MY DREAM didn’t calm me down, so I went home to Manila without saying goodbye to Mama Cha.
“Tejie? Tej?”
I started shouting as soon as I entered the house. I noticed that there seemed to be no one in the house today. Not even the two maids are there, nor is Trina’s gardener.
“Tejie? Tej?”
I ran all over the house but everything was empty. I went up to the room, in Tejie’s room, and into the backyard.
“Where are the people here?”
I looked in the phonebook for the contact numbers of our housemates. I was about to call someone when I heard the gate suddenly open and a car was coming. When I heard that they had entered and got out of the car, I quickly walked out.
“Huh? Cl – Clint?” Trina said, shocked. “You-when did you come, Clint?”
Her face was full of surprise, but she was even more surprised when I saw Jet still in the driver’s seat.
“You motherf**ker!” I dashed at him.
“Clint no!” Trina shouted and immediately blocked me.
“Leave me alone, you motherf**ker! Let me go! Don’t make me forget who you are!” I yelled at her after shaking her.
I turned to Jet and tried to pull him out of the car. He will not be able to get out and start the car because the gate is already closed.
“You motherf**ker! Umn! Get out of there!” I kept pulling him out, but he had a strong grip on the steering wheel and was still trying to close the car door on me. “I’m gonna f**kin’ rip you!”
“Clint, please don’t! This is not the right time for that! Clint! Clint!” Trina shouted at the same time, pulling me too.
Trina got rid of me. Jet closed the car door. I moved quickly and looked for something to throw at the car. My movements are no longer clear to me because I’m already messed up. I simply picked up the scattered pots and beat them one by one on the car’s windshield in order to break it and let Jet out! I can’t stop myself any longer. They both reacted the same way because I know they know why I’m acting this way. I knew that the news had reached them and that I already knew what was happening.
I can hear Jet yelling at Trina to open the gate because he was about to start the car. And when I saw Trina hurrying to go to the gate…
“Umn! Umn! F**k! I’m gonna kill you!” I punched the car windows on the drivers’ seat, one after the other.
Trina stopped running and screamed at what I did. “Clint! Clint, please! That’s enough please!” She cried out.
I tried to open the car to get Jet out. I don’t care what happens to me, as long as I know that I want to hurt Jet, I want to beat him. My entire right arm was almost torn when I broke it inside, so I could grab Jet, who was already running out the other side of the door.
“Clint! Aaaah!” Trina is still weaning. “Stop it! Look at your arm! Clint! It’s bleeding!”
My right arm is bleeding. It’s almost torn from the size of the scratch it got from scrubbing the broken glass. My long hair is messy and my white t-shirt is almost dirty. There was simply no place for any other emotion in me at that time. I don’t care if my arm hurts or falls off as long as the important thing is that I can hold Jet. When I opened the car door, I immediately grabbed him by his clothes and pulled him out.
“Ugh! You motherf**ker!”
“Clint, stop it!” Jet shouted as he crossed my hand and tried to pull away.
He gave me a strong kick so that I let go of his clothes.
“Jet run!” Trina shouted.
Jet was about to run, but I reached for him and immediately threw him into the car after punching him one after another.
“You f**kers!”
“Ugh! Clint, stop! Tejie is in the hospital. Stop that or you could kill Jet! Aaah! Clint! Please..”
“Huh?! Huh?” I stopped doing it. “Tejie? In the hospital?” My eyebrows meet even more. “What happened to my son, you motherfuckers!? aaah!”
I grabbed Jet by the hair and then hit his face on the car window that I broke.
“Clint! Stop! Trina shouted. That’s enough! That’s enough, Clint. Please. Let me explain. Aah!” I saw that Trina was still holding her stomach while she was on her knees from crying so much.
I no longer feel any emotions at those times. I feel very strong because Jet is bigger than me, but he can’t hit me no matter what he does. I don’t even care what the outcome of my actions is, as long as I want to hurt him.
“I’m going to kill you, you f**k!! Umn!” I said to Jet in awe.
I kept hitting him on the car windshield, which was currently permanently broken at the time. I could clearly see how the blood flowed down Jet’s face.
Trina sat down on the pavement. “Clint, that’s enough, please. Stop! Huuu!” she cried.
“Haaah! Hah! Haaah!”
When I saw that Jet was almost unconscious and his face was really bloodied, I also stopped.
“That’s not enough for the eight years you stole from me! Phew!” I spit on Jet.
Trina moved quickly as Jet slumped to the floor.
“Where is Tejie? You motherf**ker! Where is he? Where’s my son?” I got closer to her and held her face. I’m so mad at her that I really want to twist her arm.
“At South Medical Center, he’s in the ICU. Huu.. Clint! Sorry!” Trina is still clinging to my leg.
My body shook when I heard it. “What- why? What happened to him?” I kept holding back my tears.
“He was- in a coma.. Hmp! I’m sorry Clint!” she cried.
“What the f**k? What did you do?” I paused to clear my throat. “What did I do to you, Trina?” I said breathlessly. “What have you done to me? F**k!”
She gripped my leg even tighter. “Clint, sorry.”
“Because of what you did, Mama Cha left me carrying my real son! Hmn! Do you know that until now, Clyde has been carrying a pain that he shouldn’t have? Because of what you f**kers did! My real son is still suffering! His life isn’t normal because of that f**kin’ heart failure!”
“Clint, sorry, I’m so sorry. Please..” she keeps on pleading.
“You can’t get away with this!”
“Clint! I’m pregnant! I do not want to go to jail. Huuu! Clint, sorry! Sorry! Huuu!” Trina cried aloud.
I walked away without even looking back.
CHARI’S POV
I just finished putting Clyde to bed. He’s in a bad mood right now because he’s had a fever all day and hasn’t talked to Clint. I’m just here in his room, watching over him. Clyde was looking for him all day. We don’t even know where the hell he is, he didn’t even bother giving Clyde a call. I’m currently holding the cellphone and thinking about unblocking Clint. I’m not sure, but I’m restless these days, as if he’s been running through my mind for a while now, as if I’ve been longing to hear his voice.
“Where is this guy?” While scratching my cell phone, I pondered this question. I was about to leave the room when I heard—
“Mom —-Mom”
“Huh? Clyde? ”
“Mom, –hmmmmn!”
I wasted no time when I saw Clyde was shaking.
“Nanay Mira!” I screamed loudly as I adjusted the oxygen to put on Clyde. “Clyde, baby? Just a minute-” Fortunately, Nanay Mira heard me right away. They know very well when I scream like that.
“Ingrid, hurry up! Call Danny!” Nanay, Mira shouted. “I knew it was going to happen! The kid has been feeling bad all day!”
A moment later, Manong Danny arrived. He picked up Clyde while I carried the oxygen. We are going to rush Clyde to the hospital again because he is having another severe asthma attack and his surgery is not yet okay.
“Nanay Mira, why are his eyes like that?” I am afraid of what is happening. I’m scared! This is the first time!” I cried out.
“Chari, don’t freak out! The doctor said that’s normal; his healing process includes frequent attacks!” Nanay Mira responded calmly.
“Clyde, baby! C’mon! You can do it!” I said bravely, but despite my words, there was a strong pounding in my chest because one of two things would happen – he wouldn’t be able to catch up or he wouldn’t be able to take it anymore. “Come on, baby, you can do it! Come on! Give me the keys! We’re losing him! Hurry up!” I yelled as I quickly started the engine.
MEANWHILE..
I could not believe what I was seeing. Even though Tejie is not my real child, I have loved this child, so it is very painful for me to see him in this difficult situation. Any parent would be heartbroken.
“God.. what happened to you, son? What kind of negligence did Trina do to you?”
My tears couldn’t stop. I am now in the ICU and am currently observing Tejie. There was a pipe stuck in his mouth and an iron plate on his back, as well as the right side of his arm and leg. He was hurt badly in the accident. According to his doctor, the boy is in a temporary coma as a result of the severe injury to his head. It is said that there is almost a 50/50 chance that he will be fine when he wakes up or ends up helpless. I am also hoping that no nerves in his brain were damaged by being like that. Everything about him is under observation because of the internal bleeding that was found, and they are looking carefully to see if a major operation is needed. I told the doctor to do everything necessary. I don’t care how much it takes, as long as Tejie’s life is saved. I love Tejie, even though he is not my blood. I don’t want to lose him.
“Trina, what did you do to Tejie? I will never forgive you if something happens to him! I will put you and Jet in prison and take Maggie with you!”
IN CAMIGUIN..
Chari could not stop crying from the time they left the house until they got to the hospital.
“Nay, why does Clyde look like that? Nanay, it’s the first time I’ve seen him breathing so hard, Nay Mira.. Huu.” She wailed while hugging Nay Mira.
Nanay Mira kept rubbing her back. “Chari, don’t panic. You’re pregnant,” she said. “You’re already four months pregnant! So don’t be like that. It might affect the baby, too many emotions makes a strong impact, like Clyde’s..” she sweetly said.
Chari didn’t move anymore.
“Clyde will be fine, darling. Don’t cry and you might be the next if you don’t stop.” Nanay Mira hugged Chari, who she considered almost a real child.
IN MANILA..
I will try to call Mama Cha. How is Clyde doing? He must have been looking for me.
“Huh?”
I was surprised when Mama Cha’s cell phone rang.
I’m not blocked anymore. “Ahh.. Thank God!”
Somehow, I smiled at that moment, knowing that I was able to call Mama Cha.
“Still don’t want to answer?”
I kept calling again and again. I keep calling her. “Shucks! It’s 11:30. Maybe he’s asleep.” I uttered when I looked at the time.
I have stopped. But I was really bothered so I called Nanay Mira next. Until..
Nanay Mira: Clint?
“Hello, Nay?”
Nanay Mira: Clint, where are you?
“Nanay Mira, is Chari there? Clyde, how are they?”
Nanay Mira and Chari look at each other. Nanay Mira handed Chari the cell phone.
“Hello, Ma?”
Chari: Clint? Hmn.. Clint, where are you?
Clint immediately heard Chari’s voice, as if she was crying. So..
“Hello, Ma? What’s wrong? Why are you crying? Where’s Clyde?”
Chari couldn’t stop crying anymore. She could hardly speak.
“Ma? What happened? Where is Clyde and why are you crying like that, Chari? What’s wrong Ma ”
Chari: Clint, we’re at the hospital. Clyde was—hmmn.. Where are you, Clint? Clyde- we rushed him to the hospital because he’s having trouble breathing again.
“Is it serious? How is he, Ma?”
Chari: No! Not that bad!
“Not that bad Chari, why are you crying like that? What the f**k Ma? Tell me!”
Chari: Clint, where are you?
Chari keeps on crying.
“Ma, you have a baby.. Get a hold of yourself.
Chari: F**k Clint, where are you? I need you here! I need you.. Hmmn..
Clint didn’t immediately move. He fell to the floor with his hair clinging to his face and tears streaming down his cheeks. His clothes are all dirty. His arm, which received seventeen stitches, is already bandaged due to the deep cut on the car window that he broke earlier.
“Ma.. Ma, listen to me.. please.”
Chari: Where are you, Clint? I need you here, Clint. I’m scared. Huu..
Clint tried to calm himself down. He took a moment to tell Chari where he was at the moment.
“Ma, will you please listen to me? Even just now, please. Please? Even just now, Ma.. ”
Chari: Why? Where are you? Don’t-don’t tell me you’re already in Manila? Huh? Clint? Your child needs you here, Clint.
Clint clutched his tight chest. He bowed his head to his knees and cried loudly. He didn’t know where to start by explaining to Chari, who now also depended on his presence because of the situation her son was in.
Chari: Clint, are you in Manila?
“Ma, let me explain. Tejie is in the hospital and critical because he was hit by a car. Ma.. I don’t know what to do, Ma.. Ma, please. I beg you to understand me. Help me. Set aside your anger with me, please. I need your help. Hmmm..
Chari: What about my son here? He needs you too. Clint, what the f**k? Why always put us as an option?
“Ma, I’ll explain everything to you, please. Listen to me even just now. I’ll just end all the trouble here and then I’ll come back to you and I won’t leave, Ma, so please, Ma, help me. ”
Chari: What do you mean to end?
Clint paused for a moment.
Chari: Clint! What do you mean by that?
“Ma, Tejie is not my real son. Trina has only deceived me since the beginning. I will explain everything to you, but- ” he sobs quietly again. “Tejie is not my son, but he needs my presence right now. Please, Ma,” he keeps on holding his tears. “Listen please… even just now. All my problems will be over. Everything that is bothering my mind, Ma, will disappear. Hmmn.. So, help me. While I accompany Tejie here, help me so that Clyde doesn’t get mad at me because I’m not by his side. Please, Ma, explain it to him. Please.. I’m begging you. Let him understand my situation now.. Please..”
Chari couldn’t talk anymore. She cupped her mouth just to silence herself and interrupted her conversation with Clint, continuing to sob quietly.
“Tejie isn’t your son? Whose- who is the father? Eight years? F**k! I left you, Clint, because I thought-uh! I said to myself that I didn’t want to mess with your life. My son suffered from what I did! just to give. I almost die in f**kin’ sadness! Now tell me that– Tejie is not your son?” Chari uttered while sobbing swiftly.
June_Thirteen