Chapter 7
2128 Words
NANG ikulong ni Patrice ang kanyang pisngi gamit ang mga kamay nito ay nanatili lamang na nakatingin si Kayden dito. When Patrice’s soft lips landed on his, a memory flash before his eyes...
Nakatanaw mula sa malayo si Kayden nang maghalikan si Ayden at ang asawa nito sa tapat ng altar nang mag-anunsyo ng ang pare sa araw ng kasal ng mga ito.
“That sucks,” komento ni Alejandro habang nasa kanyang tabi. “Ayden’s finally married. He’s the first one to break our promise.”
“I know,” pagsang-ayon ni Kayden at umismid nang makita ang maluwang na ngiti sa labi ng kanyang kambal habang kaharao nito ang asawa. “I couldn't stop him no matter what I do. That woman totally bewitched my brother...”
“Well, he’s your sister-in-law now,” pagpapaalala ni Kyron para mas lalong kumunot ang kanyang noo.
“Thank you for reminding me, Sanchez. You’re very helpful, dipshit,” sarkastiko na wika ni Kayden at ikinuyom ang mga kamay. “Now, my brother is stuck with that woman.”
“And you can't do anything about that,..” wika ni Jackson para mapatingin ang lahat sa kanya. “Respect your brother’s choice, Gonazles.”
“What?” ani Kayden sabay pagak na natawa. “Cruz, I can't let her win—”
“She already won,” sansala ni Jackson para maputol ang kanyang sasabihin. “I still don't like what Ayden did but give it up, Gonzales. It's his choice to make, not yours.”
“I can't give up and give her all the luxurious in life,” pagtutol ni Kayden at kwinelyuhan si Jackson. ”I can’t!”
Mariing tumitig siya kay Jackson at hinigpitan ang paghawak sa kuwelyo nito. Jackson, on the other hand, gave him a cold reaction as if he didn't care if he will throw some punch.
“Gonzales, man. Why don't you chill for a bit, huh?” suhestiyon ni Kyron at pilit na natawa. “We are at your brother’s wedding, do you really want to make a scene?”
“Bumitiw ka na,” Cooper demanded with a gentle tap on his shoulder. “Come on, you are only making things worse. Fighting with Jackson won’t make your brother unmarry Patrice.”
Bumabaw ang paghinga ni Kayden at mas lalong hinigpitan ang paghawak sa kuwelyo ni Jackson.
“Stop it...” wika ni Nikolas para mapatingin siya dito.
Nag-igtingan ang kanyang panga bago marahas na binitawan ang kuwelyo ni Jackson. ”I can’t let that woman have the life we tried so hard to build. Our success is ours and I won't let anyone get in the way.”
“She’s not getting in the way...” ani Jackson at seryoso na tumingin sa kanya. “She’s clean. I search her background and she did nothing wrong. If Isaac's here, he will agree to me.”
“Oh, iyon naman pala, eh,” wika ni Kyron at pumalakpak. “Your brother is safe with that woman. It's his choice. You’re out of that.”
“You don’t understand! You don’t understand me...” mariing wika ni Kayden at napahagod sa buhok gamit ang dalawang kamay.
“We understand you...” ani Cooper at sumulyap sa kanya bago kay Patrice. “It’s just that some things are beyond our control. You can’t have your brother on your side forever.”
“I am saving him from that woman,” giit ni Kayden at nagpupuyos sa galit na itinuro ang kapatid na nasa tapat ng altar. “She will only give him sorrow.”
“How do you know that?” tanong ni Jackson para mapatingin ang lahat dito. “Can’t you see? Your brother is happy with her. I don't know if you are blind or what. Or is it your ego that is telling you not to give up, I don't care. Ayden is our friend, too. If he’s happy, then we should move on and let him be happy.”
“Happy my ass,” asik ni Kayden at naglakad-palayo habang kuyom-kuyom ang mga kamay. “There’s no such thing as happiness.”
Kasabay nang naalaala niyang iyon ay ang siyang pagalaw ng labi ni Patrice para maestatwa na lamang siya sa kinatatayuan. Nanatili lang siya sa posisyon at tuluyan nang lumipad ang kanyang huwisyo. Pinakiramdaman niya ang paligid at sa hindi alam na kadahilanan ay bigla na lamang tumibok ang kanyang puso at para bang may namukadkad na bulaklak sa kanyang loob na hindi niya maipaliwanag. It felt wrong but at the same time doesn't. Simpleng halik lamang iyon ngunit samu't sari ang hatid niyon sa kanyang sistema at naging malaking palaisipan para sa kanya. Sa sobrang dami ng hatid nito ay nanatili na lamang siyang tahimik at walang nagawa. Na para bang kahit papaano ay nagustuhan niya ito nang bahagya. At sa halip na lumayo sa dalaga ay hinapit niya ito palapit. Unti-unti siyang tumugon sa marahan na halik at natauhan lamang nang bumukas ang pinto para mapaghiwalay sila sa isa’t isa.
“Mommy! Daddy!” sigaw ni Aiden na marahil galing sa kuwarto nito habang hawak ang paborito nitong laruan na dinosaur. “I missed you both...”
Napangiti si Patrice at pinupog ng halik ang anak. “Daddy and I missed you, too, my prince.”
Napatingin sa kanya si Aiden at sandaling nagtaka. Tinitigan siya nito na para bang may napagtanto na kanyang ikinaalarma. When he smiled at Aiden, the boy smiled back but barely. Napatingin ito sa ina gamit ang mga nagtataka na mga mata.
“Mommy, where's Daddy?” tanong ni Aiden para mapalunok siya sa kinauupuan.
“Daddy is here with us, baby,” ani Patrice at hinagod ang ang pisngi ng anak.
“He’s not Daddy, Mommy. He’s not my daddy...” tugon ng dalawang-taon na si Aiden habang nakatingin sa kanya.
Tiningnan ni Kayden at bata at umiling-iling. Marahil nabisto na agad siya ni Aiden kaya ganoon na lamang ang naging reaksyon nito. Dalawang-taon pa lamang ito ngunit ganoon na ito kamapagmatyag. He tried so hard to look like Ayden. Nagpagupit siya ng kagaya sa buhok ng kambal. Nagdamit na formal at malinis kagaya ng kung paano magdamit si Ayden. He practice Ayden's mannerism on the way home, but it wasn't enough. Masyadong matalino ang anak nitong si Aiden. His nephew is way smarter than the both of them in his age.
“Baby, look at your daddy. Can’t you see? He's here. With us,” giit ni Patrice at gulat na nagbawi ng kamay ng hawiin iyon ni Aiden at umatras.
“He's not my daddy!” singhal ni Aiden at masama na tumingin sa kanya. “He’s different! I want my daddy back.”
“Aiden, my prince... it’s me,” wika ni Kayden at nilapitan ito ngunit tumakbo ito palabas ng kuwarto.
“Oh, god... what just happened?” nag-aalalang tanong ni Patrice at napaupo sa wheelchair.
“Don't worry, baby. I’ll talk to Aiden, he's probably just messing around,” wika ni Kayden at hinagod ang pisngi nito. “Take a rest and leave the talking to me.”
Sinalat ni Patrice ang kanyang kamay at dinampian ito ng halik bago pinisil at binitawan. “Okay, I’ll be here in the room if something happened.”
Napangiti si Kayden kay Patrice at nagsimula nang maglakad palayo. Bago makalampas sa hamba ay napasulyap siya dito at napangiti. He walked to the aisle and wonder in each room. Ang isa na mga kuwarto na kanyang napasukan ay parang isang silid-paaralan at mayroon din ay isang malaking kuwarto na ouno mg laruan. Nang makita ang pambata na silid-tulugan ay pumasok si Kayden at hinanap si Aiden.
Nang hindi makita si Aiden ay napa-upo siya sa kama na hugis dinosaur at nag-isip. If he were Aiden, where could he be? Hinimas ni Kayden ang babaw at napatingin sa paligid. When he saw a kid's closet, an idea popped into his mind. Nilapitan niya ang aparato at binuksan. There, he saw Aiden hiding inside the closet while hugging his stuffed dinosaur toy.
“Don’t come near me, you’re not my daddy...” wika nito para mapayukod siya pababa para harapin ito.
“How can you tell that I’m not?” tanong ni Kayden at nginitian ito.
“Because your eyes... it’s not daddy’s,” sagot ni Aiden at tumingin sa kanya. “Your my daddy’s twin. Your uncle Kayden. You’re my scary uncle!”
“Aiden...” wika ni Kayden at napahilot sa sentido. “I’m your daddy.”
“No, you’re not!” pagmamatigas nito para mapapikit siya ng ilang segundo.
“I am you daddy,” ani Kayden at nilapitan ito. “Your uncle Kayden is dead.”
“You’re not my daddy! You’re not my daddy!” paulit-ulit na sigaw ni Kayden para mapaatras siya at mapatakip ng mga tainga.
He didn't know that handling a kid is not easy. But he knew also knew from others that it is enjoyable. Well, now that he's in front of Aiden, he could say that it’s not as enjoyable as he thought it would be. At tiyak na mahihirapan siya pakitunguhan si Aiden dahil isa itong matalino na bata.
God, help me.
He really needed a lot of patience in handling kids.
The first time he heard that Aiden is just two years old, he thought that it will be easy on convincing him. That he will immediately see him as his dad. But now, he regrets underestimating a child, Aiden is mature for his age and he surely knows a lot of things. Mapagmatyag ito at matalino kagaya ng ama.
Nang hawakan niya ang kamay nito ay nagpumiglas ito at nagtitili. He couldn't use his full strength because it will only hurt Aiden.
”Please, Aiden, our prince. Don’t make it so hard for daddy...” pagsusumamo ni Aiden at matyaga na kinarga ito patungo sa kama.
Aiden started wriggling and refusing to go to bed. “I’m not your prince! I want daddy. I want my daddy...”
“Aiden, I’m your daddy...” muling wika ni Aiden para mas lalo lamang magpamuiglas ang bata.
“You’re not my daddy!” singhal ni Aiden at hinampas siya ng laruan sa mukha para mapaigik sa kanya sa sakit dahil natamaan ang kanyang mata.
“What’s happening here?” tanong ni Patrice na umaapuhap sa hangin habang pumapasok sa silid-tulugan ni Aiden.
Salat-salat ang mata na bahagyang humapdi dahil sa ginawa ni Aiden ay nilapitan niya si Patrice at inalalayan papasok.
“I heard you are moaning in pain, baby, are you okay?” nag-aalalang tanong ni Patrice.
“I am,” sagot ni Kayden at muling kinusot ang mga mata. “Aiden hit me with his stuffed toy but it's okay. I’m fine.”
Napabuntong-hininga si Patrice at nilinga ang anak. “Aiden, where are you? Can you come to mommy, please?”
Nag-alangan pa ito noong una ngunit lumapit rin ito sa ina. Aiden hold his mom's hand and Patrice smiled before pulling Aiden for a hug.
“Apologize to your father this instant...” wika ni Patrice para mapaghiwalay sa yakap si Aiden.
“No!” tila pagmamatigas pa rin ni Aiden at tumingin nang masama sa kanya. “I won't! He's not even Daddy.”
“I don't know what you are trying to do here, anak. But how can you say that to your own father?” tanong ni Patrice at naiiyak na tumingin sa anak. “He's our daddy...”
“Why won’t you believe me, mom? I am telling the truth, he’s not daddy. He is uncle. My scary uncle,” wika ng anak at palapit na sa pagluha habang puno ng hinanakit n s nakatingin sa kanya. “Believe me, mom. He's not daddy, I know.”
“The first time you saw uncle when you're just a year older, you have mistaken uncle Kayden with your father,” pagkuwento ni Patrice at marahang hinagod ang pisngi ng anak sabay kubli sa mga luha. “It’s daddy, Aiden, because your uncle Kayden is gone.”
Napapikit si Kayden at minura niya ang sarili. Sa mga oras na iyon ay alam niya kung bakit ganoon na lamang ang naging reaksyon ng bata nang makita siya. Aiden was scared of him and he knows exactly why. The first time they met, he didn't even smiled at the child and treat him nice. He remembered how he walked passed at Aiden with a smug look on his face as if Aiden was a nobody. Simula noon ay hindi na siya tinangkang hanapin ni Aiden. Unbeknownst to him, the child was traumatized for what he did and it was on planted on Aiden’s mind.
- Writer
