Evicted (TLS #2 - COMPLETED)

Article 2 - Section 35

"Sinabihan na kita noon, Hernandez. Make my daughter cry and you'll never see her again." Ani Mr. Alarcon habang pinapanood akong parang tangang nakakapit sa gate nila.

Rebekah had no other place to go. Sigurado akong uuwi siya dito. I wasn't able to react fast earlier. I lost my shit when she told me that she's breaking up with me. Ilang minuto pa akong naiwang nakatayo sa opisina niya bago ako nabalik sa wisyo.

Pinuntahan ko na ang mga kaibigan niya and earned some good beatings, especially from EJ. Pero wala akong pake doon. I wanted to see her. I wanted my babe. 

"Please! Mr. Alarcon! Just let me talk to her!" sigaw ko sa kanya sakaling hindi niya ako marinig sa lakas ng ulan at sa distansya naming dalawa.

"Please..." ulit ko sa basag na boses. I am clearly losing it. I can't imagine my life without her anymore. And just the thought of not seeing her breaks my heart so fucking bad.

Dapat pala ay sinabi ko na lang. Dapat inamin ko na ang koneksiyon ko sa kapatid niya. Maybe that would have made her trust me more. Baka kung ginawa ko 'yon hindi na siya nakipaghiwalay. I should have known better.

"Please..." patuloy kong pagmamakaawa at walang pakialam na lumuhod sa harapan ng gate nila para magmakaawa sa Daddy niya. 

"I'm willing to trade everything just to have her. Everything. Take everything just... just let me have her. Please..." umiiyak kong pagmamakaawa. 

I had never cried this bad. I was only ten when my father left me and my mom for his mistress. Hindi ako umiyak. Hell, I didn't even cry when my mom tried to kill herself after experiencing depression after my father left us. Tapos ngayon... 

"Sir! Just let me talk to her! Please!" sigaw ko habang kinakalampag ang gate kahit na nakaluhod parin at nakayuko.

Napa-angat ako ng tingin ng makarinig ng mga hakbang, I saw her father walked towards the gate followed by a maid who carries the umbrella for him. Ilang sandali pa ay bumukas ang gate at hinarap ako ni Mr. Alarcon. Hindi ko alam kung masyado lang bang malakas ang ulan kaya kung anu-ano na ang nakikita ko o nagdedeliryo lang ba ako dahil sa sobrang sakit at takot na nararamdaman ko but I saw him smiling.

Tinitigan ko pa siya ng maayos para kumpirmahin iyon. And yes, he's really smiling at me. Not a mocking smile but... I don't know. All I know is that, that is not a sarcastic one. I'm not too sure what it was supposed to mean though.

"Please... please let me see Rebekah. Sir..." pagmamakaawa kong muli.

He sighed deeply before he slowly descended on the ground to face me. Hindi ko alam kung nahahalata niya ba ang mga luhang tumatakas sa mga mata ko habang tinititigan niya ang mukha ko. Mas lalo lang akong naguluhan ng ngumisi siya ng maluwang bago sandaling nag-angat ng tingin sa katabing maid na hawak hawak parin ang payong na pansamantala ring tumabon sakin at bahagya pa siyang umiling dito atsaka lang ako muling binalingan.

"You love my daughter, don't you?" he asked which I eagerly nodded as fresh tears flowed out of my eyes once again at ngayong wala ng tulo mula sa ulan ang bumabasa sa mukha ko ay sigurado akong nakita niya iyon.

"Yes, sir--" hindi ko inaasahan ang pagkabasag ng boses ko kaya natigilan ako sa pagsasalita bago huminga ng malalim at nagpatuloy sa mga gusto kong sabihin.

"I love her. I love her so much. I don't think I can go on without her." Ngayon ko lang naintindihan si Mommy kung bakit mas ginusto na lang niyang mamatay noon. Why she tried to end her life after my dad left us. Sobrang sakit pala.

"But you hurt her. My daughter's inside hauling and crying because of the pain you caused her."

"Hindi... hindi ko po sinasadya. Hindi ko lang nasabi... kasi... kasi takot ako na iwan niya 'ko. And I regret it. I regret not telling her." amin ko sa kanya at bahagya pang napayuko.

"I regret not being totally honest with her. I regret hiding things from her. But..." nag-angat akong muli ng tingin para tingnan siya ng diretso sa mata.

"I love her. I love her with all of me, Sir. Your daughter, my Rebekah... She's my everything now," Sandaling katahimikan ang bumalot sa buong lugar, tanging ingay lang ng malakas na buhos ng ulan ang naririnig ko habang nakatingin ako sa kanya. Waiting for any reaction, and it took him a few more moments before he nodded as if he understood my point.

"I do understand you, hijo. And I believe you. But you see? Your everything is a mess right now. She needs time to rest and to heal. Alam ko you might think that I'm a hypocrite for talking like this when I had also been one to hurt her. Pero anak ko 'yon, I watched her grow. I know when she's in pain for real. And honestly? I've never seen my princess like that, Hernandez." mabagal ang pagsasalita niya na para bang sinisiguro niya na maiintindihan ko ang lahat ng sasabihin niya.

"It makes me think twice to trust you. My daughter was once again, after years, clutching on her mom's clothes, crying. Paulit-ulit niyang sinasabi na nasasaktan siya. Do you even have an idea how that scene breaks me too?" he asked at sa gulat ko ay nakita ko ang pag-kinang ng luha sa sulok ng mga mata niya.

Gone was the ruthless tycoon and image of a stern and manipulative father. Kiko Alarcon, a father filled with rage and affection was in front of me. 

"Arci's my princess. Mahal na mahal ko ang batang 'yon. I may not be the best father in her or in anyone's eyes but I love her. And it breaks me to see her so broken. I love seeing how smart and strong she had been, and it honestly made me so proud. But I had been worrying about how she was trying so hard. I can see that. I was pushing all the red buttons kasi gusto kong ipakita niya yung sarili niya sakin. I wanted her to say the things she wanted to say, do all the things she wanted to do." tahimik lang akong nakikinig sa kanya habang tumutulo ang luha ko kasabay ng kanya.

Rebekah is loved.

Babe, your dad is so proud of you.

"I wanted her to get out of the chain she thought I was giving her. On her own. Kasi hindi ako laging nandito. I can't be with her all the time and I want her to learn to fight for herself." mabilis niyang pinunasan ang luhang muling tumulo sa mga mata niya bago ibinalik ang ngiti sa mga labi niya.

"Which she did. The case you were both handling? I was so proud that she stood for what is right. That moment she agreed of moving out and when she finally decided to live with you, I was worried. But then, you came to me and told me how much you love her and that put me at ease." tumayo siya bago inabot ang mga palad sa harapan ko which I took after a few seconds of staring at it in confusion. He helped me rise. Naramdamdaman ko pa ang pamamanhid ng mga tuhod ko dala ng pagluhod pero hindi ko na binigyang pansin pa.

"I know you love each other. But hijo, sometimes love can be too much. Love just as how sweet it can be, could be sharper just like any warrior's sword too. Nakakasugat. And when you're wounded you bleed and it takes time to heal. My daughter's wounded, and you are bleeding too. You both need to rest, breathe, and heal. Give each other time. Kung kayo, kayo talaga."

"But Sir---" naputol ang sasabihin ko ng tapikin niya ang balikat ko.

"Let your love heal. Mas magkakasakitan lang kayo kung ipipilit niyo ngayon. Time would tell when's the right time, pero sa ngayon, ipahinga niyo muna. That would be the best for both of you." ani niya bago siya tumalikod at naglakad na pabalik sa loob ng mansyon nila kasunod ang katulong.

Rest, breathe, and heal?

Nag-angat ako ng tingin sa mansyon na para bang makikita ko siya mula sa mga bintana doon kahit na alam kong imposible.

"Should we do that, babe?" bulong ko sa hangin.