Chapter 27

Absent Parent

"Bakit kayo nandito?" Nika asked disinterested when her mother closed the door behind her.

Sakto naman ang pagkulo ng tubig sa electric kettle nila kaya inabala niya ang sarili niya sa paglagay ng mainit na tubig sa cup noodles para lang 'di siya makipagtitigan sa tita at nanay niya.

"Hindi ka sumasagot sa messages namin. Akala namin napano ka na kaya pumunta kami dito," her aunt answered.

"Okay lang ako, Tita. Buo pa o," sagot niya.

"'Di ba sabi ko sa 'yo kagabi, uuwi ka sa bahay ngayon?" singit naman ng mama niya.

Wow, wait lang! Kabubuhos ko pa lang ng tubig sa cup noodles ko, wala pa akong kain, uumpisahan na niya ako agad d'yan, sa isip-isip ni Nika.

"Ayaw kong umuwi. Pagod ako," she replied.

"Then bakit hindi ka nagre-reply?" her mom probed.

"Wala ako sa mood. Nag-reply din ako ng isang beses, 'di ba?"

"Nika, minsan lang umuwi sila mama mo dito. Bakit hindi ka na lang sa bahay umuwi kahapon para magpahinga?"

Maybe it was the rumbling in her stomach, maybe it was her annoyance, but when she heard, "Minsan lang naman umuwi sila mama mo dito," it snapped the last bit of patience she had.

Hindi niya napigilang umismid. "Pake ko?"

Her tita's eyes widened in surprise. "Nika!"

"Ano!" gulat ding sabi ng mama niya.

"Narinig n'yo naman? Anong pake ko? Ano naman kung umuwi kayo dito? Kailangan ko mag-adjust dahil lang nandito kayo? Ang special n'yo naman," she rambled.

"Nika! Tama na 'yan," singit ng tita niya.

"Ganiyan ka ba lumaki? Binabastos mo na ako?" her mom said.

"Wow! Ano'ng alam mo kung paano ako lumaki?"

"Nika, please. Tama na 'yan," her tita asked of her again. Everything was tense, but she was already at her wits' end and she doesn't know what to do about it anymore when she was already avoiding them.

"Totoo naman, ah? Ano bang alam niya kung paano ako lumaki?"

"Bakit ka ba nagsasalita nang gan'yan?" her tita asked frustratedly.

"Nakakairita kasi! Porket uuwi sila dito, kailangan magambala lahat para lang mag-ayos kung saan sila tutuloy, saan sila pupunta, saan sila ipapasyal. Busy ako, pagod ako, pero ako pa magpaplano ng itinerary nila. Tapos ngayong nandito na kailangan inaasikaso pa rin? Hindi kayo makaintindi, wala akong gana para maglamyerda at makisama sa inyo."

"You can say that properly. Hindi mo kailangan maging bastos sa 'kin," her mom replied firmly.

"Hindi nga. Pero wala na rin akong energy paano ko sisikaping igalang ka. Kayo 'tong nangungulit sa akin kahapon kahit maayos akong nagsabi na hindi ako sasama, kaya ko nga kayo hindi sinasagot, e. Nangungulit kayo kahit nagsabi na ako. Tapos kayo pa 'tong nag-utos sa 'kin kagabi na dapat umuwi ako ngayon kasi kakausapin n'yo 'ko? Ayaw ko nga. Bakit kailangan ko kayong sundin?"

"Nika! Nanay mo kausap mo, tumigil ka d'yan!" singit ng tita niya.

"Nanay?" Nika scoffed. She eyed her mom sharply. "Kailan ka naging nanay? 'Di mo nga alam kung ilang taon na ako. Sa pagkakaalam ko rin wala akong magulang."

"Ano bang sinasabi mo!" Medyo tumaas na rin ang boses ng nanay niya. "Walang magulang? Nagtatrabaho ako para sa inyo. Hirap ako doon para lang makapagpadala sa 'yo tapos wala kang magulang?"

"Sinusumbat mo ba sa 'kin 'yang responsibilidad mo? Totoo naman, ah? Hindi ka magulang. Tingin mo ba sapat 'yong nagpapadala ka lang ng pera? Okay na 'yon sa 'yo? Nanay ka na sa lagay na 'yon? Tingin mo pera lang katapat ko? 'Yon na meaning ng pagiging nanay sa 'yo? Dahil lang napapadalhan mo 'ko ng pang-tuition saka pambili ng kailangan ko? Basta covered ako do'n, okay na? Mas may karapatan pa si Tita mag-demand sa 'kin na tawagin ko siyang nanay kaysa sa 'yo."

Her tita sighed. "Nika, tama na 'yan. Susunduin ka lang naman namin ngayon—"

"Sana 'di na lang kayo pumunta. Parang sinusumbatan n'yo pa ako ngayon na kayo na nagmagandang loob para sunduin ako dito as if hindi pa obvious na ayaw ko nga kayong kasama. 'Di ba kayo makaramdam?" she said, butting in.

"That's enough! I don't have to take this from you. Wala ka rin namang idea ano ginagawa ko doon para lang sa inyo," her mom said.

Nika scoffed. "'Wag kang mag-alala. Matagal na rin akong nawalan ng pakialam para lang alamin kung ano-anong pinaggagawa mo sa buhay mo."

The beating in her chest was loud, it was almost ringing in her ears and she doesn't know why there was a blurring in her eyes either, but they feel warm and so does her cheeks.

The door slammed shut when her mom walked out, and Nika hadn't noticed the tear falling down to her cheek. She instinctively sniffed, wiping her tear with the back of her hand.

"Nika . . ." Her tita sighed, reaching her out for a hug.

It didn't last long, but it felt a bit soothing that somehow, she was still there despite her mom walking out.

At least, her tita was always there.

"Hindi ko alam na galit ka pala sa mama mo," she said.

"'Di po ako galit. Wala na talaga akong pakialam pero nakakainis kasi siya."

"'Di bale," her Tita Nala replied, she was rubbing her back in her efforts to console her. "Kausapin ko si mama mo. Mag-usap din tayo mamaya, ha? Mag-reply ka sa akin. Gusto ko lang malaman kung bakit, 'di ko naman sasabihin sa kanya kung ayaw mo ipaalam."

"Ayos lang naman, Tita, kung ipaalam mo. Nabanggit ko na rin kanina, e."

"Sige . . . kumain ka na ba?"

"Hindi pa. Itong cup noodles sana kakainjn ko," sagot ni Nika habang pinupunasan ulit ang pisngi.

She doesn't know why there were tears in her eyes when she's not even sad. If it's anything, she was pissed.

Nala pulled out a blue bill from her wallet. "Ito, bili ka ng pagkain mo, ha? Kapag hindi kasya hanggang dinner, sabihan mo ako para mapadalhan kita ng pagkain mamaya."

A faint smile crossed her lips. "Sige, Tita. Thank you."

***

Despite her recent argument with her mom, Nika was actually relieved she finally had the chance to let it out.

Wala naman talaga siyang balak sabihin 'yon sa nanay niya. She planned to keep it buried and hidden. It doesn't matter anyway.

At most, her plan was to ignore her mom the whole time until they're set to go back to where they came from. It wasn't in her plans to burst off and to fix their relationship.

Tulad nga ng sinabi niya kanina, wala na siyang pakialam.

But somehow, recalling the pained look on her mother's eyes was etched at the back of her mind. They were red and glassy, her cheeks were also flushed.

She sighed. It was almost time for dinner and she hadn't done anything all day but lay down on her bed.

Nika reached for his phone to dial his number and Miko picked up on the second ring.

"Hello, Ser—"

"Hey, I'll call you back after thirty-minutes, okay? May inaaral lang akong paper para sa hearing bukas," he said on the other line.

"Ah . . ." Nika blinked, staring blankly at the blue-painted metal rails of their bunk bed. "Sige."

~

Happy 1 year Nikenzo and Malay Natin: Siguro Tayo! ❤️‍🔥