روايات بقلم Miners

DaisyThe days that followed were a beautiful chaos. My tiny room at Aling Sonya’s house, once just big enough for me, now overflowed with the joyful noise of three newborns. Diapers, bottles, and tiny clothes were everywhere. Sleep became a luxury, but every exhausted moment was filled with an indescribable love. Aling Sonya, Lila, and even Manang Ising, came to my aid, their hands always ready to help with a feeding, a diaper change, or just a comforting hug.“They’re so small, Daisy,” Lila whispered one afternoon, watching in awe as I tandem-fed two of them. “Like little dolls!”“Little dolls who eat a lot and make lots of noise,” I chuckled, but my heart was full.My biggest task now was to name them. Dr. Reyes had filled out temporary birth certificates, but she insisted I finalize their names soon. I wanted names that were unique, special, just like them. Names that carried hope and strength, but also sounded lovely in our simple setting. And since their father’s name was Augus

DaisyThe next few months flew by in a blur of anticipation and preparation. My belly grew to an almost comical size, a testament to the three little lives thriving within me. Aling Sonya and her family had become my family, embracing me and my growing brood with open arms and endless support.“Easy there, Daisy,” Aling Sonya chuckled one sunny morning as I struggled to tie my shoes. “You’re wobbling like a duck these days!”I laughed, a genuine, joyful sound. “I feel like a whole flock of ducks, Aling Sonya! A very heavy flock.”Despite the growing discomfort and the sheer size of my belly, a profound happiness had settled in my heart. The fear of Augustus still lingered, a faint shadow at the edges of my mind, but it was largely overshadowed by the overwhelming joy and excitement of becoming a mother. Not just to one, but to three.Dr. Reyes had given me a list of exercises safe for pregnant women. She called them “gentle movements for expectant mothers.” So, every morning, as the

DaisySix months. Six months had passed since I fled Manila, since I saw Augustus Caesar’s chilling smile. San Isidro had become my refuge, the small bakeshop my anchor. The landlady, Aling Sonya, had given me more than a job; she’d given me a home, a semblance of peace. The scent of warm bread and brewing coffee had replaced the suffocating smell of stale noodles and fear. My small bump had grown, a constant reminder of the life blossoming inside me, a secret I guarded fiercely.“Daisy, sweetie, are you sure you’re okay?” Aling Sonya’s voice, gentle as ever, cut through my thoughts. She was kneading dough with practiced hands, her movements rhythmic and soothing. “You’ve been staring at that wall for five minutes.”I blinked, pulling myself back to the present. “Just thinking, Aling Sonya. About… about things.”She wiped her hands on her apron and looked at me, her eyes kind and knowing. “Still thinking about that fiancé of yours? The one who went on a long trip?” This was the

DaisyThe jeepney rattled and swayed, a metal box carrying me further into an unknown future. The city lights blurred into streaks of color, each one a fading memory of the life I was leaving behind. My heart still pounded against my ribs, a frantic bird trapped in a cage. Augustus Caesar’s smile, that cold, predatory curve of his lips, was burned into my mind. He knew. He had let me go. But why? The question echoed in the confines of the noisy jeepney, a chilling melody that promised more trouble.I clutched my backpack tighter, my knuckles white. Inside, my meager savings felt like a joke against the fortune he commanded. But it was all I had, all I could rely on. I was Daisy, a simple girl from a sari-sari store, and I was running from a man who could buy and sell cities. The absurdity of it all almost made me laugh, but the fear was too potent, too real.The jeepney dropped me off at a crowded bus terminal. The air was thick with exhaust fumes and the chatter of a thousand voic

DaisyThe rain poured outside, a drumbeat against the corrugated iron roof of our tiny sari sari store. Each drop felt like a tiny hammer, pounding on my already aching head. My hands trembled, the cheap plastic spoon rattling against the chipped mug. Coffee, black and bitter, did nothing to clear the fog. My stomach churned, not from the coffee, but from the fear that coiled tight in my gut.“Daisy, Hija, you okay?” Grandma's voice, soft like a worn blanket, came from the back. She was probably sorting the dried fish, humming a old kundiman.I swallowed hard, the bitterness of the coffee a welcome distraction from the taste of dread. “Just a bit tired, Grandma. Long day.” A lie. The day had barely started, but the night, ah, the night had been an eternity.I pushed away from the counter, the smell of stale soap and dried noodles suddenly suffocating. I needed air. I needed to think. My eyes, swollen and red, caught my reflection in the dusty mirror. A stranger stared back, pale and

AMBER I gripped the steering wheel so hard my hands hurt. I kept thinking about Jade’s face when I threw her against that red car. I kept thinking about Evelyn’s shocked expression in the restaurant. I had won those battles, but the war was still happening. My heart felt like a drum beating inside my chest.I looked at the rusty key sitting on the passenger seat. Who sent it? Who knew about the accident? Who knew about the lake house? It felt like someone was watching me from the shadows, playing a game. But I did not care. I needed the truth more than I needed to be safe.The lake house was a place Justine and I bought three years ago. We used to go there to hide from the world. It was supposed to be our happy place. But after the baby died, we never went back. Justine told me he lost the keys. He told me it was too painful to go there because it reminded him of the future we lost."Liar," I whispered to the empty car. "Everything you said was a lie."I turned onto the dirt path th

AMBERThe cold wind hit my face as I drove toward the one place I promised myself I would never go. I did not care about the speed limit. I did not care about the tears blurring my vision. All I could see was the red car parked in the driveway of the woman who stole my life.Her name was Jade. She was my husband’s brother’s wife. She was supposed to be family. Instead, she was the person who watched me bleed on the side of the road and kept driving.I pulled my car behind her red sedan, blocking her in. She was already outside, dressed in a fancy silk dress, holding a designer bag. She looked like she was heading to a party while I was heading to a funeral."Not now, Amber," Jade said as she saw me get out of the car. She rolled her eyes and tried to open her car door. "Can't you see I am in a hurry?""Why?" I asked, walking toward her with heavy steps. "You are off to see Justine again, aren't you? Didn't he leave your bed just now? Oh, you think I do not know? You really cannot get

AMBERThe road ahead was dark and blurry. My hands were still shaking on the steering wheel. That text message was like a ghost following me. What happened the night the baby died? The words burned in my mind. I needed to think. I needed to breathe. Most of all, I needed a drink and some space to clear my head.I saw the bright neon lights of a high-end restaurant called The Golden Plate. It was the kind of place Justine and I used to go to when we wanted to pretend we were the perfect couple. I pulled my car into the parking lot. I did not care that I was wearing messy clothes or that my eyes were red. I just wanted to sit down and be away from that house.I walked inside. The air smelled like expensive wine and roasted meat. The lights were soft and yellow. It was quiet and peaceful. Or at least, it was until I saw the woman sitting at the center table.My heart dropped. It was Evelyn. My mother in law.She was sitting there with her perfect white hair and her expensive silk scarf.

AMBERThe air in our bedroom felt heavy and thick. It was the kind of air that makes it hard to breathe. I pulled my large black suitcase across the wooden floor. The sound it made was loud and sharp. It felt like the sound of my old life breaking into small pieces. I did not look back at the bed where we used to sleep. I did not look at the photos on the wall. I only looked at the door. I wanted to leave this house and never come back.I reached for the handle of the door. My hands were shaking. I was not shaking because I was sad. I was shaking because I was very angry. I have been sad for a long time. Now, the sadness was gone. Only fire was left inside me."Where are you going?" Justine asked.I stopped. I did not turn around yet. His voice sounded calm. It made me want to scream. He sounded like a man who did nothing wrong. He sounded like the same man I fell in love with five years ago. But he was a stranger now. He was a monster wearing the face of my husband.I turned around