The Queen's Story

Alumpihit na pumasok si Yumie sa isang silid. She knows it very well kung ano ang silid na iyon. She may have been away for 12years but she remembered all too well. The room used to be her mother's alchemy room. Dito nito finoformulate ang calming oil na ginagawa nito. She smelled the scented fumes of the oil when she came in. She remembered how she loved the smell of it so much. Ifshe's feeling sad before, she would go to this room to calm herself down and she would come out until the scent have stayed in her skin.

She saw Mina seating on her work table. She tried hard not to make a noise. Gusto niya lang tignan ang mommy niya nang matagal. Until now, she couldn't believe what she's seeing. All these years, she thought her mom have died. She saw her falling off the window. She remembered how she looked at her with dreadful eyes as she slowly drifted away. But now, it's as if a dream making it's way into reality. Buhay ang mommy niya. She maybe impaired but she looks just fine. She wanted to hug her. She wanted to tell her than she is her daughter. She wanted to let her know how much she missed her.

She didn't realized she was actually crying. Mina might have sense there's someone in the room. Natigilan ito. Tila kinikilala kung sino ang pumasok sa silid na kinaroroonan niya.

"Sino yan?" she asked nang di niya mapagtanto ang pumasok sa silid.

Napasinghap si Yumie. She immediately wiped her tears and control herself. She shook herself and plastered a smile in her face.

"I'm sorry po. Ako po ito, si Yumie. I smelled the fumes. I was just checking what it is. I didn't know you were here. " pagdadahilan niya.

"Ikaw pala. Halika pasok. Lapit ka," ani Mina. Lumapit naman siya rito at umupo sa pinakamalapit na upuan rito. "This is my alchemy room. Dito ko ginagawa yung calming oil ko. I am doing one right now, I would like to give it to you. I don't really make a lot. One at a time lang. Especially I no longer can see," kwento ni Mina.

Ngumiti si Yumie. "Thank you po in advance."

"Ok ka na bang talaga? Nakapagpahinga ka na ba ng maayos?" Tanong ulit nito na tila genuine ang pag-aalala sa kaniya.

"Opo. Medyo napagod lang po talaga ako sa byahe. Tsaka ilang araw na rin po kasi akong napupuyat sa trabaho. Siguro over fatigue lang po iyon."

"Hmmm... The father and son was always workaholic. Buti naman Zeek had finally decided to take a break. You'll gonna love it here. Sejanos is very peaceful. Pagbalik mo you will be refreshed and well-rested," bida ni Mina.

"I looked forward to it po." Sa isip ni Yumie, ayaw na niyang umalis. This is her home. Hindi niya alam pano niya iyon babawiin.

"Where is Zeek?" pagkuwa'y tanong ni Mina.

Nagpaalam ito sa kaniya kanina na may aayusin lang sa Rancho Callejos. Nagsabi siya rito kung pwedeng maiwan muna siya sa Hacienda Dela Torre. Pumayag naman ito nang hindi nagtanong pa sa kaniya. She wanted to stay with her mom much more longer.

"Uhm... pumunta po sa kabila. May aasikasuhin lang daw."

Ngumiwi si Mina. "As if. Zeek, like his Dad, would probably check everything. Anihan na ngayon, for sure makikigulo na naman iyon sa mga trabahante ng Sejanos," nakangiting turan nito. "Mabuti na lang nagpaiwan ka. Gusto kong makipagkwentuhan sayo."

Lumapad pang lalo ang ngiti niya. Pagkuwa'y napatingin siya sa ginagawa nito. The tiny bottle is latched to a machine and a liquid is kind of dripping into it filling it in a slow phase. She remembers the process but she really don't know how to do it. Napansin din niya ang iba pang aparato sa paligid. There's a timer, some kind of devices that probably would help Mina to feel what she's doing. Since hindi na ito nakakakita, the devices would definitely her way para makapag-formulate pa rin ng maayos.

"Was it difficult to do?" she voiced out her curiosity. "I mean, how would you know if your putting the right ingredient?"

Mina smiled. She tried to reach one bottle of an ingredient. Yumie helped her reached it.

"There's a braille for every label. Pinalagay yan ni Zeek when he learned na I am making a special calming oil. It was really difficult at first, but, as they say, if your one of your senses breaks apart, the others will become evidently sensitive and that it will do the task of the broken other senses. It took me awhile bago ko nakasanayan. Zeek did everything to make it easier for me. Until I can do it again, minus the eye sight."

Sinipat ni Yumie ang tinutukoy na braille ni Mina. It was definitely there. She slid her fingers on the bottle. Trying to feel what her mom was feeling in. Napalingon din siya sa iba pang table, there are labels na tila nga may weird markings. Yumie understood now what its for.

"If you don't mind po, I wanna know if h-how..." Yumie couldn't bear to continue her words. Napalunok siya.

"...how did I got blind?" dugtong ni Mina.

It was not her question. 'how come you were alive?'

"Yes po," sagot na lang niya instead.

"Honestly, I can't remember. Basta one day I just woke up in pitch black place. I just relied on what Ismael had told me. It's a tragic story but since I don't remember, I leave it as that," sabi ni Mina. "Ismael told me about the tragedy that happened here in Hacienda Dela Torre. And that my husband had died from it. But I really don't remember," Mina said.

Yumie wanted to hold Mina's hand and held it but ayaw niyang maramdaman nito the pain she had with her for 12 years. Somehow, she is ok knowing that her mom is alive and that she don't remember the tragedy. But still she has too many questions to ask. She couldn't just find the courage to do so.

"Ismael also told me that I have a daughter..." dugtong ni Mina. Napatitig si Yumie sa ina. Does she know her? Do Ismael know na siya ang anak nito? "But she got lost somewhere. Trying save herself from what happened. But, like I said, I can't remember."

"B-but d-did you even t-try remembering?" Yumie ask stammering.

"I did," Mina said. "But it's very difficult especially I couldn't see. Ang hirap alalahanin ang isang bagay na alam mong nagdala ng sakit sayo. I haven't given up. But I am taking it slow."

Yumie's mom was always positive. She was their sunshine noong buo pa sila. She remembered how her mom cared for her when she's feeling down. She taught her how be calm in the midst of the storm.

"Do you know where your daughter now is? Did you even looked for her?" Yumie felt like crying. Baka hindi niya magustuhan ang isasagot ng Mommy niya. But she knows she will understand.

Mina smiled weakly. "As much as I really want to. I can't. You know, it's hard for someone to look for something that you don't remember missing. Pano mo hahanapin ang isang bagay na wala sa memorya mo?"

Napayuko si Yumie. Hindi na niya napigil ang pagpatak ng luha. It spearhead through her heart. Her mom doesn't know her. It was different kind of pain. Yung taong matagal mo ng gustong makasama nasa harap mo na pero hindi ka maalala. It's crushing her heart so much. She silently weep. Ayaw niyang iparinig dito ang sakit na nararamdaman niya.

"But you know what," turan ni Mina na ikinatigil ng iyak ni Yumie. She wiped her tears. "Ismael told me what's my daughter's name?" turan niyo na nakangiti. "He said her name is Mayumia, just like yours."

Mayumia bit her lip as she control to brawl in tears. She cover her mouth to stop the sound of weeping. Pano ba niya sasabihin sa inang siya talaga iyon? Pano niya aamining siya ang nawawalang anak nito?

She let out a soft laugh para pagtakpan ang mga hikbi. "Really?" turan niya forcing her voice to be cheery. "She must've been missing you alot."

Mina widely smile. The old woman took a deep breath saka iniba ang usapan. "You know, I may have a lost a daughter but Zeek was there to fill in as a son. I am not his biological as you know but he treats me like a mother should be. Ayaw niya lang akong tawaging mommy. He said ayaw niyang pangunahan ang Daddy niya when it comes to relationship. He's not that vocal about it but I think he's shipping me with his dad. Too bad though, Ismael is just like a brother. He helped me get through and he's still helping me remembering one step at a time."

Napakunot noo si Yumie. Ismael is helping her mom remembers? How? He's supposed to be the reason why everything fall out of place 12 years ago. Why was he helping her mom?

She then realized something in the last hours pagkadating pa lang niya sa Sejanos. People speak of Callejos as the half owner of Sejanos. And people still acknowledge that the half part is Dela Torre's. The walls separating the two lands was nowhere to be found. Zeek can set foot inside their land. Does it mean, Ismael was actually a friend not a foe?

"Nabobore ka na ata sa kwento ko," turan ni Mina.

Isinantabi niya muna yun sa isip and face her mother.

"Naku hindi po. It's interesting to hear your story. Sana po makasama ko din kayo ng matagal," sagot niya.

"You know what, I really like you. I cannot see you but I like you. There's something in you that makes me happy inside. Zeek didn't brought any girl here sa Sejanos. So when we heard na may kasama siyang babaeng pupunta rito, everyone thought this could be it. The cold and distant bachelor of Sejanos had been shot by cupids arrow."

Natawa siya sa tinuran ni Mina. Naisip niya kung alam kaya ni Mina na siya ang totoong anak nito, matutuwa pa kaya itong ilapit siya kay Zeek? But Zeek had probably won Mina's liking already. Kahit pa maalala nito ang nakaraan she would've like Zeek like a true son.

'Parang ikaw. You're beginning to like him...' tukso ng utak niya. Mabilis niyang iwinasiwas yun sa isip.

"Naku. Di po kayo sure. Isa pa wag ho kayong masyadong naniniwala sa mga sabi-sabi ng ibang tao. Hindi naman po totoong gwapo ang anak ni Sir Ismael. He is actually domineering, narcissistic and the ultimate playboy," she said na ikinatawa ni Mina.

"You are the first one to see him as that. Lahat ng taga-Sejanos had describe Zeek just the opposite," pagtatanggol ni Mina kay Zeek.

Yumie roughly sighed. Sabay ng pagkulubot ng mukha expressing her disagreement sa sinabi ni Mina. "Well beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And to me, he's ugly," ani Yumie.

"Oh really?" Mabilis na napaling ang tingin ni Yumie sa nagsalitang si Zeek na pumasok na pala sa loob ng silid. "I am ugly? Even the horses in the barn gets tame just by looking at me."

Inirapan ito ni Yumie. Mina was laughing harder.

"Nakabalik ka na pala? Nagkukwentuhan lang kami ni Yumie," turan ni Mina.

"Tita naman. You should've told great things about me. Parang sinisiraan mo naman ako nito eh," reklamo ni Zeek.

"Tumigil ka, Zeekcarias. It's Yumie's perception. Hindi kita sinisiraan," pagtatanggol ni Mina sa sarili.

Zeek looked at her. His sidelip twitched in sarcasm. "Hayy... deny all you want, Mayumia. I know you're beginning to like me."

Nanlaki ang mata ni Yumie. Sinenyasan si Zeek na tumigil ito at wag iparinig kay Mina. Inambaan niya pa ito ng gigil.

"So, hindi mo pa pala sinasagot ang binata namin, Mayumia?" turan ni Mina.

Napakuyumos ang mukha ni Yumie. Natampal ng marahan ang noo saka napailing-iling. Lumapit si Zeek kay Mina at tila batang nagsusumbong.

"Yes, Tita. She's playing really hard to get," maktol nito.

Minatahan ito ni Yumie. Saka muling binambaan.

"Inaambaan pa ko Tita o," sumbong pa nito. Yumie gaped in astonishment. Iniinis siya ni Zeek.

'Makapagsumbong ka pa kaya pag nalaman mong nanay ko yan?' aniya sa utak.

"Tumigil ka na Zeekcarias. I can sense Yumie's rage," natatawang awat ni Mina. "You're making her pissed."

Pinandilatan ito ni Yumie saka binelatan.

"Anyway since she is not your official girlfriend, Yumie will have to stay here for the night. Hindi kayo pwedeng magsama sa isang bahay. The Sejanos still believed in old fashion," turan ni Mina.

Yumie cheered sa sinabi ni Mina. Umapila naman si Zeek.

"Tita Mina, we are of legal age. What do you mean hindi pwedeng magsama sa isang bahay?"

"I said what I said, Zeekcarias. Wag ka nang umapila!" turan ni Yumie.

Wala ng nagawa si Zeek kundi ang mapabuntong hininga. Yumie teased her na parang bata.