Chapter 35

The Blind

I'm getting married. Will Wynfrost finally come back? If she won't come, I'll take it as a sign that she never wanted to see me again.

Six years. Six fucking years passed by and we never saw even a shadow of her. It's like she disappeared without leaving a single trace.

At isa lang ang pupwedeng dahilan. Ayaw niyang mahanap namin siya.

I felt so inadequate. I wondered why after all that I did, she still never showed herself to me. Unti-unting nawala ang kompyansa ko na babalik siya matapos ang napakaraming taon. Unti-unti akong kinain ng takot na baka wala na siya, kasama ang anak namin.

Is she still alive?

Maluha-luha ako sa tanong na 'yan.

I have to believe that she's still living.

If she still doesn't show her face before my wedding, I'll take that as her response that she wouldn't want me again.

But why? Why would she not even leave a tiny sign for me? Just a little sign that she's still alive and well?

Ginawa ko ang lahat para sa kanya. I worked so hard to reach the top. I earned trillions, even more than that. I secured her step-parents' bills. I bought more than 50% of shares in companies, especially from Avicii's family. Sinigurado kong hawak ko na sila sa leeg para kung sakaling babalik na si Wynfrost, wala na siyang poproblemahin pa. I saved up more than enough for our children's future. They don't even need to work. Siya na lang ang kailangan ko, sila, kasama ang anak namin.

Is that too much to ask?

Tumingin ako sa labas ng balcony ng suite at tinanaw ang napakaraming mga gusaling nagkikislapan sa dilim.

She always loved it when we do it in the dark.

I always thought of her for 6 years. Ilang buwan lang kaming nagkasama pero ang bigat ng puso ko habang iniisip na baka naghihirap siya mag-isa kung saan.

I sighed.

What if she won't really come?

I told myself I'll make her come back in 5 years but it already turned 6 in a blink of an eye. Mag-iisang taon na ang anunsyo na magpapakasal ako at sa panahong 'yon, wala akong narinig na kahit ano mula sa kanya.

Hack said that maybe someone's protecting her by hiding her. I told myself that I just wish that's the case. Mapapanatag ako na may nag-aalaga sa kaniya, sa kanila.

Pero naiisip ko rin kung buhay ba ang anak namin o baka naman ay nakunan ulit si Wynfrost. She'll be in so much pain.

I hit my chest as it began to tighten when I think of her cries.

Please...

I exhaled a mouthful of air and decided to sleep on it. Lan and the gang told me that we're having a premature stag party tomorrow. I don't even know how they invented a premature stag party. Sabi lang nila practice daw iyon bago sa tunay na stag party bago ang kasal. Iyon na lang ang mabibigay ko sa kanila dahil sa tulong na binigay nila sa akin nang napakaraming taon.

Six years. I don't know if the world is treating me as a joke. Six years din noon ang lumipas mula noong nakilala ko si Wynfrost matapos mahalin si Floell.

I really thought I'd never love again. I denied it a gazillion times but I knew I was just lying to myself.

Itutulog ko na lang muna ang mga naiisip.

Tomorrow's another day worth waiting for...I guess.

~

I wore a simple white shirt and white jeans. Nasanay na rin akong purong puti ang isuot mula pa noong bulag ako.

Maaga akong bumaba para mag-agahan sa Restaurant ng hotel. Sabi ng mga kaibigan ko na doon na rin kami magkikita. The idiots want the stag party to happen today and they'll say we have to prepare it starting this early.

I'm sure they'll be late though.

I just sat somewhere comfortable and called for the waiter. I ordered a simple breakfast meal and waited patiently.

The waiter served a cup of coffee first so I sipped while staring at a painting not far away from me. Kumunot ang noo ko nang malamang pumorma ang abstract painting ng isang anghel na lalaki. Hindi masyadong klaro ang features pero sa tingin ko pamilyar ang mukha nito.

I leaned to get a closer look but was startled by a high-pitched scream.

"What is this? You're serving me bullocks!"

Nabuga ko ang kapeng iniinom at naisip na buti na lang wala akong kaharap. Iginala ko ang mata ko at nakita ang isang batang nakasuot ng malaking black shades habang suot-suot ang isang black na suit. Her black hair cascaded down to her back while her fair skin lit the room. Even though I can't see her face completely, I just know many boys would cry in the future.  It would've been perfect if only her little pink lips didn't curse the waiter incessantly.

I blinked a few times.

How old is this little girl to know how to curse like that?! Sinong baliw na mga magulang ang nagturo nito sa kanya?!

"I'm sorry, little miss!"

"If my Papa hears about this, you're dead!" I noticed her British accent and how she formed her fingers into a gun and aimed it at the wide-eyed waiter. "Bang!" Crazy. Whoever raised this child is crazy. "You're gonna be bloody dead!"

My heart clenched as I stared at her. If my child is still alive, she would've been around her age. And I would've taught her well.

Ano kayang tinuturo ng mga magulang nito sa kanya? She threw the word "dead" as if it's not a big deal.

"Sorry, little miss! Sorry!" Kumunot ang noo ko sa inasta ng waiter. Kahit wala naman itong kasalanan, yumuyuko ito na para bang takot na takot.

Maybe the girl's father is a mafia boss? I laughed at the thought.

That was when the child with her large dark-tinted glasses faced my direction. She pursed her lips and raised her head as if giving me a challenge.

"Did you laugh at me?!" she shrieked and I only found myself staring as she marched towards me cutely, her long black hair swaying behind her.

What a haughty princess. It would've been perfect if she wasn't wearing a black suit. I could already see her future as a field agent. Her parents must be going crazy thinking about that.

"Yes, I am laughing," I coolly replied and simply sipped from my cup of coffee.

"What? How dare you laugh at me?!" sabi nito sa cute at matinis na boses. Hindi naman ito nakakairita sa pandinig. Sa katunayan nga ay maganda pa rin itong pakinggan.

What a blessed child. Ang swerte ng mga magulang nito.

"It's just a young lady like you should act like a lady." She gaped and touched her cheeks as if hearing something that's quite a shock. "You're acting like a gangster. Are you a gangster?"

"Of course not!" Her evident British accent rolled with her words. "I'm a princess!"

"Of course you are," I said and shrugged my shoulders. She harrumphed and sat in front of me so I asked, "Aren't you gonna politely ask if you can sit with me?"

"Why would I do that?" she said and smirked. "I'm a princess."

"You're not. Princessses are polite," I pointed out.

"Not all Princesses," she bit back. "Those are losers."

"Being kind isn't being a loser." She looked taken aback since she froze and opened and closed her mouth. "Would you like to have breakfast with me?" tanong ko rito habang nakangiti.

She puffed her cheeks.

"W-Well, sure." And then she remained quiet while looking at me. Nag-order ako ng corn flakes at mainit na gatas sa waiter at nakita ko kung paano tumango-tango ang bata dahil doon. "And add some pancakes," aniya pa.

"Say please to Mr. Waiter," I told her softly.

Her lips twitched and pondered for a while before forcing out a "Please, Mr. Waiter."

Mukhang nagulat pa ang waiter bago ngumiti.

"My pleasure, little miss." Pagkatapos ay masaya itong umalis.

"A little act of kindness can make people happy," sabi ko sa kanya.

She scrunched up her nose as if feeling disgusted and flipped her hair.

"My Mama said I shouldn't let people take advantage of me." Nagkasalubong ang kilay ko sa narinig. Her mother must have some trust issues. "She said I shouldn't trust people. They'll end up hurting me."

I didn't know why but I remembered Wynfrost from that. Would she teach such things to our child because of so much pain?

I shook my head and spoke to the girl with a small smile.

"What's your name, Princess?" I noticed how her lips bloomed into a smile when I called her that but then she hurriedly pursed her lips as if hiding her joy.

"I can't tell you my name. Mama and Papa said it'll be dangerous."

I thought about her words and was glad that she had a complete family.

"Well, it's okay if you can't tell me your name," I said. "You can call me Quentin or Q or Tito Q. whichever you prefer."

"I'll call you Sir Quentin, like a knight. You saved my first breakfast experience in the country."

Ah, just what I thought. She's not from here.

"So, you're British?" I asked.

"No, I'm a Filipino. I grew up in UK." Then she gaped. "Wait, why am I telling you this?"

I laughed at her shocked expression.

"Hey, hey, hey!" rinig kong tawag ng boses ni Lan at nakita itong sumulpot sa gilid ng mesa. He was wearing a white shirt and a pair of grey jogging pants. Humihingal pa ito, klarong galing sa pagtakbo. He grinned and looked at the little girl in front of me. "Who's this lovely lady?"

The girl surveyed Lan's appearance from head to toe and stared at his smiling face.

"Why do I feel like you can't be trusted?" anang bata kaya napabunghalit ako ng tawa.

Oh, she's got good instincts.

"What's that supposed to mean?" maktol ni Lan at umatungal. "Avicii, Spaise, dudes! Look here! This little lady is cursing me!"

Ilang segundo lang ay nakita ko na si Avicii na bagot na bagot habang suot ang shirt at cargo shorts. Si Spaise naman ay tila pinagsakluban ng langit at lupa habang pinupunas sa pawis ang suot na jersey.

"It's so early and yet your loud voice knows no bounds," Avicii sarcastically muttered and yawned. He glanced at the little girl and raised a brow. "Who's this hitman wannabe?"

"Rubbish! I'm not a hitman wannabe!" the girl shouted in indignance. "You pitiful sluggish man don't even know elegance," she added while eyeing Avicii's laidback appearance. "Like an unemployed bum." Pero dahil natural nang tamad si Avicii, binalewala niya ang sinabi ng bata at naupo lang sa gilid nito. "Well, at least you're quiet."

"Kaninong tiyanak 'to?" nakakunot-noong tanong ni Spaise bago naupo sa bakanteng upuan sa kaliwa ko. "Why is she wearing a suit in this weather?"

Tiyanak, really? Pfft. Napansin kong hindi nag-react ang bata kahit tinawag siyang ganoon ni Spaise.

Can't she understand Filipino?

"I'm not gonna go out," the girl said in disgust. "This country is filthy enough, not to mention this hot weather."

"Ba't parang ang tanda nang magsalita nitong batang 'to?" takang tanong ni Spaise. Lumingon ito sa akin at nagtanong. "Kaninong anak 'to?"

"I don't know," I mumbled. "Nakita ko lang siya rito."

"Hey asshole, stop speaking in Filipino!" she grumbled and pouted. "I can't understand it very well!"

So she really doesn't understand it but did she really call me an asshole?!

Really, can she curse so much?

"Hey," Avicii said with a frown. "Why are you being so impolite?" He eyed the little girl in interest. "Your mouth curses so much for a girl your age."

"Who cares?" she plainly said. She flipped her hair again and her large glasses wobbled a bit but didn't fall. Why is she even wearing those tinted glasses? Tuloy hindi namin makita ang mata niya. I bet she's rolling her eyes though. "Who are you people? Why are you disturbing Sir Quentin and I?"

Sir Quentin, like a knight. Hahahaha!

"Why are you speaking like that?" ani Spaise at uminom mula sa baso ng tubig sa tabi. "Like a haughty British Princess."

Natawa ako sa tanong nito.

The little girl snorted.

"I am not haughty nor British but I am my father's Princess."

"Who's your father?" Lan asked as he settled on a chair. Kanina pa kasi ito tumititig sa bata na para bang may naaalala. "You know, you look kind of familiar!"

"My princess!" anang pamilyar na boses. Taka kaming napalingon at nakita si Hack na tumatakbo papunta sa direksyon namin. He was wearing a plain black sweater and a pair of pajamas. "My princess, why did you leave me alone?" When he reached our side, he froze as he finally realized who we were. "O-Oh! Dudes!"

His eyes shook as he looked at the kid and back at us.

"Papa Hack, you're so loud!" pagrereklamo ng bata.

Papa Hack?

I stared at Hack and the girl in exasperation. Lan was gaping while Avicii was furrowing his brows. Si Spaise naman ay napaubo-ubo matapos mabilaukan ng tubig.

"P-Princess," Hack stammered and scratched his neck. Iminiwestra kami nito at alanganing ngumisi. "These are my friends." Pagkatapos ay tumingin ito sa amin isa-isa at napangiwi nang matitigan ako. Hindi ko na iyon pinansin at hinintay ang kanyang sasabihin. "G-Guys, meet my d-daughter."

Weirdly, it felt like someone kicked my chest after hearing that.