I WOKE UP a little past noon the next day. When I woke up, Mama Cha was no longer by my side. She must have been in the coffee shop. I went to Clyde’s first because I heard hip-hop dance battle songs there. I knew he was already awake and watching his favorite breakdancers. He stated that he misses dancing and that it would take some time for him to return to his old habits. He skipped school today as well. He had wasted a lot, to be honest, but even more would be wasted if he stayed in that condition. I took a shower and got dressed. I’m leaving for the promotion right now because I need to finish something. Until now, I still haven’t told Mama Cha that I have it here. I’ll just let her do it. I want to, before I tell her everything is fine. I’m going to follow our marriage so that before the baby comes out, my last name is used, as well as Clyde. I’ll have the name fixed and instead use mine.
When I arrived at the shop, I approached Mama Cha, who was standing behind the counter, holding and reading a small piece of white paper. When I got closer, she smiled.
“Are you leaving?” she asked immediately.
I just smiled at her. A moment later, I noticed that there were a bunch of red roses on the counter. “Where did that come from, Ma? That’s a lot!” I asked.
“Ah! Nanay Mira said someone sent it, so I’m reading who it’s from,” she answered, still smiling.
I cringed when she smelled the flower while still unable to get rid of her smile.
“The scent, Clint!” She exclaimed.
I crossed my arms in front of her and said, “Why didn’t you do that when I brought you one like that? Why is that? Stop sniffing it! You don’t even know where that came from! Tsk!” I said aloud. She just laughed at him. “What, Clint? What are we; high school? Jealous? “Get on! ”
“Who did that come from, Chari? Why do you still accept things like that? You’re already having our second–” I held back.
“Huh?” Mama Cha frowned.
I almost slipped.
“What did you say?” Her face was serious.
“What’s hot-headed again? Last night you kept on calling my name and now you’re angry again?” I’m pissed.
She answered quickly. “What do you want? Whose name shall I mention? Jet? ” She even raised an eyebrow, then frowned.
I just winced. I stopped. I also suddenly lost my temper when I heard Jet’s name.
“I’m leaving, Ma.” I said a little weakly.
She didn’t answer. She continued to work at the counter. When you’re angry, she’s even angrier than you! I glanced again before I walked out. When I turned around, I noticed she was dressed in long black formal attire. She was so sexy in her backless black dress. I just shook my head in admiration. She’s still hot despite her age and can attract attention. She didn’t look at me, and I was about to leave when I saw two young men entering the shop.
“Shit, she’s there now.”
I heard one say. I kept looking even though I was already outside the door. I think the young man is twenty-five or seven, white, tall, and has blonde hair in a ponytail. He’s handsome, Chinito. He was wearing simple shorts, a yellow shirt, and slippers. He has two big tats on both legs and is carrying a car key. Who could this be? This young man looks like the big time!
“Maybe she read the note. Do you think that she will talk to me?” He asked his companion.
“Clint, yes! You have nothing to lose if you try. Let’s go!”
My eyes widened when I heard his name. They went inside. I would like to go back just to tease them, but I’m talking to someone right now, so I can’t be late. Maybe I should just let him be silly, because he’s definitely not going to hit on Mama Cha.
I just shook my head, “sorry boys, she’s pregnant! Spoiler alert!” I shouted before walking ahead.
I RETURNED to the hotel that night. It was a bit okay because I talked to her properly. I also told Clyde.
I am currently sitting with a bottle of beer in front of me. The investigator I hired sent me photos and audio recordings, and here I am now – crushed again by what I heard and knew.
“Aaaah.. Hmmm!”
I just rested deeply. I’m listening to Jet and Trina’s conversation right now while having sex. I heard their dirty talk while sharing their stolen moments. I don’t know why I still feel angry, despite the fact that I don’t really love Trina. I don’t care about him either, but I don’t know why my chest hurts. I continued to listen to their moans and the sound of their hot kisses. I can hear how Trina flirtatiously mentions Jet’s name.
“Huh?”
I was shocked to hear that-
“Trina is pregnant?”
I clutched my hair tightly after I drank. I could not believe what I heard. Trina is pregnant, and she plans to give me the child again.
“You motherfucker!”
My jaw clenched with anger. I can’t wait for the day I can hurt Jet! I would break his face in front of Trina. Two more days and I can catch them. Just two more days and all their madness will be over. I am also arranging all the pictures and audio recordings obtained by my investigator because I intend to pass them all onto Jet’s wife, whose background I have also investigated. I’m going to finish all of us first before I send all the evidence to them. I want to teach those two bastards a lesson! I heard that Jet’s wife is rich, and I’m sure she will send them to jail. I will not let them get away with what they did to me! Eight years of my life were wasted because of them.
SOMEWHERE IN MANILA…
Maggie had been scolding Tejie for a while because he kept on asking for his cellphone, which Trina strictly forbade.
“Alright grandma, I’ll just call Daddy,” Tejie said.
Maggie was immediately appalled. “Will you please stop that Tejie? Your mommy said you shouldn’t hold the phone! You’re really stubborn, you kid! I’m sick of you and your mother!”
“Grandma, I want to go home. I know that mommy is with her man at home again! I’m going to call daddy to tell him!” The boy answered.
“Stop! Then which man?”
“Grandma, I know you know him. We always have him with us. We always go out with him! You know, don’t you? I’m going to tell daddy about that!”
Maggie yelled. “You f**kin’stop it, Tej! I’m tired of your troubles! ”
“I want to go home!” Tejie’s voice was loud.
Maggie couldn’t complain because she was the one who trained him to be rude.
Tejie shouted again. “I’m going home!” He ran towards the room.
Maggie immediately chased after him. “Don’t use your spoiled brat on me! That won’t work! ” She said, pulling on the boy’s right arm.
“Ouch!” Tejie shouted.
Maggie also shouted. “I’m f**king sick of your nonsense! You had better go home! Go home to meet your mommy’s man! Who else but your real father! Jet!” The child’s arm is still clasped.
“Uh! Huh? Fa— father? ”
“Yes! Clint is not your real dad! So stop calling him Daddy!”
“But- what? Daddy? Not—not my father?” Tejie almost cried.
Maggie reluctantly let go of Tejie’s arm.
“Ugh! Ouch, grandma.. Hmm.. ” The child cried.
“I’m so tired of both of you! Come on! Go home if you want to! I want my life to be quiet! You two are a disaster! You’re a pest!” Maggie had completely disappeared and left Tejie alone.
“Grandma, tell me that’s not true. Daddy is my father,” Tejie said, breathing heavily. “That is not true. Please.. tell me..” he’s crying now.
“Why don’t you ask your sleazy mother? She’s at your Daddy Clint’s house right now, messing with your truly worthless father! You’re a pest! Get out if you want to get out! I don’t care!” Maggie said as she ran away.
“Huuu.. Hmm.. Daddy.. Huuu.” And Tejie started to cry. “Daddy, my Daddy… Huuu. Where are you? Hmm.. Daddy? It’s not true. He’s my dad. I want to go home.. ”
MIDNIGHT. It was quiet around the subdivision where Tejie was walking. The street is well-lit, but a child like him, who rarely goes out alone, will be terrified, especially in an unfamiliar environment. He just kept walking, not knowing if he was lost or on the right path. He was carrying a backpack with only a few clothes. He really ran away from Maggie. He really wanted to go home and be with Daddy Clint, but Maggie wouldn’t let him have his cellphone.
A moment later, he would be outside of the big gate. He saw that there were two guards on duty. He knew that he would not be able to get past them because he would be watched for sure, and, one more thing, they would know his face. But gaining time with two cars coming in, he sprinted out and succeeded.
When he reached the wide road, he stopped and looked out. There was a trace of fear in his eyes. His eyes are still stained with tears. He was obviously crying while walking. He continued to walk, skirting the street that was a bit dark when he was far from the entrance of the subdivision he came from. He just walked and walked.
A moment later, he arrived in front of a park. The road he was walking on was getting darker and darker.
“Huu.. Daddy. Huu.. I’m scared,” je continues to utter.
He couldn’t stop crying. He is not used to such situations, so he is just afraid. He was hurt a lot by what he found out that Maggie told him earlier, and he knew that she also saw him go out of the gate but didn’t stop him.
“Daddy.. Huuu.. Huuu.. Go home please.” He whispered, he just kept walking while talking to himself. “Daddy, I love you. I’m sorry. I’m not nice to you because Mommy always tells me that you’re bad, that you don’t have time for me because you only care about girls. Go home, Daddy; I love you. I don’t like Mommy’s man. Daddy, I’m going to be a good boy. I wish you’d just taken me with Clyde.. Huuhuu.. Daddy! Daddy! Please come back!” He just kept talking while crying and kept walking, even though he didn’t know the way to go.
Until…
“Hey! Jackpot!”
Suddenly, two men emerged from nowhere.
“Check to see if there’s anyone, quick!”
A thin man greeted Tejie, while the other looked around. And when it got close, it was
“Baby boy! It’s late! Where are you going?”
“Huh?” Tejie was scared when she saw the man.
His shirt was just hanging on his shoulders and his eyes were red.
“Where are you going?”
When the man got closer, Tejie took a step back.
“What’s in your bag? Is there anything in there? Come on! Let me see!”
Tejie retreated faster.
“Hey! Where are you going?” The man shouted as he got closer.
And a few steps back and..
“Ugh! Haha!” Tejie bumped into the thin man.
“Hold it! Get the bag! He looks rich! There must be an iPhone!” The thin man said.
“Let me go!” Tejie shouted as she fell. “Let me go!” He shouted louder.
The man held him closer. When the other guy got closer, he immediately grabbed the backpack he was carrying. Tejie screamed more out of fear. He was also hurt by the tight grip on his arms by another man.
“Aaaah! Help! Help!” He shouted louder.
“You motherfucker! We’re going to hang with this! Umn! You’re stupid!”
Tejie keeps on struggling. He screamed. He was struggling with his back pack that the thin man was trying to grab from him. But what does an eight-year-old do against them?
“Don’t be too loud! Umn! Umn! Umn!” The thin man repeatedly hit his face. He tried to hold Tejie but he kept on wiggling, so they let go of him.
“Aaaah!” Tejie’s is on the move at last.
Even after getting past the two men, he took off running, not knowing where to run just to get away. He quickly took the wide dark road that was only a witness to what was going on with him at the time.
“Haaah! Agh!” He just keeps on running like a mad dog.
But..
Skreeeeeech!
Bag! Bagg!
A speeding truck ran over and hit him.
“TEJIE!”
I screamed.
Haaah! Ah! Ah! Haaah!
A very cold wind touched me uneasily. I was cold and sweaty all over my body. I also feel like I’m crying. I cried in my dream. Yes! I remember! I was crying because Tejie told me that he was leaving and not coming back. I remember trying to hold his hand because it was trying to slip away from me, until a light passed by and I was dazzled, so I let go of his hand abruptly. I still remember what he said-‘Daddy, go home, huh?
Aaah!.. Hah!
My God! What kind of feeling is this?
I immediately looked for my cell phone! I will call Tejie right away! What happened to him? Why was my dream so sad?
June_Thirteen