ZWCS#9: Playing with Fire

Twelve

"Tumawag si Mommy pala." sabi niya. Tumingin sakanya si Philip at bumuntong-hininga. "She wants me to come home. My Dad had another attack so she's worried." patuloy niya.

It's been about five years since she left to migrate in New York. When Philip found her crying at Starbucks, he offered her to come with him here. She was broken back then, all she wanted that time is to run away so she did. Her parents thought it's a good idea as well since it can be away to kill all the gossip spreading about her.

It was just supposed to be a year but she enjoyed her stay so she asked for another year to her parents until Dino happened in that same year.

Makikitulog sana siya kay Philip dahil passed curfew na siya sa college dorm niya. Nasa may porch na sila ng bahay nito nang makarinig sila ng iyak. Laking gulat nila nang may box doon na puno ng kumot at may baby na halos anim na buwan na siguro ang umiiyak at balot na balot sa kumot.

It turns out Philip got one of his exes pregnant but the mother of Dino got scared so she gave Dino to Philip. Kasama sa box ang birth certificate ni Dino.

"Let's find his mother. Baka mamaya hindi naman pala ikaw ang Daddy nitong baby." sabi niya habang hinehele ang baby.

Philip looked serious but she saw how his eyes glistening. He's about to cry pero alam niyang nagpipigil ito. "He's mine. My son."

Nung una akala niya nagbibiro lang ito pero nang makita niya ang baby pictures ni Philip, 'di na siya nagtanong pa kung anak nga ba nito si Dino dahil kamukhang kamukha ni Dino si Philip nung baby pa ito.

Bilib nga siya kay Philip. Walang pagdadalawang-isip na inako nito ang bata. Ipinakilala kaagad sa parents nito at ipinaintindi ang nangyari. Nung una nagalit ang parents nito pero nang makita ng mga ito ang apo ay napalitan ng tuwa ang galit.

Philip got more serious to his work. Madalang na rin siya pumarty, hindi tulad nung dati na uuwi sila parehas ng madaling araw dahil nag-inom sila. He bought a house here in Bay Ridge dahil ito daw ang isa sa pinakamagandang neighbourhoods sa Brooklyn at sobrang safe din.

Iyong tahimik na seryosong Philip na kilala niya dati ay isang responsableng ama na ngayon kay Dino at hinahangaan niya ito dahil doon.

Maski naman siya ay nagbago dahil kay Dino. Why, Dino is a bundle of joy and she treats him like he's her own son too. Palagi siyang katulong ni Philip sa pagpapalaki kay Dino. They make a great team, she have to say.

On her third year of staying in New York, her Dad got sick so she went home for a month. She took care of their business, meet her friends and stay out of the spotlight.

Naalala pa niya nung nakipagkita siya sa mga kaibigan ay binalita sa TV si Steven pero kaagad niyang pinapatay kay Jinny iyon at nilihis ang usapan. Her friends didn't asked furthermore since they already knew the story.

What's done is done. Everyone just needs to move on and get over it and that's what she did. She accepted her faults, repented to her sins and learned her lesson.

"Kailan tayo uuwi?" pukaw sakanya ni Philip.

"Tayo? Kasama ka? Paano si Dino?"

Inakbayan siya ni Philip. "Kasama si Dinosaur, syempre."

"Are you sure?"

Nagkibit-balikat si Philip. "Yeah. Matagal naman na din kami pinapauwi ni Mommy pero ayaw ko lang kasi nga nandito ang trabaho natin tsaka ayoko pa bumalik sa Pilipinas."

"Eh bakit kayo sasama pa? Baka matagalan na ako doon."

"Dino will miss you." sabi nito at iniwan siya para puntahan ang anak na sayang-saya pa rin sa pagkain ng cake.