Chapter 9 – Your dad, my dad

My eyes widened. I felt my feet planted on the floor.

Who the hell... says things like that?

"Well, not directly. You want to know what happened right?"

I turned around to face him. Nakatingin lang siya sa hawak niyang glass.

Umupo ako unti-unti sa tabi niya. Suddenly, I feel suffocated in here. My God...anong mayroon sa kaniya?

"Marcus... I..."

Gosh, what now? I can't look at him.

Bakit naman kasi magbi-bring up siya ng ganiyang topic? Worse choice of time and place!

"I was waiting, silently at the hospital. I was holding him in my arms, but no one seemed to notice us. Tapos nakita ko yung iba na pinapansin kahit kami naman ang nauna... my father got it worse." he started.

What...why is he telling me all this?

Huminga lang ako ng malalim. Guess that explains his behavior?

Yung dead na tinutukoy ba nung guy kanina ay ito? Gosh...I can't imagine my...dad...kahit na naiinis ako sa kaniya ngayon.

"With his comrades... I saw everything. How powerless one can be. Basta, those guys want to get revenge for it. Mga anak sila ng mga sundalo na kasama ng father ko noon," he continued.

Napatingin ako sa glass na hawak niya... he's holding it so tightly.

"...For me, it's different. As you can see, I left the military to study. I want to make use of my life...that will make my father happy. They, on the other hand, continued to serve this country."

Naalala ko bigla si dad. If it's me, I can't let that happen to him!

"Don't you want to... get revenge as well? I mean, it's fine if you leave me since three weeks na lang naman ako rito..." I said.

Hayst naalala ko na naman problem ko. I have to find another person who will help me after my one month with Marcus.

Omg. Nang marealize kong tahimik kaming dalawa, napatakip ako sa bibig ko. Gosh Daliah!

He turned to me. Yung mga mata niya na naman...

"Revenge? For what? Tsk, you don't know me. I'm...never mind."

I stared at him. He just went back to his drink.

I played with my fingers on the counter. Well, maybe he just wants to rant?

"...Dads, I don't know what to do with them." I sighed.

Tahimik lang siya. Should I continue?

"I'm hoping he didn't abandon me," I said out of the blue.

Who cares? He said something heavy too! I felt abandoned ever since talagang dumating sa life namin yung stepmom ko. All he did was work. My stepmom is a fellow doctor who helps him. That woman...we never got along.

Narinig ko na naman yung voice ni uncle, talking about things I don't understand. I don't know what he--they want me to do.

He said I should do this to keep myself safe...but what exactly is it that I should do? He just told me to stay here for a while... where will I go after one month?

"Let's do it together, then," he said.

I quickly faced him. "What do you mean?"

He fixated himself to face me by turning his barstool to me.

"As you have seen what happened a while ago, my team only consists of us so we must do all the work," he answered.

Team? Ah... yung kanina ba? Yung dahil lang sa hindi siya sumama, iwanan na agad? I thought friendships in military are deeper than that. I mean, I don't know how long they are together but still...

Tsk, you don't know me.

Argh! Alright! Bahala siya.

"Gawa naman na yung product diba? I can't help you with other technical stuff. All I need to do is editing--"

"Not too fast, Daliah." he cut me off.

Ha? I stared at him dumbfounded. What does he want?

"We will do all the work they left... and since you are working with me... hahatian kita sa trabaho sa bahay. I'm assuming that's a fair deal?"

What the? I DON'T EVEN KNOW A THING AND HE'S EXPECTING ME TO-- Argh!

"Excuse me, but I don't think I can help you. I only know the job you gave me. Isa pa, may mga matters akong kailangang gawin." I answered.

Kahit naman sobrang sama ng nangyari sa kaniya, I can't take all of it! I mean, he's having a rough time but ako rin kaya! Gosh!

"Why?"

"You don't know me. Don't worry, three weeks na lang, I will get out of your apartment." Kahit need ko pang magstay here... I'm just gonna figure that out 'pag nandun na! In the mean time, I should be focusing on figuring out what the hell is happening and why I'm being kept in this country.

Tahimik lang siya. He smirked.

Tumayo na lang ako at nag-ayos na para umalis nang hawakan niya ang braso ko. His grip... it's firm.

"What now?" I said while facing him.

"I'll help you with your subjects. Well, some of them, of course." He loosens his grip.

"Para saan? All I need to do is--"

"Work. I need to do it. I must. And you will do it with me."

The look in his eyes is something that... I'm well familiar with. He muttered something to himself. Nanliit na lang ang mga mata ko sa kaniya.

For a split second, I saw the man I'd been waiting for.

He walks to me...

"I'm sorry, honey. Daddy needs to do this. Sige ka, wala kang toys 'pag hindi ko ito ginawa..."

"I don't want toys, daddy! Don't leave me!"

The man sighed and hugged me. He gave me something.

"That's mine but I'll give it to you when it's time. You should take care of it alright, honey? As long as that's with you, daddy will come back."

"Wow! I get to do what you do, daddy! I love you!"

Unti-unti nang nawala yung figure at napalitan ni... Marcus? I shook my head. That's weird.

"Daliah," he called out.

I looked at him. Where's dad now?

I just stared at Marcus' face. I suddenly miss dad. I mean, wala namang araw na 'di ko siya namiss. Ever since that day....nasa akin na yung camera na yun, anong right time yung sinasabi niya?

"Since we're going to work together more often, I'll give you a ride home to and from your school with a motorcycle."

Yep. He left. He doesn't even want to see me and I don't know why! Argh!

"Hey," he nudged me.

"H-ha?"

"I said, I'll--" oh, the motorcycle he's talking about?

"W-wala ka ngang motorcycle! Naglalakad ka nga-- hey, what are you..." he grabbed his phone and dialed to call someone. He walked away from me.

Teka, I didn't agree with him ha! What's with this?

Napatingin ako sa glass door at nandun na siya. He gestures something. He is pointing towards me by holding his arm horizontally to his front, palm up, and motioning towards him. Ha?

Nang hindi ako gumalaw ay nag-gesture ulit siya. This time, he raised his fist to his shoulder then he thrust the fist upward. After nun, balik na sa shoulder level. He did this a lot of times. Parang nagmamadali?

Gosh! 'Di naman ako militar, binibigyan ako ng mga ganiyan. Bago pa ako makalakad palapit sa kaniya, the frame of the glass doors oddly acts as his frame. He stands there, calling out for his picture to be taken...

Argh! Naglakad na lang ako palabas ng bar. What the hell am I thinking?!

Pagkalabas ay nandun na siya sa tabi ng... motorcycle?

"Saan mo nakuha yan?" I asked. Not trying to be rude pero parang ganun na nga. I mean, it looks brand new!

"Basta. Wear this," he walked closer to me and put a helmet on my head. Gosh, I feel hot...

"There. Sakay na." He commanded.

Wait, sakay?

"I don't ride motorcycles! I'm sca-- ah!" I shouted when he lifted me up from the ground, marriage style! Just what the hell is with this guy?

Isinakay niya ako sa motorcycle daw niya and dahil 'di ako sanay I held unto his arms for support.

"Tsk. You won't fall from there. Itukod mo muna paa mo sa baba," he said while he fixes his helmet.

Bakit ba ako pinagpapawisan dito?

After I managed to do what he said, he sat in front of me making me move a little back. Gosh!

"Humawak ka sa likod ko." He said. Nang maramdaman niyang hindi ako gumalaw ay hinila niya ang dalawang kamay ko at iniyakap sa waist niya. What the?

"Hold still. You managed to kiss me that day yet you can't..." he trailed off.

STOP!! Huwag na nga niyang ipaalala yun! I can feel that it's getting hotter here. Maybe it's the helmet?

"Aah!" Sigaw ko nang umandar na yung motorcycle. My gosh! That's why I don't ever try riding one of these!

Nang makarating na kami sa harapan ng building ng apartment niya, dun ko lang napansin na napahigpit yung hawak ko sa kaniya. Shocks!

Agad ko siyang binitawan at agad-agad din akong bumaba ng motorcycle niya.

"Ah!" I shouted nang tumama yung legs ko sa seat. Gosh, Daliah! Muntik na akong madulas!

"Tsk." that's what all he said before heading inside. So dito lang yung motorcycle? Well, mukha namang may ginawa siya kanina rito like locking it or something, so okay!

I scattered my textbooks on the coffee table and proceeds to question my choice. How the hell am I gonna study now? This is confusing! Cover pa lang ng mga libro gusto ko nang i-drop 'to.

No. I'm gonna make my fam--my dad, proud. I just remembered kanina na right time na raw 'to. Nasa akin na yung camera. Hindi ko pa nache-check lahat ng photos dun, ano kayang mayroon at kailangan pa ng 'right time'? Isa pa, napaisip ako sa nangyari sa father ni Marcus.

Umupo na ako sa sofa at binuklat ang libro. Nagbasa-basa ako mula sa unang mga na-topic daw dahil wala ako nung time na yun. Here I thought I can finish uni with a breeze. Sino kaya yung epal na nagpaalam ng state ng mga SNS accounts ko?

Nope, I need to be inspired para matuto ako. Jonathan... I'll be with you and dad! Kasama niyo na ako at work after this.

ARGH. Pero I want to get in touch with them na!

"You don't look like you're studying."

Napatingin ako sa boses. Ha?

"I don't care. Just--"

"Neural circuits? It's just like this: There are four main types of neural circuits called a diverging circuit, converging circuit, reverberating circuit, and parallel after-discharge circuit. In a diverging circuit..." he uttered while snatching away my textbook from me.

"Hey, what the--"

"I'm going to help you out but keep in mind that you should do your part as well. I need your academic knowledge in this work. Understood?"

Who does he think he is ordering me around?! Argh! Gosh!

"Hindi part ng job description na ibinigay mo yun so no." I answered.

"Cooperation is a must. Speaking of it, I have decided how we are going to split the household chores properly. It's been your first week and you hardly ever did anything," he lectured.

Demanding ha? Gosh, three weeks na lang, good bye naman na sa kaniya!

"Since you don't know how to cook, I'll do it. You are the one who will wash the dishes instead. Ihanda mo rin yung table before we eat. In cleaning, you will..." he continued until I can't understand what he is saying.

After lecturing me about which task I should be doing, he helped me out in studying for my first test.

Medical school is no joke, I know. Pero nahihirapan na ako rito pa lang sa pre-med. I'm lucky he happened to study some of my courses too... Argh who cares? Pinilit niya ako here! I can't just say no because I needed it...

"This one goes here. And when we say neurons, it should be..." he continued to discuss things to me.

I stared at him. He looks serious holding those textbooks while sitting on the floor...while me? Well, I got tired so laying down on the sofa helps. He asks me questions and I answer them while staring at his white ceiling.

When he is focused on something, I tend to forget the rigid part of him...

At least... kahit ngayon, may kasama ako.

Dad...

Will you really come back for me? I took good care of your camera...