Chapter 26

Accept

Malaki rin ang bahay nina Kalyx. Siguro ay mas malaki pa sa bahay namin. At mali pala ako noong inisip ko dati na baka nasa province ang parents niya kaya siya nag-condo. Because his family just lives in the city. At talagang hindi lang okay si Kalyx at ang Dad niya...

Nang pumunta kami sa kanila ay agad kaming pinapasok ni Kalyx at ang Dad niya pa mismo ang sumalubong sa amin. Like he already expected us today. Ang sabi nga naman ni Kalyx na natawagan na raw niya ang Dad niya.

"Good evening, po." I politely greeted.

Gabi na kaming nakapunta sa kanila. At tinawagan na rin ako ni Mommy when she realized that I didn't get to my flight today. I just told her na uuwi rin ako mamaya sa amin. Pagkatapos ay binaba ko na muna ang tawag...

Ngumiti naman sa akin ang Daddy ni Kalyx.

"You're Kalyx's girlfriend." His Dad said.

Tumingin naman ako kay Kalyx na halos tahimik lang sa tabi ko. He also said that he never visited his Dad's house before. At ngayon lang siya nagpunta rito.

"I can see now. I was wondering why he suddenly changed. I also heard from our family friends that Kalyx had started doing business with them. We have our own company, pero sa iba pa siya lumapit... And I know, son... I'm just happy to see you working hard now." His Dad smiled at me.

While Kalyx doesn't even look at his Dad and doesn't talk to him. Kaya ako na lang ang kumausap sa Daddy niya.

"This is my wife, Solenn. And this is Kalyx's younger brother, Kyle." Pinakilala rin sa akin ng Dad ni Kalyx ang wife nito ngayon and anak niya rin dito.

I also greeted them. At ngumiti rin sa akin si Tita Solenn. And she told me to just call her Tita Sol. Mukhang mabait din naman ang wife ng Daddy ni Kalyx.

"I prepared dinner for us. Kumain na muna tayo?" Tita Sol invited us to dinner.

Tumingin ako kay Kalyx na tahimik pa rin. I turned my attention back to his family and I nodded at Tita Sol. Ngumiti naman sila sa akin.

And then we had dinner with Kalyx's family. And while we're having dinner I noticed that Kyle, Kalyx's younger brother, was looking at him. While he pay the kid no attention. At nang makita ako ni Kyle na nakatingin sa kaniya ay agad din siyang ngumiti sa akin. I smiled at him, too. He just looked like Kalyx. Just the kid version of him. Now I wonder how Kalyx was as a child.

"He just looks like Kalyx..." I said talking about Kyle.

Ngumiti pa lalo si Kyle sa sinabi ko. And their Dad also smiled. "Yes. Nagmana sila pareho sa akin." Tito Kevin chuckled.

Ngumiti na rin ako. And when I turned to look at Kalyx again, ganoon pa rin siya na tahimik at halos hindi pa kumain.

I understood na hindi pa sila okay ng Dad niya ngayon. At siguro kung hindi ko lang din hiningi sa kaniya na kausapin ko ang Dad niya ay hindi rin siya pupunta rito sa kanila...

"Parehong pareho sila ng Kuya Kalyx niya. When Kalyx was a kid, naalala kong kung ano ang mga ginagawa niya dati noong bata ay ganoon din ang ginagawa ngayon ni Kyle." Tito Kevin told me.

And I saw Kyle smiled as he listened to his Dad talk and then he looked at his brother beside me who was just looking at his food. Tiningnan ko si Kyle at ako na lang muli ang ngumiti sa bata.

And then after dinner I talked to Kalyx's Dad.

"I remember Attorney Alcantara. She's your Mom."

Tumango ako. "Opo."

He sighed a bit. "The accident with Judge Alcantara years ago..." And then he looked at me. "I was inside the car na bumangga rin sa sasakyan n'yo noon, hija... And I'm really very sorry about that. I was at the backseat. And it was my driver who was driving the car..." He sighed.

Tumango ako. Alam kong alam na rin ito ni Mommy. No one wanted what happened.

And Kalyx's Dad was also hospitalized during that time after the accident and the same as I was. While both the driver and my Dad sadly passed away...

"Sana ay hindi makaapekto sa relasyon ninyo ng anak ko ang nangyari sa nakaraan..." Kalyx's Dad said.

Nag-angat ako ng tingin sa kaniya, and I gave him a reassuring smile.

"I'm sorry about my Dad." Kalyx said nang umalis na kami sa kanila.

Umiling naman ako. "It wasn't his fault, Kalyx. At aksidente iyong nangyari." I said.

Pinagbuksan niya na ako ng pinto ng kotse niya at pumasok na ako sa loob. Maayos na rin kaming nakapagpaalam sa Dad niya at sa family nito na aalis na kami. It was also a nice chance to meet his family.

"What was your Dad like?" Kalyx asked me while he drives, at kagagaling lang namin sa bahay ng Dad niya.

Bumaling ako sa kaniya at naka-focus lang siya sa pagmamaneho ng sasakyan. "He was a good Dad to me and my sister. Mabuti rin siyang husband sa Mommy namin..." I said.

Nakita kong tumango si Kalyx.

And then I sighed a bit. I know na ayaw din ni Daddy na hanggang ngayon ay masaktan pa rin kami sa pagkawala niya ilang taon na ang nakakaraan. Siguro ay hanggang ngayon ay nagluluksa pa rin si Mommy sa pagkawala niya. She just doesn't make it obvious, but probably when she heard about Kalyx's Dad it triggered her somehow...

Pero wala rin namang kasalanan ang Daddy ni Kalyx sa nangyari. As we all know it was an accident. And I remember now that's why he already looked familiar to me earlier when we met was because I've probably already met him before. When he tried to go to my Dad's wake and apologized to Mommy. At nakiramay na rin sila ng family niya. Although Mommy almost did not accept that...

And maybe Kalyx was there, too... Noong mga bata pa lang kami. Siguro ay buhay pa noon ang Mommy niya at silang tatlo ang pumunta para makiramay sa pamilya namin. And maybe we just don't remember it.

"How about your Dad, Kalyx..." I asked him.

Papunta na kami ngayon sa bahay naman namin to talk to my Mom. Maaga lang kaming pumunta sa bahay nina Kalyx and had early dinner as well that his family have prepared for us. Para maaga pa rin kaming makapunta sa amin ngayon.

"I hated him..." He said.

Bumaling ako sa kaniya nang magsimula na rin siyang magkwento.

"When Mommy was still sick, he couldn't even take care of her. I think that's the least he could do as her husband. But he was just always so busy with work. That's why I also came to hate our business..." He sighed.

"And when my Mom passed away... He just remarried after. I felt alone... Pakiramdam ko ako lang ang naapektuhan sa pagkawala ni Mommy..." He said hurtfully.

"Kalyx..."

He turned to me and gave me a reassuring smile for me not to worry...

"Manang, nasaan po si Mommy?" I asked our trusted house help when we arrived at our house.

"Pinatawag ko na kay Inday. Kumain na ba kayo? Nakapagluto na rin kami ng dinner."

We already had dinner at Kalyx's family's place. "Si Mommy po ba nag-dinner na?" I asked.

"Hindi pa. Pababa pa lang siya..." Manang said.

Tumango naman ako kay Manang.

At nang makababa na si Mommy ay kinausap namin siya ni Kalyx.

"You didn't went with your flight." She said.

I breathed quietly. "Galing lang po kami kanila Kalyx. I have talked to his Dad, Mom..." I said.

Tiningnan lang ako ni Mommy.

I sighed. "Mommy, Kalyx and I are here now to talk to you about us, too..." Alam na ni Mommy na buntis ako. Sinabi ko na sa kaniya before she decided na ipalipat sana ako sa US.

Mommy also sighed. "Hindi ka sumunod sa akin, Rina."

"But, Mom..."

Hinawakan ni Kalyx ang kamay ko sa tabi ko. "Attorney, I promise that I will take good care of Rina." He told my Mom.

Muli lang kaming tiningnan ni Mommy.

"Mommy, hindi po kasalanan ng Daddy ni Kalyx ang nangyari. It was an accident."

"Umalis na kayo."

Natigilan ako sa sinabi ni Mommy.

"Kung hindi ka na susunod sa akin ay umalis ka na, Czarina. Bahala ka na kung saan mo gustong pumunta. Tutal ay hindi ka naman na nakikinig sa akin." She said.

"Mommy..."

Pero tinalikuran na niya kami...

I cried as soon as we're out of the house. Ngayon lang lalong pumasok sa isip ko na pinalayas ako ni Mommy... She doesn't want to accept me in our own house anymore...

"Rina, please stop crying..." Kalyx hugged me and tried to comfort me.

Pumasok na lang ako sa kotse ni Kalyx at umalis na lang kami doon. And when we arrived back at his condo I called my sister.

"Ate, ayaw na po akong tanggapin ni Mommy sa bahay..." I sobbed.

"Oh, Rina... Stop crying now. Hindi 'yan makabubuti sa pagbubuntis mo." She said over the phone.

Pinunasan ko naman ang mga luha ko.

"Don't worry, I'll talk to Mommy. Nabibigla lang si Mommy, Rina. I'm sure kakausapin ka rin niya uli soon. Kaya huwag ka nang umiyak."

I nodded kahit hindi ako nakikita ni ate. At nang ibaba ko ang tawag ay nandoon din si Kalyx to comfort me again...

But days passed without me talking again to my Mom. Sinunod ko na lang ang sinabi sa akin ni Ate Eris na hayaan na lang din muna namin si Mommy. Pumunta na rin kami ni Kalyx sa doctor and she advised me not to get myself stress. Kaya sinunod ko na rin muna ang payo rin sa akin ng doctor. Ayaw ko rin na maapektuhan pa ang baby ko dahil sa nangyayari sa amin ngayon. Alam ko na matatapos din ito...

Isa pa ay masaya rin ako kay Kalyx ngayon. He already started going to work. They have an office. He's just new to business dahil kaka-graduate lang din namin. But I can see that he knows what he's doing. And he's serious about doing it. And I just feel really proud of him. He provides for us both now.

And just the other day we even went to shopping for some the things for our baby after we came from the doctor's checkup. Kaya parang nawawala rin ang isip ko sa nangyari sa amin ni Mommy. And I just focus on my pregnancy for now. I want my baby to be healthy. Excited na rin kami pareho ni Kalyx para sa anak namin.

And then one day, my Mom just knocked on Kalyx's condo's door. At tinawagan daw ni Kalyx ang lobby kaya nakaakyat na agad siya rito sa unit namin.

"Mommy..." I didn't expect to open the door and I'd see her today.

"Rina."