Chapter 14

Family

Dahlia wanted to go on a picnic. She said that her classmate and friend at school do it with its family frequently. Agad naman akong pumayag, and Kiel also promised to make time for it. So on a Sunday the three of us, I, Dahlia and Kiel, went to spend time together over food and picnic like a family...

"Mommy, I want cookie!" Dahlia said.

Agad ko namang tinugunan ang anak ko at kumuha ng isang cookie na ako ang nag-bake sa apartment ko, at sinubuan ko pa siya. We both smiled to each other with that. Nakaupo kami sa isang picnic mat na nilatag namin sa medyo madamong bahagi ng lugar at malapit sa isang lake. Kiel said that it's a private property. Nasa labas na rin ito ng Metro Manila. At mukhang malapit na nga sa kalapit probinsya. Hindi ko alam noon o wala akong ideya na sobrang yaman ni Kiel na pati ganitong property ay mayroon din siya...

I doubted myself thinking that can I really provide for Dahlia like how Kiel can? My daughter was treated like a princess, living in her father's mansion and living a life that only Kiel can give her...

I thought that if I'll take Dahlia with me now, paano itong buhay na nakasanayan na niya? At tingin ko hindi rin naman nagkulang si Kiel sa anak namin... He gives our daughter everything. But Dahlia did not grow up spoiled.

"I wanna see the waters more!" Tumayo si Dahlia galing sa mat namin at tumakbo palapit pa lalo sa lawa para matingnan iyon.

Naiwan kaming dalawa lang ni Kiel doon at nang matingnan ko siya ay nakangiti pa siya galing sa pagsunod ng mga mata niya kay Dahlia. Nang mapabaling din siya sa akin ay nagkatinginan kaming dalawa.

"Tingin ko ay napalaki mo naman nang maayos si Dahlia..." Nasabi ko na lang din sa kaniya. Dahil pakiramdam ko ay kailangan ko na agad magsalita pagkalingon niya sa akin. I blinked my eyes once and looked at our food instead.

"You think so..." His attention went back to Dahlia, who was standing there and facing the serene lake.

She looked so pretty in her good quality dress as well. Tapos ay nilagyan ko pa ng ribbon ang buhok niya kanina. Kita iyon na nakatali sa makapal na buhok niya ngayon na nakaharap ang likod niya sa amin dahil sa pagtitingin niya sa lawa. I want to take a picture of Dahlia and the lake so I did. I took out my phone and from where I was snapped a photo of my daughter. I smiled after and looked at what I have captured. She's beautiful in this beautiful scenery as well.

"I was a bad father to Dahlia..." Kiel said that made me look at him and focused my attention to what he said.

Bumaling din siya sa akin at nagkatinginan kami. He sighed a bit. Bahagya niyang inayos ang pagkain namin nang magsalita siya. "But you know what, Dahlia..." Nag-angat siya ng tingin sa akin. "Our daughter, she changed me..." A smile appeared on his lips.

Nanatili lang naman ang tingin ko sa kaniya at tahimik. I didn't know how Kiel was before he came to us as the Kiel we've known in our village in San Carlos City. Wala akong alam sa kaniya. Huli ko nang nalaman kung ano ang buhay na totoong mayroon siya noong nakilala ko na rin si Kai noon.

Kaya hindi ko siya makilala pagkatapos...

I only knew the Kiel that I met in San Carlos who lost his memories from his accident...

At gusto ko pa ba siyang kilalanin? Ang mabilis kong sagot ay hindi. Dahil pagkatapos ng nangyari sa amin noon nawalan na rin ako ng interest na malaman pa ang tungkol sa kaniya. Wala akong ibang maramdaman sa kaniya kung 'di takot at galit na lang.

But the thing is, he's still Dahlia's father. No matter what. Kahit baliktarin ko man ang mundo. Siya pa rin ang ama ng anak ko. At hindi ko na maiiwasan ang mga bagay...

"We will sleep here? Yay!" Dahlia cheered.

I just nodded to my daughter and smiled at her happiness. Nakapag-usap na rin kami na rito na magpapalipas ng gabi ngayon. May lake house din kasi si Kiel dito. At mahirap nang bumiyahe pa mamaya pabalik ng city. Kaya ayos na rin muna rito. At may stocks din naman kami dahil nagpahanda rin si Kiel. We have no maids here so he also volunteered to cook our dinner.

"Yes, what is it?" Napansin ako ni Kiel na nakatayo roon sa may hamba ng pintuan ng kitchen. Naghihiwa na siya ng mga isasahog niya ngayon sa lulutuin.

"Uh, if you need help..." I hesitantly said. Baka lang kasi nahihirapan na pala siya magluto rito 'tapos relaxed lang kaming dalawa ni Dahlia sa cozy rin na living room nitong lake house.

Tumingin sa akin si Kiel. Pagkatapos ay nakangiti pa siyang umiling at bumalik lang sa ginagawang pagluto.

Noong nagsasama pa kami... Noon sa nayon, naalala kong ako ang nagluluto noon dahil ako rin naman ang palaging nasa bahay. Kiel only helped me with Dahlia or the other house chores.

Unti-unti akong lumapit sa kitchen counter... "Hindi ka yata marunong magluto noon..." I just said as I noticed.

Sinulyapan ako ni Kiel galing sa karne na abala pa siya. I think he's making us steak for dinner... "Ah." He smiled as he seasoned the meat. "I learned because of Dahlia." He said it with a happy smile on his face. Like remembering about it makes him happy.

Bahagya rin akong napangiti. Mukhang marami nga rin talaga siyang napagdaanan sa kay Dahlia...

Tumango na lang ako at nagpaalam na babalikan na lang ang anak namin.

And then after Kiel finished cooking we ate our dinner together, just the three of us.

"Daddy's steak is always so yum!" Dahlia commented.

Ngumiti lang naman si Kiel sa anak.

Tumango na lang din ako at sumubo na rin sa steak. Masarap nga naman...

"Paborito ba ni Dahlia ang steak?" I asked. I offered to help in washing the dishes after we have eaten.

"Hmm. She doesn't have a particular favorite in food. She can eat anything that's to her taste or liking..." Kiel shrugged his shoulders.

Napansin ko nga rin iyon kay Dahlia. Hindi siya gaanong mapili sa pagkain. And she also eats healthy like fruits and vegetables.

"I like Daddy's cooking!"

Napalingon na lang kami kay Dahlia at nakita na namin siyang pumasok doon sa kusina. At mukhang narinig pa niya ang usapan namin ng daddy niya.

Napangiti na lang ako sa anak ko. "Favorite mo ang luto ng Dad mo?" Tumingin ako kay Kiel at napangiti na rin. Ngumiti lang din si Kiel at tumingin sa anak namin.

"Yes! And now Mommy's cooking became my favorite, too! Mommy and Daddy's food are my favorite in the world." She sweetly said.

Tapos na rin kami ni Kiel sa ginagawa sa kusina kaya nilapitan na namin pareho si Dahlia pagkatapos. Kiel carried her up in his arms. At nakasunod lang din ako sa mag-ama.

And then the three of us entered one room. Kanina ay naabutan kong nagagalit pa si Kiel sa kausap niya sa cell phone dahil mukhang hindi nga talaga nalinisan ang ibang mga kwarto bukod sa isang malaking master bedroom. He already offered to sleep outside later and give the bedroom to me and Dahlia to sleep in. Habang siya ay doon mamaya sa mga sofa ng living room.

We put Dahlia first to sleep. We also read her a bedtime story. Hanggang sa nakatulog na siya sa gitna namin ni Kiel sa malaking kama.

"D'yan ka na lang sa tabi ni Dahlia. Huwag na roon sa labas at baka hindi komportable..." I said to Kiel after Dahlia have fallen asleep.

"Are you okay with that?" he asked me as if carefully.

"Yeah, it's okay..." I quietly said, careful not to wake Dahlia anymore. Mahimbing na rin ang tulog ng bata sa tabi ko.

"Okay..." Kiel quietly said as well.

I closed my eyes beside Dahlia. And tried to sleep.

"Ada..."

I thought I was already dreaming when I heard Kiel calling for my name. But I wasn't. Dahil gising pa naman ako at halos kakapikit ko lang ng mga mata. But his voice and the way he called me now seemed serious. Minulat ko ang mga mata ko at tiningnan siya habang napapagitnaan naming dalawa si Dahlia. The lights in the room were already dimmed as well.

"I'm sorry..." I heard him say next.

Habang natigilan naman ako pagkatapos marinig ang sinabi niya. I remained still as I lay there beside Dahlia. I remained quiet. Until the silence was already deafening...

—

Hi, readers! I'm now accepting new members to my Patrons Facebook group! If you want to join my Facebook group instead of my Patreon creator page, you definitely can and it's best to join now. Because membership renewal in my group is every from the 1st till the 5th day of every month. Message me on Facebook now Rej Martinez to join. Thank you very much for your support!