Escaping the Darkness

Kabanata 31

Kabanata 31

Sebastian Caliber Mendez

"Dad?" Sagot ko sa kabilang linya.

"Hindi ba ngayon ang uwi ng kapatid mo?"

"Uh-huh, hindi ba niya sinabi sa'yo?"

I heard him sigh. "She didn't tell me, Caliber. Tinatanong ko siya noong isang araw nang maayos ko ang kakailanganin niya pero nagalit siya sa akin. She never called me since then." Problemadong aniya pa.

I chuckled. "You know how much she hates that. Kaya niya na raw," kasi iyon ang lagi niyang sinasabi tuwing makikialam ako sa mga gagawin niya.

Tumingin ako sa kalsada. I am heading in to the airport to pick her up. She hesitated at first dahil pwede namang mag-taxi na lang daw but I didn't let her. After seven years, finally she wants to go home.

Yeah, for real.

On my way there, I can't stop reminiscing the first time I walk in to the Mendez's mansion.

"Mommy? Are we going to meet Daddy now?"

Mom didn't answer me.

"Mom? I'm asking you. Are we going to meet my father? You've told me we will be meeting him when I'm ready. Do you think I am ready now?"

A four years-old me keeps on bugging Mom.

Hinarap niya ako. "Caleb, anak. You know what is Mom's having a problem right now? Mommy lost her job. Your lolo and lola is away from us. Your aunties are not here lives abroad too. I-I have no friends. I have nothing to ask for help. You... You need a medicine, anak. Isang linggo na pero hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin bumababa ang lagnat mo. I don't have money anymore. So, There's nothing who can help us but your Dad."

"It's okay, Mom. I can bare with it naman po. We don't need to ask Dad for a help. Let's just stay here, Mom."

"Caleb, I told you Dad has his reasons why he's not here with us. He has a big responsibility to his family. Intindihin na lang natin siya, anak."

"But, Mommy! Even so. He has a responsibility to us, as well. Especially to me, because I am his son. And, Mom I read from a book po na a Daddy should do their responsibilities as a father first before anything else. So, why is Daddy not doing his? Doesn't he love me?"

"Of course not! Your Daddy loves you, anak.  So don't say that!"

"If he really do, then why isn't he with us? Why is he not around doing his task to me and to you. Maybe he's just using his responsibilities to his mama and papa as an excuse because he really not want to be-"

"Oh, God! Please? Sebastian Caliber it's not like that. Mahal ka ng papa mo. He's just really busy kaya hindi niya tayo mabisita. Don't say anything like that again, okay?"

I just nodded.

On that day, we traveled from our province, Ilocos to Manila just to meet my father, Ricardo Mendez.

"Ricardo! Please, lumabas ka riyan! Tulungan mo kami! Tulungan mo ang anak mo, Ricardo. Kailangan ka niya... Please, lumabas ka!"

"Mom! Let's just go. Maybe he's not here po." I tried to stop her but she didn't listen.

"Ricardo! Kahit ang anak ko na lang, please... Tulungan mo naman siya... May sakit, kawawa ang bata, Ricardo!" she continued shouting and ringing the bell at a big gate and inside it is a very big mansion.

"Mom, stop. I told you ayaw po niya sa atin. Let's just go, Mom. You don't have to do this."

Then an old woman in her 50's approached us with a group of househelps and the guard who's standing here a while ago.