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Chapter 1

Love Child

Gus

I parked my newly bought sports car in my grandparents' garage. I am the favorite grandchild in the family. Maybe because I'm the youngest. And the most handsome, of course. And today our grandparents just called their grandchildren to their home and large estate.

Galing pa sa parents nina lolo at lola ay may kaya na talaga ang pamilya namin sa buhay. Their hectares of lands in the province made their ancestors rich. Pagkatapos magaling pa sa business si lolo at pati na rin ang mga anak niya—ang dad ko and sina tito rin. Kaya lalo pa silang yumaman hanggang ngayon sa generation na naming mga apo at anak nila. My grandparents have three children who are all boys. My dad's the first born. And I'm the youngest among three siblings as well. There's my Kuya Austin and Ate Alia, and then Mommy. My grandparents' second child, Tito Ben, has two children with different moms, and he's unmarried up to this age. Still trying to play... And then the youngest, Tito Max, has one daughter with his wife who sadly passed away a long time ago... And although Lexie's younger than me, I'm the youngest among my male cousins.

So as you can see, si Daddy lang yata ang may more stable na family sa kanilang magkakapatid... Gusto ni lola na tumigil na si Tito Ben sa paglalaro, at dati pa talaga nila ito sakit ng ulo kahit noong kabataan pa niya. And then they also wished that Tito Maximus would remarry but he's still too in love with his deceased wife to do so... Kaya bukod sa pagiging panganay ay si Daddy ang paboritong anak dahil na rin sa mga dahilang nabanggit ko. And my older brother and sister were also achievers. And now already building their own names from scratch. Kaya rin naman paborito nina lolo at lola. At siyempre ako na mula pagkabata ay palagi nang pinagbibigyan ng grandparents ko. So I grew up a little spoiled...

"Nice car." bati sa akin ng pinsan kong si Bently, Tito Ben's son. Halos sabay lang din kaming dumating at sina ate nasa loob na ng mansyon nina lola.

Ngumiti ako sa pinsan ko at nakipag-high five. "Yeah."

"Ito ba ang bagong bili sa 'yo nina lolo?" Ben asked me. Sometimes we also call him Ben like his father as a nickname.

I nodded. It's not my birthday, pero kapag talaga may hiningi ako kanila lolo ay binibigay agad kahit ano pa 'yan. And of course, hanggang sa kaya lang naman nilang ibigay sa akin. And then Ben's brother, Brayden also arrived and went to us after parking his car just beside ours. Nakipag-high five din ako sa kaniya. When we were younger I used to address them 'kuya' pa since they're a couple years older. But now that we're not kids anymore, I just call them by their names. Since palagi ko silang nakakasama talaga sa mga lakad namin. At parang close friends ko na lang din. I can't really bond with my older brother because of our age gap, or he's such a serious guy and more focused on his work and career.

The three of us went in the mansion and was greeted by my brother and sister, who's the oldest grandchildren. And Alexie or Lexie who's also already properly seated there beside my ate.

We greeted our grandparents. And just did the usual when we're at their home. Just eat and talk. But I don't know what happened until all the topics were directed at me. At nasa akin na lang ang atensyon nina lolo at lola. Kasalanan talaga nina Bently at Brayden...

"How about your love child, bro?"

Masama kong tiningnan si Bray. Nagsimula lang kasi sa binibiro nila ako ng kapatid niya about having a love child daw. Assholes. Alam ko namang wala. I may play around like other healthy males... But I'm a hundred percent sure na wala naman akong nabubuntis. At kung mayroon man I'm sure maghahabol 'yan. Pero alam ko talaga na wala. Pinagtitripan lang talaga ako ng mga pinsan ko sa harap ng grandparents namin.

Napag-uusapan na kasi ang pagpapakasal ni Kuya Austin sa long-time girlfriend na rin niya na si Ate Beverly. Isang galing din sa may kayang pamilya at maganda rin ang trabaho kaya lalong approved kanila lola at sa parents na rin namin. And it's only right na magpakasal na si kuya because he's already in his 30s. Puro kasi trabaho pero mabuti naman kasi magpapakasal na sila ni Ate Beverly ngayon. Mabait din 'yon at kayang makipagsabayan kahit sa mga biruan namin ng mga pinsan ko. Mas pikon pa nga si kuya. Kaya gusto rin siya naming magpipinsan. The whole family loves her.

And then Ben and Bray just started talking about me and my imaginary love child... Tsk. These guys. "Stop it. Baka maniwala pa sina lola niyan." Ngumisi pa ako sa pagsaway sa pinsan.

Pero parang biglang natahimik na sila at sa akin na lahat nakatingin. And man, it was awkward. Lalo na sina lola na sobrang seryoso na makatingin sa akin. And I've never felt this tense around my grandparents before. Gago talaga sina Ben at Bray. At tumawa lang pa ang mga loko.

"May hindi ka ba sinasabi sa amin, Augustus?" My grandmother asked me in a serious tone.

Damn, it's my full name. I shook my head. "No... Lola, no." And it's hard pa to explain seeing how serious my grandparents have become about this! Matalim ko muling tiningnan ang mga pinsan ko. Habang nasulyapan ko rin si Lexie na natahimik lang din. Well, she's already a quiet, and prim and proper girl. Hindi nga namin masyadong nakakausap 'yan nina Bray. But when we were kids we also used to baby her. Pero s'yempre ngayon dalaga na siya. Things really do change over time.

"Please don't listen to Ben and Bray..." I pleaded.

And then lola sighed. At isa-isa kaming tiningnan na mga apo. "As I and your lolo said a while ago, ibibigay na namin sa inyong lahat ang mga mamanahin ninyo sa amin. Kaysa mauna lang si Austin dahil ikakasal na siya. Tumatanda na kami ng lolo ninyo and we think that we want to see how you will enjoy your pamana and how you will take care of it, or even make it big..."

Tahimik lang kami ng mga mga kapatid at mga pinsan ko na nakikinig.

Pagkatapos ay muling bumalik sa akin ang atensyon ni lola. I gulped as I watched her, too. Nagkatinginan pa sila ni lolo sandali. Pagkatapos ay tinanong pa ang mga kapatid ko tungkol sa buhay ko...

"We don't really know, Lola, I'm sorry. Pareho kami ni Kuya Austin na busy sa work. Hindi rin siya nababantayan nina Mommy at Daddy..." Mataman din akong tiningnan ni ate. Nanlaki naman ang mga mata ko. Oh please, don't tell me na pati sina ate naniniwala sa kasinungalingan nina Bray?

"Ate—"

Pero pinutol ako ni kuya. "The people who knows more about Gus are probably Bently and Brayden. Sila ang palaging magkakasama." My brother even added!

And to hell with these guys, when I turned to Bray and Ben they looked like they're already afraid na bawiin iyong biro lang nila kanina... Kasi sobrang seryoso na talaga nina lola, and our grandfather was dead silent as well!

Mabait ang grandparents namin sa amin and they spoil us, but when they're serious like this, nakakatakot din talaga. The last thing that I and my cousins want to do was to anger our grandparents...

And I can't blame my grandparents, or my siblings! Kasi alam nila kung ano ang mga ginagawa ko—or at least they all know what I usually do... Especially with girls...

And then it happened too fast. Parang hindi ko pa masundan. Agad nagdesisyon sina lola para sa akin. "Augustus, hijo," nagbuntong-hininga pa si lola bago nagpatuloy. "Maybe you thought na magagalit kami ng lolo mo..." And they even believed na nadulas lang ang mga pinsan ko sa pagsasabi ng katotohanan sa kanila?! When in fact it's just a lie! It's a lie! Pero parang napipi na rin ako at hindi na nakapagsalita. "We're not, hijo. But we want you to be honest. We may be traditional, sana ay kasal muna bago ang pag-aanak, but if it's already there then wala na tayong magagawa. Bring your child here. At pati na rin ang mother ng bata. Kahit ano pa man ang relasyon ninyong dalawa...o ang nangyayari sa inyo... Let's just talk about the kid."

My mind almost went blank. Hindi na rin makatawa o ngisi man lang sina Ben at Bray. Because our grandparents were already dead serious about it. Tahimik lang din sina ate at kuya. Wala nang may nagsalita bukod kay lola na hinihintay din ang sagot ko.

And how am I supposed to answer that? Ngayon lang yata ako na bobo nang ganito.

"Bring them here next week. I'll expect that, hijo." My grandmother said with finality.

My mouth was opened and my jaw dropped. Hindi na ako makapagsalita nang maayos. At hindi ko maipaliwanag ang sarili ko... At parang hindi ko na rin alam ang iisipin... I was shocked.

How fast did things turned out this way, seriously... Parang ang saya ko lang kanina nang dumating ako rito at wala akong problema.

And now... How am I supposed to have a child and its mom in just a week?

I'm going crazy.