tell it to Lorenz that night. On my way to the hospital kung saan kayo nagduduty, I was cornered by one of my clients. I thought it was just a coincidence. Pero hindi, sinundan niya ko. He raped me." Tears pooled around her eyes. Damang dama ko ang galit at poot habang sinasabi niya iyon. I suddenly felt a rush of guilt for asking. Agad akong napaiwas ng tingin. I felt bad for judging her immediately.

"I was devastated that time. Kailangang kailangan ko si Lorenz pero masyado siyang busy sa thesis niya para sa fellowship. I know it will break him when he found out that I was raped. It is his dream to be a cardiosurgeon and I don't want to be the cause not for him to achieve his dream. With a child in me, paano na ang pagdodoctor niya? Knowing Lorenz, he will quit and just settle to be a family doctor. Hindi ko kaya iyon."

Wala akong nasabi. We both know na tama siya. Lorenz will really set his dreams aside for his family. But that doesn't mean na tamang hindi sinabi ni Mikaela ang tungkol sa anak nila.

"Isa pa, would he believe na sa kanya ang anak ko? Diring diri ako sa sarili ko, Quinn. How will I present myself to Lorenz knowing I was violated by another man?"

Hindi ako makasagot. That is something that I don't know. Kahit ilagay ko ang sarili ko sa paa niya, I wouldn't know because hindi naman ako ang narape. I sighed.

"I'm sorry. But even though Lorenz has the right to know about his child. And Lorence, your son, has the right to know that he isn't neglected by his father. He has the right to know his father."

Napaiwas siya ng tingin sa akin. Tinignan niya si Lorence like she was thinking very deep. Kalaunan ay nabuntong hininga na lamang siya. She look at me with questioning eyes.

"You think he'll accept Lorence?" Tanong niya na tinanguan ko. I smiled sadly at her.

"He will love his own kid, Mikaela. He loves you so much that whatever your past were, matatanggap niya iyon."

Silence filled that both of us. Tanging naririnig ko lang ay ang tawanan nila Ben at Lorence.

"Let me buy him toys for now, Mikaela. I want to do it for Lorenz."

Because that's what I want, iyon nga ang nasunod. Pinakilala ako ni Mikaela sa anak niya bilang kaibigan ng Daddy niya. I am glad he knows the existence of his dad. Nagulat rin ako nung malaman kahit itsura ng daddy niya ay alam niya. Mikaela and Lorence were inside the comfort room kaya kaming dalawa lang ni Ben ang naiwan sa labas.