ONE WEEK..
I have the DNA results. I intended to pay to make everything easier, and I wanted to know before Ben and Nick went back to Manila.
“God.. how could she do this to me?” I whispered.
“Congratulations, brother. It’s positive! You’re all matched,” said Ben while reading the result.
“So? What’s next, brothers?” said Nick.
A moment later, I realized that I was in tears.
“Hmmn.. Haaaah..” I sighed.
“Everything will be alright, Clint. Talk to her carefully. For the sake of Clyde,” Ben said while patting my shoulder.
“I can’t speak to her properly! She’s always avoiding me!” I cried out.
“Aah.. Let’s just do it like this. ” Nick replied. “There’s a dance battle tomorrow, right Ben? In the other barangay of Raymonds, we were invited as judges. Did you guys forget it?”
“Oh yes! Is it tomorrow?” Ben remembered.
“Yes, Ben! It’s a party! Raymond was embarrassed to refuse because it was only a short-time battle. He just did it because the captain was a family friend,” said Nick.
“So?” I asked.
“What’s up? Crazy! We’re going to take Clyde there! So you can talk with Aunt Cha!” Nick answered.
Ben smiled at what he said.
“Well, that’s cool!” I said, giggling.
“Yes! Kidnap her! It’s up to you what you want to do to her. After all, she’s like your wife because you already have Clyde!” said Nick. “You already have evidence that Clyde is really yours! You have proof that he came from your nutsack!” he added.
We laughed when Nick mentioned the word ‘nutsack’.
Nick is really a tease.
“You take care of Clyde, huh? Don’t forget the child’s medicine, brothers. Uh huh?” I reminded.
“Yes, Clint! We’ll carry a whole medkit for you! Just make sure you can score! Don’t tell us later that nothing happened, okay? Brother, please don’t waste our efforts! You know how boring it is to judge the dance battle barangay version? Hahaha! ” Nick joked.
“You’re crazy Nick!” I said to him.
“So- how are we going to tell Aunt Cha about that? How do we start?” Ben said.
“Tsk! It’s up to Clint to do that! It’s like what he did last week! He spent a night swimming with Clyde, remember?! Hahaa!” Nick laughed.
The three of us just laughed. It’s up to me now how I will handle it again and I need to do it just like before, the way that she can’t refuse.
THE NEXT NIGHT..
“Mom! They’re here ” Clyde said happily.
The boy was very happy because his mother allowed him to go with Ben and Nick to watch a dance battle in the other barangay. The mother did nothing when the son spoke. When the mother and son came out, Nick immediately greeted them.
“Good evening, Aunt Cha! Hi Clyde, are you ready?” Nick said, immediately kissing Clyde’s cheek as he approached.
“Yes, Sir Nick! I’m excited!”
“Oh! Did you bring everything in your bag? ” Ben said.
“Ah, yes, Ben. Please just check on him. ” Chari answered. “Aah.. one– two– Ben? It’s like- I guess you missed someone! The naughty one– ,” she added while peeking inside the car.
The two looked at each other. Clyde also looked at them. And then..
“Where is Sir Clint? I’m sure Mom, he’s the naughty one you’re talking about because he’s the one who’s not here?” he asked.
Ben laughed. “Hahaa! He went first; he just sent us to pick you up, Clyde,” Ben answered, still laughing at what the boy said.
Chari just nodded.
“We’re leaving, Aunt Cha.”
“Ben, don’t stay up too late. Bring him home by eleven, please.”
“Oh, okay.”
“Bye Mom!”
“Bye, baby! Enjoy!” Chari hugged and kissed Clyde. This was his first time watching a dance competition in a faraway place and not having his mom around. “Ben, Nick, take care of Clyde, please!” She shouted before the boy got into the car.
She watched for a few seconds until the car turned.
And when she was about to enter the gate..
“I knew it!”
Chari saw Clint standing in front of her gate with both hands in his jeans pocket, wearing black jeans, a white shirt, and long hair in a high ponytail.
“I knew there was something fishy. You don’t go anywhere incomplete,” Chari said again.
Clint walked closer. When he got closer, a white envelope was handed to Chari.
“What is it?” Chari said when she reached for the envelope.
She just read the marked name on the outside of the white envelope. And then..
“DNA result?” Chari asked. “Aah..” She didn’t open the white envelope anymore.
“Um.. I think. You know, Clint-”
Clint cut her off. “Ma, eight years! You played hide and seek with me for eight years? For f**kin’ eight years? ”
Chari didn’t move nor speak. She could see in Clint’s eyes that he was serious.
“Ma, do you know that in those eight years I was lost? My f**kin’ life was f**ked up! I live with the girl that you pushed me to live with! You don’t have an idea how I was f**kin’ lost, Ma! Hmp!” He began to cry.
“Clint, you don’t understand, I -,”
“Ma! Why?” He is not giving Chari a chance to reason. “Why did you hide from me that we should be working together? Why Ma? What have I done?” asked Clint. His lips were trembling from trying to stop crying. “Ma! You’re always like that! ” His voice was high now.
“Clint- I,”
A moment later, Clint took something out of his pants pocket.
“See this, Ma?” He showed the small gray box. “I brought it when I came home from Japan. I brought it when I arrived and you were gone! That you are gone, Ma!” Clint couldn’t stop crying. “Hmmmn.. Hmmmm.. eight years… Ma! I’ve been hiding it for eight years because I haven’t lost hope that I’ll see you again! Did you know that? Huh? Ma? I love you so much, Ma! I love you so much, Chari! I never stop praying every night! I couldn’t stop asking God to bring you back to me because I was so lost! I was so lost, hmmmn..” He keeps on sobbing like a child. “Ma, I want to go home. Please take me home. It’s hard to get lost in sadness, Ma. So- take me home please.. Ma.. please.. Hmmn..” he said meaningfully while crying.
Chari is crying too. She would have tried to harden her feelings and she would still want to refuse.
But..
“Clint—Sorry,” she said. She apologized. “Sorry! Hmmmm.. Sorry Clint! ”
She couldn’t stop herself anymore. She loved Clint, who she still really loves to this day. And the two couldn’t hold back their feelings anymore.
“Ma.. I’m sorry too.”
Clint was the first to approach and hug Chari.
“Clint, I’m sorry. Sorry,” Chari whispered.
“I’m sorry too, Ma. I’m sorry,” Clint also said.
The two hugged. There is the trace of their longing for each other. Even after such a long time has passed, their love has not faded. And they can tell by the way they cried to each other.
Not far away, someone was watching them. Nanay Mira, and Ingrid
“Nanay Mira, see them? Hehe.”
“Yes, Ingrid! It’s good that Chari has given up.”
“She still adores Pogi! Ahihi!” Ingrid said excitedly. “If I also have a handsome husband like Sir Clint, I will never ever give him away! Haaaah… when will I ever meet someone like him-so handsome, young, and sexy, aaah,” she continued.
“That’s just for Chari! One and only! Hahaa!” Nanay Mira laughed.
IT’S PAST twelve.
Clint greeted Ben when he arrived.
“Did he enjoy it?” Clint asked.
“Of course! When the Captain saw him, he said he looked just like you! Hahaa!” said Ben. “They immediately know whose child it is!”
Clint carried Clyde. He’s asleep.
“I’ll go up first,” said Clint.
He let Clyde into the house and put him on the bed.
After a few minutes,
“Boss Clint’s eyes are swollen again! Cried a lot?” teased Nick.
“Nope! I’m sure it’s good news, Ben. Our friend is happy! ”
And a moment more.
When Clint came out of the gate, it tumbled twice, and then did a short airflare.
The two fools laughed.
“Owshiiii! Really, Brother? Success! Hahaa!” shouted Ben.
Clint even danced while throwing himself inside the car.
The two also boarded.
“Clyde will be happy about that for sure! He never thought that his idol, Sir Clint, was actually his father! Hahaa!” Nick laughed loudly.
“Nah! Mama Cha didn’t want to tell him. She said to slow down first so he wouldn’t be surprised, “said Clint.
“Why?”
“First, we will go home to Manila. Then! Of course, we already know what’s next.”
“Aunt Cha agrees that they will come to Manila?”
“Yes! We talked about it.” Clint suddenly said, seriously. ”
“What about Trina? She’s still your wife, brother! What about Tejie?” Ben asked.
“Don’t worry about that, Ben! What’s important is that we’re okay and that we understand what we’re going to do! And we are together again now! With my Clyde!”
“That sounds like fun! Hahaa! You’re going to keep them together? Clint, you are such a f**ker “, Nick joked.
“Clint, fix it. It can’t be as easy as that. When Trina finds out that you and Aunt Cha have a child, it’s unlikely that she won’t calm down, even if you say that your marriage was like a roller-coaster ride! Think about it, brother! Nick reminded. “She’s still your wife, and you have a child!”
The three looked at each other.
“I’m fine with that, as long as I don’t lose Mama Cha again, especially since I already have Clyde. Hmp!” Clint said with a smile. “I won’t let anyone take them away from me anymore. I waited so long for this moment..”
June_Thirteen