Vander Lewis

It was already late when Vander woke up. Agad siyang naligo at nagbihis para makabalik ng hotel. He needs to see if his wife's okay. Dapat ay hindi na lang niya iniwan ito kagabi. Malamang ay pumasok na rin ng eskuwelahan ang dalawang anak.

Nagulat siya nang makitang may kausap na pulis ang mga magulang niya sa living room. His mother is crying habang ang ama niya ay nakatunghay sa isang dokumento.

"Siya po ba si Vander Lewis?" tanong ng pulis sa ama niya nang makita siya sa may hagdan.

"Yes." Nag-aalangan namang tugon ng ama niya. Agad namang umalerto ang mga kasamahang pulis ng lalaki. His forehead creased pero lumapit pa rin siya sa mga ito.

"Vander Lewis, what did you do to Aubrey?!" his mother asked trembling. Bigla siyang kinabahan sa tono ng ina.

"Sir, may *warrant of arrest po kayo sa kasong marital rape." Saad naman ng pulis. His father shoved the papers to him. Hindi ito nagsalita pero halata ang galit sa mukha nito. His mother continued sobbing.

Halos hindi niya mabasa ang nilalaman ng arrest warrant sa panginginig ng kamay niya. He couldn't believe Aubrey sued him. The police was telling him about his rights as the accused but none of it registered on his mind.

"Sumama na lang po kayo sa amin, sir. Pasunurin n'yo na lang po ang abogado niyo sa presinto." Hayag ng pulis.

"Go!" his father commanded.

"Dad?" He looked at his dad pleading. Puwede naman siguro nitong kausapin ang mga pulis para hindi siya arestuhin.

"Go, Vander. Susunod kami sa 'yo." Saad nito.

He can not do anything but obliged.

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"Dad, please help me get out of here," he pleaded nang nasa investigation desk na sila ng presinto. Iniwan muna sila ng pulis para makapag-usap sila. Hindi pa siya pumayag na mainterview dahil wala pa siyang nakakausap na abogado. His elder twin siblings Vanna and Liam are also there.

"Rape is non-bailable, son." His father answered curtly.

"Hindi ba marami po kayong kilala. Let me get out of here. Ayokong makulong dad." He knows his dad's very influential. Marami itong kakilalang heneral at hukom na puwedeng makatulong sa kanya.

"You should have thought about that before you raped her." Nanggagalaiting saad ng ina niya. Her eyes are red. Halatang kagagaling nito sa pag-iyak. Pati ang ate Vanna niya ay umiyak din.

"Mom, I didn't." depensa niya sa ina.

"Vander, Can you hear yourself? She won't accuse you of rape if you did not do it." Galit nitong saad.

"She's my wife mom. How could that be?" naguguluhan niyang tanong sa kawalan.

"If she resisted and you insisted. That's rape. Stop giving alibi." His mother shouted. He feels hopeless. Alam niyang sa tono ng ina hindi siya nito tutulungan and his dad would follow her order for sure.

"Ate, Vanna Please help me," baling niya sa kapatid. Alam niyang marami din itong koneksyon dahil sa trabaho nito at maaari rin itong makatulong sa kaso niya.

"Vander, whatever happens do not plead guilty." Saad ng kapatid niya.

"Vanna!" saway ng ina nang marinig ang sinabi ng ate niya.

"What mom? He's my brother." Baling naman nito sa ina.

"Babae ka rin, Vanna. You are not supposed to tolerate your brother. Let him face his charges alone."

"I am just giving him legal advice, mom. Once he pleads guilty kakasuhan pa rin siya ng gobyerno kahit mag-file si Aubrey ng *affidavit of desistance. Makukulong pa rin siya." Paliwanag nito.

"Mas lalong magagalit si Aubrey kapag hindi mo inamin ang kasalanan mo," baling naman ng ina sa kanya.

"Mom, I did not rape her. I did that because I love her."

"Do you think having sex proves your love? Para ka pa ring bata mag-isip!" Galit nitong hayag. Nasapo niya ang noo. Hindi na talaga niya alam kung ano ang dapat gawin.

"Kung talagang mahal mo siya gaya ng kine-claim mo. Aaminin mo ang mga maling ginawa mo." His mother reiterated.

There was a long silence. His tears suddenly rolled down but he immediately brushed it saka yumuko para itago ito sa mga magulang.

Iniisip niya kung rape nga ba ang nangyari kagabi. She was okay when he left her. Tumigil naman ito sa pagtanggi. Was it really considered rape?

"Kuya Liam?" baling niya sa nakatatandang kapatid nang kumalma ang pakiramdam niya.

"I'll send a lawyer." Saad naman nito.

"Nobody's helping him. Let him face this charges on his own. Let's go!" saad ng ina niya. His father didn't say anything. Tumayo ito kasabay ng ina niya.

"Vanna, Liam, let's go!" Madiing bigkas ng ina bago naglakad palabas ng presinto.

"Babalik ako!" Vanna whispered before going away. Sumunod din ang kuya Liam niya.

Susunduin na sana siya ng pulis para dalhin sa selda nang dumating si Desiry.

"Dad, what happened? Bakit po kayo nandito?" Agad na yumakap ang anak. Umiyak ito sa dibdib niya na sanhi para maiyak din siya. Paano ba nagkaganito ang lahat?

"Shhh. Don't cry. Tama na. I did something wrong to your mom." He said wiping his tears. He caressed his daughter's hair.

"Kakausapin ko po si Mommy. Hindi ka dapat makulong dad." Pilit pa rin ni Desiry.

"Huwag na, anak. Kasalanan ko naman. What I did was unforgivable."

"Dad I don't understand why mom had to send you to jail?"

Pinaharap niya ang anak at tinitigan ito sa mata. It breaks his heart to see his daughter cry. It was his entire fault.

"Listen, I know you are old enough to understand." He inhaled deeply and earned the courage to speak. "Your mom is accusing me of rape. I don't know if that would count to be one. Maybe yes. It was my fault. I insisted myself on her. But I am not a criminal, okay?"

He can't help his tears from falling. This is the hardest thing he'd ever done. To look at his daughter in the eye and tell her he isn't the man she thinks he is.

"I know dad. I know you are not bad!" Desiry answered crying some more. Yumakap ito ng mahigpit sa kanya habang ngumunguyngoy pa rin.

Ilang minuto silang nasa ganong posisyon hanggang kumalma ang pakiramdam niya o mas tamang sabihing namanhid ang pakiramdam niya. He can't be a weakling. He has to face this problem.

"Anak, call my secretary. Tell her to ask Atty. Gonzales to come. Tawagan mo rin sina Daddy Leandrei at Daddy Vance mo." Saad niya sa anak habang iginigiya ito paupo.

"Papunta na sila dad. Sila po ang nagsabi sa akin na nandito ka. I immediately came here from school." Desiry answered. Napatango na lang siya.

Minutes later, his triplets came with the lawyer. Sila na rin ang kasama ni Desiry na umuwi.

[Footnote para sa mga batang matigas ang ulo: *affidavit of desistance – ito yung pina-file ng complainant sa korte para iatras/itigil ang kasong isinampa niya. *warrant of arrest - court order na nagsasabing dakpin ng mga pulis ang taong akusado, hindi puwedeng hulihin ng pulis ang isang tao kung walang warrant of arrest maliban na lang kung huli ito sa akto. ]

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*Sa panahong alam mong mali ang iyong kapamilya, kakampihan mo pa rin ba o papanig ka sa kung ano ang tama?*