Prince's Downfall

2. Faith Serenity

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Faith Serenity

I smiled as I look at my Dad that’s why I stopped from taking a step downstairs. Today is the very first morning of his life having a woman around or a woman he sees when he opens his eyes.

Noong una, nagselos ako kasi Fatimah is almost same as my age or just about 7 years older than me. Para ko na siyang ate kung tutuusin pero ngayon ay Mommy ko na siya o ‘Tita’. Hindi kami actually magkakilala pero kilala ko siya dahil sa mundo ng fashion. She’s a top paid model in New York and sometimes being invited to judge some modeling shows on TV.

I only met her when I decided to come home after teaching some British preschoolers in Britain. Umuwi ako para isang dinner ng pamilya Leviste, my family, at pamilya Belarmino, Fatimah’s family. That was five days ago but then yesterday, they got married. It was a beach wedding. Fatimah looked like a goddess in her white dress. She’s so tall, thin, tan, beautiful.

Sa totoo lang, huhulihin ko pa ang ugali niya dahil medyo snob siya at ako naman ay medyo spoiled sa Daddy pero friendly. I always get what I want and not even my Dad could say no to me. Mabait naman ako, medyo kengkay nga lang. I am a preschool teacher and actually the owner of that five hectares learning school.

That school was a gift from my Abuelo. Japanese ang lolo ko at half breed ako. Kumbaga sa hayop at tao, isa akong tikbalang.

I giggled with my thought. That was silly.

Teaching is my passion since I was only 13. Buhay pa no’n si Mommy pero after a year, namatay siya sa isang plane crash. At ang huling pangako niya sa akin kapag daw nakapagtapos na ako ay patatayuan niya ako ng sarili kong eskwelahan na lahat mga bata lang ang estudyante kaya raw mag-aral akong mabuti. And I graduated with flying colors in England.

It happened but so sad that my mom could not even see it. She’d never seen me grow up and wasn’t there during my first JS Prom and even my debut.

Naalala ko ang debut ko na may nakita akong lalaki na hindi ko alam kung sino. I just saw him making out with one of my friends.

Wala sila sa loob ng ballroom sa England pero nasa may kotse sila, naghahalikan, nagkakapaan. Then I saw this man with stubble on his face. He was not teen anymore. He was tall, handsome and he looks so playful. Ngumiti pa sa akin ang lalaki na ‘yon at hindi ko na siya nakalimutan.

I always remember how his lips moved against my friend’s and suddenly I wanted to be kissed that way.

Malandi yata ako pero eighteen na ako no’n at hindi pa rin ako nahahalikan hanggang ngayon. Manang ako sa ibang bansa at puro aral lang ang alam kong gawin sa buhay ko. I had plenty of crushes but never had a boyfriend. May nagpaparamdam sa akin pero sabi ko kung makakapaghintay, salamat. Tapos isang araw nawawala na lang na parang bula, ‘yon pala busy na sa kama kasama ang ibang babae.

“My princess!” Daddy greeted me with a smile that’s why I was pulled out from my reverie.

Daddy is a businessman. He has ships for making sardines, about seven ships. May sarili rin siyang kumpanya para sa mga sardinas namin na ang pangalan ay Serenity Sardines. We own private resorts, subdivisions and now this new trend, rent to own houses. Galing lahat ‘yon sa negosyo ni Daddy at Mommy. Mana ni Mom kay Abuelo ang ginamit nila at mana ni Dad sa mga magulang niya. Napalago nila ‘yon kaya nang ipanganak ako, meron akong ‘gintong dede sa bibig’ sa halip na kutsara. Hindi pa naman kasi ako kumakain no’n kasi baby pa ako.

I smiled broadly and continued walking downstairs.

Tatlong palapag ang bahay pero hindi ko ugali na gumamit ng elevator. Mas sanay ako sa hagdan.

“Morning Daddy na malaki ang tummy!” I giggled and he chuckled, looking at me with his dark eyes.

Katabi niya si Fatimah at may itinuturo ang asawa sa kanya sa isang magazine kaya nawala na ang atensyon sa akin ni Dad nang yugyugin no’n ang braso niya.

My beam just turned into a light smile and just kept it for myself. I have to get used to this. It’s not me and my Daddy anymore. He has another baby except me.

Parang okay naman ang relasyon nilang dalawa. Hindi naman mukhang bitter gourd si Fatimah sa pagpapakasal sa Daddy ko. I don’t know why pero mukhang magaan naman sa kanya ang lahat.

Hindi ko alam kung paano niya natanggap na ipinagkasundo siya ng magulang niya sa ama ko. My Dad is so old compared to her though he’s not that too old physically. Parang fifty lang ang tatay ko at physically fit pa. He does regular checkups and he’s a health conscious. He doesn’t eat a lot of meat and more on veggies and fruits that’s why he doesn’t have hypertension. He’s not diabetic and mukha siyang kalabaw na hindi tumatanda. He’s still girgeous.

“Morning, Dad.” I kissed Dad’s cheek. “Morning, T-Tita…M-Mommy?” ngumiwi ako nang sulyapan si Fatimah.

I really don’t know what to call her.

Saglit niyang itinuon ang mga mata sa akin pero hindi man lang siya ngumiti at gumalaw lang ang mga kilay.

“I want this bag.” Yakap niya sa braso ng ama ko kaya naman tumingin ako sa magazine.

She’s pointing on a Louis Vuitton bag, worth forty million pesos.

I looked at my bag. My bag is branded but not that expensive. Even when I was in college and my Dad and Abuelo could spend enough for branded things, I still chose to buy the inexpensive ones. I don’t care kung mga branded and bags ng kaklase ko basta naman nagagamit ko ang sa akin at hindi naman kaagad nasisira, why not? Maingat naman ako kahit na sa sapatos. Umaabot ng tatlong taon ang sapatos ko.

“Okay. We’ll buy that.” Ngiti ni Daddy kay Fatimah at tuwang-tuwa naman ito na yumakap.

I just smiled and eyed them.

“How about you, darling? Do you want the same bag?” Dad asked.

Agad akong umiling. “No Daddy. I’m fine with this.” Tapik ko sa bag ko at agad na akong tumalikod para umalis. “I think I better go. See yah two later.”

“Not going to have breakfast?” pahabol niya pero umiling ako at nag-flying kiss.

“No. I have cookies in my bag. Baka ma-late ako eh ma-drop ako ng mga estudyante ko. Bye-bye!” I wore my sunglass and noticed Fatimah is looking at me.

Hindi ko na lang siya pinansin at tumuloy ako sa kotse nang kumaway si Daddy.

I don’t ever want to compete especially when it comes to my father’s attention. As much as possible I want to meet my stepmom and try if I could tell her some secrets. Bata pa ako ng mawalan ako ng ina at ang tanging nand’yan para makinig sa akin ay ang kahuthutan kong dila na si Joy Ferrer. Hindi siya babae, isa siyang bading pero bihis lalaki pa rin. Joy talaga ang pangalan niya at anak siya ng secretary ni Daddy. Sabi ay mali raw ang nai-type na spelling sa birth certificate. Sa halip na ‘Jay’ ay ‘Joy’ na ang nailagay.

Inuugatan na rin ang bilbil ng Mama ni Joy kasi ilang dekada ng secretary ‘yon ni Dad.

Joy was with me in England, paaral ni Daddy. He was my chaperone.

I rolled my eyes.

As if naman naglalandi ako sa England to need a chaperone.

I looked at Dad again before maneuvering the steering wheel but he wasn’t beside Fatimah anymore.

She’s now someone over the phone and her smile shows gladness. Nakatingala siya sa kisame at naka-posing.

That was the kind of face I saw when my friend, Samantha made out with that handsome stranger when I was still eighteen.

Ngiting cloud nine ‘yon na parang nag-o-orgasm ‘daw’.

Shit!

What am I thinking?

Ni hindi ko nga alam kung anong orgasm sa aktwal tapos kung makapag-isip ako ng ganoon kay Fatimah, wagas.

Baka naman kaibigan ang nasa telepono or maybe I’m just worried about my Dad. Hindi ko maiiwasan na mag-isip ng ganito dahil matanda na ang Daddy ko at hindi ko alam ang rason kung bakit sila naipagkasundo ng mga magulang ni Fatimah.

Fatimah is young and pretty. Many guys would love to have her even just for a single night. She looks so sophisticated and she looks elegant. She came from a rich family and if my Abuelo’s intuition is right, baka raw business ang dahilan ng kasalan—which is common to people like us.

Matagal pa akong napatitig sa stepmother ko hanggang sa bigla na lang magbago ang tabas ng mukha niya at padabog niyang pinindot ang cellphone.

I blinked.

She looks so pissed and I couldn’t stand that madness on her face.

Shaking! Galit ang bruha!

Dali-dali kong pinausad ang kotse bago pa man niya ako mapansin na nag-uusyoso sa buhay niya. May kaaway yata siya. Iba pala ang mukha niya kapag galit, tumataas ang mga sungay—este mga kilay.

Sa tanda ko naman ay hindi ko kailanman nakita ang Mommy ko na ganoon ang tabas ng magandang mukha. My Mom was always cute. She’s a Japanese and she looked so innocent all the time.

I sighed.

Iba’t iba naman talaga ang mga tao and I think I have to embrace Fatimah’s attitude as well as her grumpy face when she’s mad. She’s Dad’s wife now and part of my family.