Kabanata 95

I still wonder... Ano kayang buhay ko ngayon kung buhay si daddy? Kung hindi kami na-bankrupt? Maybe my life is a lot different, maybe hindi kami nagkakilala ni Spike. Maybe I am still the same Serra who's capable of doing everything. Who's not afraid of losing anyone because I know that money was just there... backing me up.

But no...

This is what a reality looks like, that life has a lot of mysteries, it's full of surprises. I was doing fine in Las Vegas, I have a great career, friends, money. Wala akong problema. Then suddenly, all these shits happened.

"I have loved you as my own! But it gives me the most excruciating pain when I thought of the fact na hindi ikaw si Spike! Na hindi ikaw ang anak ko! NA PINATAY NIYO ANG ANAK KO!"

Wala ng mas sasakit pa sa isang ina na tulad ko ang makitang may isang inang umiiyak, nasasaktan dahil sa pagkawala ng kanyang anak. She was betrayed. They killed her one and only son tapos pinalitan ng iba para lang din traydorin siya.

Sa nanginginig na mga kamay ay mas hinigpitan ni Mama Rosella ang hawak-hawak niyang baril habang itinututok ito kay Spike.

"Like what I've said... You deserve it! You killed my mother!" matigas na sabi ni Spike pero kita ko kung paanong tumulo ang mga luha niya.

"She deserves it! She betrayed me! She was my bestfriend! Nag iisa kong kaibigan! Alam niyang mahal ko si Javier pero nagawa niya pa rin itong mahalin! Worst! Nagpabuntis siya! At ikaw 'yon... Ikaw 'yong demonyong naging bunga! Kaya nararapat lang na ilibing ko siya ng buhay sa ilalim ng pool na 'yon!"

"W-what do y-you mean?"

Malakas na humalakhak si Mama Rosella. She was laughing like it was the funniest thing in this world.

"I remember how me and Javier danced that night, talking about how we first met and fell in love with each other, planning about our future while Maya was under that ground where we were dancing, trying to gasp for air, trying to live, hoping for someone to save her."

Spike gritted his teeth. The gun he's holding is now shaking as I saw how affected he was by what Mama Rosella have said.

"HAYOP KA! DEMONYO KA! NO! MAS MASAHOL KA PA SA DEMONYO!"

"OH YES! I AM! Man, I just don't kill people. I can be the worst once you betrayed and ruined me!"

"Papatayin kita! PAPATAYIN KITA!" puno ng panggigigil na sigaw ni Spike. Pero kahit napakalakas na ng sigaw niyang 'yon ay hindi man lang natinag si Mama Rosella. She remained her posture like she has nothing to be scared of. That even the great Spike Guillermo can't scare her.

She heaves out a deep sigh, "But I treasure that land so much, hijo. I even built a swimming pool and hired the best architect here in the Philippines just to build a very beautiful landscape, so everyone can have a visit on her grave. Isn't it nice? Whenever there's a party, doon ko lagi hini-held para hindi siya malungkot."

"YOU'RE. A. MONSTER!"

Nag aapoy ang mga mata ni Spike sa galit. I was crying too as I watched him crying. And wala akong magawa. Ang pathetic lang kasi nasasaktan siya at ang tangi ko lang magawa ay ang masaktan lang din para sa kanya.

"What do you expect me to do then? Hayaan ko siyang maging masaya? She messes up with my marriage! And you want me to do nothing? You want me to let her have her happy ending with your stepfather like nothing happened? Sinaktan niya ako! SHE MADE MY LIFE MISERABLE!"

"Daddy loves you!"

Sarkastikong ngumiti si Mama Rosella, habang sunod-sunod pa rin ang pagtulo ng kanyang mga luha.

"I don't think so..."

"He tells me and showed me how much he loves you! Nagkamali man siya at pumatol sa nanay ko pero mahal ka niya! Ikaw ang mahal niya!"

"It was all for show! For you- no! For our son to see that we've built a happy home for him! Pero hindi pala ikaw ang anak namin! You're an impostor! If you think I'm a monster... It's all because your mother made me! And now... Pati ikaw... Ipinamana niya sa 'yo ang kawalanghiyaan niya! I will never forgive you."

"Hindi ko rin hihingiin ang kapatawaran mo. Dahil miski ako hindi kita patatawarin. Isasama ko sa hukay mo ang galit ko sa 'yo!"

Kita ko ang sakit sa mga mata ni Spike. Miski nang lingunin ko si Mama Rosella ay kita kong nasasaktan siya habang tinitingnan si Spike.

"We were together for more than a decade... I treated you like my real son. I cared for you and only want what's best for you. Hindi ako makapaniwalang all this time, niloloko lang pala ako. Pinaglaruan lang pala ako! For what? For you to get revenge for your mother's death? Now for what you did, siguro naman quits na tayo!"

Umiling si Spike. " No. Kailanman hindi tayo magiging quits. You only lost your son. Pero sa akin, kinuha mo lahat! Si nanay, ang kapatid kong si Sebastian, si Daddy at Lola, ang mga anak ko!"

"All for the death of my son! Uubusin ko kayong lahat dahil sa ginawa niyong pagpatay sa anak ko!"

And as if on cue, she pulled the trigger. I don't know if it's my adrenaline rush, or what? Pero hindi na ako nakapagisip. Tila may sariling utak ang katawan ko at agad 'yong nagkusang gumalaw papunta kay Spike upang yakapin siya. Doon lang ako nagulat at tila bumalik sa katinuan nang naramdaman ko na ang hapdi ng sugat ko sa aking likuran.

Tinamaan ako. Sinalo ko 'yong balang inilaan dapat ni Mama Rosella kay Spike.

And It's so foolish of me to do it, to save Spike over myself!

After everything he did? Pagkatapos niya akong saktan? Nagawa ko pa rin siyang protektahan? Nagawa ko pa rin siyang piliin kaysa sa sarili kong buhay?

"Serra... SERRA, WHY DID YOU FUCKING DO IT?"

And it's the last words I've heard from Spike before everything of me went black.