LOVEBITES

Chapter 20

CAITLIN is anxiously waiting. Hindi na niya mapigilan ang lakas ng tibok ng kanyang puso at ang panlalamig ng kanyang buong katawan habang hinihintay ang pagpasok ng kanyang ama sa loob ng kwarto. Nang makuha ni Basil ang permiso galing sa kanya, lumabas ito ng kwarto para tawagin ito. Sinasabi niya sa sarili na handa siyang makinig sa kung anuman ang sasabihin nito, ngunit hindi pala. Natatakot siya sa kung anumang maririnig na dahilan mula dito. Hindi niya alam kung paano aakto sa harap nito. And the last time they met, she was rude despite his obvious concern for her. However, the craziest emotion she's feeling right now wasn't one of those she first stated. It's because she misses him so much, and Selene couldn't accept that fact. And despite her denial, she wanted to hug him tight and never let go.

Caitlin groaned outloud. She's not even thinking right, anymore. She's being blindsided by her emotions that she felt stupid. It's definitely not okay! In an attempt to clear her mind and stomped on her nerves, Selene counted inside her head while doing her usual breathing exercise. Ngnuit agad namang naputol iyon ng bigla siyang makarinig ng marahang katok sa pinto, sumunod naman ang tunog ng pagbukas niyon. Sa sandaling muli niyang nasilayan ang pamilyar na pigura ng kanyang ama, hindi na napigilan ni Caitlin ang sunod sunod na pagtulo ng kanyang mga luha.

In between tears, Caitlin saw his father standing from across the room and in a blink of an eye; he is already standing beside her bed. Marahang umupo ito sa gilid ng kanyang kama at dahan-dahang pinahid ang luha na nagsisi-unahang bumaba sa kanyang pisngi. He is looking at her so affectionately that Caitlin couldn't help but have another bout of crying.

"Are you hurt somewhere? Show it to me," saad ng pamilyar na tinig ng ama. His voice is low but rough with a tinge of sadness in it. Caitlin doesn't understand herself. It's his usual cold voice but she felt unusually warm. Bago pa man niya mapigilan ang sarili, natagpuan niya ang sarili na niyayakap ito ng mahigpit. Tinumbasan naman nito iyon ng mas mahigpit pang yakap.

"Everything hurts, especially my heart" Caitlin murmurs while her face is slightly buried on his chest. Sa sinabi niyang iyon, marahan na hinaplos ng ama ang kanyang buhok.

She let out a shaky laugh. "Don't be mistaken. Hindi ko ito ginagawa dahil napatawad na kita. I'm just recharging. You still owe me tons of explanations,"

Naramdaman ni Caitlin ang marahang pagtango ng ulo nito. Feeling satisfied with his answer, she tightened her embrace on him until she calmed down. Hindi na namalayan ni Caitlin ang kung gaano sila katagal sa ganoong posisyon, ngunit dahan-dahang siyang kumawala mula sa pagkakayakap nito ng kahit papaano ay kumalma na ang nagra-riot niyang damdamin.

Diresto niyang tinitigan sa mga mata ang ama bago muling nagsalita. "You can start explaining now," seryosong saad niya dito,

Vladimir nodded while clutching her hand nervously. Bakas sa mga mata nito ang hirap na nararamdaman. For the first time through those years, this was the only time she'd seen him vulnerable.

"I am not your real father. You're mother and I we—we're never married. While you were still in her womb, we decided to enter a contract,"

Vladimir swallows the lump that suddenly formed in his throat before continuing. "The contract states that I can stay with you until you grow up into an adult and in exchange I will protect both of you from danger. I just didn't realize that I have to leave so early, if I have known—" biglang natigilan si Vladimir sa naging takbo ng kanyang isipin.

Vladimir curses inside his head. He almost told her that he would have taken her away from her mother, damn it! He slowly let out a trembling breath.

"Anyway, Millicent agreed. Iyon ay dahil habang nasa sinapupunan ka pa lamang niya, maraming kakaibang pangyayari ang paulit-ulit na nangyayari sa kanya. Noong una hindi niya alam kung epekto lamang ba iyon ng pagbubuntis niya o dahil sa stress but you see it's normal. It's because you were in her womb,"