Chapter Sixteen: Bedtime Story

It was a lovely night when Greene asked me to read him a story book. I know that he isn't fond of fairy tales, but he wants me to read about my favorite childhood books. Gabriel wasn't around because his company was in trouble now, according to his brother, who called him after our dinner.

I wasn't numb to feel that he liked me.

"What do you want me to read, my little angel? "I asked him.

"Anything you want, po, mommy." Sagot niya sakin bago humiga sa kama niya. Kaagad akong umupo sa tabi niya.

"Once upon a time in a faraway land, there's a little princess who was fond of a happy ending. He dreams to become a queen someday, with his king by her side.".

"Mommy, why does she need a king on her side? If she can be a queen on her own po?"He innocently asked me.

"Listen to me first, okay? "He silently nodded.

"It was a lovely day when she woke up, and she couldn't find her mother. He asked her father, but he never told the little princess where her mother went. Each day passed, and she saw her father become an alcoholic and sick. So he never plays with her neighbors anymore. Instead, she chooses to take care of her father every time he gets sick." I still remember how my papa cried and was devastated after my mom left us.

Narinig ko pa mismo sa dalawang kapitbahay naming tsismosa na sumama si mama sa isang mayaman na lalaki kaya iniwan kami. Noong una, nakikipagtalo ako sa kanila, pero kalaunan ay naniniwala na ako sa kanila. Anak ng mayaman na pamilya si mama, pero ayaw ng magulang ni mama kay papa dahil mahirap lang ang pamilya ni papa. Kaya nagtanan sila at nabuntis si mama, at ako ang naging bunga ng pagmamahalan nila.

Hindi nakatapos si mama, kaya nahihirapan siyang makahanap ng trabaho at ganun din sa papa. Hinaharang sila ng pamilya ni papa. Sa una ay masaya, pero hindi masasabing isang pamilya na kami dahil hindi ikinasal si mama at papa. Wala na ang mga magulang ni papa, namatay sa isang aksidente. Kapos sa pera sina papa at mama, kaya hindi sila magawang makapag pakasal.

Pero tiniis nilang dalawa, limang taon sila nagsama. Subalit hindi na nakayanan ni mama ang hirap kaya nakapag desisyon niyang umuwi. Hindi niya ako sinama dahil ayaw ni papa at ayaw rin sa akin ng magulang niya.

Sa isang mayaman na lalaki ikinasal si mama, iyon ang business partner ng pamilya niya. Pagkatapos noon ay nawalan ako ng balita kung nasaan na si mama. Hindi ko na siya nakita o inalam man lang. Hindi ko rin alam noon kung nagkaanak siya sa asawa niya.

"She chooses to stay at home because she feels envious of her neighbors. She locked herself away from the crowd, which made her heart hurt. After a lonely night, she can't bear the pain anymore. She begged his father to stop hurting himself because her mother would never go back to them. Her father listened to his little princess and became a hardworking, responsible father to her."

Nito ko lang nalaman na magkapatid pala kami ng asawa ni Howard sa ina. Base sa pagkakaibigan ko noong nag-uusap sila sa hospital ay matanda ako sa kanya. Pero hindi niya pinaalam man lang sa akin, bukod sa inagawan na niya ako ng lalaking minamahal ay sinira pati niya ang pangalan ko.

"Despite that, her dreams of having a happy ending never change. On a beautiful day, she met a prince, and the prince said, "He likes her." However, the little princess never believed him because he saw the prince with different princesses in their town. But the prince was persistent; he did everything to make the princess believe him." I paused and continued.

"Dahil una siyang naging akin, inagaw mo lang siya. At gagawin ko ang lahat para maramdaman mo kung ano ang pakiramdam ng maagawan. Kung anong pakiramdam na mawalan ng minamahal." matapang na sabi ni Zyrene.

"After waiting, the little princess believed in him, and she was happy because she would have her own happy ending. On a glamorous night, the prince had asked her to marry him, and the little princess said yes. But the family of her prince didn't like her. Prince's family does everything to stop their relationship, and they succeed. And he married another princess, while the little princess was left alone."

But I never told him the little princess met another prince and got her pregnant.

Iyon ang nagtulak sa kanya para gumawa ng ikakasira ko ng pangalan, at mas tumindi ang galit sa akin ni Mrs. Satillan para matanggal ako sa trabaho. Buntis ako ng mga panahon na iyon, kaya hindi ko alam kung saan ako kukuha ng trabaho. Walang trabaho si papa dahil pinatigil ko na siya.

Hindi rin ako makapag sabi kay Liniea dahil nagsisimula pa lang siya. Kaya kahit nakakadiri man ay pumayag akong maging other woman ni Howard. Hindi rin ako makapag-demand sa kanya na nabuntis ako ng hindi ko kilalang lalaki habang kami. Samantala siya ay na engaged sa iba na kalaunan ay kinasal sila.

"That's the end of the story," I sadly said to Greene. And she looked at him, wiping his tears.

"I have a question, po, mommy. " Inaantok na sabi ni Greene sa akin.

"What is it? '

"Why does the little princess want to have a happy ending, po? "He innocently asked.

"Because she wants to build a family—a happy and complete family that she never experiences." I reasoned out.

A family that I never experienced because I grew up in a broken family. I grew up only with my father by my side.

"I understand, po, mommy. But mommy, why did she think she didn't have a family? How about his father? "Doon ako napatigil sa sinabi niya.

I was so desperate to find love when I had a lovable father by my side. She's the most responsible and hardworking person I've ever met. My father was the best father in the world, even though he never looked at another woman. Instead, he focused on me. He showered me with love and care.

Maari ngang lumaki ako na salat sa pera, pero kailanman ay hindi pinaramdam sa akin ni papa na nag-iisa ako. Binusog niya ako ng mga pangaral at higit sa lahat ng pagmamahal. Even with a simple achievement, we celebrated it. After graduating from a college where I have no Latin honors, he is still proud of me.

"She does, but she was blind to the idea of a happy ending." Pagpapa-unawa ko sa kanya.

"Hmm… mommy. I understand the little princess, po. She can be a queen and have a happy ending. She can po. Did she forget that the happy ending lies within po?"

Naatanga at namangha ako nakatingin sa kanya. How is this little, cute angel so blessed? Aside from being a genius, he is also a smart person.

"What do you mean, my little angel? "

"My dad said to me po that someone sacrificed his life for us po. And his almighty father loves us so much po. He gave his son to us, po, and all people following him will have a happy ending, po, mommy. And Daddy told me, po, that's the only place we will find our happy ending. with Him po." Nakita ko naman siyang napapahikab habang sinasagot ang mga tanong ko.

"Mommy wants to know who your daddy is. "I smiled.

"I can't tell, po, mommy. I promise to him, po. I would never tell po." I amazed his unbreakable stand to his father.

Tumatango-tango na lang ako, kahit alam ko may ideya na ako kung sino ang tinutukoy niya.

"Mommy, I'm sleepy, po. Can you sleep with me tonight, po? "He said to me sleepily. Alam ko naman na umiiwas siya sa mga tanong ko. Manang mana sa pinagmanahan.

"Sure, my little angel." I gave him a quick kiss on his forehead. Pagkatapos ay inayos ko ang pagkaka-kumot niya.

"Mo-mommy? "Inaantok niyang tawag sa akin.

"Hmm?"

"What if you meet another prince, po? Would you accept and believe in him po?"Dire-diretso niyang tanong sa akin.

"Would you accept my dad?" "Na nagpahinto sa akin sa pag-galaw.

"Mo-mommyyyy?"

"It depends, my little angel."Dahil kahit ako ay hindi ko rin alam kung paano sasagutin ko ang mga tanong niya. Handa na ba ulit ako?

"My daddy is the best world dad I ever had. He will love you the way he loves me," he proudly said while forcing himself to stay awake. But his last word was one u

nforgettable word that stopped me from breathing.

"Because he loves my mom so much." What does he mean? Should I start asking his dad?