Kabanata 21

NAKAUWI na sila sa kanilang mansyon. At hanggang sa pagpasok nila sa loob walang tigil si Imris sa kakadaldal kung gaano ito naaliw sa pinanood nila.

"Papa, let's watch again!" pag-aaya nito. Sinabihan din siya kanina ni Jasia na dapat pumunta rin daw sila sa final performance na magaganap dalawang araw mula ngayon.

"I don't know, Imris," sagot niya at pinahid ang ilang butil ng kanin sa bibig nito. Kumakain sila kasama si Arator.

The final performance would indeed require an audience, and it would be impossible for Jasia to do what she did today. Maybe he would just let Imris go watch.

Natapos na itong kumain at hinatid na niya ito sa kuwarto.

"Sleep now. Good night." He patted her head before walking beside the other room which was his.

"Wait, Papa!" Hinawakan nito ang kaniyang kamay.

"What?"

"I don't want to sleep yet." Nginitian siya nito ng pagkatamis-tamis habang dinuduyan ang magkahawak nilang kamay. Sa ekspresyon pa lang nito, alam na niyang may gusto itong hingin.

"What is it?"

"Can we fly?" Tinuro nito ang itaas. "Outside."

Pinilig niya muna ang ulo at pinagmasdan ito. What was gotten into her that she was asking him to fly? Imris could be so random sometimes so he just shrugged and heed her request.

Kinarga niya ito bago binuksan ang kuwarto. Nagtungo sila papunta sa bintana. Tumuntong siya roon.

"Hold on tight." The wind greeted their faces as he let out those words. Napayakap naman si Imris sa kaniyang leeg.

"Are you ready?"

"Ready!"

Sa hudyat ni Imris ay kaagad siyang tumalon. Napasigaw ang bata ngunit kaagad ding napalitan nang pagkamangha nang lumutang sila sa ere. Hinawakan niya ito nang mahigpit bago taasan pa ang kanilang paglipad.

"Wah! Papa, we're flying!" Tumingin ito sa ibaba at ganoon din siya. Ang bubong ng kanilang bahay ay paliit nang paliit habang pataas naman sila nang pataas sa madilim na kalangitan.

The cold breeze made Imris shiver so he immediately covered her with a jacket made from his magic.

"Papa, I want to jump!"

"Go on."

Pagkatapos niya iyong sabihin, hindi ito nagdalawang-isip na tumalon. Pinanood niya itong malaglag pababa sa himpapawid. He let out a chuckle before snapping his finger and letting Imris float back up.

Narinig niya ang hagikhik nito habang patuloy itong umaangat.

"Silly little human. You didn't even doubt me one bit." Pinagkrus niya ang mga paa na animo'y nakaupo sa ere habang pinanood ang kaniyang anak na magpaikot-ikot sa kaniyang harapan. The sound of her giggles and the fearless face she does when she smiles, even though it was still a short period when he found her, everything about Imris were one of the things Xibel wanted to protect.

How terrible her parents were for letting this precious child go. It made him wonder what kind of situation did they get into to leave Imris alone.

"Papa, did you enjoy seeing Mama dance?" she shouted along the cold wind.

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell Mama?"

"Why on earth would I tell her?" He pointed his finger up to remove some strands of her hair, covering her face.

"Because she is my Mama and you are my Papa."

His forehead creased, not getting what she said. "What do you mean?"

"Papa and Mama should be sweet with each other."

Kaagad naman siyang napabuntonghininga. He abruptly put her one feet down to scare her but he got laughter instead.

"I want to go higher, Papa! High!" Tinuro nito ang kumpol-kumpol na mga ulap. "I want to go there!"

Napunta rin ang kaniyang tingin doon. He let out a small smile before pulling Imris near him and putting his palm over her head. "I'm sorry, Imris. Your father can't take you up there."

"Why not?" She pouted.

"I have been disowned by the sky. I can only call it my former home."

"You live on the clouds before?" Napuno ng kuryosidad ang boses nito. Titig na titig ito sa kaniya habang hinihintay ang kaniyang sagot.

Bahagya siyang natawa dahil sa reaksyon nito. "Yes."

Napasinghap ito. Sa sobrang mangha ay napapalakpak pa. "Are there pegasus out there, Papa?"

"Pegasus? What is that?"

"A horse with wings!" Tinuro nito ang kaniyang noo. "And a horn!"

"No, but we have sheeps. Pink and yellow sheeps," kuwento niya habang inaalala ang mga Shedia. Ang Shedia ay mga sheep na nakatira sa Holy Heavens. Sila ang tagabantay ng mga ulap. Ugali ng mga Shedia ang maglaro na nagiging resulta sa iba't ibang porma ng mga ulap. "Their furs are made out of clouds. I remember one who keeps hanging out with me."

Napangiti siya nang maalala si Champ. Ang ipinangalan niya sa tupa na palaging bumubuntot sa kaniya.

"Where is it now, Papa? Do you still have the sheep?"

Umiling siya. "No. It's in the Holy Heaven. It can't come down with me."

Nagtagal pa sila ng ilang minuto sa himpapawid hangga't sa tuluyang makatulog si Imris. Bumalik na siya loob ng bahay at iniwan ang bata sa kama nito. Nagtungo na rin siya sa kaniyang kuwarto upang matulog.

He did a lot of things today, but surprisingly, he didn't feel that much exhausted.

KAGAYA nang nakasanayan ni Jasia, maaga siyang nagising. Hinanda na niya ang sarili para sunduin si Imris. Nadaanan niya ang kuwarto ni Isabella kaya tumigil muna siya.

"Isabella, are you awake?" She knocked.

"What?" napapaos nitong sagot.

"Do you want to meet Xibel?"

"Ayan ka na naman. Nauurat na ako sa kahibangan mo!" Kumalabog ang pinto dahilan para mapaigtad siya.

Napangiwi na lang siya. "Bahala ka."

Hindi na niya ito pinilit pa at nagtungo na palabas. Nagtungo na kaagad siya sa bahay ni Xibel. As usual, before she could even knock, the door was already opening.

Bumungad sa kaniya ang nakangiting si Imris habang ang ama naman nito ay nakaupo sa sofa at nakasimangot. It wasn't that he was mad, it was just his usual face.

Simula no'ng magkausap sila nang masinsinan, madali na lang niyang nauunawaan ang ekspresyon nito.

"Good morning, Mama!" bati nito.

Binuhat naman niya ito at ginawaran ng halik sa pisngi. "Good morning, Imris."

Binati niya rin si Xibel at tumango ito bilang tugon. Maglalakad na sana siya pabalik sa kaniyang kotse ngunit pinigilan siya nito.

"Wait." He gestured his hand for her to come in.

Sumunod naman kaagad siya.

Pagkapasok niya ay sinara ni Xibel ang pinto.

"Anong mayroon?" taka niyang tanong.

"Someone's following you. I can feel an aura lingering around the house." Nakakunot ang noo nito.

"Ah, ayon ba." Naramdaman niya rin kanina habang bumabyahe siya na may nakasunod sa kaniya. Pero hindi na naman bago sa kaniya ito. "Mga paparazzi lang 'yan na gustong makakuha ng scoop sa akin. Sa atin."

"What's that?"

"Paparazzi. Mga taong nang-i-invade ng privacy para lang makakuha ng scoop sa isang sikat na figure. Wala silang paki kung masiyado nang sobra ang ginagawa nila. They're considered as avid fans."

"Aren't they dangerous?"

"Hindi naman. Don't worry, hindi naman ako nagpapatalo sa kanila. I can defend myself if ever they try to harm me and Imris."

Xibel didn't look convinced but he didn't argue with her and just get along with it. "All right. Keep Imris safe."

Natuwa naman siya sa sinabi nito dahil pakiramdam niya'y pinagkakatiwalaan na siya ng lalaki.

"I will!" Tumalikod na siya at saka lumabas.

Nagtungo na sila papunta sa kindergarten. Just like her usual day in this school, she just sat on the waiting area as she waited for Imris to finish. Bubuksan na niya sana ang kaniyang cell phone upang ikonekta sa kaniyang earpods nang biglang may magsalita sa kaniyang gilid.

"Hello, Jasia. It's been a while."

Natigilan muna siya saglit bago ito nilingon. Pamilyar na pamilyar ang boses nito. Inangat niya ang kaniyang tingin at hindi nga siya nagkamali.

"Nevar," she uttered the name of the man who got the same hair color of the sun. The smug on his face never changed as how he looked at people like he was looking down on them.

"How are you?" Kumuha ito ng upuan katabi niya at umupo.

"I don't want to chitchat with you." Inalis niya ang tingin sa lalaki at pinokus sa playground. What was he doing here? She couldn't find any reason for this man to be in a kindergarten.

Hindi nito pinansin ang kaniyang sinabi. "Your kid is looking healthy. You should've told me may anak ka na pala."

"I don't see the need to tell you." She remained composed and covered up her annoyance with a faint sigh. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"I just want to check the child of my ex-girlfriend. Bawal ba iyon?"

What he said made Jasia turn. Hindi niya gusto ang nakangiti nitong mukha. "Hindi siya bawal, but I think it's kind of odd for you to check on someone's child. We already lose touch years ago, Nevar."

Limang taon na silang hiwalay kaya hindi niya maintindihan bakit nagpakita itong muli sa kaniya. To check on her child? What a jerk. Hindi niya man alam ang iniisip nito pero hindi maganda ang kutob niya.

"Jasia, tell me." Nawala ang ngiti nito sa labi. "That kid. Is that really your child?"

She flinched. Tumikhim siya upang hindi ipahalata ang kaniyang pagkataranta. "Of course, she is my child. Our faces are enough proof. We look the same."

"You're right. You do look the same." One corner of his lips curved. "I'm just saying. Who knows? You might say anything else."

Bumuntonghininga siya. She put down the phone on her lap and gave her attention to the man. She glared. "If you have something to say to me, just say it. Huwag ka nang magpaligoy-ligoy pa."

"I guess you're still the same old Jasia. Straightforward." He met her gaze, not backing down in their staring competition. He smiled at her and said, "I want to get back to you, Jasia. I want to try our relationship for the second time."

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