The Single Teacher Mommy (Railen Jazz & Kiara Celestine)

Chapter 27

Dalawang oras kaming nasa coffee shop at kami ni Jazz ang naging sentro ng kwentuhan matapos inaprobahan ng mga magulang ko ang desisyon kong sa kanya kami titira. Though my father was a bit hesitant he still agreed in the end. Di naman kasi siya nakakahindi kung si Nanay na ang kausap niya.

"Mag-iingat kayo. Paki-kiss ako sa apo ko." Bilin ni Nanay nang maihatid niya kami ni Jazz sa labas ng coffee shop. I kissed her cheek before she faced Jazz.

"Thank you for coming back to my daughter's life. Masaya akong nagtagpo ulit kayo ng landas ng anak ko." May sinseridad na sabi ng Nanay ko kay Jazz.

She was so sorry upon hearing Jazz's story. Kanina pa siya nagpipigil na 'wag maluha na tila hanggang ngayon may namumuo na naman na luha sa mga mata niya. But I wasn't worried to see that, she was just so happy for us.

"Masaya rin po ako." Jazz had a playful smile on his face. "I was so thankful that she's still single. But even if she tried to change her path in order to avoid me, I won't hesitate to take a turn on the path that she took and meet her again. Nang sa ganoon ay mapapatunayan ko pa po sa kanya kung gaano ko siya kamahal. Makakabawi pa rin po ako sa kanya sa mga nasayang na panahon."

Blush crepts in my cheeks. His words made my heart pound hard and gave me more happiness. Wala atang sawa to na banatan ako sa Nanay ko para pakiligin ako. Hindi ko tuloy maiwasang di mahiya sa harap nila.

Nag-alangan akong tumingin sa aking mga magulang. Mabuti na lang at nauna nang umalis ang mga kapatid ko dahil may kanya kanyang lakad sila, kundi kantiyaw at asar na naman ang aabutin ko sa kanila. My Nanay was proudly smiling at Jazz, while my father was giving a meaningful look.

Hinarap ko din si Papa na kanina pa tahimik. Alam ko ang nararamdaman niyang takot na baka masaktan ulit ako sa pangalawang pagkakaton. Kahit di niya sabihin na di siya masyadong nakukumbinsi sa mga ginagawa ni Jazz sa akin; sa amin ng anak ko ay halata pa rin sa kanya na nag-aalanganin siya. Pero naiintindihan ko siya. Magulang na rin ako at ang pinakaayaw kong mangyari sa anak ko ay ang makita siyang masaktan, ganoon din si Papa.

"I know it's not yet enough for you all the things he did to proved his love to your baby daughter, Papa. But I want you to know that even after all these years, I still love him. And I don't think I can undo loving him." I whispered. "He didn't just love me despite of everything. He loves me just because he does. He never thought of me having a baggage that he needs to accept so he can be with me. He just loves me, Papa. Simply and perfectly."

A sad smile forming in my Papa's lips before he trapped me inside his arms for a tight hug and warm embrace. "Takot lang naman ako na masaktan kayo ng apo ko. Pero maikli lang ang buhay para manatili sa isang bagay na hindi ka magiging masaya. If Jazz is the person arrive to the additional to your happiness too, then be with him. I won't stopping you because you deserve to be happy. You deserve to be love like the way you should. Love wasn't meant to stop you from being afraid. It's about finding someone you're willing to be brave enough to risk everything. Just make sure that you will leave a piece of yourself. And love yourself, that's the most important thing you should be aware of."

I do not know why my father's words resonate so much. "I love you, Papa. I'm sorry for keeping my relationship with Jazz before. It's not my intention, unexpected events and things didn't go as planned accordingly."

"I understood. Just don't kept us in the dark in any situation next time, okay?" He muttered before kissing me on my temple. I just nodded my head as my answer.

My father was still a bit tad intimidating but he still gave us a nod before we left. Jazz's hand tightened on my waist when we reached his car. It was probably the first time I've seen him lost. He was quiet during the drive back to their house. I was waiting for him to complain or something but he didn't, which terrifies me. He's never the type to keep all his toughts in his head; to keep his anger bottled if ever he was.

I wanted to ask him after he parked his car and unload our belongings but his mood change so quickly when Sophie welcomed us in the door.

Agad siyang tumakbo kay Jazz at yumakap dito pagkakita niya sa amin. Naitabi naman agad ni Jazz ang bitbit na maleta bago niya binuhat ang anak ako.

"Where have you been and Mymy, Dydy?" I heard Sophie asked when I entered the house pushing the bags in my hands.

"You looked for us when you woke up baby?" he asked back and Sophie nodded her head to him but her eyes are on the bags which was on the floor.

"I was curious Dydy because I woke up in a different bed and then when I called out Mymy, Nana was the one who came in the room and she said I'm here in your house."

"And just for you to know, I don't get it why you and Mymy left Sophie alone so early."

"You're curious, why?" I heard Jazz asked.

Natigil ako sa paglabas para ipasok pa sana ang naiwang maleta ng kainin din ako ng kuryusidad sa isasagot ng anak ko sa tanong ni Jazz.

"Yes, but Tatang said, curiousity kills the cat, and I like being curious. So therefore I'm also a cat and I don't want to die. I'll just want to understand the things that boggles my mind."

I almost chuckled. Pero si Jazz di niya napigilan ang sarili na tumawa at may pagtango tango pang kasama.

"Did you remember the talked we had before?" Jazz asked Sophie again.

"Our secret Dydy?" Tanong ni Sophie na halos pabulong kay Jazz pero malinaw pa rin naman na narinig ko.

"Yes." Jazz answered shortly.

Bilang lumaki ang mga mata ni Sophie sa maikling sagot ni Jazz kasabay ng pagtili nito. Ako naman ay naguguluhan sa uasapan nila dahil wala akong ideya sa sinasabi nila na sekreto nilang dalawa.

"Really, Dydy? You're not bluffing?"

Tango lang ang ginawa ni Jazz bilang tugon sa tanong ng anak ko saka siya naglipat ng tingin sa akin na agad din naman niyang binawi. My lips parted in awe and disbelief how he avoided my gaze. Seriously? Kanina pa 'to ha. I shook my head and pulled the last bag left.

Minabuti ko na lamang ding tinapos ang pagpasok sa mga gamit namin sa loob ng kuwarto. Inakma ni Jazz na tulongan akong ayusin ang mga damit namin sa cabinet kaso pinigilan ko siya. He was reluctant to leave at first but he gave in. I will not be at peace in one room with him when his treating me with his deadly silence. I busied myself all the day organizing our things to our new place.

Jazz self proclaimed that he was Sophie's 'nanny'. Siniguro ko na rin na matapos kong ilagay lahat sa cabinet ang mga gamit namin ni Sophie. Nakakapanibago lang na walang Jazz sa tabi ko na nangungulit o kaya naman ay tumitikis sa akin.

Even after dinner he was so still silent and distant which I find it odd. Parang di rin ako mapakali na di ko alam ang rason ng pananahimik niya. In order to reassure him that he's okay I went to his room after I put Sophie in the bed. I inhaled sharply to keep myself relaxed and composed while my mind was being chaotic inside my head. I found him sitting in his bed staring at the white wall in front of him.

"May problema ba tayo?" I asked breaking the antagonizing silent treatment he's put me through the whole day.

"Huh. It's nothing, Hun. Nag-iisip lang naman ako kung paano ko papatunayan ang sarili ko sa Papa mo. It seems that you're father doesn't like me. But I want to prove and reassure him that what happened before will not happen again. That it was always you from the very beginning." He said and he burried his face on my stomach as he embraced me tightly. He was like a child longing to be craddle by his mother.

At dahil nakatayo ako habang siya naman ay nakaupo sa kama, ibinaba ko ang aking tingin sa kanya. I bent down and rested my chin at the top of his head while I also wrapped my arms around him. Naramdaman kong mas lalo niyang hinigpitan ang kanyak pagkakayakap sa akin.

"Yet is different from don't..." I muttered. "He doesn't like you yet."

"But why?" He asked in confusion.

"In time, he will eventually." Sambit ko. Hindi ko na kailangan pang i-kwento sa kanya ang rason kung bakit takot si Papa. Nanay forgave him, that's enough reason to burry the past and not to tell the whole world to be the hottest headline. Napatunayan naman ng aking ama kung gaano siya nagsisi sa pagkakamali niya. Kaya nga mayroon silang kambal at kami ni Ate Kaitie ang produkto ng second chance sa marriage life nila.

I was still lost in my own thoughts when I heard him utter. "I promise to do everything just so I can win your father's full approval. I will prove to him that I would never leave you."

He didn't speak another word as he tightened his hug. He was just humming a tune unfamiliar to me when I didn't answer him. And later that night under the star-filled sky, the comforting silence, the warmth and touch we shared, no words needed to be said. It was enough to comfort and take away the worry that he was feeling. Not until the sun peek to show its glory from the sky.