Is He the One?

chapter 16

Kung ako lang ang masusunod ay nais ko ng umalis si Nhed at kalimutan na lamang ang pag-uusapan na dapat naming diumanong gawin. Talk about what? The April Fool's foolishness?

Bago ko pa masabing umalis na lng sya ay nakaupo na ito sa pang isahang sofa kaharap ko looking suddenly sullen. Like what he was about to bring up some dark news and he was extremely sorry to be the one to break it. I'm worried.

"Your grandfather is an old man" paninimula nito para basagin ang katahimikan sa pagitan naming dalawa.

"I can see that perfectly". I sarcastically answered. Hindi ako bulag!   " Oh come on Nhed he's likely eighty-eight or something!"

"Yeah... And he's ill. Very ill, and don't you dare act casually about it."
He is serious. I can see through his stare.

I didn't give a comment. So , that was it. Iyon siguro ang dahilan kung bakit out of the blue ay nagpakilala ang aking abuelo.
"He's not dying" I mumbled. " Is he?"

Kinakabahan ako . The dreadful feeling inflicted by my mother's sudden death came rushing back to me all of the sudden. He didn't respond kaya mas lalo pa akong kinabahan.

"Oh God! Answer me Nhed!"
I hissed

"Prostate cancer on its third stage."

Damn! Then he was dying! I don't know what to say. I feel like I want to say something but I couldn't voice it out.

"Kailan ko lang nalaman ang tungkol doon , before I left for Frasua. I learned from your dad. Don Alejandro intends to keep it a secret from the public. Baka ma demoralize ang mga taong umaasa sa kanya, like the employees of AB Manufacturing Company".

"And my dad?" I curiously ask

"No, not your dad. He's utterly independent, always had been. Left home and went solo when he was sixteen".

Bigla kong naalala yung mga step brothers ko na ayon kay Lolo ay bumisita sila ng araw na nag dinner ako sa mansyon. I remember  he  had spoken about inheritance.

Pakshit! Tiyak na mula kay Daddy  nalaman nila Thomas and Perry ang tungkol sa kalagayan ni Lolo. And this early they couldn't wait to get their hands on their inheritance! Stupid pigs!

"So Annie, hanggang maaari try to cater to your grandfather's needs. Simple lng naman ang mga pangangailangan nya, juts attention from a relative who cares and who's really not after his money."

Nagdilim ang mukha ko sa huling kataga na sinabi nya. But I couldn't think to say in riposte. Did he guess that it had somewhat crossed my mind? At iyon ba Ang dahilan Kung bakit nag- alok ito ng tulong para sa Denn Club?

"Did you understand everything I said?". He said to get my attention

"Yes, clearly". Akmang tatayo na Sana ako ng magsalita na naman sya.

"Avoid doing anything that might displeased him. His life is short enough, huwag nyo na sanang paikliin pang lalo iyon sa mga kabalbalan ninyong magkakapatid".

Mas lalong nagdilim ang mukha ko dahil sa mga pinagsasabi nya. Hinusgaan na nya ako dahil sa mga kagagawan ng  mga  step brothers ko.
Do I look like like them? No. Starting from physical appearance from attitude is clearly different! My goodness gracious andami talagang judgmental! Is he didn't know the quote " don't judge the book by it's cover"? And why is he comparing me to those stupid pigs step brothers?  It's bullshit!

"It's getting late, I have a long day tomorrow"  I said calmly kahit sa loob loob ko ay gusto ko na syang sigawan.

"Not after a cup of coffee, please."
Suddenly he looked charming as a f*cking baby! The heck?

Naiiling na pumasok ako sa kusina para magtimpla ng kape. I better make a sip for me too. Hindi parin ako makapaniwala sa nalaman rKong balita tungkol kay Lolo.

Habang nagtitimpla ng kape  hindi ako makapaniwala sa nalaman pero mas hindi ako makapaniwala kung bakit tinitimplahan ko ng kape so Nhed!? I hated him, didn't I? I hated his guts to the max. Pero hindi ko maintindihan ang sarili ko sa tuwing kaharap ko sya parang nahihipnotismo ako. To the point na kahit siguro patalunin ako Mula sa rooftop ng isang building ay gagawin ko. That was the power he had now over me, and it baffled my mind. Napakarupok mo self!

I'm not a submissive type of women. So why on earth I'm letting this gremlin of a man boss me around like a was some moonstruck teenager catering to his verile god's every whim? This. Is. F*ck.

"Thanks"
There he was with the baby's charm once again. Hindi na lang ako nagsalita pagkalapag ng coffee sa center table baka ano pa ang lumabas sa  bibig ko at mag bunyi na naman ang bakulaw sa harapan ko.

Tahimik lang nya na inubos ang kape at nagpaalam na na uuwi. Hinatid ko muna sya hanggang gate .

Napasandal na lang ako sa pinto ng kwarto ko, relieved that Nhed did not bring up about the April fool's subject. I'm not ready to talk about it yet.

Should it  really be discussed? If I were to be asked , it was better to be left buried at the back of our memory kasama ng mga masasamang  karanasang nais ko nang habang-buhay na ilibing sa limit. Gaya na lang ng pagkaulila ko sa ina sa batang edad.

I better sleep  I whispered before I dive on my bed and cuddle my favorite  human size teddy bear.