Hindi na nag-aksaya pa ng panahon si Charlize at bumaba na rin sa receiving room. She did not meet the questioning gaze of her uncles. Her gaze just zeroed in to her Grandma na noon ay nakaupo sa pang-isang upuan ng sala set. “Grandma, please tell me I heard you wrong,” umpisa niya, balling her fists to rein in her emotions. Her grandmother took a sip from the cup of tea in front of her. She looked way too relaxed for her liking. And for the very first time in her 26 years of life, she’s pissed at her grandmother. “Very well, now that cat is out of the bag, there’s no use hiding it from you anymore,” umpisa nito, marahang ibinalik sa saucer ang tea cup bago muling nag-angat ng tingin sa kanya. “Yes, Charlie you heard me right. Kinausap ko ang lolo ni Gael at binigyan ko siya ng picture ninyong mag-ina.” Alright, binabawi na niya ang sinabi niya kanina. Her grandmother needs to be questioned that way and more! She felt her heart dropped at the pit of her stomach. Hindi niya
Malakas ang pagkabog ng dibdib ni Charlie habang paroo’t parito siya sa library kung saan niya hinihintay si Gael. Her grandmother suggested that they’d talk there privately. Noong una, ayaw niya sana itong kausapin. Tutol din ang daddy niya na kausapin niya si Gael. Maging ang mga tiyuhin niya ganoon din ang pasya.But her grandmother insisted that they should talk, dahil tama ito, marami silang dapat pag-usapan na dalawa ni Gael. Pero kung siya ang tatanungin, hindi pa siya sana talaga handang kausapin ito. She was still reeling from the events of yesterday. Truth be told, all she wanted and needed to do was to cuddle in bed with her son.She doesn’t need confrontations right now. She doesn’t need to be questioned. She doesn’t need to be pushed to the wall nor make decisions. She had been a crying mess last night. But given the urgency of the situation, she doesn’t have any other choice but to deal with all of it head-on, like the way had been living all her life. Ilang sandali pa
Gael watched as his wife left the library, leaving him crushed for the nth time. Alam niya, hindi magiging madali para sa kanya ang pagbawi niya sa mag-ina niya-- ang makuha ang pagpapatawad ni Charlie sa mga nagawa niya. But he’s not ready to give up. No. He will never give up.His family is his Northern Star. He will be lost without them. And so he must keep trying no matter how hard the process it would be.This is yet the greatest battle he’d ever fought for. And the soldier in him is not ready to lose.He huffed and fixed himself, readying to leave the place. Subalit bago pa man siya makalabas ng library, muling bumukas ang pinto. This time it’s Ms. Sam and Sir Aaron.He swallowed the painful lump that has formed on his throat. Ms. Sam’s tears were brimming but Sir Aaron’s were somber. Maya-maya pa, mabilis na humakbang si Ms. Sam sa kanya at walang sabi-sabi siyang niyakap gaya nang madalas nitong gawin sa kanya noon.“Kumusta ka na, Gael? Masaya akong nagbago na ang buhay mo
Panay pa rin ang hikbi ni Charlie kahit na nakahiga na siya sa kanyang kama. She’s still reeling from the conversation she just had with Gael.“Charlie, I just want you and Levi back. I want my family back.”She bit the insides of her cheeks, trying to withhold a sob. Hindi niya mapigilan ang paghapdi ng kanyang puso nang maalala niya ang sinabi ni Gael kanina.There’s nothing else in this world that she wants than to give Levi a complete family. But when Gael came back, there's nothing he wanted more than make revenge against her family. He did things that had hurt her-- continously hurt her.Tapos ngayong nakaka-alala na ito, sasabihin nitong gusto na ulit sila nito ni Levi. Well he lost his memories, but still…Mali ba siya na hindi siya pumayag na patawarin ito agad? Na magsimula sila ulit agad bilang pamilya, silang tatlo ni Levi? Mali ba siya na nagmamatigas pa rin siya? Na hindi niya gustong kalimutan ang naging kasalanan nito sa kanya?Is it wrong that she’s still hurting?Bu
“How dare you make a fool out of me!” Gael roared as he landed his fists on the face of Alphonse, ang lalaking itinuro ng mga raliyista na nagbayad sa kanila upang manggulo sa SSL. Kilala niya ang lalaki sa mukha subalit hindi sa pangalan. Minsan umaaaligid ito kay Alaric at Lena kasama ng iba pang mga tauhan ng mag-ama. “You will not leave this country alive, do you hear me? You and your friend will rot here and I will make sure of that!” dugtong pa niya. Subalit imbes na matakot, the bastard lifted his black and blue face up at him and smirked. “Ich habe keine angst vor dir außenseiter! (I am not afraid of you, outsider!)” The guts of this a*shole to tell him that! Uundayan pa niya sana ito ulit ng suntok subalit pinigil na siya ni Gray. “Alright, that’s one too many blow, Gael. Bugbog na ‘yang mga ‘yan kagabi pa. At hindi ‘yan ang dahilan kung bakit kita pinapunta rito,” anang kaibigan, hawak siya sa braso. “Tinatanong ng mga nasa taas kung ano raw ang gusto mong gawin?” Bumali
“Charlie, narinig mo ba ang mga sinabi ko?” anang Daddy ni Charlie sa kanya. It was almost lunch time and she only woke up just a few minutes ago The sedative that the doctor gave her helped to make her sleep last night. Ni hindi na nga niya nahintay ang hapunan kagabi. She just slept the whole night away. At nang magising siya, instead of breakfast, her first agenda of the day was to have this important conversation with her Dad like how her Mom had put it when she woke her up. “I did, Dad. It’s just…” Her voice trailed off. Kasasabi lang ng Daddy niya kung ano ang totoong nangyari kay Gael sa nakaraang limang taon—how Alaric Schulz pinned on them every single bad things he did to make them look like they were the enemy, how he manipulated all things so that all the odds will favor him and his selfish plans, and how the Bernsteins were robbed by their most trusted man right under their own noses. It was a lot to take in and just like yesterday, she’s still reeling. The past two d
“Sorry, may emergency kasing pinuntahan si Gray, Gael. Pero sabi niya mabilis lang siya. Kaya magmeryenda ka muna habang hinihintay siya,” ani Jasmine habang inilalapag sa harap niya ang isang slice ng cheesecake at isang baso ng juice. “Sorry ha, ‘yan lang ang puwede kong i-offer sa ‘yo. Wala kasi kaming stock ng beer. Hindi pa rin kasi ako nakakapag-grocery. Alam mo na,” anito, bago marahang hinaplos ang tiyan nito.He smiled. “Hey, don’t apologize. Ako nga itong nang-aabala sa inyo ni Gray.”It’s the truth, halos gabi-gabi siya sa bahay ng mag-asawa nitong nakalipas na ilang araw. He just felt he needed to be surrounded with friends now that he facing the greatest battle of his life just yet—taking back his wife and son.“You will never be a bother to us Gael. Kayong dalawa ni Charlie,” anito bago umupo sa katapat niyang upuan sa lanai. “By the way, how are you two?”He forced a smile and released a slow breath. “Still the same.”“And by the same you mean?” “Well, she still won’t
Marahang inilapag ni Charlie ang isang karton ng probiotic drink sa grocery cart bago niya iyon tinulak.“Where to next, Mommy?” tanong ni Levi sa kanya habang nakaupo sa mismong cart.She was out grocery shopping with her son. Request iyon ni Levi sa kanya kaninang umaga. Kaya pinagbigyan niya ang anak niya.Nitong nakalipas na mga araw, palagi silang magkasama ng anak niya. They did things she missed doing with him like playing, watching his favorite movies and learning new things. Kahapon, she thought him how to paint. She not an excellent painter. Her cousin Tala is. Pero pwede nang pumasa na drawing ng butterfly at fish ang ginawa nilang mag-ina maghapon.Now that she doesn’t need to think of the responsibilities forced on her for the past years, ngayon pa lang niya nararamdaman na talagang nanay nga siya ni Levi. And it really felt nice just being a mom. Malaking tulong din ang presensiya ni Levi ngayong may pinagdaraanan siya. Being with Levi keeps her level-head. Levi kept her