It was weird na hindi na muling nagpakita sa amin si Moie. Nor he didn't cross our paths again. At bakit mo naman hinahanap, gaia? Aber?
Napabalik lang ako sa katinuan ko ng may maliit na kamay na humawak sa pisngi ko.
"Bakit ka po tulala?" I smiled bago kinarga ang batang nasa harapan ko.
"Wala, may iniisip lang si Tita Ninang." Ani ko. Saka ko naman nilingon ang nanay nitong prenteng nakaupo. Kala mo nasa shooting, kung makapose ay wagas.
"Beana." I called. She shifted her gaze on me bago ako binelatan.
"Bahala ka ikaw muna magbantau diyan. Ninang ka, nanay lang ako." Halos mapanganga ako sa sinabi nito. Mommy lang?
A shocking news came to us when we knew na buntis pala si Beana and it was during the peak of her career as a model. Her mother was expecting it dahil alam nito ang relasyon ni Nike. And we all know what happened, nagpakasal ang ama ng bata sa ibang babae. It would be such a disgrace to her if she got pregnant without her baby daddy. At halos mahimatay kami when someone knocked on her condominiums door and begged to be the childs father.
"Daddy!" Napalingon kami sa tinawag ng bata.
Umalis ito sa pagkakakandong ko at tinakbo ang pagitan ng pinto. You wouldn't believe whi came and showed up to be this little angels baby daddy.
Unlike nike, mas matangkad ito ng kaunti. Maputi rin ito at kita ang pagiging instik. But he was the hot chinese type. Dahil narin sa halo-halo nitong lahi.
Nicotine laughed and kissed the childs forehead. Yes, Nicotine na kapatid ni Nike.
Years ago he suddenly appeared. Nang makita namin siya halos mahimatay ako dahil sa pagkakaalam ko'y patay na ang isang to. And Beana almost gave birth dahil akala niya'y si Nike iyan.
How confusing could they be. And nalaman namin that unlike nike who now owns the Oil Company, itong isa nama'y Cars ang pinagkakaabalhan. He has his own shipping line now. At ang mas nakakasindak is he is quite famous here, how come na hindi man lang nila nalaman na buhay ito.
And now mas lalo itong sumikat when his shipping line was featured as one of the best. Ganoon din ang kay Kuya Cole.
And when Beana and Nico started to go out mas lalong sumiklap ang kasikatan nila. How come, Nike won't even contact his brother. Ilang beses nang na feature si Nicotine sa Philippine News, at alam kong alam na nilang buhay ang kambal niya.
And Nicotine was also interviewed about his resemblance to Nike. But Nicotine had no say with this. He only said that may mga tao talaga tayong Ka mukha.
Nicotine gave me a kiss on the cheek pati narin si Beana bago umupo sa upuan kasama ang pamangkin nito.
I grew up with a father but mever really that close kaya minsa'y naiingit ako habang nakatingin sa dalawang ito.
Good thing Nico came to Kiean as her father. He stood up as her father.
"Hows my baby doing? Saan kayo pumunta ng mommy mo?" Kiean pointed her toys na kakabili lang. May price tag pa kasi. They were all inside my office.
Malaki naman ang opisina. Sa sobrang laki nga ay may living room pa at kama. Naging busy na si Nico sa paglalaro kasama si Kiean. While Beana was holding a wine glass and was looking at me.
"Oh, ano inggit ka? Hanap ka din ng sayo." She teased bago tinungga ang inumin.
I rolled my eyes bago kinuha ang wine glass na sana gilid ko.
"No need for that." I said bago tinungga ang inumin. After drinking I opened my chocolate jar and picked one. Binalatan ko ito saka kinain.
Beana rolled her eyes. She picked her phone and showed me a picture. At halos mangunot ang noo ko when I saw a picture of Moie. The same picture when he was rushed to the ER.
"Yeah, I forgot. Live in nga pala kayo nung Cole na iyon. And I saw him in the ER. Did you by any chance, meet him?"
"First of all, anong live-in ang sinasabi mo? Border kamo." I laughed while i thought about cole.
"And yes, I saw him. I was there when Lexus treated his injuries." Ani ko. I saw how Beana shifted her body para umayos ng upo. Handa na para sa chismis.
"Then?" Binaba niya ang wine glass bago umurog palapit sa akin.
I sighed before i played with the chocolate. Just to ease my heart rate. It was beating abnormally, even when i wanna deny it, I can't. The thought of him being in pain, pained me too.
"He said he wanted me back." It was almost a whisper. Pero sa tenga ng isang chismosang tulad ni Beana, it sounded so loud and clear.
She let out a squeal that cause the other two. Nico and Keian stopped playing and parehong tumingin sa amin na nakakunot ang noo.
They had the same expressions. And if i didn't know that Nike was Kiean's father, aakalain kong si Nicotine ang ama nito.
"Why are you shouting mama?" Beana's ten year old daughter looked at her mother with her brows furrowed.
"Nothing, baby. Mommy and Tita Ninang was just happy."
Ang batang kanina ay nakatingin sa ina ay ngayo'y nakatingin sa akin. Her eyes really resembled her dads. Kaya naman ay namimiss ko rin si Nike.
After I went away, wala na akong naging connection man sa kanila. Kasabay noon din ang balitang, both got married in Italy.
The good thing was despite Nico being here for her niece. Hindi pinagkait ni Beana na makilala ang ama nito which was Nike. Kiean was old enough to understand. Alam niyang tiyuhin niya si Nico. Every time she would ask where her father was, sinasabihan nila nasa isang mission ito and he needs to finish the mission. But as the child grew, tila ba naisip nitong nakakapagtaka naman ito.
"Talaga po?" She asked me. Tumango naman ako.
She smiled bago muling bumaling ang pansin nito sa kay Nico. Kaya naman napabalik sa akin ang pansin ni Beana.
"And then, what happened next? Ano ang sinabi mo?" I sighed when remembered, kung ano-anong ang pinanggagawa namin ni Cole roon and the words we said.
"H-he t-thought k-kasal na kami ni C-cole."
I heard Beana's exaggerated gasp kasabay ang pagbukas ng pinto at paglipad ng isang throw pillow papunta sa pinto.
