Robin's Curse

Kabanata 6

"Two Gambas Caesar and one scoop of Ube Ice Cream," I heard the dispatcher announced it. Mabilis akong kumilos, dumampot ng nakahandang gulay para sa Salad. Apat kami sa Pantry ngunit kailanan pa rin ang ouble time dahil sobrang dami ng bisita sa Resort.

Sa araw-araw ay naging ganito na ang routine ko. So far, hindi ko inaaalala na may kasama akong nag-apply dito dahil halos hindi ko naman nakakasalamuha ang mga nasa labas. Thank God at hindi naman masusungit ang mga kasamaan ko sa kusina, iyon nga lang minsan lang talaga akomakisama sa usapan nila. Kung hini ako tatanungin ay hindi ako sasagot, kahit pa madalas nila akong biruin ay ngiti lang ang nakukuha nilang sagot mula sa akin. Sa bahay naman ay walang katigilan sa kakukulit si Mommy kada uuwi ako at itatanong ang pangyayaring paulit ulit lang din naman ang sagot.

Pangalawang Lunes ng pasok ko, halos gusto ng sumuko ng katawan ko sa pagod, nagkakaroon na ako ng mumunting reklamo na tinatawanan naman ni Oscar o ni Mommy habang si Sleave ay tila gamay na gamay ang kaniyang trabaho. Ang tanging 'di nagbabago ay ang matatalinhaga niyang salita na kahit minsan sila Mommy ay hindi na naiintindihan.

"Robs, anong natapso mong course?" Isang araw ay tanong sa akin ng kasamahan ko sa Pantry. Sandali akong natigilan sa pagaayos ng buhok bago siya sinagot.

"Hindi ako nakatapos." Sambit ko. Tumango siya.

"Ako rin. Hindi ko na itinuloy. Gusto ko na lang magtrabaho para kumirta ng pera. Alam mo na, sa hirap ng buhay ngayon," putol pa nitong sabi. Hindi ako umimik.

Alam ko namang mahirap ang buhay pero pagdating sa ganito; usapang kakapusan sa pera na hindi ko naman naranasan, hindi ko alam kung anong magandang salita ang pwede kong sambitin.

"Pero anong course ang kinukuha mo sana?" Muli'y tanong niya.

"Wala naman akong gusto kundi magtrabaho simula ng makalabas ako ng Hospital," sagot ko. Mukhang nagulat siya sa sinabi ko at nasundan ang mga katanungan niya ng ilan pang katanunan.

"Grabe naman pala nangyari a iyo. Mabuti nman at nakahanap rin kayo ng heart donor." tumango tango ako sa sinambit niya.

Heart disease ang ginamit kong dahilan tulad ng napag-usapan namin ni Mommy. I cannot let them know about my past dahil alam ko na malaking katanungan iyon sa kanila. Karamihan sa mga tao, galit o takot sa mga bagay na hindi nila lubos na nauunawaan.

Weeks had passed, nagagamay ko na rin ang trabaho at 'di na katulad ng dati ang reaksyon ng katawan ko kapag humihigit sa oras ang pasok ko na siya namang problema ni Mommy dahil ayon sa kaniya, hindi ako dapat napupuwersa ng sobra.

"Your body might take this bad, Goodness! Your job should only be a way to make you feel norma like the others, hindi kailangan ng Overtime!" Halos pahisterya na niyang sambit matapos ang ikatlong araw na nag-overtime ako ng tatlo pang oras.

Pumasok ako ng ala sinco ng umaga at umuwi ng alas nueve ng gabi. May kasal noon sa Resort at dalawang sunod ng Reunion night ng isang mayamang pamilya at isang College Batch kaya naman kinailangan na mag-extend n oras. Who am I to decline lalo na at alam kong kaya ko pa? Isa pa, malaking dagdag sa sweldo iyon. I am planning to rent an apartment na medyo malayo kela Mommy. Nasasakal ako sa kanilang dalawa ni Oscar at dagdag pa ang Sleavna iyon na masyadong OA saHindi ak kakaprotekta niya sa akin. For God sake! I am not a glass! Hindi ako mababasag kung madudunggo ako o matatalsikan ng tubig o kung ano pa.

Sa inaraw araw na lamang na ginawa ng Diyos ay lagi kaming nagtatalo dahil sa maliliit na bagay na pinapalaki niya. Tulad na lmang ngayon.

"Dapat ay mas maging maingat ka, Pangin-" Hindi ko na siya pinatapos. Nanlalaki ang mata ko sa kaniya. For countless times I stopped him from calling me that name. Panginoon? Goodness!

"Patawad. Ngunit tulad ng aking ipinauunawa sa iyo, sa mga sandaling iyon ay maari kang masaktan ng-" I raised my hand to stop him once again.

"That's just a mini-bike." I murmured.

"Magiingat na ako sa susunod kaya pakiusap, tumahimik ka na sa kakasalita. Paulit ulit lang tayo sa araw araw at sawang asawa na ako sa salita mo, sa boses mo, sa lahat sa iyo. "

Nagunot ang noo niya. "Tulad ng sinabi ko, hindi mo ako kailangan ituring na higit pa sa turing mo sa Mommy ko. Isipin mong wala kang utang sa akin. Kung hindi mo magawa iyan bilang pakiusap, pwes gawin mo bilang utos. Huling utos ko, maliwanag?" Nanatili siyang nakatingin sa akin na para bang inuunawa pa rin ang sinabi ko.

Bumuntong hininga na lang ako at saka siya tinalikuran. After a tiring week, stress naman sa mga kasama ko sa bahay ang tinatamasa ko. How I really wish makaipon ako ng mas maaga ng makalipat ng apartment. I can tolerate my Mom's behavior but these two, I can't. They are too much to handle.

Pagod kong tinahak ang hagdan patungo sa taas. Kapag day off ko, gusto ko na lamang manatili sa loob ng kwarto at humiga maghapon. Thank God, Mom and Oscar isn't here. Kahit sandaling oras, makakahinga ako ng maluwag.

Tamad kong dinampot ang isang libro na nakastock lamang noon sa bed side table ko. I tried to ease the stress through reading pero tinangay lamang ako nito sa pagkahimbing.

—

Nagising ako sa mga boses na tila sumisigaw. Hindi ko mawari kung panaginip ba iyon pero mas naging alerto ako ng maulinigan ang boses ni Mommy. Dali dali akong nagtungo sa pinto at binuksan iyon. Mas lumakas ang boses, nagmumula sa kwarto nila Mommy.

"I told you, Robin will be free now. We already talk about that, Oscar. Bakit kailangan na puntahan uli siya rito para tignan?" I heard my Mom's triggered voice.

"They will just get example of Robin's behavior. Magtatanong lang, hon. I told you I got this, a'right?" Tila nang-aamo ang boses ni Oscar at kinakalma si Mommy.

Hindi ko na inintindi ang anumang sinasabi nila dahil umikot lang sa isip ko sa kaalamang may pupunta muling tao rito para guluhin ang pinipilit kong ayusing buhay.

What should I do?

—

The next morning, I decided not to go to work. Pakiramdam ko ay pagod na pagod ako dahil hindi naman ako nakatulog ng ayos kakaisip. Nagdahilan na lamang ako sa Head chef.

"Robin? Hindi ka ba papasok?" Dinig kong tanong ni Mommy matapos ang tatlong katok.

Wala akong gana sumagot pero pinilit ko pa rin. Nawawalan ako ng gana sa kaisipang ang pagtatapos ng usap nila ay ang pangsang-ayon niya sa plano ng lalaking iyon.

Oscar Lee! If only I can make you forget about me. If only I have the guts to use my abilities.

"I'm not going to work. I'm not feeling fine," I simply answered using a low tone but I made sure she will hear it. Bumukas ang pinto at saka sumungaw ang ulo niya, may pagaalala sa mga mata.

"I'm sorry, honey. I bet you already know what Oscar's plan," she said.

I stared at her. She looked stress right now. Is it because of that? Bumuntong hininga ako.

"What can I do? Wala naman akong magagawa," komento ko, mahina pa rin ang boses. Pagod siyang ngumiti.

I'm sure, honey, hindi sila lalagpas sa linya ng karapat dapat nila itanong. I'll be there the whole time, I promise." I nodded as an answer.

Days passed by, Friday came, a white van stopped in front of the bridge and here I am claiming the poker face I used to show the Hospital's crew.

I will managed to make them feel not needed. Hindi ako papayag na babalik pa sila muli rito.

"Ready, honey?" Mom asked. I didn't answer.

I saw Oscar Lee walked and welcome them as if this is his house. Ironic!

"Good day, Robin," the guy on white, preferably on my age greeted me with a smile. I bet he is trying to get me buy that.

"Welcome, Theodore! So polite of you to take over Robin's case," Mommy smiled at him but I know that is fake. I guess Mom doesn't really agreed to this and at least, that makes me ease.

"How are you, Robin?" One of the man of Theodore asked. Nagpakawala muna ako ng buntong hininga bago siya tinanguan at sumagot.

"I'm fine. Nothing's change. Haven't use my ability yet," I pursed my lips. This people are insufferable, pathetic and loathesome! I mean it.

"That's good to know. It seems like you are coping with your new enviroment." I can see the unsatisfied look on Theodore's face as if he is expecting to hear something from me. Something like a mistake I have made that will surely put me back to that hell of a Hospital.

"She is actually working and I have not heard any complain from her visor and I think Robin doesn't really need this," Mom said. She has this looks on her face that says she is really not please with their visit.

"That is... good. Maybe when we get back here again we can have a little... progress," he trailed of. I saw how Mom reacted on that.

"What do you mean? Are you saying that Robin is actually not fine? Or are you really trying to caught her doing something nasty?" Mom blurted out, sounds so offensive.

Oscar Lee walk towards her, put his hands on Mom's shoulder to calm her. I rolled my eyes. I knew it. He is not a trustworthy person. He is selling me, of course. He just make it look like he is concern about my health but he id not absolutely just interested on the money he can get once the research for me succeeded. f*****g hypocrite. Snake!

We heard creak from upstairs and waited up until it shows Sleav, probably off to work. Theodore archer his brows, wondering who is the man that came from upstairs.

"Oh, Theo, that's Sleav. We found him outside. He has amnesia so we can't give him back to whoever claim him," Oscar explained but still, the look on Theodore's face screams curiosity. As if he is solving a problem on his head.

A lot of questions were asked. Some are offensive, annoying and unrelated. Oscar keeps on making Mom's calm whenever she is feeling uncomfortable with the questions or more like accusations about me.

This day is tiresome! Oscar insist that they should stay for the night yet Theodore is certain they must go back and do something about their findings. What findings? They didn't get anything from me. Are they freaking translating my answers to something horrible so they can have a valuable results to show to their superiors? f*****g Doctors!

I heard three knocks from my door before it finally opens.

"Honey, is it okay if I talk to you?" I saw how stress covered my mother's face. I nodded.

"How are you?" She asked, low voice echoing on my head.

"I'm fine. Just... mentally tired," I answered.

I heard her sighed.

"I'm sorry. I promise I will do something so Oscar can stop this. I knew you are alright, they just can't understand that!" She said, hysterically.

"Thank you..." I murmured. Tired of everything and can't come up with a much more good answer.

"Are you going to work tomorrow?"

"Jean said we have wedding on plan. I should be there," I said. I heard her hmmmm-ep.

I'll go get you a glass of milk before you off to sleep. At least, that can makes you relax after this unpleasant day of us.

I hummed as an answers, finally drifting myself to the thoughts of what possibly Oscar's plan.

I can hear voices outside, three specifically. Sleav, Mom and Oscar, probably talking about something I am not interested with.

The only thing on my mind right now is that I need to dodge Oscar's plan, whatever it is. I can't and I won't go back to that hell I once in. I will make sure they won't find any holes that can lead them to more accusations. I will do my best to make Mom see the horns on her boyfriend's head.