Unedited

ENJOY!

🗝️

*****

"Mom, you know, I met a wady at the park when I played there. She's sooooooo pwetty" kwento ng aking anak habang kami ay pauwi.

"Really? Let's get some takeout and then you can tell me the whole thing over dinner then" ngiti ko rito.

"Yesss!!!" Sigaw nito ng masaya. "Can get wake out at Gold Hewitage Mom? Ali?" She looked at me, and Ali who's driving.

"You heard the little boss Ali" sabi ko kay Ali at agad naman itong sumunod. Tumingin ito sa salamin at ngumiti saamin.

.

"Soo, who is this lady you met? Is she a playmate's mom? Or a helper?" I asked as manang finished placing the food on the table.

"Noo mom. She said she just thought I was cute! Look oh she gave me a stuffed toy!" Agad nitong kinuha ang maliit na bag na may disenyong skeleton. She actually wanted a scarier design when we went shoping for her bag but fortunately I managed to bribe her with chocolates.

Inilabas niya mula sa bag niya ang isang monster stuffed toy. Niyakap niya ito ng mahigpit. "She's soo cute right!"

Nagulat ako ng bigla niya itong iharap saakin. I'm not into this stuff.

"Yes, hunny, now why don't you put the monster toy back in your bag" ako na ang nagbalik dito sa bag niya.

Masaya niyang ikinuwento ang nangyari sa park. Mula sa paglalaro niya roon hanggang sa lumapit ang babae sa kanya. Kinausap siya nito at nag tanong ng ilang bagay.

However, when she mentioned the stuffs the woman asked her, medyo nakakabahala at nakakapagtaka.

"She asked who my daddy is" ani ng bata.

Halos mabulunan ako ng marinig ito. "Say what?" Agad naman akong uminom ng tubig.

"She asked me who daddy is" ulit nito.

"And what did you say?" Tanong ko rito. Medyo pinagpawisan naman ako at napatigil sa pag kain.

"Dead..."

sambit nito.

When I heard her, I felt relieved. My daughter is a clever young lady. She had previously asked about this when she was younger, and I had to explain how her father is gone. Thankfully, she understood, which surprised me given that she was only three years old at the time.

I'm really proud of her and her intellect; she clearly inherited it from me. At the though, I sighed proudly.

"Ay Regina, may nagladala ulit kanina ng sandamakmak na Jade vine. Itinambak ko na muna lahat sa garden" Sabat ni manang bago pumasok ng kusina.

Sino bang nagpapadala niyon? Balak ba nitong ubusin lahat ng Jade Vine at ipadala dito?

Napailing na lamang ako sa naisip at isinawalang bahala na ito.

.

1 Day Before The Meeting...

"Regina may sumusunod saatin" sabi ni Ali habang nagdadrive at patingin tingin sa salamin.

Napakunot ang noo ko at sinubukan ring tignan ang kanina pa tinitignan tignan ni Ali.

I saw two black cars behind ours. "Who the hell are they" napabulong na lang ako.

"Susubukan ko po silang iligaw bago umuwi" Ali said before speeding up.

I just nodded and held on the seat tighter. We can't go home unless those cars are no longer following us. I cant risk my daughter's safety.

At dahil sa kaba at takot para sa aking nagiisang anak agad akong tumawag sa bahay.

Manang answered the phone.

"Hello Regina, pauwi na ba kayo?" rinig ko ang inaantok na boses ni manang.

"Yes po, may dadaanan lang. Pero manang can you make sure na nakasarado lahat ng dapat nakasarado at pakibantayan muna ang anak ko hangga't makauwi ako" utos ko rito habang sinusubukang maging mahinahon.

"Oo naman Regina, ingat kayo" sabi niya bago nahulog ang telepono ko sa sahig dahil sa mabilis na pag liko ni Ali.

"Ow, fuck-" napahiga ako sa maluwang na upuan sa pwesto ko. Rinig mula sa likod ang malakas na paghinga ni Ali habang tutok ito sa pagmamaneho. "A-ali what's happening? Parang your going too fast na" sambit ko habang inaayos ang sarili at sinusubukang umupo ng maayos muli.

"Pasensya na Regina, bumilis din kase yung takbo ng mga sasakyan kaya mas binilisan ko na. Kailangan na nating makauwi agad, siguradong mas delikado kung mas magagabihan pa tayo"

.

Patakbo ko namang pinuntahan ang kwarto ng anak ko ng sa wakas ay makauwi kami.

Nakita ko si manang na nakatulog sa sofa malapit sa higaan ng bata. Una kong tinignan kong maayos lang ba ang lagay ng aking anak. Nang masiguradong natutulog lamang ito, sunod ko namang nilapitan si manang at dahan-dahan itong ginising.

"Oh, Regina andito ka na pala. Pasensya na napaidlip lang sandali" agad naman itong tumayo.

"Okay lang manang, punta na kayo sa kwarto nyo ako ng bahala sa anak ko" mahina kong sabi nang hindi magising ang bata.

Dahil ayaw ko itong iwan, natulog na lang ako sa tabi nito matapos kong magpalit.

Fortunately she didn't woke up, and we both slept great.

.

When I woke up in the morning, I went outside to check the garden. Manang was right; there were a plethora of Jade Vine pots. If I leave it to grow in the garden, it will undoubtedly look stunning. But should I really just accept this without knowing who keeps on sending them? I also have a strong hunch that it is the same person who is responsible for the billboard incident. That one was vexing. For a few days, the media hassled me.

"Miss Regina, magsisimula na ang meeting mo in 5 minutes" my secretary said as she entered my office with a file. I was immediately pulled out of my thoughts.

"I just found out po na isa sa dalawang kameeting mo po today ay ang senior ng Darna Corp" nauna na ito sa meeting room matapos iabot ang files na kakailanganin mamaya.

"Darna corp?" Bulong ko sa sarili. Nakakapagtaka naman, ano ba ang kailangan nila sa firm namin?

*****

Anyone know what the kid's name is?

Thoughts?

🗝️