I've Got You (SPG Girls #5)

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May bahid ng gulat ang mukha niya nang makita akong nakatabi kay Storm matapos na pagbuksan. Sumimangot siya. Na-realize niya na hindi siya namamalik-mata. Ilang segundo niya kaming tiningnan bago dali-daling pumasok sa loob without even asking his son.

Napailing ako. My parents, no matter how urgent, still ask permission kung puwede ba silang pumasok sa mga kwarto namin. Maaga pa lang, ipinaintindi na nila sa amin kung ano ang ibig sabihin ng private space. Kahit pa ba kamag-anak o kahit sila na magulang.

Humiwalay ako kay Storm. Tinanguan ko siya para sundan at puntahan ang tatay niya. pinisil niya ang kamay ko bago sumunod. Ako na ang nagsara at nag-lock ng pinto.

"What's going on here?" Kunot noong tanong ni Senator , obviously pertaining to me.

Hindi ito pinansin ni Storm. Instead, he asked his own question, "What do you want, Dad? Wala dito ang mag-ina."

Hinayaan ko muna silang dalawa to start talking. I poured a glass of juice for senator and a cold bottle of water for the worked up Storm. I faintly caught my name being mentioned na siyang ikinagulat ko.

Storm sees me tracing my way back to the depths of his kitchen para hindi ako makaistorbo pero he has thought the opposite. "Halika dito, Lacy."

Tawag niya bago pa man ako makalayo. This time, Senator turned towards me and gave me a stink eye.Yikes. Grabe naman galit nito sa akin? Am I really ruining is career or is he ruining his own career and family?

I awkwardly place the glass on the table in front of where he's seated. I situated myself on the sofa's far-end. Hindi na naman sang-ayon si Storm dito kaya siya ang umisod papalapit sa akin.

Muli, tiningnan na naman kami ni senator as if we're the most complex problem ever made.

"What is she doing here? Nagsasama na ba kayo?" Ang tono niya ay may bahid ng pangmamata.

Storm expelled a deep breath. He examined his father for a second before answering, "Not that it matters to you, right? Pero Dad, ano ba pag-uusapan natin? 'Yung relasyon ko o 'yung pamilya mo?"

"You're engaged! You should piece your shit together and hide things like her," bulalas ni Senator, na parang nagkakaroon ng system meltdown.

"I will not push through with that. At hindi lang isang bagay si Kiel para isantabi.

"The arrangement was made for our safety! Para naman 'to sa lahat!"

Napatalon ako sa lakas ng boses ni Senator.

"Ano? Kaligtasan ng lahat? If it was, bakit may death threats pa rin? This is not my responsibility. It's yours! Bakit ako na lang palagi ang sumasalo sa dapat na ikaw ang humahanap ng paraan," galit na sagot ni Storm sa ama.

Pareho na sila uling nakatayo and every time they talk, humahakbang sila palapit sa isa't isa.

"That's why you need to marry, Louella. His father can give us the protection we need," gigil na diin niya sa nakikita niyang solusyon.

Nakayukom na ang magkabilang palad ni Storm. His body is tense with anger and his energy is pulsing all over. Para tuloy akong nasasakal at hindi makahinga.

May halong takot na rin dahil baka kung ano ang magawa nila sa isa't isa. They're both of the same built, may bahid na lang ng edad ang kay Senator, but I can see he can carry his fists well just like his son.

"You have a choice, Dad. You can choose to retire and still see your daughter grow up. Ilang beses na ba namin sinabi sa'yo 'yan? Do you really want the cycle to continue? Kailan ka titigil?!"

"Not until I sit on top, son. That's the ultimate power."

"Tell that to me after you've lost everything, Senator Javier. I hope you still remember what happened to your first wife. Dahil lang sa kagustuhan mo ng kapangyarihan," nagngingitngit na bigkas ni Storm.

Toe-to-toe na sila ngayong mag-ama. I can see how Storm's words got to his father. Bahagyang napawi ang yabang na kanina ay ipinapakita niya.

Napalitan ito ng pagkalungkot. Napakabilis lang, agad na napawi ito ng senador to establish his position.

"My first wife, your mother, died of cancer. Not because of me."

Agad kong hinawakan ang braso ni Storm. Napansin ko kasi na handa na niyang iangat ang kamay niya. Para saan? Hindi ko na hinintay pang makita pero ayaw kong humantong pa sa masaktan niya ang matanda.

Literal na napasandal siya sa akin nang mawala ang tensyon sa katawan niya.

"Makakaalis ka na. Get back to me after you realize that there are greater things than power and money. Unless, matanggap mo 'yun and how you neglected my mother, no one's gonna talk to you, Dad."

He juts his chin up and looks down at us. Kita sa mga mata niya na marami pa siyang sasabihin, but has thought better of it.

I think Storm's words and him not being able to talk to his wife is making him see things. Mayroon lang talagang pumipigil. Pride? Ego? We wouldn't know.

With a final glare, he leaves.