Karina

Pagkapasok ko sa room ni Mommy, I saw her already laying on the bed. I’m still wondering if my hunch about my mom and Winter’s mother is true. I want to confirm it pero I’m not sure if I’m ready sa sagot.

“Mommy? Are you still awake?” umupo ako sa bed at humarap kay Mommy

“Hmm? Jimin? Can’t sleep?”

“There’s this thing that keeps bugging me all day, may gusto ko po sana itanong sa inyo”

“What is it Jimin?”

“The bestfriend..”

She opened her eyes with a surprise look on her face. Sa reaction pa lang ni Mommy, I know that my hunch is right and that scares me.

“Mom.. don’t tell me..”

My mom sit up kaya magkalevel na kami, she reached my hand and look at me.

“Jimin. I know magiging weird para sa inyo ni Winter but please don’t let it affects you and Winter’s relationship”

“But Mommy, what happened?”

“Promise me one thing first, Jimin. Regardless of what you might hear from me, you’ll do everything to keep your relationship with Winter and this won’t affects you”

“Mommy please, I need to know first”

“Just promise me anak? Okay?” I nod because I can feel an invisible lump in my throat and I’m afraid my voice will crack if I utter a word

“I hurt Winter’s Mother real bad. Hindi ko napaglaban kung ano ang meron kami noon. It’s very painful-“ I can hear my mom’s crack voice

“She did everything to keep us, but I had to let her go. She’s hurting too much, we both hurting too much. If I had the power before to keep her, I’ll keep her. Believe me Jimin” I never seen my mother this vulnerable, I can tell na she’s hurting too much to keep the story going.

I hug her, I can feel her pain because of her excessive crying in my shoulder.

“Masyado na siyang minamaliit ng parents ko, after I told them about Yoonsol… We keep hearing insults at masasakit na salita from them… Yoonsol endure everything just to be with me…”

“Mom, you don’t have to”

“You deserve to know Sweetie”

Nanahimik na lang ako so she can continue what she’s telling me.

“Her parents is so supportive sa amin kaya nahiya ako sa pinapakita ng parents ko sa kanya. Kinausap ako ng parents ko to break up with her or I have to move out. I moved out and rent an apartment to keep Yoonsol. I didn’t tell her na my parents cut me out. So I had to work to meet my college and living ends. And then one day, nagtaka si Yoonsol kung bakit lagi akong wala”

She paused, nag-iipon ng energy I think to continue the story. I let her comfortably lay her head on my shoulder while hugging her.

“I always told her na I’m at my parents, but then one of my side jobs which is waitress in a restaurant; she was there with her friends. Nakita niya ako, nagkita kami. She was shocked of course. Nagalit siya, pagkauwi ko ng apartment ko ay nandun siya”

“…”

“She thought I was having an affair kaya lagi ako wala sa tabi niya. Wala ako sinabi sa kanya because I don’t want her to blame herself dahil sa pag-cut off sa akin ng parents ko”

She cried, my mom cried again.

“Mom you don’t have to continue if you can’t”

“I told her I need the money for our anniversary, I can still remember that look on her face. The face of relief and overflowing love. But then, my parents came to my apartment. Yoonsol is at her university that day. They took everything from me, kinuha nila ako and told me to stop the non-sense with Yoonsol. They took everything, my phone and cut all ties with everyone including Yoonsol. Dinala nila ako sa ibang bansa para dun mag-aral” she continued

Now I know, this is why I didn’t know my grandparents, lumaki lang ako mag-isa kay Mommy.

“Wala na ako narinig kay Yoonsol after that, but I tried contacting her in every means but it’s so hard since I was busy with everything na pinapaasikaso sa akin ng parents ko and when I came back after 7 years; agad akong tumakas at pumunta kay Yoonsol. But I already saw her with a child, nagkita kami but all I can see is hatred in her eyes”

I can feel my Mom’s shaking, she’s crying again. A minute or two bago ko naramdaman na she stopped crying.

“She told me na, I left her a message saying I didn’t love her and I’m just experimenting. I also said daw na she was disgusting. I was shocked and mas masakit na naniwala siya sa message na yun, why would my parents do that. I told her everything, and after hearing me out; dumating ang husband niya”

“I apologized to her for everything she’s been through because of me and we agreed na it’s too late for us to fix whatever we have so I let her go again”

“Mommy, I’m sorry”

Umalis siya sa pagkakayakap and smiled at me, “Don’t worry anak, you won’t be going through that kasi I support you and Winter. I’m sure, Yoonsol too. You don’t have to worry about it”

“Mommy, thank you and I love you” I hugged her and I was so thankful to her that I almost cried.

“I love you too Sweetie. Now, let’s sleep? I’m sure you’re tired. You want to sleep sa room mo with Winter?”

“Tomorrow siguro, I missed you Mommy”

“Naglalambing nanaman ang baby pugo ko”

“Mom, stop calling me that na”

I heard her chuckled before we decided to settle na sa bed to sleep.

I just hope na wala masyadong problem na malala and involve ang family namin with Winter. I don’t think I can survive what my Mom’s went through, she’s really a brave woman. Mga ilang thoughts pa ang naisip ko until I feel myself drifted off to sleep.

—-

Winter

8am na pero ang tahimik pa din sa bahay nila Rina, lumabas ako kaninang 7:30 and nakita