"No... way..." napatitig si Bea kay Dawn.
And he was serious. Really serious.
"H-How... why... did you..." madaming tanong si Bea para kay Dawn, pero di nya alam kung ano muna ang itatanong kay Dawn.
Malungkot lang na napangiti sa kanya si Dawn at inabot ang letter na hawak nya kay Bea. "Tsaka ito nga pala yung letter ni mama na binigay nya sa'kin, kasama ng box na 'to. Hindi ko mabasa ng maayos sulat nya kasi hindi na maayos ang kalagayan nya nung 8 pa lang ako, parang nastroke sya, sinulat nya daw ito sa akin noong mag-t-ten na ako. At sinabi nya sa akin na basahin ko ito pag nag-eighteen na ko, pero nito ko lang nakita yung box eh."
"Si Audrey, n-nastroke?"
"Yeah... sana mabasa mo, di ko kasi maintindihan eh."
Nang basahin ni Bea ito, hindi nya din maintindihan ang sulat. Magulo ang pagkakacursive nito, pero sinubukan nya pa rin intindihin. She tried to make sense of every word in the letter.
Dearest Dawn,
Anak, mahal na mahal ka ni mama. I know i should've told you this from the beginning, but i don't want you to have doubts on me and regret having me as your mother.
I was so selfish 'til the end, i should've told you that i wasn't really your real mother. I adopted you Dawn, i'm not your biological mother. I hope you forgive me for being so selfish, for not telling you the truth.
Hanggang ngayong eighteen ka na, hindi mo pa din alam. I'm sorry son, i just can't afford to lose you just because i'm not your real mother. As for your real, biological mother, she's already dead. I'm sorry. Your real mother, she was a nice and lovely person, and she wanted me to tell you that she loves you very dearly.
She passed you to me because she had to leave, God was slowly taking her away.
I never really wanted to tell you this because i think you'll hate me, but you deserve the truth. Sana mapatawad mo 'ko Dawn. Mahal na mahal ka kita anak.
You will always be the greatest thing that happened to my life.
Love,
Audrey Martinez
Tears escaped Bea's eyes. Nakatingin lang sa kanya si Dawn at napatanong kay Bea. "Naintindihan mo ba yung sulat?"
Napatango lang si Bea.
"Can you tell me what is says?"
Nag-alangan naman si Bea sabihin kay Dawn, pero gaya ng sabi ni Audrey sa letter... Dawn deserves the truth. Natulala saglit si Dawn, tila pinoproseso pa ng utak nya ang nalaman nya. Wala na itong ibang nagawa kundi ngumiti.
"Audrey will always be the mother i love."
Napapunas lang ng luha si Bea, buti na lang at hindi naman minasama ni Dawn ang katotohanan at ang inamin ni Audrey. Binalikan naman ni Dawn ang tanong ni Bea kanina, "I think you know that i can't be with you." Naging malungkot nanaman si Dawn.
"I'm sorry i barged into your life..." ani Dawn,
Napa-iling lang si Bea, "N-No, it's okay. I'm just... glad that i was able to help you..."
Napahawak si Dawn sa kamay ni Bea, "But damn, i wish we were born in the same time. I wish i can be with you Beatrix."
Kumirot ang puso ni Bea. Inaamin nya, napamahal na din sa kanya si Dawn. "Me too, Dawn. Me too..."
"Di ka naman nagdoubt sa mga sinabi ko? I mean, parang hindi kapani-paniwala ang mga sinabi ko diba?" Nag-aalalang tanong ni Dawn, "Cause i swear Bea, totoo ang lahat ng ito."
Natawa lang si Bea, "Yeah, i think i can't doubt you. All this proof is enough for me to believe you."