Chapter 4: Back in the Philippines

“Yes! Kung saan pupunta ang mommy ko, I will always follow!” Masayang sigaw ng batang si Brent habang walang tigil sa pagtatalon sa saya.

Tuwang tuwa rin namang pinapanood ni Rosa ang anak habang paikot ikot ito habang lumulundag sa harapan niya. All she felt everytime she sees her son was pure happiness and kahit anong problema ang sumusubok sa kaniya, nawawala ito kahit papaano.

Ever since he was born almost 4 years ago, he was her main source of motivation and hope. Sobrang cute pa ng batang ito at napakabait, everyone who would meet him would end up loving more because of his personality.

People would tell her na tama ang pagpapalaki nito sa kaniya, but deep inside ang nararamdaman niya ay kulang pa rin ang efforts niya lalo na’t walang kinagisnang ibang kadugo o mismong tatay si Brent.

It still surprises her that he hasn’t ask about his father, but she knows that it will come any day now. It could be some time that she would least expect it, that’s why nakahanda na siyang sabihin ang totoo sa anak niya.

“Okay, ‘nak, let’s go pack na. We will go to the airport tomorrow afternoon. You wouldn’t like to miss the flight, right?” She pinched his son’s cheeks and hugged him.

“Y-yes, mommy,” nahihirapan na sagot ng anak niya habang pinanggigilan ito.

Pinakawalan na niya ang anak at tumakbo naman ito papunta sa kwarto niya, and she watched him packed his clothes slowly.

Rosa just sighed. Kung hindi lang siya pinalayas ng ama, nasa ibang bansa na siya and namumuhay ng payapa. Kahit minsan ay namimiss niya rin ang mga tao roon sa mansiyon pati na rin ang inawan niyang pamilya, but later on she would remember the betrayal of her sister and on how her father never even listened sa side niya.

Her feelings would later shift to anger.

Pagkatapos niyang manganak sa ibang bansa, ni isa sa pamilya niya ang sinabihan niya. Now, due to work reasons, she had to go back to the Philippines, and probably, since maliit lang talaga ang mundo, they would all eventually meet.

After all, they know each other for that long especially ilang taon silang magkakasama sa iisang bubong.

Tatlong araw ang dumaan at nasa international airport na sina Rosa kasama ang anak, dala dala ang mga bagahe nila. Her son was calmly sitting beside her eating a snack with a juice box sa kamay, eating slowly as he savors every moment with his food.

Rosa was about to take her cellphone and call a taxi when suddenly two men insuits and leather shoes ang lumapit sa kaniya. Parehas silang malalaki ang katawan at alam niya kung sino ang nagutos na puntahan siya.

“Miss Rosa, we are sent here by Madame X to pick you up. The car is already outside and you don’t need to worry about any expenses or a place to stay in.” The man on the left said.

Her eyes looked at him directly and politely said, “Thank you, but I have to refuse. Tell your Madame that I do appreciate her efforts pero my son and I are fine.”

“Miss, she wants to see you herself,” the man on the right said, then pulled out a red envelope.

Tinanggap niya ito and kita niyang nandito ang address at oras sa likod. Ramdam naman niya ang sincerity at kabaitan ni Madame X ngunit ayaw niyang gamitin ito for her self gain. She wants to help others, but she doesn’t like receiving help.

“Look, for a millionth time, tell her that I really can’t receive any of this. My mother was the one who saved her after all at wala na ako roon. That’s why she does not need to repay me.” Rosa took their things and held his son’s arm palabas ng airport.

The man on the left took out his phone, and called someone, “Madame, Miss Rosa has refused our pick-up.”

As Rosa walked outside, naramdaman niya ang sobrang init. She do admit she misses this kind of weather sa PIlipinas pero ngayong oras lang na ito. May tatlong nakaabang na Black Rolls-Royce na nakapark lang sa labas ng airport.

Trojack was at the second one, scrolling sa kaniyang cellphone. BIgla niyang narinig sa radio na tumanggi sa alok ang babaeng inaantay nila roon saka siya napatingin sa labas ng bintana. That’s where he saw a woman wearing a white shirt and simple jeans, with her long hair behind her head which reveals her beautiful face.

His eyes went straight to the boy she was with, in his calculations would be around four to five years old, wearing a gray shirt and shorts. He was holding on a juice box with a smile in his face as he looked at his surrouondings.

Napangisi siya dahil sobrang cute nila lalo na mukha talagang mabaigt na bata ang tinititigan niya. Bigla siyang nakaramdam ng kakaibang saya and his curiousity rose.

“Sino ang batang iyan?” Tanong niya sa driver.

“Hindi ko po kilala, sir, pero mukhang ganoon sila kahalaga ng inyong pamilya.”

Is she married already?

Kung ganoon, mukhang hindi na niya kailangang sundin ang hiling ng kaniyang lola. Mas magkakaroon pa siya ng oras para sa babaeng nahanap niya, and he would do everything to make her grandmother like the girl he was obsessed with.