Chapter Thirteen

Mistaken

I looked at Elias Alexander Ybañez who was in front of me now. I didn't expect that we would meet here again after many years...

"Let's go, Theia..." He held the hand of the child again and pulled her away with him.

Tinalikuran nila ako habang hindi naman ako agad na nakagalaw sa kinatatayuan ko roon.

And I was still in shock of seeing him again here at nagkaharap pa kaming agad. And also the child that he was with...

But then I realized that maybe I was just overwhelmed.

I realized that I was just probably mistaken of my thoughts earlier. It's been many years. And it's just impossible. Isa pa ay hindi alam ni Elias na nagkaanak kami...

So I didn't follow them anymore. And I decided to just leave the place now.

But then I saw the little girl again. Iyong batang kasama ni Elias. She was alone and I think she was looking for me because her eyes looked like it twinkled and she smiled when she saw me.

Lumapit din siya sa akin. At natigilan naman ako na tumayo lang doon na hinintay siyang makalapit sa akin.

"Hello, po..." She sweetly greeted me.

At napangiti naman ako sa munti niyang pagbati sa akin. "Hello..." I greeted her back in a friendly manner.

"What's your name?" I asked her.

"My name is Theia Alexandra Ybañez." She answered.

Theia? No. It's probably Thea Ybañez... with the usual spelling of its name. Bakit naman sa akin pa ipapangalan ni Elias ang anak niya...

Napatingin ako kung kasama niya si Elias. "Uh, where's..." I'm not sure yet kung anak nga ba talaga ito ni Elias...

"My Dad is still inside the restaurant. He's ordering our food. And I just went out when I saw you..." She smiled at me.

Muli naman akong napangiti rin sa bata. And I had the urge to touch her cherub cheeks... So I did. And she just smiled at me.

This is Elias' daughter...

"Thank you for helping me get up earlier." She said with a smile.

And I smiled at her, too. "You're welcome."

Unknowingly ay magaan naman ang loob ko sa bata... Kahit pa kinamumuhian ko si Elias hanggang ngayon...

"Theia!"

We both turned to the one who called. And we saw Elias there already standing at the restaurant's entrance. Agad din siyang lumapit sa amin ng anak niya.

"Theia, let's go." Kinuha niyang muli ang kamay ng anak niya at hinawakan na ito, at hinila palayo sa akin.

At halos hindi na rin niya ako tinapunan pa ng tingin hanggang sa nakaalis na sila.

And then I thought to myself that why does he seemed mad at me now? May ginawa ba akong kasalanan sa kaniya? Siya nga itong may malaking kasalanan sa akin.

At naalala kong muli ang galit ko sa kaniya.

Kay naman nagbago ang isip ko. I can't just leave this place now. I want to know what happened to him after he abandoned me and our child...

And now I'd know that he had a child of his own now...

I don't blame the child. But I still blame her father for what happened to me and my child in the past...

After thinking for just a bit of time, sumunod ako sa kanilang pumasok ng restaurant. Nakita ko naman agad silang dalawa roon na kumakain na. At silang dalawa lang. Nasaan ang Nanay ng bata?

"Ma'am, are you having lunch here?" Lumapit sa akin ang isang staff ng restaurant.

Bumaling naman ako rito. "Uh, yes." I answered.

And she immediately gave me an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Ma'am. Pero wala na po kasing unoccupied table... Lunch na rin po kasi. May I know if did you make any reservation, Ma'am?"

Umiling ako. "No..."

And the staff looked conflicted in front of me. "May I ask you to wait for a bit longer, Ma'am? As I try to find you a table?" She asked me.

"Or if you're checked in one of our rooms or villas, pwede rin po na ihatid na lang din po namin sa room n'yo and pagkain n'yo po." She tried to talk to me about it.

Tiningnan ko ang restaurant at puno na nga ito. Mukhang dumami rin ngayong araw ang mga guests ng resort. But I saw that there were extra chairs on Elias' table.

I smiled a bit. And then I turned back to the waitress. "Don't worry, I have a friend here. Sa table na lang din nila ako makikiupo." I said.

And the waitress' eyes sparkled. "All right, Ma'am. Kukunin ko na lang po ang order n'yo."

"Okay."

And then I went straight to their table. Natigilan si Elias sa pagkain nang makita niya akong palapit na sa kanila ng anak niya. At napatingin na rin sa akin si Theia. I smiled at her and she smiled at me, too. She looked friendly unlike her Dad...

"Uh, hi! Can I sit in here with you two? Wala na raw kasing unoccupied table." I said and I even smiled to Elias. Pero ang ngiti ko ay pakiramdam ko na parang nang-iinis pa.

At dahil siguro ayaw niyang magtalo pa kami sa harap ng anak niya at sa harap ng pagkain kaya naman pumayag na siyang maupo ako roon kasama nila. He just simply nodded a bit to allow me to sit with him and his daughter.

And then my food was soon served on their table. I also started eating as well like them.

I almost couldn't believe that I'm now having lunch on the same table with Elias and his daughter.

At matatapos na lang kaming kumain ay wala akong nakitang kasama nila na dumating. I was looking for the girl's mom...

"She's the one who helped me earlier, Daddy." Theia said.

And I smiled at her. Mabuti pa ang bata ay naalala ang pagtulong ko sa kaniya kanina, and she's thanked me for it. Unlike Elias who didn't even bother himself to thank me for helping his daughter... What a rude man...

Bumaling ako kay Elias at nagkatinginan din kaming dalawa.

Nag-iwas naman siya ng tingin pagkatapos.

"How have you been, Elias..." I asked him after a while.

Agad naman siyang tumingin muli sa akin at nagkatinginan na naman kami. Pagkatapos ay seryoso niya rin akong tiningnan.

What now...

May utang pa siya sa akin na kailangan kong singilin. I just remembered it again after seeing him here...

Just thinking that I was left in misery... While he got to have his own family now. It makes me angry at him. And it makes my blood boil...