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Chapter 18

Father

"I'll talk to Dahlia." Kiel assured me.

Pero umiling naman ako sa kaniya. Kumalma na rin ako. "I don't want Dahlia to hate me..." I said it honestly.

"She won't hate you. You're her Mom. I'll make sure that Dahlia won't hate you." He promised me.

Pagkatapos ay hinatid na rin ako ni Kiel sa apartment ko so that I can rest for now he said at siya na rin daw muna ang bahala sa kay Dahlia.

I thought that I wanted to know him more as a father... I can see that Dahlia loves Kiel so much. At hindi naman mamahalin ng bata ang ama niya kung hindi rin siya nito mahal...

There are things that I didn't know about Dahlia and Kiel. Kahit pa sinisisi ko rin si Kiel na dahilan kung bakit hindi ko nakasama ang anak ko sa matagal na panahon. There are so many things that happened that I want to put the blame on him. But I realized...that what happened had already happened. And the only thing that's important to me now is my daughter...

And I think that... I want to know Kiel now as a father at least... Kahit hindi ko na isipin ang pagiging asawa niya... Gusto kong mas maintindihan pa muna ang anak ko.

Dahlia has a break from school. Nalaman ko kay Kiel na niyayaya siya ni Dahlia na pumunta sila ng San Carlos. I haven't talked to my daughter yet. I tried to but I felt her distance... And it hurt me. But I want to understand her more.

"You'll go back to your place with Kiel and your daughter?" Kai asked.

Tumango ako sa kaniya. "Oo. Nagyayaya kasi si Dahlia." Napangiti ako habang iniisip ang anak ko. "Alam mo, Kai, close si Dahlia sa pamilya ko at mga ka nayon ko sa San Carlos. Palagi kasi siyang dinadala ni Kiel doon." I smiled.

At nakita kong may gumuhit rin na ngiti sa mga labi ni Kai habang nakatingin din sa ngiti ko. "A..." he called.

"Hmm?"

"Let me talk to Kiel." He said.

Nanatili ang tingin ko sa kaniya. Umiling ako. "Ayaw ko na mag-away pa kayo ni Kiel, Kai... Wala ka rin namang kasalanan." Magkaibigan sila ni Kiel. They were even best friends. But because of me ni hindi na rin sila nag-uusap ngayon...

Inilingan naman ako ni Kai. "It's all right—I mean it's not okay. Fighting is not right." He gently smiled. "But," Tiningnan niya ako sa mga mata ko. "Can you forgive Kiel, A?"

Nagtagal ang tingin ko kay Kaizen. I didn't know what to answer him... I did not expect he'd ask me this question. Nagulat pa ako ng tanong niya. Napailing din ako kalaunan nang makabawi. "What do you mean..." Ang tangi kong nasambit sa tanong.

Lumapit siya sa kinatatayuan ko. "I just think that you can do anything for your daughter..." marahan niyang sinabi sa akin.

My lips parted a bit. And then I looked away as I think of it. Totoo nga naman siguro talaga na kaya kong gawin ang kahit na ano para sa anak ko...

"Even if it means also forgiving Dahlia's Dad..." Kai added.

Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa. Kai gave me a gentle smile. He's always like that. His smiles are gentle, his actions... his words... Kai was such a gentle person. Naging sobrang buti niya sa akin sa mga nakalipas na taon na wala ibang ibang masandalan kung 'di siya lang. And I am grateful to him.

"It's okay, A... I didn't talk about Kiel with you before because I knew that you weren't ready to listen..."

Nanatili ang tingin ko sa kaniyang nag-iinit na sa luha...

Nakita ni Kai ang mga mata ko kaya nilapit na niya ako sa dibdib niya and hugged me to comfort me. "I won't say that what Kiel did to you was okay. It's not a good thing for a husband to do to his own wife... That I got really mad at him, too. But at that time I can only help you, Ada..." he said.

Tumulo naman ang luha ko habang niyayakap niya ako. "Kiel won't listen easily. Especially when he's being stubborn... But I know that he'll realize it eventually..."

"Hindi ko gustong masira ang pagkakaibigan ninyo, Kai..." I whispered.

"No, A. It's not your fault. I chose to help you. And I don't mean bad to you, but I also did it for my friend, for Kiel. Because I knew that he'd regret what he did to you."

Lalong bumuhos ang mga luha ko. After all Kiel was still Kai's best friend. And I just failed to know about this part more because of what happened to us. But I know that Kai cared about Kiel, too...

"I want to talk to Kiel. He can punch me in the face you know. Because I hid you from him..." Kai let out a small soft laugh. Na para bang nakuha pa niyang magbiro ng kaonti.

Kumalas ako sa yakap at nag-angat ako ng tingin sa mga mata ni Kaizen. He gave me a small gentle smile. As if reassuring me.

"I just don't want him to continue doing things his way... I wanted to give you the time when you're ready to face him yourself."

He sighed. "I want to talk to you about Kiel... But I don't think..." Nakatingin kami sa mga mata ng isa't isa.

And then we heard my door. May tao sa labas. Kai stays in my apartment. Same with when he visits me in Chicago. Ako kasi ang nagsasabi sa kaniya na kaysa mag-hotel pa siya gayong pwede rin naman siyang tumuloy sa tirahan ko at may guest room naman.

"You're expecting a visitor today?" Kai asked me.

Umiling naman ako. "Wala naman..." Napaisip ako.

But then when I went to the door and opened it I saw Kiel with Dahlia. Agad naman akong natuwa nang makita ko ang anak ko. Nakangiti rin si Kiel noong una. "Surprise! I brought her here to surprise you. We wanted to surprise you." He said.

Napangiti naman ako. I appreciate Kiel's efforts na paglapitin kaming muli ng anak namin. He's really making a way for Dahlia para hindi tuluyang mapalayo ang loob ng bata sa akin.

"Dahlia..." I called and I was ready to welcome my daughter when I heard Kiel.

"What are you doing here?" I heard him seriously asking.

At ang sumunod na lang na nangyari ay nakalapit na si Kiel kay Kaizen at kinuwelyuhan na niya ito. I heard him cursing Kai. "You knew that I was looking for her! You bastard!"

"Kiel!" Napasigaw ako.

Habang si Kai ay hindi lumaban at hinayaan lang niya si Kiel na kuwelyuhan siya.