Harris's POV
I am so damn bored! If only they aren't that closed to each other maybe I already approached Maundy. But, this Chal Raed didn't get parted from her, how can I interfere then?
Maundy went back from the comfort room—I guess—and she almost caught me! That's why I went out of the resto so soon. Yes, I am following them, and even here in the Province of Bliss! It seems like I am a damn stalker!
I came back to myself when I received a phone call. It's Mom again! "Hello," I greeted her.
"What now, Harris? Is there any progress?" she asked.
"Nothing yet, Mom," I replied. I know she'll be filled with anger again. "And, I guess they're in a relation—"
"WHAT?! IN A RELATIONSHIP?! YOU NEED TO END THAT DAMN RELATIONSHIP, HARRIS! KIDNAP THAT MAUNDY, OR BRING HER IN THE HOTEL! R*PE HER! DO EVERYTHING THAT WILL MAKE CHAL RAED HATE HER!"
"MOM! HAVE YOU GONE INSANE?!" I calm myself down when I noticed that there were people who turned their head on me when I literally shouted, "Mom, do you want Maundy to experience what you had experienced? Come on, Mom, she doesn't deserve this! Let's stop this! Let's stop this revenge of yours! Let's stop this nonsense!"
"SHUT UP, HARRIS! YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A COWARD! ANG SIMPLE-SIMPLE LANG NG PINAPAGAWA KO SA'YO, HINDI MO MAGAWA!"
"Simple? Mom, this is not as easy as one, two, three! This is so damn difficult! You're making me turned into an evil, Mom! I no longer want to do this!"
"Then I'll do it."
"W-What?" sh*t, what is she up to this time?
"If you can't, then I'll do it! I'll make that damn Maundy Marice stay away from Chal Raed's life!"
"Mom, what do you mean? Mom! Mom! Sh*t," the line was cut down! I don't know what she's thinking now, but please, don't let the evil inside her went out!
Ion's POV
Bakit ba laging traffic sa lugar na 'to? Haay! Late na naman ako sa date ko ngayon! Mamaya talaga nito akala ng nililigawan ko siya ang lalaki at ako ang babae, ako ang laging late, eh! Kainis!
Napakunot bigla ang noo ko matapos makita ang isang babae na kakababa lang ng sasakyan. Hindi ako pwedeng magkamali, siya 'yon! After a long year, ba't ngayon lang siya nagpakita?!
Damn, Mico, you need to know this!
"Yes, Ion? Miss me? Kakakita lang natin kanina, ah," Mico pulled some joke. Tingnan lang natin kung matutuwa ka sa sasabihin ko Mico, ha.
"Mico, si Chary," ilang sandaling natahimik sa kabilang linya, "Mico, si Chary—"
"ANO?! ANONG MERON SA KANYA?!" he shouted. I can now feel his nervousness! Damn!
"She's alive," sagot ko at muli na naman siyang natahimik. "She's here, Mico! And she's—Damn!" hindi ko namalayan na umuusad na pala ang mga sasakyan at ako na ang dahilan ng traffic.
"ION! WHAT? SHE'S WHAT?!" rinig ko pang sigaw na naman ni Mico.
"Papunta siyang A Company, Mico! Kailangan mo siyang maabutan agad bago mahuli ang lahat! You're damn dead, Mico, kapag nagpang-abot sila ng tatay ng mga Alonzo!"
"DAMN! ANG LAYO KO PA, ION! NASA AIRPORT AKO NGAYON! DAMN! PUNTAHAN MO SIYA!"
"What the hell, Mico! Hindi ko alam kung maabutan ko pa siya!"
"JUST DO IT!" then the line went down.
Agad ko nang pinaharurot pabalik ang sasakyan sa A Company at ipinagsabahala na lang ang date ko ngayon. Mas importante ito, kailangan ko 'tong unahin!
God, guide and bless my soul!
Chal Raed's POV
My Mom is back! My Mom is alive! I can't wait to see her! I badly want to hug her, hear her voice, talk with her! I miss her so much! It's been 10 years, 10 long years that I haven't seen her! Mom, thank you for coming back.
"Excited na excited ka na bang makita ang Mommy mo?" asked Maundy. Hindi pa pala ako nakakapagsorry sa kanya dahil biglaan kaming napabalik ng Maynila. Nagtaka pa nga ang Lola niya dahil kailangan na naming bumalik agad, but in the end, after she knew the reason why we need to go back in Manila, she immediately let us go, and she even says good luck, I don't know what Lola Mona meant by that, but I no longer think of it.
"So excited, Mon! And, sorry pala kung hindi matutuloy 'yong gala natin, don't worry next time hindi na mauudlot," I uttered.
"It's okay, mas importante na makita mo 'yong Mommy mo kaysa sa gala natin, marami pang next time," she replied. She placed her head in my arm and closed her eyes.
"Mon?"
"Hmm?"
"Nilalagnat ka ba? Mainit ka yata."
"Buhay kasi ako. Don't mind it."
"You sure?"
"Yep."
"What's with this bruise in your left cheek, ngayon ko lang napansin, ah."
"Ganyan talaga ako kapag malapit na 'yong monthly period ko, may naglalabasang pasa sa katawan ko."
"Really? That's weird."
"Yeah. Huwag ka na ngang maingay. Iidlip lang ako, gisingin mo 'ko agad kapag nasa Maynila na tayo," aniya at tumango na lang ako. Hindi ko na lang rin pinansin na ramdam ko talagang mainit siya at mamaya ay magalit lang 'to kakatanong ko.
***
My knees were trembling as I went inside the company. I'm happy and excited, but at the same time I am nervous—hindi ko alam kung bakit.
"Katukin mo na, huwag mong titigan lang 'yong pinto, Chal Raed," Maundy said. I haven't opened the door yet and I just stared on it. "Hay, ako na nga," he then does what she'd said.
Nasa loob na pala silang lahat—Third, Spade, Miss TS, Jazz and some of the Powers were also here, Paps and of course...
"Mom," bigla na lamang tumulo ang mga luha ko na kanina ko pa tinatago, "MOM!" I exclaimed.
"C-Chal Raed?" she's also crying, but I know it's tears of joy. She walked through me and hugged me tight. I finally felt her warm hug again after a long year!
"Mom, where have you been? I miss you so much," umiiyak pa ring sabi ko. She really had changed so much! Mas lalo siyang gumanda at ang yaman-yaman na ng postura niya, unlike dati na simple lang siya at parang hindi nakapag-asawa ng mayaman.
She let go from hugging me and wipes my tears, "I stayed away from you, Son, because I need to," she replied.
"W-Why?"
"Do you really need to know?"
Bakit parang...kinakabahan ako sa sasabihin niya?!
"Y-Yes, Mom, please tell me why," may parte sa'kin na ayaw kong malaman ang rason, pero kinakailangan kong malaman.
"I was r*ped, Son," iyon palang ang sinabi niya, pero lahat kami ay natahimik na at naghihintay ng sunod niyang sasabihin, "by someone you wouldn't think he'd do it."
"W-What do you mean? K-Kilala ko siya?" takang tanong ko.
She nodded and takes a glance of Maundy, who is standing beside me. That's weird. "T-That guy, I won't ever forget him," Mom's tears started falling again, "10 years ago, he r-r*ped me. 10 years ago, he destroyed my life. 10 years ago, he let me taste what hell is," she stopped talking and wiped away her tears. "H-His name is...M-Mico, Mico Marice."
The whole room was filled with silence and only Mom's sobs are what we hear.
Pero ano 'yong sinabi niya? Damn! Hindi ko alam kung maniniwala ba ako.
"Ano ho? Ba't niyo sinali ang pangalan ng Kuya ko? Ano bang pinagsasabi niyo?" takang tanong ni Maundy at miski ako ay nagtataka at naguguluhan na rin.
"He's your brother, right? HE'S A DEMON!" Mom yelled.
Just what the hell is going on?! How did she know that Mico is Maundy's brother?
"D-Demon? Narirnig niyo ba 'yong sarili niyo? 'Yong kuya ko tinatawag mong demonyo?! ANG KAPAL NAMAN NG MUKHA NIYO!" Maundy yelled back.
"Mon, calm down," I held her wrist, pero inalis niya 'yon agad.
"PAANO KO PAKAKALMAHIN 'YONG SARILI KO KUNG GINAGAWAN NG ISTORYA NIYANG NANAY MO ANG KUYA KO?! ANO? NIR*PE SIYA NI KUYA? WOW! ALAM MO BANG PWEDE KANG KASUHAN NIYAN?!" galit na naman niyang sigaw.
"Miss Marice, calm down," sumingit na si Paps, but it seems like Maundy didn't hear anything.
"YOUR BROTHER IS AN EVIL! I AM TELLING THE TRUTH! AT KAYA KONG KASUHAN AGAD ANG KUYA MO NGAYON NA MISMO!" Mom shouted again.
"WALA KANG EBIDENSYA!"
"I HAVE A STRONG EVIDENCE, MISS MARICE!"
Maundy had no longer responded, she just let her tears fall down. Gusto ko siyang yakapin, pero hindi ko magawa, instead, I hug my Mom.
I'm sorry, Mon, I'm sorry if I couldn't comfort you, I'm sorry.
"Monang! Are you okay?" napatingin ako agad kay Maundy nang itanong 'yon ni Spade at halata ngang nahihirapan na siyang umiyak nang hindi gumagawa ng ingay. Damn! Nasasaktan ako kapag nakikita siyang ganyan! But still, I couldn't even call her name.
"MAUNDY!" napatingin kaming lahat kay Kuya Mico na biglaan na lamang dumating, kasama niya si Ion at parang nasa likuran nila si...Harris? Ano na naman bang ginagawa niya rito?
Natinag ako nang lumapit si Maundy kay Kuya Mico at agad na napayakap, "Kuya...s-sabihin mong hindi totoo 'yon please," Maundy almost begged.
"ANONG GINAGAWA MO RITO?!" biglang hinablot ni Mommy si Kuya Mico at walang tigil itong pinaghahampas, "ISA KANG DEMONYO! WALA KANG PUSO!"
"Stop it! Chary, stop!" pinigilan na siya ni Paps at maging 'yong ibang taong andito, pero hindi pa rin tumitigil si Mommy.
Hindi ko na mantindihan ang lahat! Ang sakit na ng ulo ko!!
"I'm sorry, Chary, I'm sorry," said Kuya Mico. Damn! I think Mom really tells us the truth! Paanong nagawa ito ni Kuya Mico?! Paano?!
"CHAL RAED!" rinig kong sigaw nilang lahat ng suntukin ko si Kuya Mico. Hindi ko na mapigilan 'yong sarili ko. "IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! I LOST MY MOM FOR 10 YEARS BECAUSE OF YOU! YOU DESTROYED HER LIFE! MAY PUSO KA PA BA, HA?!" galit ko talagang sigaw.
"I'm sorry," the only word he uttered! Damn him!
"MONAAANG! WAKE-UP!" natulala ako bigla nang makitang nakahandusay na sa sahig si Maundy! God, what's going on?! "Monang, please," Spade said as he's shaking Maundy's arm.
"Maundy, hey, Maundy," tinapik-tapik na siya ni Third, pero mukhang nawalan na talaga siya ng malay.
But here I am, just stupidly standing while looking at her! I'm stupid! Indeed stupid!
"Maundy, Love, gumising ka please," Kuya Mico is crying. Alam kong hindi ko dapat siya kawaan, pero naawa na ako sa kanya.
"Call an ambulance, faster!" Miss TS commanded and Jazz immediately followed her.
Nagtaka ako agad nang makitang nakangisi si Mommy habang nakatingin kay Maundy na wala ng malay, pero nawala 'yon agad nang makita akong nakatingin sa kanya. Mom, what you really up to? Does your sudden appearance got other reasons?
"Mr. Anton Powers," Kuya Mico suddenly uttered while he's wiping his tears. "Please help her," he added.
"W-Why me?" takang tanong ni Tito Anton.
"Si Maundy...she has a leukemia," lahat kami ay napatigil at pakiramdam ko parang gusto ko na lang lumuhod at ipikit 'yong mga mata ko, "she inherit that illness from her Mother...Precious Powers."
"W-What did you say?" gulat talagang tanong ni Jazz at ang mga Powers ay naguluhan din, pati na rin ako.
"He's your daughter, Mr. Anton, Maundy is your daughter," umiiyak na sabi pa ni Kuya Mico.
Damn! Maundy is a Powers? How did it happen? 16 years nang patay ang anak ni Tito Anton. God! Paano ko bang paniniwalaan ang lahat ng 'to?!