JUICY SCOOP

August 5, 2013

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RIGOR TREVERON'S MYSTERY GIRL REVEALED!

It seems that the infamous painter Rigor Treveron included finding his college sweetheart in his itinerary when he came home last month. Two weeks ago, the painter was seen canoodling with a woman in a parking lot and the same lucky girl appeared in his arms last night at his exhibit!

The said woman is concluded to be Rigor's college sweetheart, whom he dated before leaving the country years ago. His ex, his secretary, and a potential love affair! It seems Rigor's relationship with her is more than conducting his business tété-a-tété. His birthday is fast approaching and if she's still around, we could only conclude that she's definitely his TOTGA back in his arms!

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"Is she going to come? Stormie?" Shantel asks hopefully from the kitchen counter.

Mabilis kong in-exit ang gossip tab sa iPad at nag-angat ng tingin sa kaniya. Bakas ang pag-aalala sa mukha ng kaibigan. I gave her a rueful smile.

"I don't know, yet. Elton is going to be there so I assume..."

She expels a sad sigh and puts down her books. Inayos niya din ang suot na reading glasses. She started wearing it last month and it suits her face well. Sumasakit raw kasi ang mga mata niya kapag nag-aaral sa mahabang oras.

"Imbitado ba kaming dalawa ni Shantel?" pangungulit naman ni Kyros. "O baka mga RK friends lang yan, ah?" he even gestures a quotation mark using his fingers on the word RK.

Inirapan ko siya. "Of course, you guys are invited. Malaki ang utang na loob namin sa inyong dalawa. Castian literally grew up with you."

"Where is he, anyway?"

"With his father." I smile.

Rigor ask to spent some time with him alone, in the garden. Nakikiramdam pa siya sa bata at ayaw itong biglain kaya naman pinayagan ko na rin. Castian didn't mind it, though. In fact, he is very excited and ecstatic when it comes to his father. He wants to show him the kittens and his toys and his little possessions like he's bragging. Rigor is just as invested as he is. Tinanong pa niya ako kung anong mga favorite characters ni Castian para may ideya siya sa regalong ibibigay. He even wants to discuss with me about giving him a piglet as a pet. Ang dami-dami niyang gustong gawin para sa anak at naiintindihan ko naman sa tagal ng panahon na pinagkait ko sa kanila.

Kyros looks down at his phone and smirks. Pansin kong palagi na siyang nagte-text nitong nakaraan. I've known him for years because of Shantel, and he never mentions a girl before. Kahit na nung nagtatrabaho pa siya sa bar at kusang lumalapit ang mga babae sa kaniya.

Tumayo ako at iniwan ang dalawa para tawagin sina Rigor at Castian para sa tanghalian. I step into the garden and saw two figures moving beneath the trees.

"—tapos Daddy tumitili si Ninang kapag may flying ipis. Hindi rin siya marunong magtimpla ng milk ko kagaya ni Mommy pero ayos lang."

I heard Rigor chuckled. Bumagal ang mga hakbang ko habang nacu-curious kung anong pinag-uusapan nila.

"How about your Tito Kyros?" tanong niya sa bata.

"Hmm Tito Kyros is awesome. He lets me borrow his phone to watch movies. Mahal niya din si Mau kahit na mabantot ang poop niya sabi ni Ninang."

Pati ako ay natawa sa sinabi ni Castian. I bit my lower lip and came to a complete stop to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Was it always the four of you—Mommy, Ninang, and your Tito?" Rigor carefully asks. "Or is there... anyone else?"

"Hmm... there's one!"

"Sino?"

I exhale and step out. Castian's eyes quickly dart towards me and his lips broke into a huge grin.

"Hi, Mommy!"

Nginitian ko ang anak at sinenyasan siya na lumapit sa akin. Tumayo agad siya at pinagpagan ang suot na shorts bago tumakbo palapit sa akin. Rigor follows him, closely watching me.

"Kumain muna tayo." I gave him a glance and a small smile.

"Daddy, up!" Castian lifts his arms into the air. Rigor obliges without a protest. He lifted his son into his shoulders and held both of his thighs tighly while Castian grabs his hair. Patawa-tawa pa ito nang bilisan ni Rigor ang paglalakad patungo sa bahay.

Napailing ako pero nakangiti. Nang makapasok kaming tatlo ay tapos na sa pagsi-set si Shantel sa lamesa. Sinigang ang niluto ko at si Kyros naman ay adobo. Shantel doesn't know how to cook so she's assigned in setting the plates. Castian jumps into his seat, looking hungry and ready to eat.

I reach for my usual chair but Rigor beats me to it. He drags it for me.

"Here."

"Thank you." Ngumiti ako at umupo. Tumabi naman siya sa akin samantalang si Kyros at Shantel ang nasa harapan namin.

We said grace before eating. inabot ni Rigor ang kanin at nilagyan muna ang plato ni Castian bago ang sa akin. Nakatingin si Shantel at Kyros sa aming dalawa. Kyros leans into Shantel's ears but I could hear him clearly.

"Pucha, by pair pala pag kakain? Hindi ako na-inform, ah."

Shantel laughs before smacking his shoulders. Siningkitan ko ng mga mata si Kyros pero dinedma lang ako at kumuha ng sarili niyang kanin.

Sila Shantel at Kyros lang ata ang nag-iingay sa hapag-kainan. Rigor is silent but he's keeping an eye on his son. Kapag may nahihirapang abutin si Castian o nakikita niya sa mga mata nito na gusto pang kumain, kaagad niyang tinutugunan.

Rigor also informs the two about the party. Hindi ko alam kung nahihiya ba talaga si Kyros na dumalo o talagang may duty siya sa araw na iyon. Shantel refuses because she has a recit to prepare and she's also keeping an eye on her sick father.

"Just let me know if Stormie is going to be there," tinabihan niya ako habang naghuhugas ako ng plato at bumulong.

I gave her a sideglance, still trying to figure out if it is appropriate to ask her questions about her sister. She always takes it personally when it comes to Stormie.

"Bakit hindi mo nalang tawagan?"

Shantel looks down at the dirty dishes, her lashes glistening with unshed tears. If she'd look up, I'll be expecting a pool of sadness in her eyes.

"She barely answers my calls." She bit her lower lip. Her voice is barely audible.

Tumango-tango ako. While I was pregnant with Castian, something happened to her sister. Her family is quick to bury the issue and paid off the media to stop writing any article about it. I never really got the details, but I think it was a car accident. Shantel blames herself for what happened and couldn't even bring herself to visit her while she was in the hospital. Nasa labas lang siya, nag-aantay. Their parents failed to act like parents to her at that time. Tanging ang Lola lang niya ang nakabantay sa ospital hanggang sa magising siya.

"I'll let you know," nginitian ko siya. Shantel smiles at me, but we both know it's fake. She's so good at this thing. Napailing na lang ako at tinuloy ang paghuhugas ng plato.

After washing, I went upstairs to check on my son. I step into the master bedroom and found him napping next to his father. Rigor is reading something on his phone. Nang maramdaman niya ang presensiya ko ay nag-angat siya ng tingin.

"Hey," he gestures to the empty seat next to the bed. Dahan-dahan niyang inayos ang upo sa kama habang naglalakad ako patungo sa upuan. His left arm is Castian's pillow, so he couldn't move that much.

I ignored the empty chair and went to them. Isiniksik ko ang sarili sa natitirang espasyo sa tabi ni Rigor. He chuckles quietly and wraps his arm around my waist. I instantly felt secure in his arms.

"Ang hirap patulugin ni Castian," bulong niya sa akin.

Tumawa ako at sumang-ayon. "Kung alam mo lang, when he was still a baby I could barely—" I immediately stop myself when I realize what I was saying. My entire body tenses.

"It's okay, Czarina." Rigor assures me. "I want to know."

Kinagat ko ang pang-ibabang labi at pilit na iwinaksi ang guilt na bumabalot sa akin. I want to talk about him about Castian's early days, his first walk, his first word, his first everything that he missed because I hid our son. But I am also hesitant because talking about Castian's early childhood may seem like a painful reminder of my betrayal to him.

"I'm sorry," nahihiya kong wika sa kaniya. I can't believe that my first thought upon seeing the father of my child again in so many years was to hide Castian from him.

"What are you sorry for?" Rigor plants a soft kiss on my forehead. "I may not fully understand it, but from where I'm standing, I could tell that you did what you thought was best for the three of us."

"Castian's best memories could've been made with you when he was younger." My voice cracks at the edge. "I stole it from the both of you..."

"Cherié, I'm going to make the best memories with our son from now on. He wouldn't even notice the five years that I missed from his life. Stop worrying about it, please? I'm just happy to have you and Castian back to me."

Tumango-tango ako habang nangingilid ang mga luha. I scooted closer to him. Rigor's arms must be numb by now, but he didn't say anything while holding the two of us. I smile against his chest.

Maybe all those sacrifices were worth it, after all.

"And I'm sorry for everything. I can't imagine what it was like to raise our son alone. Gusto kong bumawi sa inyong dalawa ni Castian."

I look up at him. Rigor leans closer and presses his lips against mine, gently at first, before parting my mouth open and pushing back hard. My hands tighten around his arms as I shut my eyes. It's as if Rigor is telling me everything with the kiss and letting me feel all emotions at once. When he pulls back, his eyes are glassy.

"The years of fame in Baltimore is nothing compared to this..." he whispers.

I sigh with my whole body. For the first time, I felt like I made a right decision.

Naging abala kami sa sumunod na mga araw. Rigor wants Castian to meet his grandparents first before his birthday tomorrow. After working half a day in the studio, he drove the two of us to La Union.

I've never been away from La Union for a long time, but seeing its coastal roads again made me feel nostalgic. Castian seems to like it as well. Tinuturo niya sa bintana ng sasakyan ang bawat ibon na nakikita habang nagda-drive si Rigor.

When we finally arrived, I glance at Castian at the backseat. He tilts his head a bit, waiting for what I am about to say.

"Remember what I said, Castian? Be respectful to your grandma and grandpa, okay? Freuss and Franco are also here."

He nods, glancing at his father's childhood home for the first time.

"This is your mansion, Daddy?"

Rigor smiles and nods at him.

"We have a mansion, too!" pagmamayabang niya. Natawa ako at lumabas ng sasakyan. I got him out of the child seat and let him take in the house first while Rigor is parking the vehicle.

Hindi pa natatapos si Rigor ay narinig ko na ang malakas na kalabog na sinundan ng histerikal na sigaw ng isang babae. Freuss came running out of the house with her terrified nanny shouting after her.

"Freuss! Bumalik ka dito!"

Freuss keeps on running and smacks into Castian before I could even pull him away. Sinamaan niya ito ng tingin at pinagpagan ang nadumihan niyang dress. Rigor immediately runs to us but Castian got up on his own.

"What are you doing here?" maldita niyang tanong kay Castian.

"I'm here with my Daddy..."

Lumipad ang tingin ni Freuss kay Rigor. Hindi man lang nagtagal ng ilang segundo at ibinalik niya muli kay Castian saka inirapan.

Nang muli akong mag-angat ng tingin, isang pamilyar na babae ang nakita ko. No one had ever aged gracefully than Sidra Treveron, in my opinion. She's wearing a sleek, black pantsuit with her signature pearls. Nanlalaki ang mga mata niyang nakatingin kay Castian.

"Oh my God, Rigor, is that my grandson?"

Kinuha ni Rigor ang kamay ni Castian at inakay patungo kay Sidra. Her eyes lit up with joy when she came face to face with him.

"He looks just like you!" she cries in joy and hugs Castian. Nagtataka akong tiningnan ng anak, hindi alam ang gagawin. Tinanguan ko lang siya at ngumiti na rin. "Ron! Ronan! Come here!" sigaw niya sa loob.

After a few minutes, I heard a grunt from the doorway. Rigor's father appears and glances at his son curiously, before darting his gaze towards Castian. Kumunot ang noo niya habang nakangiti naman si Tita Sidra sa kaniya.

"Ano 'to?"

"Apo niyo, Dad." Sarkastikong sagot sa kaniya ni Rigor.

His face contorts in confusion for a moment. Mukhang kakagising lang kasi at inabala namin para sabihing may apo na siya.

He jerks his chin towards my son. "What's your name, boy?"

Castian chews his lower lip. Humihingi ng saklolo ang tingin niya sa akin. I only gave him an encouraging smile and let him decide if he wants to tell his name or not. He's obviously scared.

"C...Castian." Halos pabulong na niyang sagot.

Pati ako kinakabahan rin dahil sa matagal na titig niya kay Castian. Tapos ay tumango lang at bumalik na sa loob. Humigpit ang hawak ni Castian sa binti ko. I patted his head and whispers soothing words to him before going inside with the rest.

Thyron and Silver are lounging in the living room when we arrived. He jumps out of the sofa and pulls me into a hug as soon as he saw me.

"Welcome to the family, Czarina!" he cheers. "Oy, Rigs, kailan kasal?"

Sinapak ni Tita Sidra ang likod ni Thyron at inilayo sa akin. My cheeks burn. Nang balingan ko si Rigor, agad siyang nag-iwas ng tingin sa akin at umaktong walang narinig. I bit my bottom lip and looked away.

"Sabihin mo lang kay lola kung may gusto kang kainin, ha?" rinig ko namang pambobola ni Tita Sidra sa anak ko. "I'll get you anything!"

"Ice cream din po?"

"Of every flavor, sweetheart."

Nagtatalon sa tuwa si Castian. Tita Sidra ushers all of us to the garden for a brunch. Bumaba na din ang asawa niya at ipinakilala si Castian. He beams in delight and invites him for a 'men only' fishing trip next week. Rigor's Dad is watching his grandson carefully over the rim of his glass, studying his face and looking back and forth between Rigor and I. I'm not sure why he won't express his delight of meeting his grandson but I could see it in his eyes.

After eating, Thyron volunteers to take the kids to the pool. Excited namang sumunod si Castian sa kanila. Silver excuses herself to her room. Ang naiwan nalang sa lamesa ay ako, si Rigor, si Tita Sidra, Tito Anton, at Tito Ronan.

"Are you going to get married?" diretsong tanong ni Tito Ronan sa amin.

I almost spit my water out. Napaubo ako at sinuntok-suntok ang dibdib ko para mahimashimasan. Tita Sidra glares at her brother and glances at me.

"Can you stop asking those questions, Ronan? Kakarating lang ng mga bata."

"They're not kids, Sidra." He swirls the brandy in his glass and watches us carefully. "They have a son."

I cleared my throat. I'm starting to get so nervous.

"If you're worried that it may affect Rigor's reputation, nobody knows about Rigor's son except for this family and some trusted friends. Huwag po kayong mag-alala. Hindi ko rin po ipipilit ang bata at kaya ko namang sustentuhan-"

"Czarina!" Rigor turns to me with a glare. "Stop talking like that."

I open my mouth to protest but Rigor turns to his father.

"And Dad, you've said it yourself. We're not kids anymore. We're adults and we're capable of making our own decision. I appreciate your concern, but we'll handle it."

Tumitig siya sa amin bago dahan-dahang tumango. He sips the last of his brandy and stands up.

"Just let me know when." Huling tugon niya at bumalik na sa mansion.

Rigor reaches for my hand and squeezes it. I'm not upset with his father, though. Nasanay na akong ganun siya. I smile at him to assure him that I'm fine. Tita Sidra stares at me longingly.

"You look like someone I knew before," she says out of the blue. Nagulat ako at napatingin sa kaniya. Kaagad siyang umiling nang nakangiti pa rin. "Never mind me, I think I'm just imagining things."

Tito Anton scoots closer and presses a kiss on her forehead gently. "I'll go back upstairs to get dressed for the tournament."

She whispers something to him and they both share a secret laugh with each other before parting ways. Napalingon tuloy ako kay Rigor. I don't know about our future yet, but I wonder if we would still be like them in five, ten, or fifteen years from now?

"Hanapin ko lang si Castian," ako naman ang umalis at iniwan ang dalawa.

I went to the pool where I heard the noises from the boys. Castian is already in the water with Franco while Thyron is sitting in one of the white recliners, watching them carefully. Si Freuss ay hindi pa naliligo. She's already in her cute yellow one-piece suit but she's trying to braid her hair all by herself. She's struggling, so I went to her.

"Hey," I crouch in front of her. "Want me to braid it for you?"

She stares at me hesitantly. Nakaatras na ang isa niyang paa at handang tumakbo palayo sa akin. Ang kuryuso naman niyang mga mata ay naglilikot sa mukha ko. She sighs and drops her hands, surrendering.

"Do you know dutch braid?" she whispers.

Tumango-tango ako at nginitian siya. "I think I know how to do it."

She finally allows me to touch her hair when I led her to one of the recliners. Nag-angat ng tingin si Thyron sa akin at tinanguan ako bago ibinalik ang tingin sa mga bata. Freuss settles between my legs as I brush her hair.

"Mommy used to braid my hair," aniya habang abala ako sa buhok niya.

"Really?"

Tango lang ang isinagot niya sa akin at tumahimik na. I could tell how much she misses her mom. She doesn't understand what's going on, and it's not my place to tell her about stuff like that. Baka mas lalo lang magulo ang bata niyang isipan.

Nang matapos ako sa buhok niya ay inaya ko na siyang maligo. Freuss steps into the water but was careful not to touch any of the boys as if they carry a horrible disease. Natawa ako at tinabihan si Thyron.

"They're so cute," inilabas ko ang phone ko at kumuha ng mga candid shots nila. I want to post something on my IG story but I think I'll go private first for their security. My phone pops with a DM from Kyros.

@saintkyros: happy family yarn?

"Huh?"

He sent me a picture and I clicked it. It's from yesterday where I fell asleep with Rigor and Castian. He must've gone upstairs and snapped it. Pati si Rigor ay natutulog rin. He looks so peaceful in his sleep. It instantly became my favorite picture. Napangiti ako.

@czarina_saorsie: stop coming to my room u creep

Thyron shifts from his seat. Napalingon ako sa kaniya at itinago ang phone ko. He usually have a goofy smile on his face but he looks so serious right now.

"Are you okay, Thy?" paninigurado ko lang.

Tumango-tango naman siya. Binalingan niya ako saglit at tipid na ngumiti.

"Ayos lang."

"Nami-miss ni Freuss ang nanay niya." Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko.

He chuckles, but it's bitter and full of pain. "Nami-miss ko na rin ang nanay niya."

I sigh and reaches for his shoulder to pat it. I really don't have any idea what is going on with them and I don't want to pry.

"I'm sorry, Thy. I hope things get better."

He shrugs. "Shit happens, Czarina." he gave me a small smile. "I'm happy for you, though."

"Huh?"

"Rigor is my brother but I've never seen him this happy for the past few years. He always has this... wall to cage himself in. I sometimes pity him because he'll never know what it was like to be a father and now... you and Castian make him happy, Czarina. I hope you realize that." His last sentence is a mere whisper as he leans back into the recliner.

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#HanmariamBFLIIChap11