Novels by irishojario26

Katatapos ko lang magpalit ng mga kurtina. Ngayon naman ay naglilinis ako ng sala nang makarinig ako ng nag-doorbell. Napatingin ako sa wall clock at mag-aalasingko na ng hapon. Umalis na si Fabio kaninang umaga, hindi rin naman siya nagtagal. Pagkababa niya, nakaayos na siya sa pang-opisina.Ni hindi nga siya nagpaalam na aalis na. Ni hindi ako tinapunan ng tingin.Wala man lang kahit 'Hoy, babae, aalis na ako.'Kaagad akong naglakad papunta sa pintuan para tingnan kung sino ang dumating. Siguradong hindi si Fabio iyon dahil hindi naman siya nagdo-doorbell."Hey. Good afternoon!" nakangiting bati sa akin ni James. Kaagad umaliwalas ang mukha ko at binuksan ko pa nang mas malaki ang pinto."Hi! Ano na'ng balita? Pasok ka," sabi ko habang iniimbitahan siya papasok.Gusto kong palakpakan ang sarili ko. Talagang feel na feel ko na ang bahay na 'to, ah? Umupo naman siya sa isang sofa at bahagyang inilibot ang paningin sa paligid."Gano'n pa rin ang lagay ni Normani. Wala pa namang bilin a

Tumambad sa akin ang hindi pamilyar na kwarto, kaagad akong nabalot ng takot. Napabalikwas ako ng upo at maya-maya’y natawa na lang ako sa sarili dahil nakalimutan kong nasa bahay nga pala ako ng kapatid ko at ng asawa nito.Oh right. Hindi ako si Normani, ako nga pala si Noami.Nabuntong-hininga ako’t bumangon. Komportable naman ang tulog ko. At first, I thought that we will be in one room, but when I went up last night, the door was locked. Kaya naisip kong ayaw talagang makatabi ng lalaking iyon at gano’n na talaga ang set-up ng dalawa noon pa man.Then I looked for another room. Ayaw ko naman kasing sa sala matulog dahil paniguradong hindi rin ako makakatulog doon. At tama nga ang hinala ko. Nang pasukin ko ang isang kwarto katabi ng kwarto nito, nandoon ang mga damit ng kapatid ko.So hindi sila magkatabi ng tulugan? For what? Ano ba talagang nangyari sa dalawa at parang galit na galit si Fabio sa kapatid ko?Pagkatapos kong maligo, pumili ako ng isusuot para makababa na."Ano ba

"This is it! Wala ng atrasan ito!" Huminga muna ako nang malalim habang pinagmamasdan ko mula sa di kalayuan ang malaking bahay ng magiging asawa ko... asawa ng kapatid ko.Malaki ito para sa dalawang taong nakatira roon. Sabi ni James, walang mga katulong doon, kami lang ni Fabio ang nasa bahay na iyon. Noong una raw ay may mga katulong pero pinaalis ng kapatid ko. Iyon ang hindi ko maintindihan. Bakit niya gagawin iyon?Napaisip tuloy ako. Hindi kaya nabuburyo si Normani sa loob ng bahay na ito? Kawawa naman ang kapatid ko.Tinanguan ako ni James pagkababa ko ng kotse."Lagi mo lang tandaan ang mga sinabi ko, Miss Normani," madiin niyang binigkas ang pangalan.Suminghap ako at tumango. "S-Salamat, James."Sandali pa niya akong tiningnan bago siya umalis at iniwan ako roon. Iyon na ang hudyat para simulan ko ang plano.Kagabi pa lang ay inaral ko na ang folder na binigay ng mag-asawang Montoya. Tinulungan din ako ni James sa maliliit na detalye tungkol sa kapatid ko, lalo na sa pagsa

Mabigat ang pakiramdam ko habang sinisilid ko sa maleta ang huling gamit na kaya kong dalhin. Inilibot ko ang paningin ko sa huling pagkakataon sa buong bahay na kinagisnan ko. Bahay-ampunan ito, at masakit itong iwan, pero alam kong kailangan. Pinagmasdan ko ang bawat sulok ng lugar kung saan ako halos dalawampu’t tatlong taon na nanirahan.Hindi ko maiwasang maalala noong bata pa ako, gustong-gusto kong umalis sa lugar na ito. Pangarap ko noon na may umampon sa akin, kahit mahirap o mayaman, basta buong puso akong sasama. Hindi ako nawalan ng pag-asa, pero nagbago ang lahat pagdating ng legal kong edad. Wala pa ring nag-aampon sa akin. Minsan napapaisip ako kung bakit.Mabait naman ako, maganda naman ako, pero bakit? Bakit ayaw nila sa akin?Napangiti ako nang mapait.Kung dati ay sabik akong umalis sa lugar na ito, ngayon halos hindi ko maihakbang ang mga paa ko. Ang hirap pala umalis sa isang lugar na itinuring mong tahanan."Mag-iingat ka roon, anak," sabi ni Mother Theresa haban

I had just finished changing the curtains. Now, I was cleaning the living room when I heard the doorbell ring. I glanced at the wall clock. It was almost five in the afternoon.Fabio had left earlier that morning, and he didn’t even stay long. When he came downstairs, he was already dressed for work.He didn’t even say goodbye. Not a glance. Not even a simple, “Hey, woman, I’m heading out.”I walked straight to the door to check who it was. It couldn’t be Fabio. He never rings the doorbell.“Good afternoon,” James greeted me with a smile. My face instantly lit up, and I opened the door wider.“Hi! What’s the update? Come in,” I said, inviting him inside.I wanted to applaud myself. Look at me, already feeling at home in this place. He sat on the couch and casually glanced around the room.“Same update on Normani. Nothing new from the Montoyas, so the plan remains. Stay here and be a good wife to Mr. Arvenze while your sister’s still recovering,” James said seriously.I sighed. How do

A room I didn’t recognize greeted me the moment I opened my eyes. Fear instantly wrapped around me. I sat up quickly, only to laugh at myself a few seconds later. I forgot I was in my sister’s house. Her and her husband’s.Oh, right. I’m not Normani. I’m Noami.I let out a sigh and got up from bed. I actually slept well. At first, I thought we’d be sleeping in the same room, but when I went upstairs last night, the door was locked. So he really doesn’t want to share a room. I guess that was already their setup from the start.I looked for another room. I didn’t want to sleep on the couch since I probably wouldn’t get any sleep there anyway. And I was right. When I opened the room next to his, I saw my sister’s clothes inside.So they don’t sleep in the same room? Why? What really happened between the two of them? Why is Fabio so angry at my sister?After showering, I looked for something to wear before heading downstairs.“What is this stuff? Doesn’t Normani ever feel cold in these?”

“This is it. No turning back now.”I took a deep breath as I stared at the house from a distance. The house where I’d be living with my soon-to-be husband.My sister’s husband.The house was too big for just two people. James said there were no house helpers, just me and Fabio. He told me there used to be, but my sister sent them away. I couldn’t understand why. Why would she do that?I started to wonder if Normani ever felt isolated here. Poor thing.James nodded at me as I stepped out of the car.“Just remember everything I told you, Miss Normani,” he said firmly, emphasizing the name.I inhaled deeply and nodded. “T-Thank you, James.”He gave me one last look, then drove away. That was my signal. It was time to begin.Last night, I went over the folder the Montoyas gave me. James helped too, filling in the small details about my sister and her marriage. He said things weren’t good between her and Fabio.My jaw dropped the moment I stepped past the gate. The garden was massive, with

My chest felt heavy as I packed the last of the things I could carry into my suitcase. I glanced around the house one final time. It was an orphanage, and it hurt to leave... but I knew I had to. I took in every corner of the place I had called home for nearly twenty-three years.I couldn’t help but remember how, as a child, I used to dream of escaping this place. I wanted so badly to be adopted. Rich or poor, it didn’t matter. I would’ve gone with anyone willing to take me in with a full heart. I never gave up hope, but everything changed when I reached legal age. Still, no one came for me. And sometimes, I find myself wondering why.I was kind. I wasn’t hard to love. I was pretty. So why? Why didn’t anyone choose me?A bitter smile crept onto my lips.I used to be so eager to leave. Now, I could barely move my feet. I never thought it would be this hard to walk away from a place that had become my home.“Take care of yourself out there, Noami,” Mother Theresa said, hugging me tightl