Plotted Accident

“I really don’t like her from the start. Kahit nung bata pa sya and you know my reason, Miguel.” I can feel the hatred in her tone.

 I’m overhearing their conversation since nasa kabilang kwarto lang ako for God’s sake.

“What happened in the past is a bare memory na, Francine. I can’t pull the time back and correct what I’ve done before. Can we just forget it? Parang awa mo na, huwag na nating ungkatin pa ang nangyari noon. You’ll just suffer at sasaktan mo lang ang sarili mo kung patuloy mo pa ring babalikan iyon”, mahinang sagot ni Uncle.

“What you did with that woman is horrible! How dare you ask me to forget your betrayal?” matapang na sambit ng kanyang asawa.

I’m trying to guess who they are referring to but I can’t think of anyone na naging kabit ni Uncle. He was a good man after all. I even never saw him laid his eyes to any woman with affection, except for a certain woman na kilalang kilala ko.

“I apologized to you a million times already, Francine. It was all a mistake at pinagsisihan ko na ang mga nagawa ko noon. Can we just move on?”, pagmamakaawang saad nang aking tiyuhin.

“Bahala ka sa buhay mo. Next week, it’s either I or that woman will be leaving this house.” Dagdag pa ni Auntie Francine bago padabog na bumaba ng hagdan.

Akma na rin sana akong bababa nang pigilan ako ni Uncle.

“Lucy, can we talk?” he asked with those sad eyes again.

Tumango na lamang ako bilang pagsang ayon at sumunod sa kanya sa study room.

“I knew that you heard us a while ago. I’m sorry if I haven’t cleared this to you beforehand. Gusto kong linawin sa iyo ang lahat. The reason why she is being drastically rude to you is because of your mom.” He confessed while lowering his head facing the study table.

“Ano ang kinalaman ni Mommy sa galit ni Auntie Francine sa akin, Uncle?” tanong ko kahit na medyo naliwanagan na ako sa nangyayari. Gusto ko lang na manggaling sa kanya ang katotohanan.

“Your mom and I…” pigil hininga kong pinakinggan si Uncle ng mag ring ang kanyang cellphone. Binunot niya ito sa kanyang pantalon at tiningnan kung sino ang tumatawag.

“I’m sorry, Lucy. I just need to take this call, this is very important” paalam niya.

“Sure, Uncle. Take your time” saad ko habang tinitingnan siyang balisa.

He accepted the call and walked out from the room. He left some thoughts hanging on my mind. I can’t imagine the thoughts that I’m creating on what could possibly happened between him and my mother. Hindi ko kakayanin kung nagawa nila ang iniisip ko. I had always looked up to my dead mother. My respect to her was too high.

“I’ll be leaving for now, iha. Samahan mo na muna ang Auntie mo dito sa bahay,” pakiusap ni Uncle sa akin habang bitbit ang kanyang suitcase.

“I’ll just be here, Uncle. I won’t leave this house as long as you tell me to”, sagot ko sabay ngiti.

“Thank you, Lucy.” He added and kissed me on the forehead before leaving the house.

Ilang minuto pa lang ang nakakaraan ng makaalis si Uncle nang dumating si Auntie. Pagbaba niya pa lang nang sasakyan ay agad niya akong inismidan. I just ignore her rude acts at pumasok sa kwarto. I don’t want to let this woman ruin my day.

Katatapos ko lang mag shower nang makatanggap ako ng tawag galing sa modeling agency na kumontak sa akin bago ako nakauwi dito sa pilipinas. They want to personally talk to me about their offer since they’ve heard from their resource na mananatili ako ng matagal sa bansa.

“Where are you going?” bungad ni Auntie sa akin paglabas ko ng pintuan.

This is new. This is the first time that she talked to me since I came back here.

“I’ll be meeting some people from a modeling agency, Auntie. They want to offer something to me”, I answered then gave her a smile.

“You’re not staying here for long, right?” dagdag na tanong niya sabay taas nang kilay.

Ugh! This woman is really getting into my nerves. But of course, I won’t let her think na she can just push me around as much as she wants to.

“Uhmmm. I’ll think about that, Auntie. But do you know what? I would love to stay here for good”, I answered while giving her a smile na siguradong ikakairita niya.

And I guess it was effective. I saw how she clinched her fist because of irritation. I just can’t help myself to laugh nang padabog niyang isinara ang pinto ng kwarto nila.

I made a few new friends after signing a contract from Blaire Modeling Agency and one of them was my old good friend, Raine. She also happened to be my co-model sa Agency.  Nakilala ko siya a month before ako dinala sa States. She is stunning and very feminine.

She asked me to join her for a coffee sa malapit na coffee shop. Pumayag ako kaysa naman umuwi at mairita na naman sa treatment ni Auntie sa akin.

“It is really nice seeing you again, Lucienne. It’s been so long. I guess the last time that I saw you were in your 7^th birthday. Am I right?” she asked while sipping her coffee.

“Yeah. It was the last time that I saw you”, I answered while giving her a smile.

“I can still remember that day until now. I pushed you in the pool kasi nakita kong ibinigay ni mommy sa iyo ang binili naming doll sa mall. I really thought that it was for me kasi sinabi ko sa kanyang gusto ko ang doll na iyon. Ibibigay niya pala sa iyo as a birthday gift”, natatawa niyang saad.

“Well, we’re just kids in that time. We don’t know what we are doing. They are just memories we can reminisce”, I answered her with a soft laughter.

Nasa gitna kami nang kwentuhan nang makatanggap ako ng tawag kay Auntie. I wonder what this woman wants this time. I motioned to Raine that I’ll be answering the call and excused myself before going out to answer it.

“You’re uncle got into an accident on his way home. He’s in the hospital right now”, biglang nanuyo ang lalamunan ko nang marinig ang sinabi ni Auntie.

“What hospital? Send me the address, Auntie. Pupuntahan ko siya”, I frantically told her before dropping the call bago magpaalam kay Raine.

Halos palipadin ko na ang kotse habang papunta sa address na binigay ni Auntie Francine. The fear that I felt was unexplainable.

Nang makababa ako ng kotse ay lakad-takbo ang aking ginawa para makita si Uncle. My heart is beating tremendously fast as I approached the door of the room that was given to him.

“Uncle!”, I gave him a hug right after I saw him. May iilang tubo ang nakakabit sa kanya.

“Don’t worry about me, iha. My vitals were fine sabi ng aking doctor. I just got a few bruises after the accident.” He reassured as he saw how worried I am.

“What happened, Uncle?” tanong ko sa kanya after grabbing a chair to sit in the area.

“The police told me that it was just a mere accident that I have encountered but I doubt it. I’m sure that it was a plotted accident.” He told me with conviction in his voice.

“What do you mean? May gustong ipapatay kayo?” usisa ko sa kanya.

Bago pa man niya maibuka ang bibig para sagutin ang aking katanungan ay biglang bumukas ang pinto at bumungad ang mukha nang aking tiyahin. She arrived like nothing had happened to her husband.