Dazzle

Chapter 3

D A Z Z L E

Chapter Three

Wyatt

Saying that I am furious is an understatement. I checked Umiko when we reaches home.  Tiningnan ko kung may pasa ba o kahit anong marka sa balat ng anak ko. I saw nothing which is a good sign. Idagdag pang mukhang maganda ang mood ni Umiko. Wala itong tigil sa pagkanta ng nursery rhymes. Also, she smells like baby powder, and may towel din sa likod niya.

“Umiko, why did you come with a stranger? I told you so many times not to come with strangers, even if they have candies or pets.” Tanong ko. Umiko looked at me like I’m saying non -sense, and she stopped singing too, raising both of her eyebrows.

“Teacher is not a stranger.” She said, then she lay down the sofa on her back. Pabaliktad siyang pumwesto at itinaas niya ang mga paa sa sandalan ng sofa.

I sighed. I can’t tell her that the teacher is a stranger. Baka umayaw naman sa pagpunta sa day care si Umiko.

“Look, honey. I was worried when I came to daycare and didn’t see you there.” I told her. 

“Teacher said you’re late. She’s like this.” Sabi ni Umiko at idinemonstrate sa akin ang nag bubuntong hininga, nakakunot ang noo, umiiling at humihilot sa sintido.

“She told you that?”

“No. But Umiko was watching teacher. She’s also like this.” Dagdag pa ni Umiko at timitingin sa braso niya na tila ba may wrist watch siyang paulit ulit niyang tinitingnan.

“Teacher is very pretty like a princess, she said she came from far away, so many boxes in her house, daddy!” Sabi pa ni Umiko at tumayo sa sofa. She’s jumping and singing a nursery rhyme again.

I sighed again.

“I’ll talk to your Teacher tomorrow. For now, why don’t you embrace Dad?” Sabi ko. She jumped to me and squealed.

“Are you hungry? Daddy will cook dinner.”

“Teacher gave me yogurt.” Sabi ni Umiko.

“Do you like your new teacher?”

“Yes! She’s very pretty. Like a princess.” She squealed again and grabbed my hair. “Daddy, she’s so pretty!”

At nanggigil na nga ang makulit kong anak.

“Alright, alright. Dad will cook dinner.” I put her on her high chair and proceeded to prepare dinner.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket to charge it.

“Daddy, down.” Sabi ni Umiko at naglilikot ang mga binti, nagpipilit na bumaba.

“Careful, I got you.” I said and put her on the floor. She ran to our huge aquarium and greeted the fishes inside.

“Hello fishes, teashel is vewy pleeetty! I want to be pleeetty like hel. We dance like this.”

I looked at my daughter and I smiled when I watch her dance and wiggle her body. Her face animated and my baby is radiating with so much energy. Damn, she’s napping when I found her in that woman’s arms. Napabuntong hininga ako dahil tiyak na mamumuyat si Umiko mamaya.

-

Oh shit.

That’s my first reaction when I turned on my phone. There are at least four text messages and an email from Umiko’s teacher.

So she texted me about the ending of the class for today, she’s asking my whereabouts since I’m late. She even texted me that she’ll take Umiko for her same reason: because I’m late, and for me to call her once I read her texts.