CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

AFTER LISTENING to what Daniel had to say, Wynter remain quiet. She got tons of thoughts, realizations, and questions invading her mind but she didn't want to be chatty.

Hinintay niya talaga hanggang sa tanggapin ng sistema't utak niya ang mga nalaman. One, Daniel definitely has a son. Two, he knew about it even before they met for the third time. Three, Mike knows about the child. And four, Mike still wanted to be with me, and what now? He stole me from Daniel back when we were in college? Is he an idi*t or what?

Kaya ayaw pa rin magsalita ni Wyn at baka puro mura ang lumabas sa bibig niya at baka sugurin niya ang lalake.

"Galit... ka ba?" Daniel carefully asked her.

Wynter signaled him to wait for a second. Nang pakiramdam niya ay kalmado na ang utak niya at naproseso na niya ang mga bagong impormasyon ay saka siya huminga nang malalim at nagsalita. "Why would I be mad?" she asked to clear everything out.

Akala niya ay yuyuko ang lalake dahil halata sa mukha nito ang hiya ngunit tiningnan siya nito mata sa mata. "Kasi hindi ko sinabi sayo na may anak na ako tapos ilang beses pa akong umamin sayo noon at kung ano-ano pa ang ginawa ko."

Wynter once again took a deep breath. "Dan, it's your choice whether to share that personal information about you or not. Hindi necessity na sabihin mo sa akin ang tungkol sa anak mo. Though kung sa ibang babae ka nagkagusto ay mukhang kakailanganin mo ngang sabihin. But for me, I don't care if you have a kid or not. It doesn't make you less of a person."

She saw how the small smile escaped his lips. "Thanks, Emy."

"Anytime. I still am your friend, right?" nag-aalangang tanong ni Wyn.

Napakamot naman si Dan saka may ibinulong pero hindi niya narinig. "Of course. We're still friends." Para namang may naalala ito saka biglang tumayo. "Thank you for listening but I have to go now. Baka hinahanap na ako ni Damien eh."

Wyn blinked twice before smiling and standing up. "Oh, right, right. Sure. Have a great night. Thank you for sharing your story."

Tinanguan lang naman siya ng lalake bago tuluyang nagpaalam at umalis ng unit niya. Nakahinga naman nang maluwag si Wyn saka bumalik sa bedroom niya. Too many information. I need to rest my mind. At tuluyan na nga siyang nakatulog.

Kinabukasan ay wala siyang pasok at plano niya sanang mag-groceries nang bumungad sa kanya si Narae na nasa harap ng unit niya. "Nar! Anong ginagawa mo rito?" gulat na tanong niya sa dalaga.

Narae let out an exaggerating sigh before letting herself enter her unit. "I'm so bored, Unnie," reklamo ng dalaga.

"Kaya ka lumipad pa papunta sa Pilipinas?" Tumango ang babae. "Ba't hindi ka na lang tumambay sa LD?"

"Wala si Dom doon, nasa New Jersey. Tapos busy sa paglilipat ng gamit sila Anurak. So tinatamad akong maging mag-isa sa club. Binisita na lang kita, aren't I great?"

Wynter rolled her eyes. "Eh magg-grocery ako ngayon. Sama ka?"

Agad ngumiti ang dalaga. "I would love that—"

Narae's sentence was cut-off by a knock on her door. Agad naman itong sinilip ni Wyn sa peephole, at nang makita si Dan ay agad niyang binuksan ang pinto. "Dan..."

Halata sa mukha nitong nagmamadali ito. "Emy, I need a favor."

Her eyebrows creased. "What is it?"

Sumilip mula sa likod ni Dan si Damien saka ngumiti at kumaway sa kanya. "I have an important meeting and Mom can't be here to pick up Dam. Pwede bang pakibantayan muna siya?"

Wynter quickly nodded. "Sure, sure. Go ahead. Ingats and good luck."

"Salamat, Emy. Salamat talaga." Bahagyang umupo si Dan para mapantayan ang anak. "Aalis na muna si Daddy, ha? Behave ka muna kay Miss Wynter, okay?"

"Yes, Daddy. Take care. Go catch the bad guys!" pag-cheer ni Damien sa ama na ikinangiti ni Wyn.

Daniel gave his son a kiss on the forehead before bidding goodbye, thanking her again, and finally running off to work.

Once Dan was out of their view, Wynter reached out her hand to Damien. "Let's go inside muna?"

Damien automatically smiled at her and took her hand. "Miss Wynter, I'm older na," sabi nito habang papasok na sila sa unit.

Mahina namang natawa si Wyn. "But you're still a lot younger than me—"

Wyn was disrupted by a clearing of throat. Agad niyang nilingon ang tumikhim at saka lang naalalang nasa loob nga pala si Narae. The lady raised an eyebrow at her. "Care to explain, Unnie?"

Wynter sighed and had no choice but to spend some time explaining the need-to-know basis about Damien and Dan.

Nang maipaliwanag na ay saka muling nagyaya si Wyn na mag-grocery, but this time, kasama na nila si Damien.

NANG MATAPOS ang grocery slash bonding session ay bumalik sa unit ni Wynter ang tatlo. Daniel was still at his work kaya naman inabot na ng gabi ang pagb-baby sit nila ni Narae kay Damien.

"Imagine, balak ko lang namang guluhin ang buhay mo rito, Unnie, and of course, to surprise you, but mukhang ako pa ata ang nagulat," nangingiting saad ni Narae habang nakatingin kay Damien na kasalukuyang nanonood ng cartoons. "But in all fairness, mukha namang matinong tatay si Kuya Dan. I mean just look at Damien. Magalang siyang bata tapos honest pa, diba?"

Napatango naman si Wyn. "He was indeed a great dad," he agreed as she remembered what Damien's mother wrote to Dan. Napansin naman ni Wyn ang paglingon ni Damien para hanapin siya. Nang makita siya ng bata ay sinenyasan siya nitong lumapit sa kanya at tabihan siya.

"Go on, Unnie. Gawa muna ako ng sandwiches natin," pagtulak sa kanya ng dalaga. Wynter nodded and walked towards Damien and sat beside him. Sakto namang may kumatok sa pinto niya at akmang lalapitan niya iyon nang biglang sumigaw si Narae. "Ako na!"

Mahinang natawa si Wynter saka ibinalik ang atensyon sa batang lalakeng ginawang unan ang hita niya. "Miss Wynter?" mahinang pagtawag nito sa kanya.

She softly caressed his hair. "Yes, Damien?"

"Do you think my mom loves me?" Halata ang lungkot at pangungulila sa boses nito.

Para namang bumigat ang pakiramdam ni Wyn, pero pinilit niyang ngumiti. "Oo naman. Who wouldn't love a kind, sweet, and smart kid like you?" Inalala niya ang kwento sa kanya ni Dan.

"But why isn't she with me?"

Para sa limang taong gulang na bata, parang napakabigat ng dalahin ni Damien. Napabuntong hininga na lang si Wyn saka patuloy na sinusuklay ang buhok ng bata. "Your mommy loves you so much that she wanted to protect you, Damien. May kailangan lang munang gawin ang mommy mo, para maging masaya ka."

Saglit na natahimik ang bata bago muling nagsalita. "Miss Wynter?"

"Hmm?"

"I want to sleep na po."

That made her smile. "Then sleep na, Damien. Miss Wynter will stay here with you."

Hindi nagtagal ay nakatulog na nga ang batang lalake. Wynter remained staring at the kid, while wishing that he might be able to meet her mother soon.

Ilang saglit lang ay may taong nakatayo na sa harap niya. Inangat niya ang tingin at saka nakita ang malungkot na nakangiting si Dan. "Thanks again, Emy," he said, while still staring at his son.

"Anytime, Dan. Mabait naman si Damien eh."

"I mean thank you for telling him na mahal siya ng mommy niya. I know that he knows how much I love him, pero mandalas pa rin niyang hinahanap ang mommy niya." Binuhat ni Dan ang anak nito saka tiningnan siya. "By the way, Emy."

He looked so serious so Wynter acted the same. "What is it?"

"If I plan to court you, would you still let me? Knowing that I already have a kid?"

Wynter felt her heart beat faster and she stopped breathing. Her mind went haywire but one thing's for sure. Iisa lang ang sinasabi ng puso't isip niya, and that's... "Yes."