Chapter Five

Engineer

Nasa pinto pa lang ako ng tinitirhan namin ay naririnig ko na ang maliit na boses na sumusubok kumanta. I smiled widely. Galing ako sa eskwela. I went to college again and continued my studies. Alam kong kailangan kong magtapos sa pag-aaral ko and have a better career for my daughter. Hindi naman pwede na palagi nalang kaming umasa ng anak ko kanila kuya. My child is my responsibility. Kaya talagang nagsisikap ako para sa kaniya. At lalo rin akong na motivate since Chelca came into my life.

Lumipat kami rito sa bahay noong kaya na namin at bumukod na rin kami mula kanila tita. But we still visit them at hindi naman kami talagang napalayo at ganoon din sina tita dito sa amin. Until today we're still grateful for their help before.

"Mommy!" My little girl who's already turning 6 years old immediately ran to me when she saw me arrived home.

I grinned. Sinalo ko siya when she almost jumped to me. "Hmm! How was my baby today? Mommy missed you so much!" I kissed her repeatedly and she giggled adorably.

"Kuya, tinuturuan mo na naman bang kumanta ang anak ko? Wala ka namang talent sa singing!" I smirked at my brother. Wala siyang trabaho ngayon at off niya kaya siya ang nag-alaga at nagbantay kay Chelca buong araw.

"What? Sa 'yo nagmana si Chelca, ha. Malas nga ng anak mo namana pa pati pagkasintunado mo." He laughed.

I glared at my brother but I laughed, too. Hindi pa naman kami naiintindihan ng anak ko. So we don't really mean to discourage her. She likes singing kahit medyo wala pa sa tono. But I think ganito pa siguro because she's still young. If she really want to be a singer someday then we will support her. I will support her and send her to a music school para ma practice ang pagkanta niya. Kung ako kasi ay tama si kuya na wala naman talaga akong talent sa singing.

At ako rin ang naging kamukha ni Chelca. I think I should be thankful na wala siyang namana sa ama niya na hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin nagpapakita sa kaniya. He knows that we have a child. He knew that I was pregnant with his child when we left the country years ago. Nakapag-usap pa sila noon ni kuya, but Ezion Go didn't do anything. Naaawa nga ako sa anak ko at gago ang tatay niya.

They said that the child can't choose who his or her parents will be. But we can choose who can be our child's mother or father. At tingin ko sobrang nagkamali ako. I don't consider my daughter as a mistake. But I considered Ezion as the biggest mistake of my life. If only I was able to choose a better father for my daughter hindi sana magiging kawawa ang anak ko dahil parang walang pakialam sa kaniya ang daddy niya...

"I'm sorry baby." I hugged her and I kissed her while she sleep. Napagod din kanina sa kakalaro nila ni kuya kaya maagang nakatulog.

"Ciri, kumain ka na ng dinner. Nakatulog na?" Pumasok si mommy sa kwarto namin ni Chelca.

"Opo, Mommy." Maingat akong umalis sa tabi ng anak ko at sa kama.

I also breastfed Chelca when she was a baby. I took care of her despite I also suffered postpartum depression. Lalo at kamamatay pa lang noon ni daddy and I feel sad every time I think na hindi na niya nakita at nakilala ang apo niya when he was excited to see his grandchild noong buntis pa lang ako. Sana naisip nalang ni daddy si Chelca para hindi na siya nagpakamatay... Nakaalalay din sa akin sina mommy. Kaya nalampasan ko rin iyon.

"Lumabas ka muna at kumain. Hindi ka pa kumakain galing eskwelahan."

Sumama na muna ako kay mommy sa kitchen. Nandoon na rin sina ate at kuya.

"Your brother got a good offer from the Philippines, Ciri." Ate Cianna told me.

I turned to Kuya Caleb. "Really, kuya?"

He nodded. "Declan is starting his own engineering and construction company. Bubukod yata siya sa kompanya ni tito."

"Kinukuha rin siya ni Declan, Ciri."

I turned to Ate Cianna again.

Declan Zamora have been my brother's friend, too. Silang dalawa ni Ezion noon ang close friends ni Kuya Caleb. Pero hindi ko siya masyadong gusto noon dahil inaasar niya lang ako kapag nagkikita kami. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ganoon siya sa akin. Friendly naman siya kay Lorie. Sabagay ay pinsan naman kasi niya ang kaibigan ko. I just did not completely understand why he's like that to me before. Madalas niya lang akong iniinis. So I also grew up not not really liking him compared to Ezion who was also Kuya Caleb's friend. Since madalas din noon sa bahay namin ang mga friends ni kuya at hindi naman nalalayo ang edad ko sa kanila kaya nakasundo ko rin. But not the bully Declan.

"Oh. Babalik na ba tayo sa Pilipinas?" I asked that made them quiet for a while.

"I'm considering, Ciri. But you don't really have to come, alright?"

"Why not?" Bahagyang kumunot ang noo ko kay kuya. "If it's my studies I'm almost finished with my course, kuya. If hindi mahihintay then I can also transfer?"

Nagkatinginan sina Kuya Caleb at Ate Cianna. And then ate turned to me. "It's not that, Ciri... How about Chelca?"

"What about her?" And then I got it. They're worried about Ezion. Bakit ano ba ang magagawa ni Ezion? Ang kapal naman ng mukha niya if he'll try to claim my daughter. He knows about Chelca but he chose to abandon her. At lalabanan ko siya if he tries to get Chelca from me. I'm not the same Ciri anymore who fell so hard for that asshole. I'm a mother now to my little daughter.

I sighed. "It's all right, kuya, ate. We can go back to the Philippines now."

Pagkatapos ay ngumisi si ate. "Nga naman, Caleb. Mukhang moved on naman na talaga ang kapatid mo." My sister even tried to tease me.

I just shook my head and started eating. Gutom din ako. Inuna ko lang kanina si Chelca nang dumating ako.

So we all went home to the Philippines after years of staying abroad. May hospital na rin na kukuha kay ate pagdating namin. While I just finished my course and graduated few weeks ago. Mabuti nga at nahintay lang din nina kuya. Now I can also work with them sa bagong company ni Declan.

"Dito ba talaga tayo titira, kuya? Ang laki naman nito." puna ko. My brother was able to get us a good and spacious condo. Iyon ang inuwian naming pamilya pagkarating namin sa Pilipinas.

"Declan offered me this. Nabayaran ko na siya ng kalahati at kulang pa ng kalahati. Okay, 'di ba?"

Tumango kami nina ate at mommy. 'Tapos ay bumaling muli ako kay kuya. "Hindi bale, kuya, pagtutulungan natin." I told him.

My brother just smiled at me and tapped my shoulder gently.

When Monday came we'll be meeting with Declan because he was busy, too, and his other engineers and architects. Magaling din ang isang ito at balak pa yatang lamangan ang daddy niya na magaling din na Engineer. And probably we'll also start working today.

"Caleb!" He greeted and welcomed my brother, and then his eyes turned to me.

"Declan." My brother also greeted his friend. "Thank you nga pala for considering Cirilla."

"No prob, man. Congratulations, Engineer." Declan turned to me and gave me a relaxed smile. We're not kids anymore and we're now adults and professionals so hindi na niya ako aasarin.

I nodded. He's congratulating me for my graduation. I still need to take and pass the Civil Engineering Licensure Examination. "Thank you sa pagkuha sa akin for your new company." I said. And I'm really grateful. Nag-aaral na rin kasi si Chelca and I've been really wanting to provide for her. Kaya maganda itong may trabaho na ako agad. Mabuti nalang at kilala namin si Declan.

"You're welcome."

"Engineer, nandito po si Engineer Go." May lumapit na lalaki kay Declan.

"Why is he here?"

"Eh, Engineer, last time pa po niya kayo gustong makausap tungkol doon sa huling usapan daw ninyo sa isang construction project. Hindi siya makakuha ng schedule sa inyo kaya pumunta na siya dito ngayon."

Declan looked at me at napatingin din ako sa kaniya. And then he excused himself from our meeting to attend to Ezion... Napatingin nalang ako sa likod niya habang lumalabas siya ng meeting room namin. While Kuya Caleb and the other Engineers were conversing.