Run, Zhian (EL VICENTE SERIES #2) COMPLETED

Kabanata 25

"Zhian, I'm sorry to call you out of a sudden. Something just really came up," boses ni Kael iyon. "Si Coen.."

Para akong nagising sa realidad matapos akong iwanan ni Dylan doon na halos maglupasay na. He left me drowning with his words that cursed me alive. I wipedthe excess of tears on my cheek and luckily, no one was around. No one saw me.

Nakuha ng atensyon ko ang sinabi ni Mikael. Naririnig ko ang boses ni Issa at Coen sa background at malakas iyon.

"Of course, Coen! You have a Papa! They just said that because they're bad. Stop crying, papatayin ako ng Mama mo!" I heard she says.

Sinapo ko ang bibig ko. Oh, god..

Kael sighed. "He got into a kid fight just a while ago. Issa wasn't around when that happened so—"

"I was buying a meal for us! Ikaw nga itong wala doon!"

Kael hushed her. "Ihahatid na namin sa bahay. The teacher allowed us. Coen's upset, too. Lunch naman kaya maaari ka naman sigurong lumiban muna d'yan ngayon?"

"Yes, Kael.." pumikit ako ng mariin. "Pauwi na ako."

Pinaandar ko ang sasakyan ko at humarurot na paalis. Kaba ang naramdaman ko sa dibdib ko habang iniisip ang anak kong nakipag-away sa school. Hindi ko pinansin ang sakit na dulot ng mga salita ni Dylan sa akin dahil mas naninimbang ang anak kong naroon. My hand trembled.

I went out of my car and immediately ran inside the house. Doon ay nakita ko si Issa na inaalo ang anak kong humihikbi na. Kael was upset, too. Nang makita ako'y parang nakahinga ng maluwag.

"Mama!" hikbi ni Coen at tumalon sa hita ni Issa.

Issa sighed. May awa sa mata niya na dumapo sa anak ko. I squatted and hugged my poor innocent child. He cried on my neck, buried his face and sobbed. He doesn't cry. He knows he will just cry when he's very hurt. Hinaplos ng matinding awa ang puso ko para sa anak.

Tumayo si Issa at hinawakan sa braso ang kapatid ko. "Sa taas lang kami.."

Kael nodded and left us on the sala.

Hinaplos ko ang buhok ni Coen. Kinagat ko ang labi ko habang dinidinig ang matinding iyak ng anak ko. His voice even strained because of so much crying.

"Coen, what happened?"

"Mama.." his little voice shaked. "I didn't do anything! I didn't fight because you said its not right! But they said I don't have a papa.. I'm a kid without a papa!"

Nanghina ako. I want to get mad. But I know that's not right. Hindi kasalanan ng mga bata, hindi din kasalanan ni Coen iyon. Its all on me.. Yumuko ako at hinalikan ang maliit na balikat ni Coen.

"That's not true." namaos ang boses ko. "Of course, you have a Papa. You have me, your Tita Issa and Tito Kael.."

Humiwalay siya ng yakap sa akin. His face was all red until on his neck. Namumugto ang mata at basa ang pisngi. He cried so hard. Pinunasan ko ang pisngi niyang basa at iniwasang magpakita ng kahinaan sa mukha.

"I said that, Mama! But they still teased me because I don't know my Papa's name! I don't know where he live! I only know he's in work. They said its not true. They said Papa does not want me.. He doesn't love me. Is it true, Mama?" namungay ang mata niya at nangilid muli ang luha.

"Coen.." bakas sa boses ko ang hirap. "Papa loves you. He does."

"But Mama, why can't he call me? You said he's in work.. Tito Kael has day-off in his work! Its the day that he can go home! I asked, Mama! Does Papa has that, too?"