She opened her laptop and typed in “Crystal Children” into the search window of her browser.

“Honey, I met a wonderful boy today...” Agot said.

“Boy?” Enric drops his magazine and flips over to face her.

“Yeah...Mylene, introduced him to me today at lunch,” replied Agot.

“You had lunch with Mylene?”

“Yes...and she had this kid she knew from one of her outreach programs with her...” she narrated. “He’s the most fascinating boy I’ve ever talked to...”

“Knowing Mylene...that means sa kanto-kanto na naman niya nakilala yang batang iyan ano?”

“Yup, taga-Tondo siya...he’s hardly a kid now. He’s 18 already. Pero, he’s really something else!”

“Hay naku...baka naman niloloko lang kayo ng batang iyan. You know that Tondo is the breeding ground of criminals and professional swindlers...how sure are you that he’s not scamming you?”

“Honey, he’s the genuine thing...” said Agot. “He didn’t go to high school but he knows a lot more than your average college student. I think he really is a genius...he’s gifted...”

“Gifted child from Tondo...” Enric replied sarcastically. “Sounds too fishy for me...”

“That’s the sad thing about it, Enric...can you imagine if he was given all the tools he needed? We have this boy who has this enviable amount of potential, but no one is there to recognize it. Sayang talaga! That kind of brilliance needs to be nurtured and he won’t be able to realize the full limit of his talent if he stays in that kind of environment.”

“What about the boy's parents?” asked Enric. “What are they doing to help him out?”

“The kid’s mom is a factory worker. His dad is in prison. They could hardly make ends meet. Kawawa yung bata, tumigil na nga sa pag-aaral para lang makatulong.”

“IT’s not your job to be a caped crusader and save every poor kid in the world...”

“Hindi nga...” Agot snapped back. “Pero I really feel that I could help him. When was the last time that you have felt that need to help somebody? Yung para bang destined ka to help that person?”

“Hay naku...kulang ka lang sa tulog,” said Enric. “Lack of sleep and stress can cause irrational thinking.”

“Basta, Enric...since I have all the time in the world now, I think I want to help him...”

“Help him? In what way?”

“I want to do a case study on him...” Agot mused.

“Case study?” chagrined Enric. “You said you want to help him, pero you’re doing a case study?!!! I wonder who benefits that the most. Him or you?”

“Both of us...I could finally practice the way I want plus I could perhaps help in harnessing his true potentials...”

“Hay naku, Arlene...” said Enric. “Bahala ka sa buhay mo. Basta huwag mo lang dadalhin iyang batang yan ditto sa bahay...baka kung ano pang gawin niyan dito. We don’t know his background...”

“Honey...I don’t have an office anymore. I need to study him here, dito sa bahay...maybe he can stay with us during the summer.”

“No way!!”

“Honey naman...”

“I said NO and that is final...”

“Please...even if I’ll get him here in the mornings and return him home at night...”

Enric groaned. Agot is the most persistent person he has ever known. There is hardly an argument between them that she has not won. It’s better to give in now.

“Sige, bahala ka...pero ayokong nakikita yang batang iyan nakiki-halobilo sa mga anak natin...” Enric said. “Baka kasi anong impluwensiya ang gawin niya sa mga bata...”

“Honey, Gerald is not like that. You can ask Mylene. He’s really a well-behaved young man...”

Enric didn’t utter a single retort. He just flashed her a look that says he’s had enough.

“Okay, sige...I promise that I’ll have him here during daytimes and I’ll have him back to Tondo before you come home at night...and no contact with our kids. So basement office ko lang siya magsi-stay.”

Enric didn’t exactly commit to anything...instead, he rolled away from his wife and a few minutes later, he was snoring.

Agot began to read the information the computer has found for her. She spent the wee hours of the morning reading and gathering information. Ideas for a book formed in her mind.

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The next morning, Kim was up very early. It was Saturday. The day of her escape.

Her overnighter bag was already in the corner. Ready to go. She checked her bedside clock, it was almost eight a.m. Kim hastily took a shower and changed into dark jeans and comfortable blouse. She tied her long silky hair in a quick pony tail and donned a red cap over it.

She tiptoed out of her room and looked over the banister to see who was there downstairs. Kim saw her dad and he was alone. Perfect.

She then picked the cell phone in her pocket. She dialled Aki’s number.

“Aki, I’m ready...andiyan na ba sina Jim at Pauline?”

“Oo...andito na...kanina pa!” answered Aki on the other line.

“Saan na kayo?”

“We’re parked two blocks down from your house...”

“Sige...punta na kayo dito...gising na rin si Dad...” Kim said. “Timing, mukhang tulog pa si Mommy...”

“Okay, we’ll be there in five minutes...”

Kim flipped close her phone. She breathed deeply and stepped out of her room.

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Enrico Santos was busy ready his Saturday morning papers. He was already dressed in his standard business suit, drinking his cup of steaming coffee.

“O, saan naman ang punta mo?” Enrico asked upon seeing his daughter coming down the stairs, carrying a travel bag.

“Dad, don’t you remember?” Kim said. “Di ba sinabi ko na sa inyo last week?”

“Na ano? I honestly don’t remember you saying anything...”

“Ganyan naman kayo lagi Dad, eh. Pagdating sa akin, palagi niyo na lang nakakalimutan...”

IT was her unshakable ploy against her parents....GUILT. Enrico falls for it each time.

“Ano nga ba iyon ulit?”

Truth was, Kim never said anything to him. “Dad, di ba sinabi ko sa inyo na may recollection kami sa school?”

“Saan?”

“Sa ano po...sa Calaruega retreat house...sa Batangas.”

“Ang layo naman...ilang gabi kayo dun?”

“Weekend lang po...balik na ako ng Tuesday...”

“Ganon ba?” Enric said. “May pera ka ba?”

“Opo dad...” Kim said. “Binigyan ako ni mommy ng Two Hundred.”

“SO, alam ng mommy mo to?”

“Opo naman, Dad...kaya nga niya ako binigyan ng pera.”

Of course, Kim never told her mom. She was just fibbing. She learned all these years, that when it comes to stowing away...her dad is the most gullible person there is. Her mom meanwhile is very critical of her. So Kim, almost never asks permission from her.

“Here...add this to your baon,” Enric handed her a 1000 peso bill. “Just in case of emergencies...”

Kim threw her arms around him and kissed him on the cheeks, “Thanks Dad...you’re the best!”

Enric smiled warmly. “Ingat kayo ha? Kasama mo ba si Pauline?”

“Opo...”

“Sige good. Don’t forget to keep your phones open.”

“Dad naman, kaya nga recollection eh. Siyempre nakapatay ang phone during sessions.”

“Basta...give me a call when you get there. Just to let us know that you have arrived there safely...”

“Sige Dad, I’ll try...”

Kim hastily made her leave. Her plan went perfectly.

As she opened the gates to freedom, Aki’s car was already there waiting for her.

“Babe, how did you get away?” Aki kissed her on the cheek as she got in.

“Akala kasi nila, mas matalino sila sa akin...” Kim beamed. “Hindi nila alam...kayang-kaya ko silang paikutin sa mga daliri ko...”

“Nice one, girl!” Pauline shrieked as Aki stepped on the gas pedal.

Kim was finally free. At least for the weekend...

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____

March 29, 2009

(FYI : Agot is Arlene Santos' nickname. I've mentioned it before. Anyway, it's only Enric that calls her by her real name.)