Chapter 28

"It was something personal for her," I reasoned. "Her relationship."

That was the lie I told them. I thought they were not ready for it to know so I had to make something they would believe. Sasabihin ko rin sa kanila ang totoo, I'm just gonna find a way to tell it to them and maybe when things finally set right, that'll be the perfect moment.

It's been three days since I left Shai's condo and I felt a little safer than I was there. Hindi ako lumalabas ng bahay. At this time, sina mama na ang nagpepresenta na bumili ng mga kailangan ni Matteo. With the money left in me, hindi na iyon sasapat kaya kailangan ko nang maghanap ng pagkakakitaan.

As I put Matty down in bed asleep, my phone buzzed upon receiving a notification. I checked it and was surprised when the email comes from Alessandro.

I immediately open the email.

Jacinta,

I couldn't reach out to you anywhere, but I hope this will.

Here's my phone number – I changed mine. +39-166560000

I installed an app where we could talk. I uninstalled them all when I left Sicily that's why he wasn't able to reach out to me. Good thing, he still has my email. Maybe he looked through my resume before that's why he found it.

I open the messaging app and texted him. In quite a few minutes, the checked mark button has been seen.

Hindi ko alam bakit ang bilis ng kabog ng dibdib ko. Maybe because we haven't been talking since the day I left at feeling ko ay nagtatampo ito si Ale sa akin at masama ang loob.

Ale: Finalmente hai risposto! (Finally, you answered!)

Avrei dovuto farlo prima. (I should've done that way before.)

Me: I'm sorry, Ale!

Ale: I know I understand.

Sono solo felice di poter parlare di nuovo. (I'm just happy we're able to talk again.)

Me: Me, too. I should've stayed in contact with you.

Ale: No, don't think about that. It was for the best, and you did the right thing.

Me: Did I?

Ale: Si.

I don't know how to tell you this, but Fabrizio came to me looking for you.

Me: What the hell!

I was expecting that to happen. I'm just still surprised that it did happen.

Me: What happened?

Did he hurt you or did he do anything bad?

Ale: Almost, but I didn't let that happen.

Sure he can intimidate people, but not me.

Can I just call you? My phone's keypad is small for my hands.

I chuckled reading that.

Me: Yes, please.

Calling... accepted.

"Jacinta?" he spoke and somehow lifted my mood up.

"I miss that voice, Ale..."

He smirked. "You, too... Cazzo, Fabrizio. Non dovrebbe farti questo." (Fuck, Fabrizio. He shouldn't be doing this to you.)

"I feel sorry myself, too..." I said. "So, what did he tell you?"

"He was mad! Very, very mad. He thought that I kidnapped you or hide you somewhere else. His thinking was wild, Jacinta. I'll tell you that. I didn't tell him anything about where you do and the plan we made. I kept my mouth shut as promised, but—" he grunted.

"But what?"

He let out a defeated sigh. "Just like what you said, I went to Lilian to tell her you left Sicily. I did tell her to keep it a secret—"

"He's here, Ale. He found me..." I confessed.

"Figlio di puttana," he cursed. "Quando?" (Motherfucker. When?

"It's been three days since we face each other," I said. "I haven't seen him since then, but I know he's not leaving the country without me and Matteo."

"That's what all he wants?"

"I don't know," I answered. "I'm not even sure, to be honest. There are a lot of things to be said. But all he does is lie in front of my face."

"I wish I was there with you."

"Yeah..." I don't wanna talk about how Fabio made me locked in a hotel that night. Alam kong mag-iinit lang lalo ang dugo ni Ale.

"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly. I could sense it in his tone.

"I am... you'll be surprised if I tell you that I'm with my parents now."

"Wow! Since when?"

"Three days ago..."

"Hm... but you've been there for a month now?"

"I stayed with a friend. She let me stay in her condo for a month. She was a very good friend of mine... I only pay for food sometimes and that helped me so much with everything. I'm glad I called her that night when I arrived in Manila."

"Should I come to Manila, too?"

I chuckled.

"No, serious... I could leave my bar supervised by my staff. That wouldn't be a problem for me."

"No, don't. And it's too expensive, you know that."

He let out a deep sigh after what I said.

"Let's just get keep in touch with each other."

"Of course, and you will tell me everything if Fabrizio comes at you, understand?"

"Yes, sir. I will."

"Alright. I just woke up, too. I'll prepare for now. I'll text you, too."

"Sure... go on..."

When he dropped the call, lumuwag ang dibdib ko kahit papaano. Iniisip ko kasi nitong mga nakaraang linggo, I've been thinking what he would say na rin. Umutang din naman ako sa kanya para lang makauwi kami rito sa Pilipinas. He knows what I've been through that's why I couldn't sense any anger in his voice.

Matteo's sleeping comfortably so I decided to check in downstair to see them. Naabutan ko namang gising pa si papa na nanonood ng TV. When he noticed my presence, tinawag niya ako at pinalapit sa tabi niya.

I sat next to him, and he even offered me the green tea that helps him to sleep at night, but I declined the offer since I don't drink tea at night.

"Hindi ka ba makatulog?"

"Hindi pa naman po ako inaantok," sagot ko. "I just put Matteo to sleep. Ngayon, nakapagpahinga na rin ako."

Saglit siyang natigilan at tiningnan ako. I could see his eyes glistened with tears. Kumurap-kurap lamang siya ng mabilis at sinapawan ng tawa.

"We hope we were there when you were pregnant," he wept. "We missed those days. Hindi ka rin naman naming masisisi kung bakit ka lumayo. We were too much for you, but we only wanted all the good things for you."

"I left because that's why I felt like I'm unwanted."

Tumango-tango naman si papa. "Hindi ka na dapat nadamay no'n. Nawala ang atensyon naming sa 'yo. Alam mo naman na nagkaroon ng gulo dahil sa naging ex-partner din ng mama mo. Wala ako no'ng mga panahon na 'yon. If we were just good parents' for you and your siblings, hindi ka naman pupunta ng Italy."

"Siguro... but I may not be able to change the part where I got pregnant. I fell in love with the wrong man..."

"Hindi mo pa naku-kwento 'yan sa amin, 'nak..."

I smiled bitterly and I don't know if it was worth it to talk to them about him. "As I said before, he's Italian and he was on vacation when we met at a bar. Impossible might it seem, our relationship clicked so we started dating... until one day he just left me without saying a word."

"E, wala naman palang bayag 'yang lalaking 'yan, e."

Napangisi naman ako. "You don't know pa how Italians are."

"Kahit na. Hindi man lang inako 'yang responsibilidad sa anak mo? Alam ba niya?"

Dahan-dahan akong tumango. "He knows... we met back in Italy, but it didn't work out so I decided to fly back here."

Napabitaw na lamang nang malalim na buntong hininga si papa. "Hayaan mo, kami naman na ang makakasama mo ngayon. 'Wag mo na isipin mo 'yon... matatauhan din 'yon."

Hindi ako sumagot dahil hindi ko alam kung matatauhan nga ba talaga 'yong taong 'yon. He's full of himself. He's selfish. Lahat na sa kanya, but he still want to make it about himself. Kaya ayoko nang ipagsisikan ang sarili ko sa kanya.

He wanted me once, magdusa siya ngayon dahil hindi ko na siya babalikan.

Papa and I spend the night watching a drama movie. It was really a nice moment we caught up with each other and with everything that has been going on. I'm not really close to him, but guess the way I long for this made me get to do so.

Pumanik na ako sa kwarto ko nang matapos ang pinapanood naming at naabutan ko pa rin namang tulog si Matteo. That's a good thing. Makakatulog din ako nang maayos. Nitong halos dalawang buwan, hindi maayos ang tulog ko. The fact that I'm alone and have to do this by myself, kinakaya ko naman. At least, I know I don't need a man for myself to be a good parent.

At midnight, I know I prayed so much I won't wake up but seems like Matteo has other plans.

I was awake until four in the morning. Nakakanakaw ako ng tulog at some point. Tinawagan ko si Ale sa mga oras na 'yon and I let him do virtual babysitting and magically, out of nowhere, Matteo fell asleep when he sings a lullaby.

He even joked that he might be the real father of Matteo.

I paused for a second when he mentioned that, but I wished na sana si Ale na lang ang tatay ni Matteo. Mas matagal ko siyang nakilala at mas ramdam ko 'yong pag-aalala niya sa akin.

If not for the DNA test Fabio made when we met back in Italy, Ale would probably adopt him. I would make him the father if he wants to.

Past four, I really had a nice sleep not until someone came in our room, barged in, and announced someone was looking for me. And that he's in the living room right now.

Wala pa ako sa ulirat nang marinig ko 'yon kay Vanjo. When I told him to repeat what he said, ang sinabi niya... "May bisita ka, ate. Nasa sala siya. Kausap si mama... foreigner ata?"

At that point, my heart dropped.

He found me, once again.

He always does find a way.

Kahit ayoko.

"Sige, pumunta ka na ro'n... sabihin mo tulog pa ako. Balik na lang bukas."

"Ate?" taka nitong tugon. May pagkamot pa ito sa kanyang ulo. "Ano nga sasabin ko sa kanila?"

"Basta, 'yon ang sabihin mo—"

Hindi pa man siya nakakaalis nang biglang sumulpot si mama. Malapad ang ngiti sa mukha ni mama. Nakita naman niya akong abala sa pagbabantay kay Matteo.

"Ja, may bisita ka," bungad niya. "Hinahanap ka niya... hindi ko alam na alam pala niya kung saan tayo nakatira?"

I sighed. He knows. He has people to work for him.

"Iyon na ata iyong tatay ni Matteo?" aniya. "Sabi niya galing daw siyang Italy... at hinahanap ka niya. Bakit ka naman niya hinahanap?"

"Ma, pwede pasabi na bumalik na lang siya sa mga susunod na araw? O kahit hindi na?"

Napakunot si mama sa sagot ko. "Bakit naman? Nag-abala 'yong tao na puntahan ka rito... sige na, ako na muna bahala kay Matteo at puntahan mo na siya. Pakabango pa."

Ma...

You don't understand.

I should've said the truth.

Kahit ayokong umalis sa kwarto ko, pinilit niya ako. I don't have any places to go. Na-corner na naman niya ako ako. Lumabas ako ng kwarto at sumunod sa likod ko si Vanjo.

Nangangatog ang mga tuhod ko habang pababa ng hagdan. I can head back upstairs and lock myself in one of the rooms there pero baka may gawin namang masama si Fabio. So, I headed downstairs and standing on the doorway, his tall stance says it all.

It was him.

I walked timidly toward his direction, but Vanjo's announcing my arrival made Fabio turn to face me. When he saw me, a grin sparked on his face and I feel like, once again, I'm trapped.

"Jacinta..." his voice calling my name brought chills over my body. "Finally."

#BirthOfLiesInSicily #BOLISChapter28 #WTS9