JAX'S POV
Nang matapos ang meeting namin ni Mr. Quintos na isa sa pagi-invest-nan kong company sa Australia ay agad akong nagdrive papunta sa bahay nina Cindy.
Pero pagdating ko ay nakita kong pababa sa sasakyan si Mr. Quintos at pumasok sa bahay nina Cindy kaya nagtaka ako.
Sumunod naman ako at buti't pinapasok na ako dahil di na ako lasing at mas kalmado na ako.
"...Sana di niya muna ma-realize na yung batang tinititigan niya kahapon ay anak niya." hanggang doon lang ang narinig ko pero mukhang alam ko na kung sino ang tinutukoy niya at kung sino ang nagsasalita.
Nakatingin sakin sina Cindy at Mr. La Cuesta. More on samin ni Mr. Quintos.
Napalingon na rin si Faye at gulat na gulat ito nang makita ako.
"WHAT THE FUCK?!" To the point na napasigaw na siya.
"So she's really my daughter." I said.
"Ha? A-are you insane?" She's stuttering, so I know she's lying.
"Don't lie to me, Faye. I know it already. I heard you–"
"Daddy Aries! You're here!" Naputol ang sinasabi ko nang marinig ang boses na iyon.
Nilingon ko iyon at napangiti nang makita yung bata pero nawala ang ngiti ko nang makitang lumuhod si Mr. Quintos at sinalubong niya ito ng yakap.
"Hey, baby. I have some flowers for you and your mother." He said at inabot ang isang sunflower.
"Wow! Beautiful! Thank you, Daddy!"
Daddy?
"Hey gorgeous this is for you too." Nginitian siya ni Faye nang makuha nito ang isang bouquet ng white roses na may kasamang pink roses.
"Thanks." She simply said.
"Ahm... Care to tell us why are you together?" Mr. La Cuesta asked.
"Good afternoon, Mr. La Cuesta. It's nice to see you again after 5 years." He said.
"Yeah. It's been years. But the question is how did you know my daughter?"
"She's been my friend for 5 years in Australia. I'm belong with those three friends she has in Sydney, who helped her and support her. She's been living in my village for almost 4 years, I guess." Sagot nito.
"So all this time, she's just with you? And we thought that she's dead."
"Yes. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. She asked me to hide her, because someone did something to her." He answered and tumingin pa sakin.
Napayuko na lang ako ng wala sa oras.
"Are you guys are in a relationship?" Cindy asked dahilan para mapaangat ako ng tingin at mata agad ni Faye ang nakita ko.
"N–"
"Yes we are. 3 years and still counting. He became my daughter's father. Fate calls her Daddy because he treat her like his own daughter. And he is the one who's with me when my ex husband cheated on me. He's the one who I am with when I do the maternity shoot. He's the one who I am with when I gave birth. And he was also there helping me raise my child." She proudly said that made me feel guilty.
"Ahm... I'll go now." I said even though alam ko naman walang may pakealam na aalis na ako.
Kung sana inexplain ko na agad noon pa man ay hindi na aabot sa ganito.
"Wait." Napahinto ako sa paglalakad nang may humawak sa kamay ko.
Nilingon ko iyon at nakita ang anak ko na hawak ang kamay ko.
"Can you get down, please." She said kaya bumaba ako at lumuhod para magpantay kami.
Hinawakan niya ang mukha ko at nanlaki ang mata ko nang makitang maluha ito.
"I know you." She said. Ang sarap talaga pakinggan ng Australian accent niya.
"Y-you... Know me?" I asked.
"Of course! I am not that stupid to the point that I will not recognize my real father. I am always looking in the mirror and wondering if my Daddy looks like me because Mommy and I aren't look alike. But now that I saw you again, I just realized that you and I are really really looked the same."
She said that made me teary eyed.
"Fate..."
"Mom please... Sorry for lying but months ago, I saw a picture where this man was smiling and you were looking at him. You looked so in love. So I tried to compared his face to mine and then I found out that we really looked the same. At first I still didn't believe because I thought the picture wasn't true. But when I saw him 3 days ago at the mall, I already believed that it was him. I just believed that yesterday, when I saw him in the cafe, again. And now he's here again." She explained.
"Sorry."
"No, Mom. Don't say sorry. I know there's a reason why you didn't tell me. But please make it up to Dad. If there's something wrong, explain your side and listen to each other."
"What's wrong with you? You are just a 5 years old but the way how you talk to, I would literally think that you are an old woman who's stock to a 5 years old child." Faye exclaimed but our daughter just smiled at her.
"May I know what's my beautiful daughter's name?" I asked.
"I am Fate Elixera. But call me Fate, Daddy." She said.
"I thought I am the only one who can call you Fate?" Faye exclaimed.
"Now you guys are two." She answered.
Tumayo na ako habang karga siya at hinarap si Faye.
"Ahm... Pwede ko bang hiramin muna si Fate?" Tanong ko.
Tumingin rin ako kay Mr. Quintos pero umiwas ito ng tingin kaya binalik ko na lang ang tingin ko kay Faye.
"Basta ibalik mo. Alam kong ilang taon kayong di nagkasama pero please wag mo siyang itakas sakin." Para sa isang ina na gaya niya alam kong natatakot lang rin siya na kukunin ko sa kaniya ang anak namin.
Isa rin siguro sa dahilan iyon kaya ayaw niyang ipakilala sakin si Fate.
"Ni minsan hindi ko naisip iyon. Ibabalik ko siya sayo." Sabi ko kaya tumango ito.
Napangiti naman ako at na-excite.
"Narinig mo iyon? Pwede daw kitang isama." Sabi ko kay Fate.
Pero ngumiti lang ito ng pilit.
"She can't understand Tagalog." Parang nahihiyang sabi ni Faye.
"What? You can't understand Tagalog? But that is your Dad language. But you know how to speak other languages. Anyways, it's okay. I'll teach you." Sabi ko.
"No don't! I mean you can teach her to speak in Tagalog but can you please let her enjoy her childhood. In Australia, she's always staying in our house and in Aries' office and magbabasa lang siya ng magbabasa. Baka pwedeng iparanas mo sa kaniya ang maglaro sa labas." Sabi nito kaya tumango ako.
"Okay. I understand." Sagot ko at umalis na kami.
"Where are we going, Dad?"
"We are going to my parents house." I answered.
"Really?!" Excited na tanong niya.
"Yes! And you will also meet my nephew and my niece." Sagot ko.
2 years ago ay pinatayuan ko ng bahay sina Nanah at Tatay sa isang subdivision. Ayaw nila village kasi masyado raw tahimik sa mga ganun kaya sa subdivision na lang ang pinili nila.
Kasama nila sa bahay na iyon ay sina Tita at Tito kasama yung kambal. Two storey lang yung bahay pero sapat na raw iyon kina Nanay.
Hindi naman iyon sobrang layo sa village na tinitirhan nina Mr. La Cuesta.
Isinakay ko na sa backseat si Fate at sinuotan ko ng seatbelt. Umikot naman ako papunta sa driver's seat.
Agad ko naman na iyong minaneho.
"Dad, it's my birthday today." Pero napahinto nang marinig iyon.
"Ha? Sorry I didn't know."
"It's okay."
"Do you want something? Daddy will buy it for you. Toys? Food? Anything?"
"I don't need anything, Dad. And you already gave me the best gift I ever had." She said that made me confused.
"Ha? I don't remember giving you anything."
"Silly. It's you Dad. We finally met at exact date of my birthday. That's the best gift for me." She said that made my heart to melt.
"Aww... I promise that I will never leave you again. And if ever, the day that you'll gonna go back to Australia, Dad will come to you, and even everywhere you go." I said that made her smile.
"That's a promise, Dad. Okay?" Hinarap naman niya sakin ang pinky niya.
"Yes it is." Sabi ko at pinagyakap ang pinky finger namin.
"Okay! Let's go to your grandparents. I'm sure they will be happy to see you!"