CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

WHEN she hugged me, I didn't move when she did that. She hugged me tightly. I responded with a hug and kissed her forehead as I took her away from me.

"You're so beautiful," I said as I looked into her eyes.

"Really?"

"Yes," I see Dad in you. I wish I could have said that but I did not.

Her smile widened. Since I met her and I rarely see her smile.

"Thank you," she said and looked at herself in the mirror again. "I don't regret cutting my hair," she added.

I squeezed his cheek before looking at the cashier, I should have approached but she held my arm. I turned to her.

"I already paid for it. Let's go," she said and walked out of the salon.

I scratched my head so hard as I just followed her by looking at it. I looked at those who were inside before I walked out of the salon. I didn't even realize I had fallen asleep. I took out my cellphone. I checked to see if Dad had a text and there was. I opened it and read his message.

From Dad:

I'm here. Where are you?

It's just a text from him yet I'm nervous. I quickly dialed his number. He has already answered it in less than two rings.

"Where have you been?! I've been waiting here for a while!" he angrily asked me.

It made me scratch my head, "I'm sorry, Dad. We went to the salon, he got a haircut and we just finished. I forgot to tell you," I said.

My eyes searched for Klyzene because she can't be out of my sight now. I'm dead to Dad.

"Damn, I'm here at a restaurant on the first floor. Come here now. I'm hungry," he said then he dropped me a call. I put the phone back in my pants pocket then searched for Klyzene. I was about to go around the second floor before I saw her coming down the escalator from the third floor. I quickly approached her.

"Where have you been?" I asked.

She raised the paper bag she was holding.

"I bought something." she approached me and pulled me. "I want to eat," she said.

I nodded and held her by the arm. We went down to the ground floor, then went to the resto Dad says. We went inside and my eyes searched for the one with us.

"Son."

We turned around to see who was speaking. I saw Dad in the back, standing while staring at Klyzene.

"You know him?" Klyzene innocently asked me. I looked at her and nodded.

"Yes, he is my father," I said and approached Dad. I hugged him.

"She's here?" he asked me incredulously.

"Yes, Father. She's here," I replied. I pulled away from him and looked at Klyzene.

It looks at me in amazement. His eyes beg for an answer.

"He's the one I'm referring to I'll introduce to you," I said.

"Ow ..." she could only say, she nodded. She held out her hand in front of Dad. "I'm Klyzene. Klyzene Black Anderson," she introduced herself with a smile.

Dad looked down at Klyzene's hand that lay in front of it. He looked at me as if asking if he would take it or not.

I just nodded at him. He smiled a little at me and trembling raised his hand while holding Klyzene's hand.

"I-I'm ... Ivan's f-father," he said while looking at Klyzene with longing. Damn.

If anyone sees Dad now that he knows they will surely laugh out loud. Jude Law, the feared businessman shudders in front of a Klyzene Black.

"Hello," Klyzene said politely once retrieving her hand. Dad wouldn't have let go of his hand but I already held his arm.

"H-how are you hija? Have you eaten? You want to eat?" Dad asked in succession.

Klyzene smiled. "I'm fine, thank you for asking, and no. We haven't eaten yet," she said.

Dad looked at me angrily. "Why haven't you fed her yet?"

I raised both my hands in the air, "That's why we're here because we're going to eat, Dad. We went to the salon earlier so we didn't eat right away," I reminded him.

Dad nodded and smiled at Klyzene. It pointed to a spot near the window.

"Let's go there, hija. Let's eat," he said.

Klyzene walked first and Dad followed, I was left standing there on the side but happy as I watched them both.

This is Dad's dream, to be with Klyzene.

I followed them with a smile on my face. This day is so special.

TUMATAWA ako habang nakatingin kay Sir Ivan at sa father niya habang nagbabangayan sila. Para lang silang magkaybigan kung magsagutan.

"I didn't know, Dad! ¡por favor! ¡Suficiente!" ani Sir Ivan (Please! Enough!)

"Deberías haberle preguntado. No es que solo hayas dormido," He said (You should have asked her. It's not that you just slept.)

"God, stop it, Dad. vergonzoso para Klyzene," Sir Ivan said. (It's embarrassing to Klyzene.)

Hindi mo man sila naiintindihan pero napangiti na ako. They're Spaniard huh. Kaya pala gano'n ang hitsura nila, ang pinagkaiba lang ay ang kulay nito ng mata.

"Tsk. You hard-headed, I really don't know where you got that attitude," anito na akala mo namomoroblema.

Ngumisi si Sir Iva, "Of course, Dad. To you. I'm you carbon copy," proud na sabi nito sabay tawa.

That's true. Sir Ivan is a young version of his father. Malaki ang pagkakahawig nila. Matangos ang ilong, makapal ang kilay, ang labi ay may kanipisan, hugis puso rin ang mukha nila at mapanga.

Ang kulay ng buhok ng tatay ni Sir ay nakikitaan na ng puti, samatalang ang kay Sir Ivan ay kulay itim na itim. Ang mga mata nilang malalim kung tumingin, halos magkahawig rin ang tawa nila. Magkakalapit na ang mga height nila.

Pero sa edad ng tatay ni Sir Ivan, hindi mo mahahatalaang matanda na ito. Maayos at mukhang malakas pa kasi ang pangangatawan.

Napahinto ang dalawang lalaki at lumingon sa'kin. Ngumiti sa'kin si Sir Ivan.

"What do you want to eat?" Kinuha nito ang menu at tumingin ng kung anong makakain namin. Kinuha ko rin ang menu na nasa harap ko at binuklat 'yon.

Namili ako at nag-angat ng tingin dito pagkatapos. "I want to try their chicken curry and for desert, just cookies and cream ice cream," sabi ko.

Tumango 'to at tumingin sa ama. Ibinaba ko ang hawak ko.

"I want steak, medium rare," sabi nito.

"Okay. I'll take that too," anito.

Tumingin sa'kin ang Father ni Sir Ivan, kumunot ang noo ko dahil nakatitig lang siya sa'kin. Pilit akong ngumiti.

"Is there any problem?" tanong ko.

Umiling siya at ngumiti. His eyes are sparkling, "You look so beautiful," maramdamin niyang sabi.

Umawang ang labi ko dahil sa sinabi niya. Nahihiyang napahawak ako sa batok ko at ngumiti ng maliit dito.

Nakakapanibago dahil nagiging palangiti ako ngayon na hindi ko naman madalas ginagawa. Nakakangawit sa panga.

"Dad, she's shy," natatawang sabi ni Sir Ivan. Tumawa rin ang tatay nito.

God, mag-ama nga sila.

AFTER eating dinner with Sir Ivan and his father I quickly said goodbye because I needed to go home.

"Let's meet some other time, again, hija," Sir Ivan's father said.

I nod. "Okay, some other time," ani ko at tumingin kay Sir Ivan. "Thank you for this day, Sir," ani ko.

Tumango lang ang binata sa'kin.

"Do you want me to take you home?" tanong nito.

Umiling ako at ngumiti. "No thank you. I can handle myself now. Again, thank you. I'll go now," pagkasabi ko no'n ay tumalikod na ako. Naglakad ako ng palayo sa kanila. Naghanap ako ng taxi-ng masasakyan pauwi.

Nang may huminto sa harap ko ay agad akong sumakay at sinabi kung saan ako dadalhin.

Tumingin ako sa labas ng bintana at pinanood kung paano namin lagpasan ang ibang sasakyan at mga establishment na nadadanan namin. Ang kulay ng langit ay kulay lila na. Tumutugtug ang 'Tila' ni Clara Benim galing sa radio ng taxi.

Binuksan ko ang bintana ng taxi at nilanghad ang hanging galing sa labas, puno ng pulusyon galing sa mga usok ng kotse pero... ewan ko ba... suddenly I feel something in my heart that I doesn't know. Ang sarap ng ganitong pakiramdam.

Napatingin ako sa bag ko ng may mag-ring do'n sandali. Kinuha ko ang phone ko mula sa bag ko at tiningnan kung sinong tumawag. Ngayon ko lang napansing madami palang missed call si Hunter sa'kin, pati na rin ang mga text.

Upang hindi mag-alala ang binata ay ako na ang tumawag sa kanya. Di-nial ko ang number nito. Halos wala pang limang segundo ng sagutin nito.

"NASAAN KA?!" nag-aalala at puno ng lakas na tanong nito.

Bahagya kong inilayo ang telepono sa tenga ko bago muling ibinalik. Napahinga ako ng malalim.

"Hunter, hindi mo kaylangang sumigaw dahil naririnig kita. Ang sakit mo sa tenga," naiinis kong sabi at sumandal sa sandalan ng upuan.

"Sorry, pero nasaan ka ba?" tanong niya pa.

"Pauwi na ako."