SIX

"ANO bang problema mo, Martha Cecilia? Ilang araw ko ng napapansin na kakaiba ang iyong pag-uugali. May problema ka ba?" tanong ni Attorney MM sa kaniyang nag-iisang anak. Hindi rin naitago sa boses ang pagtataka. Dahil talaga namang nagtataka siya ikinikilos ng anak niya sa mga nakaraang araw.

Paano niya hindi matatanong ang kanyang anak na babae? Isang linggo na mula nang sabihin niya rito na nag-ayos siya ng kasal para sa rito. Pati ang tagapayo nito sa unibersidad ay tinawagan siya at sinabi na hindi na ito katulad ng mga nakaraang araw. Mas lalo siyang kinakabahan dahil doon. Nasa huling taon na ito ng BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION. Kung mabibigo itong makapasa sa ikaapat na taon, babalik ito sa simula.

Kaso muling tumubo ang inis niya dahil nanatili itong tahimi.

"Hey, young lady! Magsalita ka! Paano kita matutulungan kung tahimik ka lang? Tatanungin kita sa huling pagkakataon, ano bang problema mo? Bakit parang hindi ka namin kasama ng Dad mo?Sabihin mo sa akin?!"Sa pagkakataong iyon ay talagang galit na galit siya ngunit nag-aalala pa rin.

No one can blame her. She is just a mother who wants to protect her child.

Alam ni Martha Cecilia kung ano ang hinaing ng kanyang ina. Pero tahimik lang siya. Dahil ayaw na niyang sumunod dito sa pagkakataong iyon. Dalawampung taong gulang na siya. Ibig sabihin, siya at ang kanyang amain ay may mapanganib at bawal na relasyon sa loob ng dalawang taon. Paano siya mag-aasawa ng isang lalaki na hindi niya kilala? Nangako siya sa sarili niya na walang sinuman ang makakahawak sa kanya maliban sa kanyang step-father, ang kanyang Daddy Ramil. At tutuparin niya ang pangakong iyon. Kahit na ito ang magiging dahilan para suwayin niya ang kanyang Nanay sa unang pagkakataon.

Then...

“I’m not going to say sorry for what I’m going to say right now, Mommy. But you’d rather kill me now if you insist to let me marry a man that aside from never meeting and see him, a person that I don’t love. Yeah, Mom! My heart and my soul have been an owner for so long. And that man will only be the one to own, to touch me and most of all, he will have me.”

She blurted out loud in front of her mother. She knew it, by the way. Her lover is around and thinking as well or the reason why her mother surprisingly said those words. But she would rather to remain single and sinner in the eye of her REDEEMER for the rest of her life than to marry. He is her life! That reason enough to endure her jealousy when she’s witnessing them in every laughter in front of her. When she’s hearing their loud moans during their sexual intercourses.

About her studies? Yeah, she is wrong in showing to everyone that she is in trouble. But it doesn’t mean that she will let her worries will destroy her and lose the opportunity to be with the prestigious company in Spain which the royal monarchy granted to her biological father or her place in the said country as she will finish her studies.

“Come back here, Hija I’m not done yet talking with you! Sweetheart!”

Dinig na dinig pa rin niya ang pagsisigaw ng kaniyang ina. Subalit nagbingi-bingihan siya. Kaya't nagpatuloy lamang siya sa paglayo. She’s suffocated for the first time. She needs to go somewhere to breathe in.

IN a meanwhile, Ramil witnessed how his wife and lover quarrelled. Not totally fighting because he know that Martha Cecilia is only doing the right thing. Even he is not her lover, he is so sure that she will do the same.

‘F*ck! Where is she going now?!’ Lihim siyang napapamura habang nakatanaw dito o pinapanood ang paglayo nito.

‘But they way she spoke about love one makes me more special to her. Thank you, baby. I know that I’m the one whom you are referring. I love you more than you ever know, baby. Hang on a little bit. No one can separate us except death,’ bulong niyang muli habang panay ang pagtanaw sa daang tinahak nito

Then...

“Honey, can we talk as well?” tanong niya sa asawa nang nakalapit siya rito.

“Sure, honey . What is it? Oh, my head is in pain. That daughter of mine is really giving me head ache now a days,” tugon nito.

“Actually, she is the one I want to talk about it with you, honey. We’ve been together for over ten years. Twelve years, to be exact. And I can say that I know her already. She may not be my biological daughter, but I treated her as my own, too. She’s yours, so you must know her more than I do.” Huminga muna siya ng malalim bago nagpatuloy.

“Are you insinuating something, honey? Yeah, we are in Catholic Country and marriage is a sacred. She’s old enough to get marry. She’s already twenty years old of age,” tugon ng Ginang habang minamasahe ang noo.

“That’s it, honey. You already mentioned the reason why your daughter answered and disobeyed you for the first time. Don’t get me wrong, honey. But let her manage her love life. Maybe she’s on the right age to marry, but it will depend on her when, who, and how. You are her mother, but it doesn’t mean that you can mingle her personal issues. Again, I’m telling you this, but the decision is still yours, honey.”

Mahaba-haba niyang paliwanag sa boses na talaga namang kapani-paniwala. She is his wife, but the burning love and desires that he is feeling inside belong to his step-daughter. His beloved Martha Cecilia.

UPON hearing those words from her husband, Attorney MM, found herself in deep thought. It seems that her husband knows her daughter more than she does. But on the other hand, she felt so delightful to hear those from him despite the fact that Martha Cecilia is her first husband’s daughter. Kaya naman ay nagpakawala muna siya ng malalim na hininga bago nagpatuloy.

‘That maid makes me almost to have a huge mistakes. I will surely punish her for telling me a lie. There is nothing to confirm at all. My poor, sweet daughter might be deeply distressed by now. Even my husband might lose his affection to me for what I’ve done to her,’ aniya sa sarili.

“Maybe I’m not that showy nor telling you every now and then, honey. But thank you for voluntarily saying those words to me. Don’t worry, honey. I will talk to her once again when she comes home. I love you, honey.” Ngumiti ang Ginang saka niyakap ang asawa ng mahigpit.

“Same here, honey. Calm yourself now, and let’s wait for her to come home. Don’t worry because she will understand you and your reason.” Gumanti ng ngiti at yakap ang Ginoo sa asawa.

ON the other hand, after sometimes sitting and thinking alone on that bench, Martha Cecilia decided to go back home. She needs to reconcile to her mother.

‘Maybe she’s only trying to trap me. There’s nothing I can not do to cover our deceitful relationship. I know it’s a huge maleficence. But I need to cover that for the rest of my life to Mom. I’m betraying her already my having a treacherous and elicit affair with my step-father, which is why I will lower my head and ask for forgiveness to Mom,’ bulong niya sa kawalan saka tumayo.

Pero!

Bago pa siya makagawa ng hakbang ay may kung sinong poncio pilato nang humablot sa kaniya at nagpaamoy sa kaniya ng kung anong bagay kaya't nawalan siya ng malay tao.