Good Riddance (DS #2)

Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

The Silence and Peace

"BLAIR? Are you still there?"

Napakurap si Blair mula sa pagtitig sa kisame. "Y-Yeah..." Bumangon siya mula sa kama. "Sorry, Jack. I think I just spaced out again."

Isang linggo na rin ang nakalipas mula nang maganap ang business event ni Tita Bella, kung saan siya napahiya ng lihim dahil hindi siya gustong isama ng Papa niya sa family picture...

It should not bother her, but for the past week, it still... stings. Sa tuwing naaalala ni Blair ang malamig na pagkakasabi ng Papa niya, laging may kumukurot sa dibdib niya. Hindi pa din siya bumabalik sa bahay nito...

Ayaw niya na doon. Sa tingin ni Blair, kapag nakita niya ang Papa niya, lalo lang siyang masasaktan.

"Is this about your father, again?" maingat na tanong nito.

Ang haba ng buntong-hininga niya. "It's been a week, Jack. I know I should not make a big drama about it, pero ewan ko! It made me sad over and over again. Bakit ba kasi hindi pa 'ko nasanay kay Papa?"

The cold treatment was consistent ever since. Dapat immune na siya. But Santino Delos Santos strongly holds something inside her that greatly affects her in everything he does. They don't even have a regular father-daughter relationship, but Blair still holds to that memory she has with him when she was very, very little.

"Have you... have you cried about it?" Jack asked, again.

Napakurap siya. Cry about it? "I don't want to. Parang kahit umiyak naman ako, hindi pa rin naman ako kasama sa family picture. So, bakit I need to cry pa over the matter?"

"Mmm, maybe just to get over it? I mean, there's nothing really wrong if you want to cry about it, Blair."

"It's petty to cry about it," nakasimangot niyang sabi.

"Tayong dalawa lang naman, eh."

"Ang alin?"

"Ang makakaalam na iiyak ka. I dont find it petty. Parang siguro, pagkatapos ng iyak, gumaan naman ang loob mo. And you can truly move on from the incident."

Hindi na yata siya magmo-move on doon. Lagi na 'yong nakatatak sa kanya—the day Santino proved how much he does not see Blair as part of his family.

"Kailan ka ba uuwi dito? I want to see you na," pag-iiba niya na ng usapan. "May bagong palabas na sa movie house. We should watch it together, Jack."

"Ahm, next week na kami babalik ng Manila. Tatapusin lang namin ang birthday celebration ni Lola."

Napangiti na si Blair kahit papaano. "Mabilis na lang ang next week! Let's go to the bookstore, again. Natapos ko nang basahin lahat nang binili natin last time."

Nagkulong na lang talaga si Blair sa loob ng kuwarto niya pagkatapos nung nangyari sa business party. Busy din ang Kuya Sandro niya kaya hindi pa ulit sila nakalabas. Tapos, hindi siya sumasama sa Kuya Bari niya kasi nga parang extended dito ang inis niya sa ginawa ng Papa nila.

Sa totoo lang, si Jack na lang ang gusto niyang makasama.

"Okay..." ani Jack. "So, did you like the books I recommended?"

"Yes! They are all great!" may sigla na sa tinig ni Blair. "I enjoyed the sci-fi thing. I think only smart people can really get it, but I find it awesome. The history fics were kind of boring, though. But still pinagtiyagaan ko kasi good endings naman."