The Lost Daughter Novels & Stories

“Must be hard growing up without knowing who her daddy is. Sigurado ka bang bagay siya sa paaralang ito? I mean, it's not exactly… charity-friendly, if you know what I mean.” Samantha’s jaw clenched hard. Did this good for nothing woman even know who the father of her child was? Halata namang hindi, kaya pinili niyang huwag pansinin ang sinabi ni Reeva. She stood, glaring at Reeva who leaned in, her voice dripping with venom. “I mean, no offense. Pero ang mga bastardo, kadalasan nagiging katulad ng mga nanay nila. Lost, cheap and unwanted.”

“Please, hija, hayaan mo akong padalhan kita ng pagkain. Do you have the family heirloom I gave you? Don’t sell it, anak. I will help you through this, I promise.” Namangha siya sa narinig. “Instead of helping your daughter and your husband back in shape, you’d rather do charity work?” Tinawanan niya ito. “Woman! Stay in your mother’s house and be the nice, pretty daughter. You’re good at it.” “Luna, anak,” giit nito. “Give me your address. I’ll send food and money, I promise.”

Tinanggap ito ni Travis and stroke their glass. “I told you, may you can use her but she is a greatest curse of yours. Stop playin' you've lost— “Trav.” Ibinaba ni Thyme ang baso at hinawakan sa magkabilaang balikat ni Trav. They look at each other's eyes. “I know you're cornern and I understand...” He tap Trav's shoulder. “It's my business not yours.” “I'm trying to help you out of the darkness but seems you don't need my help. Look, have you forgot what's happen? She's the reason, Thyme! She is. You suffer, you lost your daughter, what else? What else you want to lost?”

Biglang nagulat si Lyn ng marinig ang sigaw ng isang babae sa kanyang likuran. Paglingon niya ay nakita niya ang isang di katandaan na babae, itim ang buhok, nakasuot ng polo shirt na may tatak na BHW at may naka sabit na backpack sa kanyang likuran. Mukhang itong alalang-alala at awang-awa ng makita siya. Naging panatag ang pakiramdam ni Lyn ng masulyapan ang babae kaya't siya'y biglang napahagulgol ng malakas.

Panandalian niyang naalala kung paano siya itinakwil ng kanyang ama at kung paano inagaw ng stepsister niya ang atensyon mula sa kanya, at kung paano inagaw ng parehong tao ang taong minahala niya ng dalawang taon. May isang pagkakamali si Samantha Davis, at ito ang naging dahilan ng pagbagsak niya. Kahit ang pagmamakaaawa ng lola niya ay hindi sapat para ibalik ang estado niya sa pamamahay ng pamilya Davis. Naalala niya muli ang sakit ng kaladkarin palabas sa sarili niyang bahay, at naluha siya. Humikbi siya sa kalungkutan at pinunasan ang luha. Sinipon siya at bumuntong hininga, “Lola, namimiss na kita.”

Agad na napalitan ng kakaibang awra ang buong cafe ng pumasok ang isang babae. Xyza daughter of my oh so called step-mother went barging the cafe and when our eyes met her eyes was raging with fire tinasaan ko lang sya ng kilay and went back looking at my papers and start working them. “You bitch what the hell did you do to my mom?!” hindi ko siya hinarap but i still answer her kawawa nman yung hayop kung di mo kakusapin.

Naalala ko yung araw na mag-isa ako habang nanganganak kay Liovie habang ang ibang babae ay kasama ang mga asawa nila. Lahat ng sakit na yun, lahat ng hirap, ay unti-unting napapawi sa bawat hakbang ko palapit sa kaniya. Nang marating namin ang altar, iniabot ni Daddy ang kamay ko kay Lionel. "Take care of my daughter, Lionel. If you hurt her, I don't care if you're a Lazaro, I will take her back." banta ni Daddy na may kasamang ngiti

Para walang maraming salita pa ay sumang-ayon siya. “Cris dating gawi na naman tawagan mo si Chloe para sa pag stand in niya bilang girlfriend ko para naman hindi ako mag eeffort to wear out the young ladies interest in me.Beside Zara the Lopes true daughter who happened to be kidnapped at an early age of 2 is barely 18 years old too young for me at sugurado ako na batang isip pa yun ayoko ng ganun eh corrupting minors sa feeling ko ang gagawin ko kapag pinayagan ko ang ama ko na walang ibang ginawa kung di maliitin ako.”

But… “Charlie, you didn’t have to. You have always been protective of me since that day, just like your mother. But I am well now, sweetheart. And I never blamed you for what happened that day. That was on me. You didn’t have to carry everything by yourself just because you are afraid to hurt me or any one of us in the family.” Bahagya siya nitong binitiwan at niyuko. “You are my daughter, Charlize Elizabeth. There is no mistake in this world that you can make that I cannot forgive. Always remember that.” The words of his father shot right through her heart. It was like a light that dispels the darkness away-- sending a glimmer of hope to her aching heart.

Madalang lang siyang magpakita sa pamilya niya, lalo na sa mga kaibigan. Ang rason kaya hindi siya mapakali lagi, lalong tumitindi ang lungkot niya kapag nakikita si Callen. Lagi niyang naiisip ang anak nilang hindi man lang nabigyan nang pagkakataon na masilayan ang mundo. Nahihirapan siyang tanggapin. At hindi lang iyon… *Flashback* “I'm sorry, Miss Del Franco, pero huli na. You've already lost your baby...”