Life After Lies

FORTY NINE: TIME FLIES

I was sitting at my coffee table while looking at the photos taken from day one up to yesterday. I smiled as I browsed it, he's like a mini version of his father.

It's been five years, matagal na rin pala simula noong umalis ako ng Pilipinas. Kumusta na kaya sila? Si Deffi, siguro ay may trabaho na. Sana may permanent boyfriend na sya sa mga oras na 'to. I chuckled and sipped my espresso while thinking those precious memories.

"Mama! I wanna play with Papa," interrupted by the small voice from behind. Napabaling ako sa gawi ni Vrai. He's looking at me with his puppy eyes. Oh yes, he's using my weakness.

"We'll call him later, alright?" I assured and let him sat on my lap. He just nodded and smiled. Damn his eyes, sana ay wala syang mapaiyak na babae soon. O kahit konti, sige dahil di naman yun maiiwasan. After all, he's handsome and sweet.

"Peut-être que je devrais aussi appeler mon frère"

(Maybe I should call my brother too)

"Bastien's busy my baby. He's studying,"  naiiling kong sabi. Bastien is now a big boy. He's ten but still a baby for me.

"Billy? Est-il occupé aussi?" he asked and pouted before he hugged me. My baby's sad.

(Billy? Is he busy too?)

"Billy is not busy. You can play with him later, I'm sure," paninigurado ko. He nodded and went back to his mat para mag laro. Billy is the little brother of Bastien. He's three and sobrang kulit nya kaya medyo ayaw ni Vrai na makalaro sya. He wants as big as Bastien.

Isang taon after kong manganak ay lumipat na ako ng bahay. Of course, noong una ay di pumayag si Ate. But I have to, ayokong lumaki ang anak ko na wala kaming sariling tirahan. Papa brought a pad for us. I did not refused dahil baka lalo lang syang di pumayag.

Sa loob ng limang taon, ang daming nangyari. Naka graduate ako kahit na sa bahay lang ako nag aral. And now, I'm managing the RRE. Mag ka-tulong kami ni Papa na lalo pang palaguin ang kompanya. Ginagabayan din ako ni Chand lalo na kapag di ko na kaya dahil kailangan ko rin alagaan si Vrai.

Napakurap ako nang tumunog ang doorbell. I went to the door and opened it. Speaking of.

"Bonjour, Madame," bungad nya habang nakangiti. I chuckled and let him in before I closed the door.

(Hello, Madam)

"Where's Vrai? Kumain na kayo?" he asked while looking inside.

"Nag lalaro. Kumain na kami, ikaw ba?"

Umiling sya at hinimas ang tiyan. "Hindi pa, may tira ka pa ba dyan? Di na ko naka pag luto"

"Ewan ko ba sayo Chandler. Mamamatay ka sa gutom nyan," napailing na lang ako, Chandler is still Chandler. Hindi maaasahan sa kusina. Nilagpasan ko na sya at pumunta sa kusina para mag ayos ng pag kain.

"Papa!" tuwang sigaw ni Vrai papalapit kay Chandler.

"Hello, there little Vrai. How's your sleep?"

Nilingon ko sila at pinag masdan. They're like father and son. Vrai used to call him that way dahil na rin sa kagustuhan nyang magkaroon ng tatay. Alam nyang di nya totoong Papa si Chandler pero hindi ko binanggit sa kanya kung sino at nasaan ang Papa nya.

I prepared Chandler's food at gumawa na rin ako ng konting dessert para kay Vrai. Lumapit ako sa kanila at pinatong ang dala kong tray at naupo sa tabi nila. "Kumain ka na muna Chandler"

He looked at me and smiled. "Merci, Madame"

"Mama! Look at this airplane," sabat ni Vrai habang pinalilipad ang eroplanong laruan na hawak nya.

"You like it? Who gave you that?" nangingiting tanong ko habang pinag mamasdan sya.

"You!" tinuro nya ako at tumawa kaya naman natawa na rin ako sa reaksyon nya. "Papa told me that the real one is much bigger"

Tumango ako at marahang hinagod ang buhok nyang hanggang balikat. "I wanna buy it. I will buy many airplanes"

Natawa ako at maging ang kumakaing si Chandler ay napainom ng tubig. "Why not a car instead? When you're old enough to drive, I will buy you a car"

Umiling sya habang naka tingin parin sa eroplanong hawak nya. "I want airplanes. I will go to my Daddy"

He chuckled and clap his hands. Napalunok na lang ako at pilit na ngumiti. Vrai's really smart and he can understand things. I told him that his father is somewhere far.

"Why looking for your Daddy when you have me, little boy?" tanong ni Chandler, lumapit sya samin at binuhat si Vrai. Hindi nag salita si Vrai at pinagmamasdan pa rin ang laruang eroplano. "Do you want to ride in this?"

Hinawakan ni Chandler ang eroplano. Tumango si Vrai at ngumiti. Oh gosh, I think I know what will happen "Chandler, stop there"

"Trust me, alright?" nangingiting tanong nya. Nilingon nya ako at sinamaan ko lang sya ng tingin. Umiling ako sa kanya pero ang walang hiya ay kinindatan lang ako bago bumaling kay Vrai.

"We'll go to the Philippines using an airplane, you want that?" Shit. Bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko sa sinabi ni Chandler. This is insane. H-How?

"Yehey!" he yelled and hugged Chandler.

"In one condition," Chandler paused and looked at me.  Tumango si Vrai at hinintay ang kasunod na sasabihin nya.

"Convince your Mama. If she agrees then I'll book a ticket for us"

Bumaba sa pag kakabuhat si Vrai at lumapit sakin. Niyakap nya ako at hinalikan sa pisngi. I held his cheeks, he's pouting again. "Mama, please? I will be a good boy. I will not look for my Daddy"

Napa awang ang bibig ko sa sinabi ng anak ko. He's just five and yet he talks like an old man. Niyakap ko sya at hinagod ang likod nya. "Alright. We'll go to the Philippines one of these days"

He looked so happy when he smiled at me and kissed my cheeks. "Je t'aime Mama"

(I love you, Mama)

Right, how can I resist this kid?