Chapter 4

Hades saw Maki playing with Kade and Kendall. Snakes and ladders ang nilalaro ng mga ito. Ang ibang bata ay naglalaro sa labas ng habulan. He sat beside his daughter pero hindi siya pinansin nito. 

"Washroom break. No one touches the board," sigaw ni Kade bago mabilis na naglakad patungo sa banyo. 

"I'm just going to get a snack. Do you want anything, Maki?" Maki shook her head. "Okay. I'll bring extra anyway."

Naiwan silang mag-ama sa sala. Si Rachel ay isinama ni Reina sa labas at nagpatulong sa piñata kanina. Hindi niya alam kung paano ito pakitunguhan. He doesn't even know what her favorite color is. 

"I'm Hades."

"I know," sagot nito sa kaniya. She didn't look at him. Instead, kinuha nito ang isang matchbox at nilaro. She likes cars??

"I'm your father." There was a lump on his throat and he fought so hard not to be emotional. Men like him– they don't... cry. He has been training himself not to feel so much. The last time he cared, he got hurt. The last time he loved, he got shut down. It nearly killed him. He reached that point of total destruction in his life and it costed him his life. Sa dami ng ginawa niyang mali sa buhay, bawal pa raw siyang mamatay kaya binuhay uli siya. And now he knows why— and that's because he has a child.

"I know." She doesn't look interested in him. 

Kasalanan naman niya. Kung hindi siya nag-asal bata kanina ay hindi sila mag-aaway ng bata. At his age, he should have known better. Pero kapag nasa paligid si Rachel ay talagang nawawala siya sa hulog. Masisiraan na yata si Hades ng ulo sa anak niya. Mukhang ayaw siyang kausap nito. They did start at the wrong foot earlier. Kung bakit naman kasi— maninisi na naman ba s'ya?

"I didn't mean to be—"

"Rude?" dugtong ni Maki sa sasabihin niya. Napangiwi si Hades. "Mean?" hula pa nito. 

God! She is really his daughter. Hades pities the man she's going to end up with. But then again, baka mamatay pa sa kamay niya ang taong magpapaiyak sa anak niya. 

"I know you don't like me." There was pain her voice at daig pa ni Hades ang sinuntok sa sikmura. Hindi pa man ay siya na ang sanhi ng pighati ng kaniyang anak. 

"That is not true," mariing tanggi niya. 

Sumimangot si Maki. "You referred to me as sushi." Napapikit si Hades sa inis sa sarili. Talagang kasalanan niya kung bakit ayaw nito sa kaniya. Ayaw ng nanay sa kaniya. Ayaw rin ng anak sa kaniya. Pambihira talaga ang buhay niya. "Mom could have picked a better name for me. Makaria is so—"

"Old?"

"Yeah. I don't like it. Why can't my name be Athena or Venus?" Muntik ng mapasipol si Hades. Lahat ng nabanggit ni Maki ay magagandang pangalan. Venus is a Roman goddess and Athena is the Greek goddess of wisdom and war. Bakit nga naman Makaria ang ipinangalan ni Rachel sa anak nila?

Maki shared the same sentiments as him. But seriously, what is with Greek myth? Kasalanan ito ng lola ni Maki. Ang ina ni Hades ay fascinated sa Greek mythology. At ngayon, pati pangalan ni Makik niya ay hango rin roon. 

"Those are both pretty names. But I think Makaria is... unique." Maki frowned. "You like Greek myth?"

"No." Finally, dalawa na sila. But there was uncertainty in her voice at napansin 'yon ni Hades.

He cleared his throat.  Pwede nilang gawing bonding 'yon. Pakiramdam niya kasi ay sinabi lang nitong ayaw dahil walang masyadong alam tungkol doon. Balak niyang huwag munang pumasok sa opisina. He would take a break and get to know his daughter. Ipapasyal niya ito at ibibili ng mga gusto. Sky is the limit. Kung pwede niyang ibigay ang mundo kay Maki ay gagawin niya. 

"Then maybe I can read you a chapter every night. We can—" Umiling si Maki. Ayaw ba nitong makasama siya? "Why not?"

"We will go home after this to grandpa's house so you can't read me a story. He doesn't like you."

Wala talagang filter si Maki. But then again, that's the beauty of being a kid. You can get away with almost anything because of the innocence. Wait, Grandpa? Nasaan si Troy? That's when Maki realized what she just told him. 

"I am not supposed to tell you that. Mom's going to be mad." May pag-aalala sa mukha ng bata. At least, kahit gaano katabil ang bibig ay may takot sa ina. And it's supposed to be like that. Kids have to know their boundaries. Importante 'yon sa relasyon ng isang magulang at anak. And the fact that Rachel's parents doesn't like him, well— hindi sila nag-iisa. Maraming tao ang ayaw sa kaniya at wala siyang pakialam. If he cared, he wouldn't be sitting with his daughter on the floor right now.

"It's okay. It will be our secret."

Noon lang ito tumingin sa kaniya. Kapit pa rin ang laruan. It's really weird looking to a mini-version of him— lalo na at magkapareho sila ng pag-uugali. 

"Really? You won't tell?" 

Nagkibit-balikat si Hades. "I kind of know they don't like me. A lot of people don't. How about you?" He is expecting to hear the worst.

"I don't like you hair. It's too long." Noted. Magpapagupit siya pagdating sa Maynila. "And this—" Itinuro ni Maki ang facial hair niya. "I don't like it. You look like a villain." Well, that's because he is. Sa fairytale nga ay malabo na maging prince charming siya. "But I think you're okay. Mom said you've been busy with work that's why you can't see us. What's your work?" Tumayo si Maki at kumalong sa isang hita niya. Sumandig ito sa kaniyang dibdib habang kapit pa rin ang maliit na kotse. Pinapaikot sa palad ang gulong. 

Paano niya sasabihin sa anak na illegal ang trabaho niya? "Y-Your grandfather is Greek. You know that, right?"

"Hmm. Mom said that."

"So you're part-Greek too. He has a shipping line in Greece and I... manage that." He really is a bad storyteller. Damn.

"You lived in Greece all this time? Why didn't you take me and Mommy with you?"

Hindi niya alam kung paano sasagutin ang tanong ng bata. Hades is mad with Rachel for keeping their child from him. Pero hindi rin niya kayang sirain ang imahe nito kay Maki at sabihin ang totoo na iniwan siya nito para kay Troy. Nagtataka lang siya kung bakit Uncle Troy ang tawag nito sa lalaki. Pwede namang Papa or Dad? 

"I travel a lot, sweetheart. I live in Greece but I fly a lot to different countries for work. So if I took you and Mommy with me, wala kayong kasama palagi." Hindi umimik si Maki. "Anyway, bakit uncle ang tawag mo kay Troy?" That fucker stole Rachel from him.

"Because he is my Uncle Troy. He's really nice to me. He buys me food and toys and tell me stories." Biglang lumungkot ang bata at bumuntong hininga. "But he's gone now."

"Huh? What do you mean he's—"

"Maki, let's go." Dumating si Rachel at inaya ang bata palabas. "The kids are lining up for the piñata and they're waiting for you."

"Okay, Mom." Tumayo si Maki at binitawan ang laruan. Ibinigay kay Hades. "You coming?" Inilahad ng bata ang kamay sa kaniya and he has no choice but to take it. 

Maki is his princess... and Rachel— she is still her fucking queen.