CHAPTER 6

Meeri's POV

Pababa ako ng hagdan nang mamataan ko si Mom at Dad na mukhang seryoso ang pinag-uusapan. Nilapitan ko naman ang mga ito at namaalam kay Mom dahil papasok na ako sa trabaho. Pinapatawag pa ako ni Ma'am Pia para kausapin.

"Oh, Meeri, can you stay for a little? We just want to discuss to you something," hayag ni Mom kaya naman tumango ako. Pinaupo muna ako nito sa sofa at nagkatinginan silang dalawa ni Dad, nagtuturuan kung sino ang magsasabi.

"Umm, Meeri, aalis kami ngayong araw," panimula ni Dad kaya naman nangunot ang aking noo.

"Business trips?" tanong ko na inilingan nilang pareho. "Vacation?" muli kong panghuhula at muli silang umiling. Well, hindi naman kasi nila sabihin ng diretso.

"Well, uuwi muna ako ng Spain." Even my Mom's Tagalog accent is so pretty. "I need to report about business matters, you know, the business that has been passed down to me. I'll ask them if Ilay can have a promotion since he's a big help in the business, it's not even his forte," paliwanag ni Mom.

They'll just talk about promoting Uncle Ilay?

"You can just tell those in the phone, right?" anas ko naman kaya muling nagkatinginan ang dalawa.

"Umm, plano na rin sana naming isabay na sabihin ang tungkol sa ikalawang kasal namin ng Mom mo. Hihingin ko ang blessings nila para sa kasal at iimbitahan na rin sila. Since ang unang kasal namin ay sa Spain at sila ang nagprepare, ngayon ay ikakasal naman kami dito sa Pilipinas at ako na ang bahala sa lahat," turan naman ni Dad na hindi ko inimikan dulot ng pagkagulat.

Ikakasal ulit sila?

"Wait, bakit hindi niyo nabanggit sa akin 'to?"

Bumuntong-hininga naman si Mom at hinawakan ang aking kamay. "I'm sorry, baby. We planned about this when you're still in Japan and forgot to mention about this when you came back." Humigpit ang pagkakahawak ni Mom sa aking kamay. "But we included you in our plans," pabulong pa nitong sambit na para bang may malaki silang surpresa.

"Okay?" hindi ko siguradong sagot at huminga ng malalim. "I won't stop the both of you from leaving and that remarried you're planning."

Natuwa naman si Mom sa narinig.

"Oh, I need to prepare my things. We'll see you after we fix this matters, Meeri. This won't take long, I promise." Hinalikan pa ni Mom ang aking noo bago siya naglakad patungo sa kanilang kwarto at mukhang tuwang-tuwa.

That leaves the two of us, me and Dad.

"You're not against the marriage?" agad nitong tanong sa akin nang maglaho na si Mom sa aming paningin.

Now, time for removing the mask I've been wearing.

"Of course I don't like it," pag-aamin ko at humalukipkip. "You made my Mom sick and suffer in loneliness. I will never forget those times I see my mother crying in pain thinking about you with those girls you've been hanging out. I will never forget how she beg for my grandparents not to touch you because she don't want you to get hurt. I will never forget the big scar you made in our family."

Hindi naman ito nakaimik sa mga sinabi ko.

Matagal na panahon na ang mga iyon at matagal na rin siyang bumalik but those memories are still fresh in my mind like it was all happened yesterday. Childhood memories are really hard to forget, especially those sad memories.

Inabot ko naman ang kamay ni Dad at hinawakan iyon. "But I don't want to be haunted by those memories forever. I want to see the new you. I want to believe that you're a better person. So, marry my Mom. Make her happy. Help her forget those pains. And build a new family with her."

"Marylane," tangi niyang bulalas at ibinuka ang kaniyang mga braso kaya naman yumakap ako roon. "Thank you for accepting me again. Don't worry, I will never leave the two of you again."

"You don't need to think about me, Dad. I'm old enough to handle myself. All I care is Mom."

"No, I'll take care the two of you even if you're old enough and even if you have a kids on your own," anito kaya naman humiwalay ako sa kaniya at sinamaan ito ng tingin.

"Don't expect anything about grandchild to me, Dad. I suffer in a biggest break up and I don't think I can moved on. Time will heal but that time I can't make babies," wika ko na tinawanan nito at ginulo ang aking buhok.

"I understand. I'm not expecting anything from you, but your Mom does." Inilapit nito ang kaniyang mukha sa aking tainga. "When you we're in Japan, every night she's been praying that you'll come back with a baby in your tummy," bulong nito na sininghapan ko.

"She did?" paniniguro ko na tinanguan nito. "We'll, suck to be her but I'm still a pretty virgin."

Kapwa kami nagtawanan ni Dad nang dumating si Avy at may dala-dala itong maleta. Saka ko na lang nalaman na sasama raw ito kay Mom at Dad dahil gusto niyang pumasyal sa Spain, nagbabakasakali ring may mahanap siyang iuuwing lalaki na pakakasalan niya. Hindi naman tumanggi si Mom at Dad na isama siya.

"Meeri, you need to go or you'll be late," pagtatawag naman ni Uncle Ilay habang pinaglalaruan ng daliri nito ang susi ng kaniyang kotse at naglakad na palabas.

Sinulyapan ko naman si Dad at napansing masama na naman siyang nakatingin sa gawi ni Uncle Ilay. Siniko ko naman ito kaya napatingin siya sa akin.

"Don't hate him. He's not a bad person," saad ko na inilingan niya at hinawakan ang magkabila kong balikat.

"Looking at him, now I'm worried to leave you."

Natawa ako at hinawakan ang kaniyang kamay sabay ibinaba iyon. "Don't worry, Dad. Uncle Ilay can protect me. Well, he's been doing it the whole time," saad ko upang pakalmahin siya pero walang nagbago sa kaniyang ekspresyon.

"That's what I'm worrying about. He can protect you from others, but who will protect you from him?" anito na ikinatigil ko.

Why does he sounds like that? It's giving me creeps.

"Uh, Uncle Harold and Logan?" hindi ko siguradong sagot. Mukhang naalala naman ni Dad na mayroon pa si Logan at Uncle Harold na kasama ko kaya naman nakahinga ito ng maluwag.

"Sige na, pumasok ka na at baka malate ka. Mag-ingat ka palagi ha? At tatawagan ka rin namin," habilin ni Dad kaya naman huminga ako ng malalim at namaalam na bago naglakad palabas ng bahay.

Natanaw ko mula sa labas ng gate ang kotse ni Uncle Ilay at mukhang naghihintay ito kaya naman sumakay na ako sa kotse nito kahit na hindi siguradong ihahatid niya ako o hindi. Well, pagkasakay ko ay pinaandar na nito ang kotse, that means ay ako talaga ang hinihintay niya.

"Hindi mo ba ihahatid si Mom sa airport?" pagbubukas ko ng usapan.

"Later," tipid naman nitong sagot.

He looks like he's in a bad mood so I never talked to him again. Well, Dad and Ceed's words are still bothering me up until now. I've never been felt awkward with Uncle Ilay not until now.

But, I won't let things work this way.

Hinarap ko si Uncle Ilay at huminga ng malalim upang mag-ipon ng lakas ng loob, pero agad ko namang naramdaman ang panlalamig ng aking mga kamay.

Well, nakakahiyang pag-usapan 'to since uncle ko siya at pamangkin niya ako pero... gusto ko talagang maliwanagan at nang hindi na bumigat ang ulo ko kakaisip sa problemang 'to.

"Uncle, can we talk about..." Huminto ako at mariing napalunok. "...about the kiss?" pagpapatuloy ko.

Kumurap naman si Uncle Ilay at sinulyapan ako kaya naman agad kong naramdaman ang matinding kaba sa aking puso at pagkataranta.

"I— what I mean is that, it was just an accident, right? You just slipped. Ang dami kasing kalat sa kwarto ko and... and..."

"I liked it."

Natigilan ako nang marinig ang sinabi nito samantalang bumalik sa daan ang kaniyang paningin.

"And I like you, Meeri."

What... what the hell?!