Broken Family Drawing Novels & Stories

Love is indeed cruel. Hindi ko alam na posible palang maramdaman ang mga bagay nang sabay-sabay, na kung sino pang nanakit sa ‘yo, pakiramdam mo ay siya lang din ang makakapawi niyon. I don’t understand it. How can they bring the broken pieces of you together only to break them even more? “Hindi na matutuloy ang kasal,” anunsyo ko kay Dad noong nasa hapagkainan kami.

But before he could answer, a small voice interrupted. “Mommy! Daddy!” Liam ran out of his room, clutching two colorful drawings in his hands. His face was bright, oblivious to the tension hanging in the air. “Look!” he shouted excitedly. “I made a family picture. This is me, this is Mommy, and this is Daddy!” He handed the paper to Ethan, who stared at it in awe. The crayon drawing was simple, childlike but to Ethan, it was more precious than any painting he could ever buy. In it, the three of them were holding hands, smiling, standing under a bright sun.

​The family picture was broken. The frame was shattered. And one dragon was missing.

“Oui, Mommy! I drew something for you!” Tiningnan ni Carol ang hawak nitong papel—isang masayang pamilya, may isang babae, isang maliit na bata, at isang lalaking may matipunong katawan, pero ang mukha ay mukhang hindi nito nalagyan ng detalye. Napahigpit ang hawak ni Carol sa papel, ngunit pinilit niyang ngumiti. Alam niya kung sino ang lalaki sa drawing, ngunit hindi siya nagpaepekto.

“Kasi kahit nasaktan ako, kahit natakot ka… nandoon ka. And that’s all I needed to get through that day.” Nagtagpo ang mga mata nila. Tahimik. Tapat. Punô ng pag-unawa. Maya-maya pa, lumapit si Ayesha na may bitbit na drawing pad. “Mommy, Daddy, tingnan niyo, I drew our family!” proud niyang sabi. Sa papel, may tatlong stick figures. May baby sa gitna, may puso sa taas ng ulo ng Daddy, at may malaking ngiti sa mukha ng Mommy.

Pakiramdam niya ay may kutsilyong umiikot sa kanyang puso. Sa kabilang pahina ay may drawing. Isang bahay. Isang babae. Isang lalaki. Dalawang bata. At isang maliit na batang babae sa gitna. Sa itaas nito ay nakasulat gamit ang magulong sulat kamay: “Pamilya ko balang araw.”

nginitian niya itong muli bago tuluyang naghanda ng pagkain nito na dala niya mula sa mansyon. "We broke up." mahina niyang usal ngunit malinaw na malinaw sa pandinig ng kanyang yaya. Nilingon lamang siya nito na tila ba nabigla at saka ipinag patuloy ang ginagawa ng makabawi sa kabiglaanan. "He betrayed me with his ex-girlfriend. Akala ko nabago ko na sya eh, umasa akong hindi nya magagawa sakin yun pero eto ako ngayon luhaan at nasasaktan." Patuloy lang siya sa pag luha ngunit nakatingala sa kisame na akala mo'y naroon ang kausap.

Then we walked out of the room. Conrad was in the living room. He was sitting on the floor, surrounded by crayons and paper. He looked up when we walked in. “Bakit hindi ka pa natutulog?” tanong ko. "Daddy! Mommy! Look at my drawing!" He held up a piece of paper. It was a family portrait. Three stick figures. One big. One medium. One small. "Who is that?" I asked. "That's you, Mommy. And that's Daddy. And that's me."

"Look!" Kinuha ko iyon at nang tingnan ko, isang simpleng drawing ang bumungad sa akin, ginamitan lamang ng crayons at stick figures, ngunit malinaw ang mensahe nito: isang babae, dalawang bata, at isang matangkad na lalaki na magkakasama sa gitna, magkakahawak-kamay, at sa itaas ng larawan ay nakasulat sa malalaki at makukulay na letra ang OUR FAMILY. Bahagyang nagsalubong ang mga kilay ko. Hindi ko alam kung bakit pero may kung anong sumundot sa dibdib ko. Parang may bahagi ng sarili kong hindi ko maipaliwanag.

Old, medyo lukot na, galing sa isa sa mga activity folders ni Elle. I handed it to him. A drawing, done in crayons. May araw sa taas, kulay dilaw. May dalawang puno sa gilid. At sa gitna—si Kalix, ako, at si Elle. Magkakapit-kamay. Nakasulat sa itaas: “MY FAMLY – WHOLE.” He stared at it for a long time. And then he broke. He hugged it to his chest, closed his eyes, and let the tears fall. Walang filter. Walang pride. Just raw, trembling pain.