Chapter 11: A Mother’s Thoughts

"A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child"

***

Mula sa loob ng mansyon ay maririnig ang isang napakagandang musikang nakakapagpangiti sa mga kasambahay ng pamilyang Sinclaire.

Tahimik na pinapanuod ni Pauline mula sa bintana ng kuwarto niya ang nagiisang anak na malayang tumutogtog sa may hardin.

Simula umuwi ito kahapon ay tila balisa at wala sa sarili ang anak.

She wasn't in her usual composed and calm self.

Napagdesisyunan niyang puntahan ang anak para kausapin. Pagdating niya sa may hardin ay nadatnan niyang tumatakbo papunta ang isang tatlong taong gulang na bata sa anak niya.

"Maman!" Nakangiting sinugod ng yakap ng apo niya si Eiffel.

"Livi, how was your school?" Tanong ni Eiffel at ibinigay sa katulong na naghihintay ang hawak hawak na violin saka niyakap pabalik ang bata.

"Maman, nakakuha ako ng two stars mula kay teacher! Aren't am I great?"

Pagmamalaki nito at pinakita ang kamay na may dalawang tatak, napangiti naman si Eiffel.

Despite the age, napagdesisyunan nila Aleng Cora at Mang Berto na papasukin na ang kanilang anak sa isang day care school dahil laging nagrereklamo ito na nabobored daw sa mansyon.

Sunuportahan naman ito ni Pauline ng mahalata niyang tulad ito ni Eiffel na nagtataglay ng kakaibang katalinuhan.

"Of course you are, because of that were going out this afternoon. Gusto mo ba iyon? Maman will buy you toys" suggest ni Eiffel.

"Really? I wanna go with maman! I'll go!"

"Ok, magpaayos ka na kay Nanay Cora" utos nito at tumakbong pumasok ng mansyon ang bata.

"Hinay hinay ka lang sa pagespoil mo kay Livi, Eiffel" bilin niya nang makalapit siya sa anak.

Umiling lamang ito at umupo sa may lamesang may nakahandang tsaa at meryenda.

"My son deserves it mama. Cant you see how great he is?" She asked dotingly.

"Of course I can see, Livi will certainly grow into a wonderful young man" sagot niya at umupo din. "Wala ka pang nasasabi tungkol sa lakad mo kahapon anak, how was your husband?"

Napaiwas ng tingin si Eiffel, simula pagkauwi niya ay nagkulong lamang siya sa kuwarto niya. Hindi niya matanto kung ano ang mali sa kanya. Her shedding tears after talking with that man truly bothered her.

"He didn't have the time to sign the papers Ma but I'll make sure he will the next time I'll see him" determinadong sagot niya.

"It's been a long time since you two last met, did you have a nice talk?" Pauline pursued on the topic.

Eiffel drew her breath and stood up. Bakit ganito magtanong ang Mama niya ngayon?

"I don't have any intentions to have a 'nice talk' with the man I hate mama" saad niya at hinalikan sa pisngi ang ina. "Aalis muna kami ni Livi, I'll bring along one of the maids so you don't have to worry" paalam niya.

Pinanuod ni Pauline ang papaalis na pigura ng anak at maya maya ay nagsalita "Nakakapagtaka kung paano naging ganito ang anak namin ni Raven hindi ba?"

"Ikinatatakot niyo ba ang pagbabagong ito senyora?" Balik tanong ng kakalapit lamang na matandang mayordoma ng kanyang mansyon.

"Hindi nga ako sigurodo Manang Rosy. Dahil alam kong hindi ito ang anak na pinalaki namin ni Raven" mabigat sa loob na sagot niya. "Pakisabihan si Berto na ihanda ang sasakyan, may pupuntahan ako" utos niya at napatingin sa asul na kalangitang laging nagpapaalala sa kanyang namayapang asawa.

""""

Nakakailang pindot na sa doorbell si Pauline sa isa sa mga Unit ng Pardinight Condominium sa may Makati pero wala pading lumalabas para asikasuhin siya.

Napakunot noo siya nang bumukas ang electronic door at niluwa ang ibang lalaki.

"Carlo, where is my son-in-law?"

Hindi nagsalita ang tahimik na assistant/bodyguard ni Clyde at tumango lamang at hinayaang pumasok si Pauline.

After Pauline entered, she saw the man she was looking for slumped on the couch holding an ice pack on his forehead.

Haggard, lukot-lukot at may mga kiss marks ang puting polo na suot nito. He looked like as if he came from a war.

"Damn, parang nabibiyak ang ulo ko sa sakit. Carlo give me some medicine!" inda nito dahil sa hangover.

Napailing naman si Pauline. Mas malala pala ang isang ito kesa sa anak niyang wala sa sarili. "I never expected na makikita kita sa pangalawang beses na ganito Clyde" aniya at umupo sa katapat na single couch.

Napaupo ng deretso si Clyde nang marinig ang boses niya "M-Mama! What are you doing here?" gulat na tanong niya sa byenan.

"Well, it's been months since my son-in-law last visited me" may himig na pagtatampong sagot niya.

"Oh, I'm sorry Ma, nawala sa isip ko sa dami ng appointments ko" seryosong paumanhin ng binata at tumawa lang si Pauline.

"I was just joking iho, by the way I really loved the Japanese Doll you sent last month"

Kahit na matagal mang panahon na hiwalay ang binata sa anak niya ay hindi parin siya nito nakakalimutang bisitahin o padalhan ng ibat-ibang souvenirs na galing ibang bansang pinipuntahan nito.

Para kay Pauline ay napakaswerte na niyang magkaroon ng manugang na tulad ni Clyde.

Naglapag ng dalawang tasa ng kape si Carlo sa may lamesita at nagabot ng gamot kay Clyde.

"Just what on earth happened to the CEO of the top Banking Company in the country last night?" Curious na tanong niya as she scans his face.

Tila binuhusan ng malamig na tubig si Clyde nang maalala kung ano ang nangyari kagabi.

"I-I was partying last night in a bar I could hardly remember. Nang malasing na ako ay inatake na ako ng mga babae. Before I was raped by them ay dumating na si Carlo para iligtas ako" kwento nito.

Buong akala ni Clyde ay mawawala ng isang iglap lamang ang pinakaiingatan niyang puri. Buti nalang ay napindot niya sa cellphone niya ang distress signal na nakakunekta sa phone ng bodyguard niyang si Carlo. Bago pa naisagawa ng mga babaeng iyon ang malalagim nilang plano ay pinagtangol na siya ng bodyguard niya.

Tumatawang napapailing naman si Pauline habang nanginginig ang mga kamay na nagkwekwento si Clyde.

"I see, akala ko ang anak ko lang ang nasa ganoong estado, ikaw din pala"

Natahimik si Clyde at sumeryoso ang aura.

"She's so beautiful isn't she?" Pauline inquired pertaining to her blue-eyed daughter.

"Yes, she's very beautiful Mama" diretsong sangayon ng binata.

"Nine years had passed and my daughter changed, if it is for good or not, I am not sure." Malungkot na amin niya. "Do you know that she started building walls around her when she was in Britain? She couldn't trust anyone anymore"

Clyde felt guilty, siya ang dahilan kung bakit nagbago ang tingin ni Eiffel sa mundo.

"I don't know how to apologize Mama, it's all my fault" nakayukong amin niya.

Pauline remained silent for a moment then replied. "Yes, you are right. Ikaw ang dahilan nito kaya ikaw din ang makakaayos nito"

Nagugulhang napatingin si Clyde sa kanya.

"Bago mo siya pinakasalan ay hindi ka naman dating ganito hindi ba? You became the cold and aloof Clyde who always gives troubles to his parents. But when you stayed under one roof with my daughter, Sophie told me that little by little you started to go back being their old loving son right?" Explain ni Pauline at napatango naman ang binata.

Yes, she's right. When Eiffel left Clyde for the first time to go to Britain where her father took over their family's tittle as a Count, he was angry and at the same time missed her.

He was only thirteen years old back then and started believing that like Eiffel, everyone will also leave him on his own. Pero sa pitong buwan na nanatili ang batang iyon bilang asawa niya ay unti unti nitong hinilom ang sakit na dinulot nito sa kanya.

Ang pagmamahal nito sa kanya ang muling nagbigay ng dahilan para ngumiti at sumaya siya.

Ginagap ni Pauline ang kamay ni Clyde at nagmamakaawang tiningnan ito. "Please Clyde, bring me back my daughter, only you can do this"

"M-Mama"

Tears fell from her eyes as she looked at her son-in-law.

"Masakit makita na nagkakaganito ang anak namin ni Raven, she's the proof of our love. Eiffel is the only one left to me."

"But Mama... She's engaged already" masakit na puna ni Clyde at naalala ang singsing na suot ng asawa.

"She's still married to you. Hangat hindi mo pinipirmahan ang mga papeles ay hindi siya maaagaw ng iba. She's been yours since the very beginning and she is still now."

"What do you really want me to do Ma?" nagugulhang tugon ni Clyde.

Ano ba talaga ang pinunta ng ginang sa condo unit niya? Ano ang pinupunto ng mga sinasabi nito?

Without looking away, Pauline answered her Son-in-law.

"Live with her again, do the same thing that you did nine years ago"

"What?" Napamaang si Clyde sa binulgar ng pangalawang ina.

"You're an intelligent person Clyde. You will understand me. Just make your decision and rest assure that I will help you no matter what happens" nagdulot ng kakaibang kaligayaham sa puso niya ang sinabi ng ina ng pinakamamahal niyang asawa. Pauline supports him, but-

"Ma, she hates me. Ni makita nga ako ay ayaw niya tumira pa kaya kasama ko ulit?" He pointed out the obvious. It will only be a good dream having Eiffel back in that house with him.

Seryosong tinitigan siya ni Pauline "Are you going to give up now Clyde? Are you going to hand Eiffel over to another man?"

Of course he doesn't want that! Eiffel is his world!

"Think of this as a wakeup call Clyde. It's been nine years since you set her free. Kung papakawalan mo nanaman siya ngayon ay habang buhay na siyang mawawala sayo. You will be miserable in your entire life!" Napataas ang boses ni Pauline, hindi mapigilan ang emosyon niya.

She does have a point!

"I gave birth to a wonderful child whom I wished nothing but her happiness. Hindi mo alam kung gaano ako natuwa nang hiningi mo ang kamay niya sa harap namin ni Raven noon" Pauline said remembering that very special day.

"I was so confident back then leaving our beloved daughter to the son of my best friend. Because I believed the heavens chose you Clyde and even if she didn't say anything that time, I knew Eiffel chose you..." puno ng sinseredad na sabi niya.

She clearly remembers how she wiped her daughter's tears the night of the party where they will be selecting a man to be her husband to be.

"Do you wish to be with you Kuya Clyde Eiffel?"

Pauline knew that Eiffel lied the moment she shook her head answering her that it would be inappropriate to miss Clyde since she'll be wed to another man. That's why when Pauline saw the seventeen-year-old Clyde asking her daughter to marry him, she cried out of happiness.

"How can you be so sure Ma?"

Pauline smiled knowingly. "Because it was my first time seeing her smile like that"

Clyde remembered how the eleven year old Eiffel smiled so happily at him as she agreed on marrying him.

"Make her fall in love with you again"

Pauline announced which shocked Clyde once more! Ito ba ang plano ng byenan niya all this time?!

"Make your decision now Clyde" bilin ni Pauline at tumayo niya, the ever-silent Carlo leading her out of the unit.

Naiwan si Clyde na nakatitig sa singsing na suot niya.

His mother-in-law is right, kung hindi pa siya kikilos ngayon ay tuluyan nang maagaw ng ibang lalaki ang pinakamamahal na asawa mula sa kanya.

"Ayoko" Saad ni Clyde sa sarili at sumandal sa sofa.

Tama ang Mama Pauline niya. He needs to man up! He will not surrender without a fight!

Hindi siya papayag, Eiffel can hate him all his life but he will never hand her to anyone.

Not now that he successfully made her appear in front of her! After the long nine years of waiting at last, he won��t be restricted anymore!

Kahit galit at poot nalamang ang nararamdaman nito sa kanya ay ayos lang.

At least he still has a place in her heart.

And from that place ay magsisimula ulit siya hangang sa buong espasyo ng puso nito ay maging pagmamayari niyang muli.

********

New years resolution of Clyde

: Never give up!

Napakaschemer din pala ni Pauline! Hahaha sabi niyo nga kalungkot ng pasko ni Clyde but this new year ay new beginning naman para sa kanya. Just how will he implement his plans?