"Any bad news?" I asked Doctor Marquez about my latest check up. Marami pa akong tests na kailangang pagdaanan para masabi nilang talagang magaling na ko. 

"Wala naman, as usual puro improvements. You have to keep it up---" Natigilan ito sa pagsasalita ng mapansin niya sigurong hindi ako nakikinig sa kanya. My eyes were nailed on the woman who's walking on the hospital hallway palabas ng hospital. 

"D-Do you know that woman?" I asked Dr. Marquez. 

"Leanna? Why? You recognized her?" He asked me. Nanlalaki ang mga mata kong bumaling sa kanya. 

"Bakit siya andito sa hospital? May sakit ba siya?" 

"No. She's totally fine. Just been a little bit disturbed these past few weeks." 

"Then, anong ginagawa niya dito? You seem to know her personally?" I asked. Ibinaba niya ang folder na hawak niya at kunot noong bumaling sakin. 

"I thought you recognized her, naaalala mo nung una tayong magkita? You were 7 or 8? You knocked on our door, bumabagyo pa noon. May kasama kang batang babae and you asked us if we can adopt her. Hindi kami magkaanak ng asawa ko so we gladly accepted her, you were the one who gave her the name Leanna so she can live a new and better life."

My world froze. H-How could I forget? She was our beloved younger sister before Paeng came. Naalala ko pa noon kung gaano siya kinagigiliwan ni Marshan dahil sa maganda nitong buhok na lagi niyang inaayusan. She was small for her age kaya alagang-alaga siya ni Marshan noon. 

But she was fragile, she was sickly. Hindi siya mapagkakitaan sa pamamalimos noon o pagbebenta ng droga. They tried to sell her to a pedophile na mariin naming tinanggihan ni Marshan. Itinakas ko siya noon at iniwan sa isang pamilya. 

I was almost killed because of what I did dahil bayad na pala siya noon, ibinalik nila ang bayad dahil wala silang pwedeng ipalit, at kailangan kong pagbayaran ang lugi nila. And that's when they introduced me to Underground Fighting para mabayaran ko yung lugi nila. I was just 8 when I first entered the Octagon. 

"When she was young, lagi siyang nakatanaw sa may pintuan at bintana and she kept on asking kung kailan siya susunduin nina Uno at Kwatro." I was Uno and Kwatro was Marshan's Venom code. "Nung muli tayong magkita, isa ka ng McNeil, and we have sent Leanna to study abroad kaya hindi ko na rin siya naipakilala sayo." 

"W-What?" My voice was weak. Bumagsak ang mga luha ko. May kung ano akong sakit na nararamdaman ako sa kaloob-looban ko as I remember that little soft voice. 

Promise mo? Babalikan mo ko?

"Oh God! Marie..." I gasped. She was just 5 when she was given to us. Anak siya ng isang prostitute na hindi siya kayang buhayin. "Ang liit talaga ng mundo, alam mo bang she became Waldrin's girlfriend while I was away?" I asked Dr. Marquez. 

Malungkot siyang tumango. 

"She introduced him to us. At nakilala naman ako ni Waldrin, I was against their relationship dahil alam kong buhay ka. But I can't tell them that, and I acted like everything was okay..." 

I pressed my lips tightly. I cannot blame Dr. Marquez, he's just a father, gugustuhin niya ring maging masaya para sa anak niya. 

"I-I can't believe this... Karibal ko si Marie?" I covered my mouth to suppress my sobs. Nanginginig ang buong katawan ko sa nalaman. "E-Excuse me Doc, let's continue this next time." I swallowed hard. Napayuko na lang si Dr. Marquez at dahan-dahang tumango. I grab my bag besides me. Nanginginig akong tumayo, I almost lost my balance. 

I dialed Marshan's number as soon as I get into my car. Nanginginig ang kamay ko habang hinahanap ang number niya sa phone ko. 

"Hello? Napatawag ka?" 

"Marshan, I found Marie..." 

"HOW CAN SHE BE HER?!" Marshan asked me. Namumula ang kanyang mga mata habang pabalik-balik na naglalakad sa harapan ko. "If she was Marie, I could feel it!" She wiped her tears harshly at pinatatag ang boses.

"I felt it. The moment I first saw her, I felt a hint of familiarity kaso mas nangibabaw ang pagkairita ko." 

"No... She was our little princess..." Nanghihinang napaupo sa tabi ko si Marshan. "H-How did she end up as our enemy?" 

"We chose to forget her. Ni hindi ko nga maalala na kay Dr. Marquez ko pala siya ibinigay noon." Sumandal ako sa backrest ng couch. Parang naubos lahat ng lakas ko sa nalaman. 

"H-How is that possible?" She gasped. She didn't like what she found out and so do I. Hindi ko rin namang gugustuhin makita si Marie sa ganitong sitwasyon. "Remember? I made her wear my favorite dress that you've given me. Halos lahat ng paborito ko noong damit gusto kong ipasuot sa kanya kahit medyo malaki sa kanya." Her voice cracked.

"Let's just not make her know about us. We have different lives now." 

"MOMMY, you look tired." Gretel traced her little fingers on the sides of my eyes. "Did you cry?" Napansin siya siguro ang pamumula sa gilid ng mga mata ko. 

I pulled her closer to me and kissed her sabay yakap sa kanya ng mahigpit. I kissed her face and her neck at walang tigil ito sa kakahagikgik. Agad na gumaan ang pakiramdam ko dahil sa anak ko. She's such a Heaven sent.

Napatingin ako kay Waldrin ng tumabi siya samin dito sa sofa. Lumapit na rin sakin si Hansel at pinugpog ko rin siya ng halik. Sumigla ako ng marinig ang mga tawa nila. 

"How about me?" Waldrin asked me. Bakas sa mukha niya ang selos. Kumunot ang noo ko habang hinihingal na yumakap sakin ang mga bata. 

"Tickle-tickle-tickle..." Hansel giggled as he tried to tickle me but I just kissed him again para kilitiin ito.

"Kids, that's not fair." Waldrin commented. Natigilan pa kaming tatlo. Nagsumiksik yung dalawa sakin at bumelat sa Daddy nila. 

"Mommy, gusto rin ni Daddy cuddle kaso big na siya eh." Hansel teased his Dad. Natawa na lang ako at pinugpog ng halik sa labi si Hansel. Then I felt Waldrin cupped my face and kissed me. 

"That's not fair! Kids, Mom's lips are just mine. See? All mine." Waldrin snorted as he kept on kissing me. 

"Gross!!!" Hansel wriggled. Nagdadabog itong bumaba mula kandungan ko at bumalik dun sa nilalaro niyang airplane kanina na agad namang sinundan ni Gretel. Waldrin immediately pulled my waist para mas mahalikan ako ng malalim. 

"You selfish bastard! Pati mga anak mo pinagseselosan mo." Tampal ko sa braso nito.

"Twice mo pa lang akong hinalikan today, pero sa mga bata nakakarami kana." He hissed. "That's not fair wife." Tampo pa nito. Natatawa na lang akong ngumisi sa kanya. 

"Should I shower you with kisses tonight?" I asked him seductively. Agad na nag-iba ang ekspresyon ng mga mata nito. Well, minsan ko lang talaga landiin ang asawa ko and I can't blame him for having such reaction. Napatitig siya sa mga labi kong namumula dahil sa paghalik niya sakin ng malalim kanina.

"D*mn, I'm gonna f*ck that mouth tonight." He whispered to me. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa gulat. Never did Waldrin let me do oral on him. He never talked about it and he never asked me to do it bilang respeto na daw sakin. I never initiated to do it dahil na rin wala naman akong alam and I was afraid I cannot do it properly and I won't be able to satisfy him.

"I-Is that a punishment?" I gulped. Parang iniisip ko pa lang nabibilaukan na ko. Ngumisi siya sakin at muli akong siniil ng halik bago ako iniwang namumula dito sa couch. 

"Mommy, kailan tayo pupunta kina best friend Clarence?" Hansel tugged my dress habang nagluluto ako ng hapunan namin. 

"Hmmm, I don't know. I'll talk to them first, okay? Busy kasi sila sa paghahanda ng birthday ni Clarence." 

"Invited tayo?" He asked innocently.

"Of course! Best friends kayo diba?" I chuckled. I faced the dishes ng biglang paulit-ulit na hilahin ni Hansel yung dress ko. 

"Mommy! Mommy! Kiss!" He asked urgently. Agad naman akong dumukwang para halikan siya sa labi. Humagikgik siya after I kissed him and nakangusong bumaling sa ibang direksyon. Natawa na lang ako ng mapansing nakatayo pala si Waldrin malapit samin at nakahalukipkip na nakatingin samin ng masama. 

Hansel ran away laughing after successfully irritating his Dad. 

"Don't take it seriously, he's just a kid." I chuckled. Tumabi siya sakin and helped me with the dishes. 

"Avoid kissing the kids tomorrow." He said to me. Uminit ang mga pisngi ko. I bit my lower lip as I glance at him. May pilyong ngiti sa mga labi nito.

D*mn! It's getting hot in here!