Pabagsak akong bumalik sa pagkakaupo. Nakatitig lang ako sa likuran ng paalis na si Luxiano. Wala akong marinig. Nandidilim ang paningin ko. Tanging likuran lang nito at ang kutsilyong nasa harapan ko ang nakikita ko. May kung ano’ng demonyong nag-uudyok sa ‘kin na damputin ito at ibaon sa likuran ng palayong si Luxiano. Hindi ko maalis ang tingin sa kutsilyo. Akmang dadamputin ko na ito nang may humawak sa kamay ko. Naagw niya ang mga tingin ko. Bumungad sa ‘kin ang mukha niyang puno ng lungkot at pag-aalala. A beautiful face like hers doesn’t deserves to be painted by sadness. “Wife...” I caressed her cheeks. Ngumiti siya. Gumaan ang pakiramdam ko. Tinaboy nito ang masamang balak sa isipan ko. “Xeonne, son...” tawag ni Mom. Hindi ko ito pinansin. Tingin ko ang atensyon sa magandang mukha ng asawa ko para pakalmahin ang sarili. Tumayo ako at niyakap siya. Niyakap niya ako pabalik. Nayunaw ng mainly niyang yakap ang delubyo sa kaluubluoban ko. Pinikit ko ang mga mata. “What’s on
I opened my eyes and found the space beside me empty. I reached for the lamp on my bed side table and turned it on. “Mom?” I looked around but she’s not in the room. My eyes travelled gazed on the wet pillow next to me. She cried herself to sleep again. “Playtime’s over. Now leave.” My eyes averted at the door. It was mom’s voice and it was coming from outside. I brought myself on my feet and went out of my room. I saw mom behind a stranger, a woman, down the stairs. I followed them and stopped at the end of the stairs. I watched her show the woman the way out. Mom looked sad and in pain. I gasped hearing the sound of glass shattering from behind me. It was from the room at the end of the hallway. It was followed by a laughter. It was strange, it was pulling me closer. I twisted the door open and saw Dad. He was staring at the floor, at the shattered bottles of alcohol. His lips were opened wide by satanic laughter but his eyes were clouded by tears. “Dad?” I called. He stoppe
“Here’s my back turned into give me your back. You are mine turned into I tried and eventually my boy turned into bastard.” I told her my past, I told her everything. She didn’t say a word and just listened. I was in pain but it was her who was crying. She comforted me with a hug that I find the warmest ever. She touched the scars on my back trailing them with her fingers and I didn’t flinch not even a wink. I wasn’t scared anymore. I wasn’t reminded of the past anymore. Half of the burden in my heart was taken away. She took it away. She shared with the sorrow and pain. I closed my eyes. I felt her warm touch on my cheek and whispered, “from now on I will protect you. I will have your back.” Nagising ako sa huni ng mga ibon. Binuksan ko ang mga mata at ang maamo niyang mukha ang unang bumati sa’kin. Napangiti ako. Napakaswerte ko at ang napakaganda niyang mukha ang humihili sa ‘kin sa gabi at bumabati naman sa umaga. Humilig ako at hinalikan siya sa noo sabay bulong, “Good mornin
“So no one cheated?” nalilitong tanong ni Luciano.Nandito kami ngayon sa malawak na family cottage. Nakaupo kami nang pabilog habang nagkukuwento si Tanda at ang matandang babaeng kararating lang. Magkatabi si Mom, si Tanda at ang babae na parang isang pamilyang ngayon lang nagkita-kita. Mom even rested her head on the old woman’s shoulder. I didn’t have a choice but to sit beside Luciano which I find better than sitting beside a stranger. Anastasia brought Xenon and her family in the shore to play or swim just to give us some privacy.“Walang sino mang nagtaksil,” panigurado ni Tanda. “Hindi ka nagtaksik kay Xiandria o ikaw kay Xiandria. It’s all a misunderstanding. Namana ni Xeonne ang luntian niyang mga mata kay sa Lola niya-”“She is not my grandmother.” Putol ko sa walang kwentang sinasabi ng matanda. “Xeonne,” mahina pero may diing sita ni Mom.“Nobody cheated?” I sneered. “You and her had sex while you were married to my grandmother. That’s cheating.”“Hindi gano’n ‘yon.” Dep
“Nana!” I cried out standing in the corner of the living room beside a tall vase, hiding.“What happened, sweetheart?” She hurried to my direction and crouched down to my height.Her forehead wrinkled with age creased more. She gently reached for my chubby cheeks.“Dad hurt mom,” I said wiping my tears non-stop.“Did he hurt you too?” She immediately turned me around and lifted the back of my shirt.I didn’t say anything but groan as the cloth touched my swollen back.“Oh... my poor boy.” She made me face her and rested my head against her chest. “Stay here.”I just nodded and watched her walked up the stairs. Out of curiosity I followed her. She entered mom’s room.“Mom!” Mom cried approaching her with a hug. Her cheek was swollen red.I just stood by the door watching them.“Oh... Xiandria.” Nana gave the hug back. “Until when are you going to endure all of this.” She rubbed my mom’s back.“I c-can’t, Mom. I promised you that I’ll take care of the family. Monteverde will go down,” m
ANASTASIA’S POVTatlong araw na kami rito sa bahay amponan at wala akong ibang naramdaman kundi tuwa. Mainit ang pagtanggap nila sa ‘min ng anak ko. Napa-komportable ko sa mga tao rito lalo na kay Sister Esther na para bang matagal na kaming magkakakilala.Makukukit pero mababait naman ang mga bata. Maingay pero masaya.“Ako na riyan, Sia.”Nagpatuloy lang ako sa paghuhugas ng mga platong ginamit namin sa haponan. Nakatingin ako kay Sister Esther nang agawin niya sa ‘kin ang sponge.“Magpahinga ka na, Sia, at kanina ka pa rito,” aniya sabay lingon sa ‘kin.“Ako po?” Tinuro ko ang sarili.Tumango naman siya bago ituon ang atensyon sa ginagawa. Hindi ko siya pinansin kanina kasi akala ko iyong katabi ko ang tinutukoy niya. Hinugasan ko ang mga bula sa kamay bago bumalik ng kuwarto. Naabutan ko si Xeonne na nakatingala sa bilog na buwan habang nakatukod ang mga kamay sa railings. Malalim ang iniisip niya. Kita ko ang lungkot at pangungulila sa mga mata niya.“Hubby...” tawag ko.Tatlong
“Ha?”“Ha?” tanong niya pabalik. “Oh...” Nabutang ang ngiti sa labi niya.“Were you saying something?” Hinila ko siya.“Nothing...” mahinang sagot niya.Narating namin ang puno. Pumasok kami sa hugis pusong gawa sa kandila na pakana ni Mang Ben. Nilabas ko ang dalawang lata ng beer mula sa picnic basket. Binigay ko ang isa sa kaniya pero tiningnan niya lang ito.“Luciano is a good husband, a good father, entirely a good man...” aniya habang nakatitig sa hawak ko. “But he becomes a different person when he’s drunk.”Mabilis kong binawi ang kamay nang marinig ang sinabi niya. Bumaba ang tingin niya sa hawak ko.His eyes followed my hand. “He would hurt me and mom when he’s drunk but when he sobered the next day he would say sorry and atone his mistake. He would bring mom flowers, take her out to date, buy me toys, take me somewhere nice but later on his abusive behaviour became his habit. He hurts us even though he never had a drop.” He was telling me his past like a robot, staring bla
“Shi!” tumakbo ako sa ilalim ng puno kung saan naghihintay ang isang batang lalaki.“Sia...” Hinarap niya ako at agad ko siyang Sinalubong ng yakap.Narinig ko siyang dumaing nang yakapin ko. Kumawala ako sa pagkakayakap at tiningnan siya pero sinalubong ako ng malawak niyang ngiti.“I made you something.” Kinalkal ko ang bag at inabot sa kaniya ang isang keychain.Sinuri niya itong mabuti. Ang keychain ay gawa yarn na sa gitna ng bahay ng gagambang kulay puti ay ang kulay rosas na ilong ng baboy.“This is Charlotte’s web.” Hinimas niya ang sapot.“And that’s Wilbur.” Tinuro ko ang ilong ng baboy na nasapinakagitna. “And tada!” Pinakita ko sa kaniya ang isa pang keychain.Ang keychain na hawak ko ay may parehong desinyo sa binigay ko. Ang tanging pinagkaiba lang ay ang kulay nito. Ang sapot ay naging kulay rosas at ang baboy naman ay naging puti.“Tasya?” Tinawag ako ng isang pamilyar na boses.“Nandito ako, Mom!” Kinaway ko ang kamay sa babaeng kalalabas lang ng kagubatan.“Nandiyan