"Iza, don't run. Wait for me, okay?"
Matthew was on time to catch Iza's small hand. She ran fast after seeing a candy stall in the mall.
"Sorry, kuya Matt. I'm just excited po," she replied. She looked up at him with her adorable eyes.
After he found out that he got a little sister, he took her away from Ira and they went to the mall. He couldn't denied the fact that he felt something when he saw Iza. She was the little figure of his father. Her face, especially her eyes and nose, resembled his father's.
He felt betrayed once again. His father never mentioned that he and his mistress had a baby. Kung hindi pa siya umuwi sa bahay ay hindi niya malalaman iyon. At mukhang walang balak ipaalam ng dalawa na may anak na ang mga ito.
Noong nakita niya kanina si Iza ay balak sana niyang gantihan ang ama at si Ira sa pamamagitan ng bata. Pero ng mahawakan niya ito ay nakaramdam siya ng tuwa.
"What do you want to eat, Iza?" Tanong niya rito.
Bahagya siyang napatawa nang ngumisi ito at mukhang may binabalak na kakaiba. "Promise me first po na di mo sasabihin kay Mommy at Dada," sagot nito.
Dada?
"I promise. So, tell me?"
"They don't want me to eat candies po pero look, kuya! There are lots of candies there. Can I have some?" Excited nitong itinuro ang isang stall ng mga candies.
Napaisip naman siya kung papayag o hindi. Pero sa huli ay napapayag naman siya nito at nagmamadali siyang hinila sa bilihan. Napailing na lang siya nang kumuha ito ng ilang pack ng candies bago tumingin sa kaniya na parang nagpapaalam kung okay lang. Tinanguan niya ito.
Iza was a lively child. Wala itong kapagudan sa paglilibot sa mall habang siya naman ay gusto nang sumuko ang paa sa sobrang pagod. Lahat na yata na napasukan nila na bilihan na may pangbata ay napasok nila pero wala naman itong binili kahit isa.
"Iza, can we sit for a while?" Paos niyang tanong sa kapatid. Halos habol na niya ang hininga. Tumingin sa kaniya si Iza at parang nagdadalawang isip pa kung papayag o hindi.
"Okay po, kuya Matt. Sorry, are you tired?" Mahinhin na sabi nito. Ito pa mismo ang naghanap ng puwede nilang maupuan. "Sit here, kuya. And drink this po." Inabot nito ang dalang tumbler sa kaniya.
"Thanks. You must be tired, too. We should buy food later."
Pagkapahinga ay agad nga siyang naghanap ng makakainan nila. Sa Jollibee.
"Kuya Matt, how old are you na po?"
Napatigil siya sa akmang pagsubo ng chicken. "I'm 30 now. You?"
"Turning seven na po ako. September 13 po ang birthday ko." Ipinakita pa nito ang anim na daliri sa kaniya. "But kuya Matt, how come you're my brother? Mommy's only 28. Bakit po mas ma-age ka sa kaniya?" Inosenteng tanong nito.
Napangiwi siya sa tanong ni Iza. Alangan naman sabihin niya na kabit lang ang mommy nito at hindi sila pareho ng ina.
He was angry at his father and at Ira. They hid his sister from him for almost seven years. At ngayon niya talaga napatunayan na matagal na silang niloloko na ng kaniyang ama. Buhay pa ang kaniyang mommy pero may kabit at anak na pala ito. At napag desisyunan siguro nito na ipakilala na ang mag ina nito sa kaniya dahil patay na ang kaniyang mommy.
"I'll explain it to you when you grow up. For now, eat your food para mabilis kang lumaki. Goods ba tayo?"
Tumango ito at nagpatuloy na sila sa pagkain. Gabi na ng magyakag si Iza pauwi. Inihanda na niya ang sarili sa mangyayari sa bahay pagkadating nila. Alam niya na galit na galit na si Ira dahil ilang beses na itong tumawag sa kaniya pero hindi niya sinagot. Tanging tawag lang ng kaniyang ama ang sinagot niya dahil nasa malayo ito at baka may mangyari pa rito kapag hindi nito nalaman kung nasaan ang anak.
***
He clenched his fist when he walked out of Ira's room. That woman never failed to got into his nerves.
But there was something he couldn't comprehend when he felt her small body against his. He wanted to smash her to the wall not because he was mad but to imprisoned her into his body and kiss her.
At ngayon ay may nagwawala sa loob ng pantalon niya. Manghang tumingin siya na halos pumutok ng harapan ng kaniyang pants. Nagmadali niyang tinungo ang sariling kuwarto at pinakawalan ang galit na galit na alaga. Alam niyang kasalanan pero hindi niya napigilan ang sarili na isipin ang malambot at mabangong katawan ng madrasta habang mabilis na hinihimas ang kaniyang alaga.
Tangina!
Nanglalambot na napahawak siya sa kama pagkatapos makaraos. Ramdam niya ang pagtulo ng pawis sa kaniyang mukha at leeg.
Sa dami na niyang naikama at nakilala na babae simula ng magising sa pagka-coma ay ngayon lang nangyari na mabilis siyang tinigasan at nagparaos habang iniisip lamang ang katawan ng isang babae.
Why it was her in the first place? Damn, bakit ang kabit pa ng ama niya?
Gustuhin man niyang makatulog pagkatapos ay hindi niya magawa dahil pabalik balik sa isipan niya ang nangyari kanina. Sinapo niya ang mukha at nagpasya na lumabas ng kwarto.
Madilim ang kusina at mukhang tulog na rin si Ira. He turned the dim light on. He was about to get himself a taste of an alcohol when someone endlessly coughed near him.
Kunot noong hinanap niya kung saan iyon nagmula at napanganga na lang siya nang mabungaran si Ira na naka red silk night gown na hanggang kalahati ng hita nito. Nasa gilid ito ng lamesa kaya hindi niya napansin kanina.
"What the fuck are you doing?" Hindi niya mapigilan na magmura ng ilan pang beses nang muling mapatingin siya sa suot nito. "And what the fuck are you wearing?"
Namumula na ito sa pagkakaubo at may ilang tumulo na tubig mula sa bibig nito papunta sa suot nito. Hindi niya alam kung bakit sinundan niya ang mga iyon.
"Sorry. Akala ko kasi tulog ka na." Buhol buhol pa ang pagkakasabi nito dahil sa ubo. "Alis na ako."
Tangina, mali ito.
Alam niyang maling mali pero hinayaan niya ang sarili. Hinabol niya ito at pinigilan sa akmang paglakad nito. Para naman itong napaso sa pagkakahawak niya at madali nitong inilayo ang sarili sa kaniya.
"Bakit? May kailangan ka?"
Yes. I fuckin' need to stay sane while looking at you
Gusto sana niyang isigaw dito pero para siyang napipilan nang mapatingin na naman sa mayayamang dibdib nito. Pumikit siya nang mariin habang pinapakalma ang sarili at ang nagwawala na namang alaga sa gitna ng pantalon niya.
"Sorry, Mommy. But I really need to do this."
After he said that, he pulled her and caged her body in his arms. Shock was evident in her eyes but he didn't mind it and did what he need to do.
"Matt–"
He didn't let her finish her word. He hungrily shoved his lips into hers like there was no fuckin' tomorrow. His hands roamed around her waist. Her lips were the sweetest taste he'd ever tasted and he realized he will never have enough of it. He's everywhere up on her back to her arms. He pulled her closer enough to feel their bodies. He devoured her harder, deeper, with a fervent urgent need he had never known before.
"You tasted so sweet, woman. Fuck!"
He moved his hands, cupped her left breast, kneaded it. Iza moaned and as she parted her lips, he didn't think twice and shoved his tongue inside hers. His sudden behavior made Iza flinch and clung to his neck. And before he realized, Iza kissed him back.
It sent shivers to his body down to his thing between his legs. Iza might have felt that as she tried to pull back but he didn't allow her. He pushed himself enough to hers to feel his hard rock thing.
As he let go of her lips, Iza looked up at him with mouth wide open. Like she wanted to ask what the hell had happened.
"I love kissing your lips, Mommy."