Marikina (Part I)
"How many times have I told you to keep the money where it won't get lost? Sebastian, you will never learn, you will grow old tanga and tarantado like your Lolo Epoy!" sigaw ng kanyang madrasta, na kaninang umaga pa mainit ang ulo. Nawala niya ang pambayad ng tubig at ngayon ay mapuputulan na sila.
Muli ay nagawa niyang magsinungaling. Tinaya na naman niya ang isang daang piso sa baraha, at natalo. Kahit ilang beses na mangyari pa iyon ay hindi siya titiligil hanggang makuha niya ang limanlibong pisong papremyo. Pwede niya itong gamitin para bumili ng regalo para sa kanyang sakiting ina. Nanay, isip niya. Pangako, babalikan kita. Iiwanan ko sila Papa at pupunta tayo sa Saudi. Doon ako magtatrabaho. Di ka na kailangan maghirap. Ako na ang bahala.
"Where is the money?"
"Ma...nawala." Hindi niya magawang tumingin sa kanya. Narinig na niya ang kidlat sa labas.
"You will explain this to your Papa. I will not involve myself in this. Peste ka! Mapuputulan tayo ng tubig!"
Wala na siyang masabi. Kapag nagsalita ay lalong iinit ang ulo nito, kaya pinili na lang niyang lunukin ang ipinagmamalaki. Wala siyang kwenta sa mundo. Kapag pumanaw siya ay wala namang magbabago. Hindi siya makahinga ng maayos sa sariling bahay. Binabalewala ng sariling ama.
Malakas ang ulan sa labas. Alam niya na may darating na bagyo. Napanood niya ito sa TV ng kapitbahay. Papatayin na naman siya dahil di niya nakuha ang mga sinampay. Basa na lahat ng nilabhan niyang damit kahapon. Hindi na importante.
Maikukumpara sa isang ibon na nawalan ng anak, sumugod ang kanyang madrasta, dala-dala ang isang bakal na madalas nang nagagamit. Ipinalo ang braso't likod ni Juan na tuluyan nang nanghihina. Namumula. Mas gustuhin man niyang matamaan na lang ng kidlat ay wala na siyang magawa. Kundi tiisin ang sakit. Sanay na siya. Iba ang pinagdaanan ng kanyang ina. Mas masaklap pa ang sinapit nito. Ito ang nagbigay sa kanya ng lakas ng loob na kurutin ang madrasta.
Nang naramdaman ng Doña ang sakit, hinila nito si Juan sa kuwarto niya. Sinara ang pinto at walang balak na palabasin ito. Kapag lumayas ay magtataka ang mga kapitbahay. Mabuti pa na mamatay na lang sa gutom. Disgrasya.
Sa loob ng kuwarto, naalala ni Juan na may nakita siyang lubid sa ilalim ng kanyang kama noong nakaraang gabi. Makapal. Kayang ikutin sa kanyang leeg. O, ano, sabi niya sa sarili.
Pakamatay ka na.
"Dad, you always taught me to follow my heart! And that's what I'm doing!" she screams back. Her father was now denying the very words that came out of his own mouth. Now she didn't know what to believe. Warm tears flowed from her eyes. She didn't stop them.
The heavy rain outside was nothing compared to his booming voice. "At basta-basta ka na lang hindi papasok? Para makipagkita sa boyfriend mong walang kwenta!" He tried his best to lose his Australian accent.
She had a reason for cutting classes. It would be quite hard to believe, especially for a man like her father. He would never believe it. "That's it? You're not even giving him a chance?"
His eyebrows furrowed. She had never seen him this angry. Maybe her mother had, but not her. He had always loved her. He would even go so far as to starve himself for a day if he ever blew a fuse in her presence. Today was an exception. For his daughter to be spending time with the son of Carlos Valdemor was beyond him.
Somehow, Chiara had only seen the distance now. The invisible distance that had separated she and her dad for years. It was the death of her mother that had pained him so much...she wondered how she could have been so ignorant to notice it now.
"Any man by the name of Valdemor will never have my pity."
"You judge him by his name, Papa! Can't you see beyond that? He is nothing like his father..."
"Antonio is no different," he said flatly.
"That does not mean we can't be together! Just because his father happens to be your worst enemy doesn't mean I can't be with Anthony. We had nothing to do with what happened!" Her voice broke twice. She rubbed her face. It was too late to hold back any tears.
"I don't want you anywhere near Antonio Valdemor. Not an inch. Or you will be sent back to the province, where I should have kept you in the first place."
"I will never give up Anthony. No matter what you say, Papa." She tried to keep her voice from shaking.
"Not another word. Tomorrow I will have your Tita Beth bring you to the province. For sure you will be no trouble."
Chiara wanted to yell, but she knew that would do her no good. She made her way upstairs, defenseless, vulnerable. She could never come back to Anthony. They would keep her away from him. And though her heart ached, there was nothing more to do.
She looked out her window. The sky was gray. It seemed the world was condemning her for following her heart. And so she cried one last time and thought to herself.
Now would be a good time to jump.
[to be continued]
Muli ay nagawa niyang magsinungaling. Tinaya na naman niya ang isang daang piso sa baraha, at natalo. Kahit ilang beses na mangyari pa iyon ay hindi siya titiligil hanggang makuha niya ang limanlibong pisong papremyo. Pwede niya itong gamitin para bumili ng regalo para sa kanyang sakiting ina. Nanay, isip niya. Pangako, babalikan kita. Iiwanan ko sila Papa at pupunta tayo sa Saudi. Doon ako magtatrabaho. Di ka na kailangan maghirap. Ako na ang bahala.
"Where is the money?"
"Ma...nawala." Hindi niya magawang tumingin sa kanya. Narinig na niya ang kidlat sa labas.
"You will explain this to your Papa. I will not involve myself in this. Peste ka! Mapuputulan tayo ng tubig!"
Wala na siyang masabi. Kapag nagsalita ay lalong iinit ang ulo nito, kaya pinili na lang niyang lunukin ang ipinagmamalaki. Wala siyang kwenta sa mundo. Kapag pumanaw siya ay wala namang magbabago. Hindi siya makahinga ng maayos sa sariling bahay. Binabalewala ng sariling ama.
Malakas ang ulan sa labas. Alam niya na may darating na bagyo. Napanood niya ito sa TV ng kapitbahay. Papatayin na naman siya dahil di niya nakuha ang mga sinampay. Basa na lahat ng nilabhan niyang damit kahapon. Hindi na importante.
Maikukumpara sa isang ibon na nawalan ng anak, sumugod ang kanyang madrasta, dala-dala ang isang bakal na madalas nang nagagamit. Ipinalo ang braso't likod ni Juan na tuluyan nang nanghihina. Namumula. Mas gustuhin man niyang matamaan na lang ng kidlat ay wala na siyang magawa. Kundi tiisin ang sakit. Sanay na siya. Iba ang pinagdaanan ng kanyang ina. Mas masaklap pa ang sinapit nito. Ito ang nagbigay sa kanya ng lakas ng loob na kurutin ang madrasta.
Nang naramdaman ng Doña ang sakit, hinila nito si Juan sa kuwarto niya. Sinara ang pinto at walang balak na palabasin ito. Kapag lumayas ay magtataka ang mga kapitbahay. Mabuti pa na mamatay na lang sa gutom. Disgrasya.
Sa loob ng kuwarto, naalala ni Juan na may nakita siyang lubid sa ilalim ng kanyang kama noong nakaraang gabi. Makapal. Kayang ikutin sa kanyang leeg. O, ano, sabi niya sa sarili.
Pakamatay ka na.
*****
"Ilang beses ko nang sinabi sa iyo, wag na wag kang mag-boyfriend!" he shouts, harsher than he intended. Deceived by his own daughter. He couldn't accept it. She was only 14. She had yet to learn so many things. Why did she do this? I spoiled her rotten, what more could she possibly want?
"Dad, you always taught me to follow my heart! And that's what I'm doing!" she screams back. Her father was now denying the very words that came out of his own mouth. Now she didn't know what to believe. Warm tears flowed from her eyes. She didn't stop them.
The heavy rain outside was nothing compared to his booming voice. "At basta-basta ka na lang hindi papasok? Para makipagkita sa boyfriend mong walang kwenta!" He tried his best to lose his Australian accent.
She had a reason for cutting classes. It would be quite hard to believe, especially for a man like her father. He would never believe it. "That's it? You're not even giving him a chance?"
His eyebrows furrowed. She had never seen him this angry. Maybe her mother had, but not her. He had always loved her. He would even go so far as to starve himself for a day if he ever blew a fuse in her presence. Today was an exception. For his daughter to be spending time with the son of Carlos Valdemor was beyond him.
Somehow, Chiara had only seen the distance now. The invisible distance that had separated she and her dad for years. It was the death of her mother that had pained him so much...she wondered how she could have been so ignorant to notice it now.
"Any man by the name of Valdemor will never have my pity."
"You judge him by his name, Papa! Can't you see beyond that? He is nothing like his father..."
"Antonio is no different," he said flatly.
"That does not mean we can't be together! Just because his father happens to be your worst enemy doesn't mean I can't be with Anthony. We had nothing to do with what happened!" Her voice broke twice. She rubbed her face. It was too late to hold back any tears.
"I don't want you anywhere near Antonio Valdemor. Not an inch. Or you will be sent back to the province, where I should have kept you in the first place."
"I will never give up Anthony. No matter what you say, Papa." She tried to keep her voice from shaking.
"Not another word. Tomorrow I will have your Tita Beth bring you to the province. For sure you will be no trouble."
Chiara wanted to yell, but she knew that would do her no good. She made her way upstairs, defenseless, vulnerable. She could never come back to Anthony. They would keep her away from him. And though her heart ached, there was nothing more to do.
She looked out her window. The sky was gray. It seemed the world was condemning her for following her heart. And so she cried one last time and thought to herself.
Now would be a good time to jump.
[to be continued]
posted by Chandra Pepino at
Monday, November 02, 2009
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