The world stops from spinning. Everyone freeze as of the moment. It's like the three of us are the only persons alive. Ashton and Maia are happily playing each other without minding their chaotic surrounding. Maraming tao sa playground kung saan nakatuon ang atensiyon ko pero ang mga mata ko ay nasa kanilang dalawa lang. Ang aking mag-ama. May kung anong init na yumakap sa loob ng dibdib ko. Iba ang mga ngiti ni Maia habang nakikipaghabulan ito kay Ashton. Samantalang si Ashton naman ay magiliw itong nakipaglaro sa kaniya. Wala silang alam na magkadugo sila. “Anong plano mo ngayon?” I blinked and turned to Trisha without knowing what to say. Ngayon ko lang na-realize na wala akong plano. I breath deeply and sighed heavily, “Hindi ko rin alam, Trish.”Huminga siya ng malalim bago ako pinaharap sa kaniya. “Ano bang kinakatakot mo?”Ano nga ba?“Na baka gawin niya rin ang ginawa niya sayo dati sa anak mo? I thought you're brave now. Braver than before. Then, why are you still scared?
Months passed by, our lives backed to normal. Living in peaceful and harmonious life with my daughter and Trisha. Natapos ang summer ni Maia ng matiwasay. We did everything we can during her vacation. But everything is not constant. One day, it will change. A change that will make our world shaken.“Mama!” Lumingon ako ng marinig ang matinis na tinig ni Maia. Ginala siya ng Tita Trisha niya dito sa mall. Matagal na rin bago kami nakapagmall kaya hinayaan ko na rin lang. “Loot oh! Tita bought me a teddy bear!” You can see happiness and excitement on her face as she giggles. I glanced at Trisha, “Masyado mo yatang inii-spoil ang inaanak mo, Trish.”“Nah, it's okay! Ngayon lang naman!” “Nga pala, may pupuntahan lang ako saglit. Maiwan ko muna kayo saglit,” paalam nito at lumakad na.“Sige! Hihintayin ka namin dito!”I grabbed my phone when it rings on my pocket. Sinagot ko agad nang makitang si Mrs. Martinez ang tumawag. “Good afternoon! Bakit po?”“Why did you decline the offer of
“Please stop overworking yourself, Malia.”I only gave him a little smile; then, I went out from his car. Hindi na ako nagtataka kung halos lahat ng dumadaan dito sa lugar namin ay nakatingin sa ‘kin. Trisha is waiting for me in front of the gate while carrying Maia. Abot tainga ang ngiti nito. Kulang nalang mapunit ang bibig nito sa kakangisi. “Mama!” Nagagalak na bati ng anak ko. Kinuha ko si Maia kay Trisha kahit may kabigatan na ito. Sabik na sabik naman itong yumakap sa ‘kin. “Bibig mo, Trisha,” saway ko sa kaniya. Hindi parin kasi ito tumitigil sa kakangisi na para bang may nakakatawa. “May progress na ba? Unti-unti na niya bang naakyat ang napakataas mong bakod?” panunuya nito. Pinanlakihan ko lang siya ng mata. Malabo. Sobrang labo. Mahal siya ni Melizza. Mahal siya ng kaibigan ko.“What’s stopping you from letting him enter your life?” she asked, seriously.Natahimik ako. I do not know, too. I have no idea why. The only reason from stopping him enter my life is I don't w
“Y-you’re crazy...” hindi makapaniwalang sambit ko. I hurriedly got up from his lap and went out. I contacted Trisha to assure their safety.I unbelievably shook my head. Is he crazy?! How could he do it amidst the earthquake?! Can't he suppressed his feelings?! My God! Naiinis ako sa kaniya!What a pervert!“Trish, are you okay there? Kamusta kayo ni Maia?!” I immediately asked her the moment she answered my call. “Oo, okay lang kami rito? Ikaw? Kayo ni Ashton?” Trisha asked me back, silencing me. Sumagi kaagad ang ginawa sa akin ng Ashton na ‘yon.I cleared my throat before responding to her. “O-oo, okay lang kami.”Nauutal pa nga. I bit my lower lip and cussed myself. Hindi nagtagal ay sumunod naman si Ashton. Nasa harapan ako ng kotse niya kaya kitang-kita ko ang seryosong mukha nito habang nagmamadali sa paglalakad. Nasa kamay niya ang makapal na pile ng mga papeles na kailangan niyang sagutan. He stopped behind me. He seems worried. “M-malia...” My body hair were all standing
When I woke up, my body felt sore. Mahigpit ang yakap ni Ashton sa akin habang nasa ibabaw niya parin ako. I moved a bit closer to his neck and sniffed him. How can his breath smells so good? Ano ba ang oral care and routine ng lalaking ‘to? Hindi ba siya nabibigatan sa ‘kin? We did a lot of rounds last night. He was like a wild beast in bed last night! Muntik na akong mawalan ng malay sa sobrang pagod. I glanced at his wall clock only to see that it is already three in the morning. His sleeping face greeted me. Napakaamo ng mukha niya habang natutulog. He was gently snoring and that made me smile. He's so cute! Ibang-iba siya kapag natutulog. Mukhang hindi makakapatay ng kandila at makakabasag ng pinggan. God! I missed this man so much! No matter how I denied to myself that I don't have any remaining feelings for him, I still love him. I still fall for him everytime I got the chance to see him. No matter how I try concealing my love for him with hatred, nangingibabaw parin ang pagma
“Sulit ba ang bakasyon?” Bumungad ang isang mapang-asar na ngiti ni Trisha sa ‘kin pagkauwi ko kaagad. Supposedly, kahapon pa sana ako uuwi but Ashton wanted to spend more time with me. I sacrificed the time for my daughter for him. I stopped myself from smiling as I remembered what happened between the two of us for the past few days. I still could not believe that it happened. I still felt like I was daydreaming. “Mama!” Maia excitedly hugged me with so much longing. Kahit may kabigatan ay agaran ko itong niyakap at kinalong. Hinagkan-hagkan ko pa ang malalambot na mukha nito. Masyado kong namimiss ang chikiting na ‘to! “I miss you so much, baby!” “Mama, are you with Tito Lollipop? Is he going to be my Papa?” Mabilis at dire-diretsong tanong nito kahit na nagkabulol-bulol ang paraan ng pagsasalita. Hindi ko mapigilang mapangiti sa ka-cute-an nito.I do not gave her a reply. I only smiled at her. “Anak, stop thinking about that thing muna ha. Are you done eating? Studying? Or pla
“Ashton, are you insane?! You will not take that woman home, Ashton! She has a child! And it's not yours! Why would you feel obligated?” Isang malakas at galit na boses ang bumungad sa tainga ko pagkalabas ko sa pintuan ng room namin. Agad kong sinara ang pinto at bumalik sa hospital bed kung saan naka-upo si Maia habang pinaglalaruan ang stuffed toy na kakabili lang ni Ashton. We looked like a real family here. How I wish this moment is could be true. “Mama, are we going to Tito Lollipop’s house?”“Yes anak,” kumpirma ko kahit hindi naman sigurado. I played with Maia until Ashton went inside. Kalmado parin ang mukha nito ngunit may kakaibang emosyon ang kaniyang mga mata. Hindi ko kayang mabasa. Hindi ko mabasa. Ang hirap niyang basahin. “Are you okay?” Nag-aalinlangan pa akong tanungin siya. He leaned first to kiss my head before replying my question. “Yes, I'm okay. We're good to go.”I held Maia’s hand before going outside the room. Nakahinga naman ako ng maluwag nang makitan
“You can only choose one, Malia. Is it Ashton or your daughter?”Fear crept my whole system the moment I opened the envelope. It was a photos of my daughter from our home, in the playground of her school, inside her room, in the canteen, and even when Maia headed to the comfort room. Humigpit ang hawak ko sa papel dahilan ng pagkagusot nito. Mula sa takot ay napalitan ito ng galit. She can insult, disrespect, and hurt me as long as they can but not my daughter! As long as I am standing alive and breathing, no one can touch my daughter. Not her!I slammed her table and she looked shocked. She even slightly jumped on her swivel chair. It looked like she never expected that a mere woman, named Malia would do it in front of her. Kitang-kita ng mga dalawang mata ko ang gulat sa mukha niya. Hindi niya ini-expect na magagawa ko iyon sa harapan niya. Bakit naman siya mag-i-expect? Hindi naman ako ganito dati!“Huh! Are you really that lowly class?! Ano pa ba ang gusto mong kunin sa akin?! Iyo