What happened that night reached my parents. If I didn’t think right, I would have gone wild to Cupid. The staff must have recognized me as I went there and lost myself on the dance floor while very drunk. Even if my brother didn’t see me, for sure someone else told them before because I know that my brother will not drop me and he will talk to me first.
I was too drunk. Over drunk. Because I took a taxi going home and left my car at Cupid. I even fell asleep in the taxi after I gave the driver my ID and location and I just woke up in bed in my room with Ixora and with different clothes. I don’t remember what happened.
And as usual, my good and perfect husband fought me again when I woke up. We fought and yelled and what he said that I didn’t understand the others because my head is too hurting.
Our shouting stopped when Ixora cried and he quickly took it and then they left the room. He didn’t return my daughter either so I took her from her room. I caught them both sleeping but I still took my daughter even though he woke up.
And now, here I am in the mansion. Sitting in front of my family with my siblings and my parents. The only thing I’m wondering is why my brothers are here and why are they involved in this? Is it just my problem? If it’s Dylan it’s ok, but the others? Wow! What Am I a criminal?
“What did you do?” Dad asked. I didn’t answer and just smirked. Even though I knew what he was talking about, I ignored him. I just looked at my nails as if no one heard.
“Your daughter just got out of the hospital and you go to a party? You left your child and got drunk?” he added. I bit my nail when I noticed something sticking out. “Answer me.”
“I just want to have fun. Is it bad to have fun once in a while?”
“Fun? To leave your child? It’s not fun. It’s irresponsible action as a mother.”
“So mothers don’t have the right to be happy when they have children?”
“Daze,” mommy called me. “Why did you do that? You know that your daughter just came from the hospital.”
“I am stressed for these past few days mom. I want to at least lessen my negative thoughts. I have so many thoughts. Is it bad to enjoy?” I don’t want a long explanation. Whether they understand or not is up to them in their lives. It’s tiring to explain if they are thinking something against me.
“By not taking care of your daughter?” dad asked.
“I took care of her. I only went out for one day, is that a big deal?”
“Yes, because you have responsibility and you did that. And what else did we find out that Enrique is the father of your child but you just let Ervic admit? You’re trying to play on us. You made us a fool and stupid.”
I looked at brother Dylan who shrugged. I also saw the surprise on his face that he didn’t speak immediately.
“It wasn’t me, Daze.” His defense.
“Someone told us,” mom added.
“You know something, Damon?” dad asked
“Slightly, dad.” Dad shook his head.
“Did he know?” mom asks.
“Yes, nothing changed,” I answered. “Everything is normal.”
“You tolerate your sister’s foolishness, Damon?”
“It’s her choice, dad. I let her decide what she wants.”
“By playing on us?” Brother Dale asks.
“By letting her decide and put all the trust in her. As a mother, as a woman.”
“That decision is immature, Dylan.” Sister Dane said.
“Wow, sister, that’s why you tell brother Wallace that Cooper is Ace’s father and that you two are married.” Sister Dane didn’t move. Coming from her who hides her daughter to her father too? Just a hypocrite.
“Nothing has changed. Even if Ervic or Enrique is the father of her child, Ixora is still your niece because she is Daze’s daughter,” brother Dylan explained. “Enrique’s role has not changed either, he is still Daze’s father and husband. So what’s the deal? He just doesn’t know that he is the father.”
“He knows,” I said. And I think I know who told my parents.
“A nonsense reason. This is not only about Daze. This is all about those people around her. Especially to those who were hurt by what he did,” Dad said angrily and looked at me. “You should act responsibly, now that you already have a daughter you should be responsible for your actions. How long have you been like this?”
“She’s responsible, it’s not just obvious because we don’t want to pay attention.” Brother Dylan said.
“To make us fool and stupid?” Brother Dave asks. “Our parents too?”
“Why you? Didn’t you didn’t fool us all around, including our parents, by hiding your problem with—”
“Stop!” Dad stopped brother Dylan. “What happened is already happened. Now tell us, Daze, what’s your decision?”
“Decision on what, dad?”
“Your marriage. You and Enrique.”
“What about my marriage?”
“What about your marriage? What is your plan? You manipulated him. What do you plan on him? Locked in your relationship?”
“It’s his choice not mine. I did not offer him to marry me. I invited Ervic but he presented. If brother Dylan hadn’t kicked Ervic out, I wouldn’t have a problem now because Ervic accepted me.” I blame my brother Dylan. Well sorry, I’m just telling the truth even though I’m on his side.
“What your brother did is right. Is that how inconsiderate you are? Will all the ignorant sympathize just for your nonsense? You make moves to get pregnant after now everyone is affected?”
“What I did is to help her to marry the real father of Ixora.”
“Daze, you can co-parent with Enrique. You have to set him free. Don’t cage him in your marriage,” Mom said.
“Yes, I was wrong. But I have no plans to lock him in this marriage. If he wants to file an annulment, then go. He won’t hear anything from me and I will sign. If he wants, I will file first.”
“See, you answered like that as if you don’t do everything. It is like you are not affected.” It was obvious in daddy’s voice that he was angry.
“Did Enrique talk to you?” I asked annoyed. “Did he tell you to talk to me?”
“No, Daze, Enrique knows nothing about this,” mom answered.
“That’s it. Let’s let them solve their problem.” Kuya Dylan said so everyone looked at him.
“What did you say, Damon?”
“What I’m saying dad is let’s leave them alone. That’s their problem as a couple so let’s let them resolve it. Let’s not lead them especially if they have child. Especially now that Enrique knows that Ixora is his daughter. He has brain. Just don’t get to the point of physical hurting because that’s a different.”
“Is that your suggestion, Damon? Allowing your sister to cage Enrique?”
“Your daddy and I just feel sorry for Enrique. For sure he wants to get out of here but he can’t because of us and your threats. He has his own life, so let’s not lock him up here.”
“I’m not locking him up. I am waiting for him to file an annulment. Then no one told him to marry me.” My god, they keep repeating themselves. Annoying, irritating. They are even dumber than grade one.
“Because he stand on his words. So you act like one, too,” daddy’s every word has an emphasis.
“I was not informed that what I did was a big deal,” I said. “That I am always wrong in your eyes and you are always right.”
“What did you say?” Dad asked an annoyed question.
“I always see it wrong here.”
“Daze.”
“Don’t touch me, mom.”
“Dandelion!” dad screamed when I avoided mommy’s touch. Even my brothers were surprised by what I did. “Is that how you treat your mom?!” he shouted. Tss, overprotective out of place. You thought I was his wife’s enemy.
“I’m sorry.” I apologize. I was just annoyed because I felt like they were all fighting me here.
“The result of Dylan’s constant indulgence.” Brother Dave said. “Daze’s head is getting harder and harder.”
“I don’t tolerate Daze. I only support her because I know that will make her happy.” Brother Dylan defended me.
“Isn’t it?” sister Dane said.
“No, because when she got pregnant and wanted Ervic to have me, it was Ervic’s choice so he said yes. And Enrique? Daze even did it in her favor because she had an instant child because it looks like she has no plans to get married. Also, they can divorce, so what’s wrong with that? If you’re referring to Ixora? He will not be miserable.”
“What you’re doing now, Dylan, isn’t that condoning it? You know the truth about who the father of her child is but you kept it a secret. Now you’re still going to let her do what she’s doing?” It’s brother Dave.
“Why, is there anything we can do, you guys, if you ever find out who the father really is? What will you do if it happens? Talk to Enrique? So what, will they still get married or not? Come on! There is nothing you can do either, it will still happen, either they will be married or not married but one thing is for sure, Ixora is still their daughter. Nothing can be changed, so don’t blame her for everything that happened. If you can judge her it seems like you haven’t made any lapses. While you weren’t a perfect partner either.”
“Stop! This is all about Daze and her problem,” dad scolded them.
“I don’t have any problem. And if there is, you are out of there. You can’t help me, so leave me alone. I made this so let me handle this,” I said. “Don’t bother me anymore because you really don’t care.”
“Repeat what you said young lady.” Dad commanded.
“Daze.” Sister Dane called me with concern.
“Why, I’m telling the truth, right? No one really cares about me aside from my brother Dylan. No one really understands me but only Kuya Dylan. None of you really loves me but only brother Dylan.”
“That’s not true, son. We all love you especially your siblings because you are the youngest.”
“Oh come on mom! I am not important in this family. No one asks me how I am and no one cares about my feelings. And why are you all here as if I’m going to be hanged? Whereas when you had the issue, I was not involved in your conversation. My opinion is not important. I am not important.”
“That’s not true.”
“That’s true, dad.”
“When sister Dane announced that she was pregnant, wasn’t I there? When everyone found out what brother Dave was doing to sister Lileth and I wanted to sympathize, didn’t you let me? Don’t I know anything about what happened to brother Dale? I was always ignorant of what was going on in this family. Even though I’m the one pushing myself so that I can somehow be useful, my opinion still doesn’t matter. Brother Dylan is the only one who cares and listens to me here.”
“We are not including you in the discussion of the problem because you show us that you are not matured enough. You can’t help either because what’s always on your mind is just to make you happy,” dad answered so I just smiled.
“But I still have the right to know. I’m still a child so I should be a part of the family conversation. Now if you judge me, it seems like I’m very bad because of what I did. Why were they not bad before? Sister Dane, you became a fuckbuddy with brother Wallace didn’t you and you even hid Ace from him? Brother Dave, maybe you forgot why Dustle was formed? Because you cheated on sister Lileth. And you brother Dale, you almost lost sister Lauren because you pushed her and oh maybe you forgot your past. Am I the only one? Am I the only one wrong here? Am I the only one to blame? But when you had a problem and I wanted to help, did you let me? It’s not, right? My side is not important and no one cares when each one of has a problem. So why would you interfere with my problem if you didn’t let me sympathize with you? I did this, so only I have the right to fix it.”
“And she has a point.” Brother Dylan seconded.
“What are you saying Dylan?” Brother Dale asks.
“Are you saying that Daze is doing the right thing?” Brother Dave asks too.
“We always set aside her feelings for thinking that she is young not knowing that she is already mature and watch us silently. No one is to blame for what is happening to her but all of us. What she did is to prove to us that she can handle everything without our help. She just wants to prove something to us. He just did it the wrong way. But the bottom line is….. Daze what’s to stand on her own.”
“I can’t accept that reason,” said daddy shaking.
“You can’t do anything dad because I am on Daze. She is matured, she is responsible and she knows her limit. But we were the ones who removed her because we didn’t look at her that way, instead, we always ignored her, we always made her look like she was young and not yet matured. She wants to prove to us and wanted to show that we can count on her. But we always pushed her away. So if there is anyone to blame for what is happening to her—none other than but us. So—now, let us her decide. Let her take the consequences on her actions. Let her show us that she is mature to handle things. Let’s give her a chance to prove herself.”
“Brother.” I look at him crying. Brother Dylan is the only one who really understands me. He’s the only one who really cares about me. Without brother Dylan I don’t know what I would do.
“Let’s let Daze do what she thinks is best for daughter this time. Let’s let her and her husband solve their problem. They’re married, they have Ixora so let’s not interfere so we don’t get into more trouble with them.” And he looked at me and smiled. “I got your back, Daze. No matter what happens, I am always at your back. I will support you like how I support our siblings. I always got your back.”