iMessage

MON | 2:22 PM

Milly:
Hi baby.
I'm back in Manila na.
Nev and the others are still in Benguet but Late Drive's going back na rin naman today so I hitched a ride na w them.

Milly:
Everything okay there?
You didn't reply to my text last night.

Milly:
I'm worried.
You should've let me come back w you.

Kai:
Kakakita ko lang. Pasensya na.
Nakauwi ka ba nang maayos?

Milly:
I'm here na at our place.
How are you?
How's your mom?

Kai:
Inconsolable.
Kakakausap ko lang kay Lolo. Pabalik pa lang ako.

Milly:
Oh, where are you?

Kai:
In the car. I need a minute to think.

Milly:
What happened? Do you wanna talk about it?

Kai:
Si Mama.
Ngayon ko lang naiintindihan kung bakit siya nagkakaganito. Kung bakit ang higpit samin. Kung bakit kami pinalaki na parang laging may kumpetensya. Takot na takot si Mama na baka maagawan kami. Na dapat patunayan namin sarili namin para di kami minamaliit ng pamilya niya.
Noon di ko naiintindihan kasi mababait naman sakin yung mga kapatid niya. Ngayon alam ko na.

Milly:
Why, baby? :(

Kai:
Ampon si Mama, Milly.
Di siya kadugo nina Lolo.

Kai:
Sabi ni Lolo, pinalaki naman siya na kapantay yung mga tito at tita ko. Pantay sa lahat. Sa pag-aaral, sa pagmamahal, pati sa mana kaya di niya maintindihan kung bakit tingin ni Mama pinagkakaisahan siya. Tingin niya, nagrebelde si Mama kasi nasira yung engagement nila ni Tito noon.
Pero naiintindihan ko na.
Hindi yon ang dahilan.

Kai:
Laging sinasabi ni Mama na hindi kami tanggap ng mga tito at tita niya. Na kahit anong gawin niya, lagi lang siyang pangalawa kay Tita Celine. Na laging si Tita Celine ang pinipili kahit siya naman ang mas nagpupursige.

Base sa mga sinabi niya na noon, naiintindihan ko na.
Kahit minahal siya nina Lolo at Lola, hindi ganon yung ibang mga kapamilya namin. Mom always thought she had to earn her place in the family. She probably thinks she can be ousted anytime. That's why she raised us like this.

That's why she's angry now.
Because she grew that company, Milly. She worked hard more than anybody else. I've seen it. It was her life. She deserved the validation. Pero di binigay sa kanya.
Si Tita Celine na naman.

Milly:
She thinks it's because she's adopted?

Kai:
Oo. Tingin ko oo.
Sabi ni Lolo, business decision lang na piliin si Tita Celine dahil di pa handa si Mama.
But you know what I think?
Wala akong pakialam sa iniisip nila.
Ang sakit makita na nagkakaganon si Mama.
I used to dread her because of how she is.
Now I understand why she's been scared all her life. What she's actually scared of.
And I left her in the middle of it. Just when she needed me.
I'm a fucking disappointment.
Fuck.

Milly:
Baby... :(
That's not true :(

Milly:
Is Tita Celine the mom of Kuya Rigel?

Kai:
Oo.

Kai:
Ngayon ko lang din nalaman. But apparently dating engaged si Mama kay Tito Anton. Arranged marriage. Pero nasira kasi si Tita Celine ang minahal at pinakasalan ni Tito.
Mom thinks he was stolen from her.
It's confusing because Tita Celine is nice. I honestly think she loves Mom.

Milly:
Maybe Tita can't see that because she's hurting nga?
She prolly thinks si Tita Celine ang pinakasal kasi siya ang real daughter.
Now I understand too why she was so adamant on keeping you away from Kuya Rigel.
She must've been so hurt when he was born :(
Imagine getting another slap to your face like that.
Did your mom love him? Tito Anton?

Kai:
She probably did.
Inaakusahan ni Papa si Mama na nagloloko. Na si Tito Anton pa rin kahit taon na silang nagsasama.
Di naman totoo pero selos na selos si Papa.

Milly:
He prolly thinks he was just a second choice too :(

Kai:
Di ko na rin alam.
Ang gulo.

Milly:
Oh, baby. I'm sorry this is happening.
Is there anything I can help you w? Anything I can do?

Kai:
Uuwi na ko.

Milly:
Okay.
Let me know na lang if there's anything I can do for you.

Kai:
Sayo.
Uuwi ako dyan sayo.
Kailangan ko muna mag-isip bago ko balikan si Mama.

Milly:
Okay.
Come here.
I'll be waiting for you.

INT. CONDO
BY THE DOOR - AFTERNOON, 4:24 PM

Milly opens her arms as soon as he arrives at the door. Kai immediately pulls her into a crushing hug.

He's sad. And struggling.

She knows it. She feels it.

Milly embraces him just as tightly and makes sure she won't let go until he does it first.

INT. CONDO
LIVING ROOM - AFTERNOON, 5:30 PM

KAI
Di na muna ako makakauwi dito.
Kailangan ako ni Mama. Babalik muna ako sa 'min.
Baka mahirapan akong makita ka. Hindi na ako basta-basta makakalabas 'pag umuwi ako. You know Mom. She monitors everything I do and I don't think I can argue with her right now. Ayokong makadagdag sa dinaramdam niya.

Milly nods, eyes settling on his busted lip. Her mouth twitches down.

MILLY
Stay with your mom, it's okay.
She needs you more.

Kai sighs wearily and reaches for her again, wrapping his arms around her body, holding on to her like he's unwilling to let go.

KAI
Ayokong mahiwalay sa 'yo.
Ikaw na nga lang ang tanging inaabangan ko sa araw-araw. Mawawala pa.

MILLY
Baby, we can still text and call naman.

He buries his face in the arch of her neck, arms tightening.

KAI
Hindi sapat.

MILLY
Maybe this is just a phase in our relationship where we need to focus on others muna bago tayo.
We've dealt with worse things.
We can manage this.

MILLY
Kai...

MILLY
You told me you're here to stay.
Gano'n din ako.
I'm here.

MILLY
And you keep coming to me.
Maybe it's time I go to you now.

He pulls away and looks at her face, brows furrowing.

KAI
What do you mean?

MILLY
If you can't come see me here at our condo, then I'll just come over and see you at your home.

Kai pauses, mulling it over. Hesitant.

KAI
My mom is more emotional now than she's ever been. She can be controlling and spiteful.
Do you really need that in your life right now?

MILLY
No, you're right, I don't.
But I want it.
Because you're my family and she's yours.

MILLY
And she's hurting, baby. It's not an excuse but I of all people would understand why she's being like that.
I want to be around.
Both for the good and the bad.
If you'll let me.
If she'll have me.
I'd love to support you while you're fixing your family.

Mahal kita.

Mahal kita, he wants to say.

But he can't.

KAI
Milly...
Why are you crying?

He cups her cheek, worried.

MILLY
What happened to your lip?
Did your dad... hurt you again?

KAI
Nag-away kami.
Inabutan ko siyang sinisigawan si Mama. Nakainom siya. Nagkasakitan kami.

MILLY
And you'll be staying with him everyday?

KAI
No. I sent him away.
Kaya uuwi muna ako habang wala si Papa sa bahay.

KAI
Hey...
Don't think about it.
He didn't hurt me intentionally.
Nagulat din siya sa nangyari.
Masyado lang mabilis lahat. Nagkainitan kami. Humingi naman ng tawad tapos.

MILLY
You don't need to defend him.

Milly hovers her fingers over his lips.

MILLY
Abuse is abuse no matter what regardless of the intent and action afterward. Especially if it's a repeated offense.
Because then it's not an accident but a choice.

MILLY
You love your dad, that's why you're making excuses for him.

MILLY
But love shouldn't be violent nor negligent, Kai.
And it shouldn't be blind too.

MILLY
I won't tell you what to do with your family. I trust you with your decisions. And you don't need another person breathing down on your neck and telling you what to do.
But promise me you won't let yourself get hurt again. Hmm?

MILLY
I hurt too when you do.

Mahal kita.

Mahal na mahal kita.

He wants to say but he stops himself.

It's neither the right time nor the right place for it.

Instead, he settles for her language, the next best thing he can say without scaring her away.

KAI
Eleven.
Milly.
Eleven.

He wipes the tears from her eyes and she melts into his arms, trembling lightly.

MILLY
Make a wish, baby.

Love me.

Let me love you.

Love me.

KAI
Stay.

MILLY
(whispers)
I'm here.