My Untamed Princess

Chapter 29: Close Encounter

Inayos ni Cassie ang sarili sa harap ng salamin. Sinubukan pa niyang isuot ang hoodie ng suot niyang jacket. She wanted to make sure na kapag suot niya ‘yon, hindi makikilala ng mga tao na siya ‘yon. Mabilis din niyang isinuot ang  shades niya at muling sinipat ang sarili sa salamin.

She squared her shoulders and convinced herself na siguro, hindi na siya makikilala ng mga tao.

She heaved a sigh before turning to the door. Mabilis siyang lumabas ng tenement at pumara ng taxi sa sakayan.

Dumaan muna siya sa isang flower shop malapit sa tenement. She picked up the beautifully arranged bouquet of expensive flowers before heading out again. She asked the taxi to take her to White Oaks Memorial Gardens. It’s in a private place within the metro where elitists laid their loved ones to rest.  Taxis were not allowed inside. So she'll have to walk to where she's going.

Noong una, nahirapan siya sa pagpasok dahil naninita ang mga guards. Hindi talaga siya namumukhaan. But she bribed the guards with 500 pesos, the only money she had left. Kaya sa huli, nakapasok din siya.

Tahimik niyang binagtas ang daan mula sa gate patungo sa mausoleum na pupuntahan niya. It would have been easier if she had a car but it's one of those luxuries she had learned to live without for more than a month now. Besides, the afternoon sun was lazily hiding behind the dark clouds of the sky. It was a good afternoon to walk. Hindi masakit sa balat.

Today was her mom's death's anniversary. She never missed a visit for the last 13 years. It was just one of those sacrifices she wanted to give for the memory of her mom.

I'll be back sweetheart. I promise.

She closed her eyes as the words burned in her memory. Those were the last words of her mom before she let her out of the car to a shed that one rainy summer night when she was just ten years old. Her mom even shoved into her hands her favorite necklace as an assurance that she'll be back for her.

But...

When morning came, police picked her up in the shed, instead. And when she came home, she had learned her mother had died from a car wreck.

She heaved a deep sigh and looked at the flowers she was holding.

Calla lilies.

Her mom loved imported calla lilies. Doon napunta ang lahat ng inipon niya nang nakalipas na mga linggo sa pagsama-sama sa mga raket ni Ella. Napangiti siya. At least that year, she can proudly say that she'll give her mom something she worked hard for.

Ilang sandali pa, natanaw na niya ang grayish-blue building na pupuntahan niya. Sa taas niyon ay may nakaukit na ornate na letrang E. The letter stands for her family’s surname.

Tahimik niyang binabagtas ang hilera ng mga ordinaryong puntod at mga puno nang matanawan niya ang paghinto ng dalawang itim na kotse sa harap mismo ng pupuntahan niya.

She quickly hid herslef on a tree planted  just a few hundred metes away from the mausoleum.  Pasimple siyang sumilip upang makita ang mga tao na naroon sa pupuntahan niya. Una niyang natanawan ang Yaya Bining niya, may dala itong bulaklak. Kasunod nito ang Tita Marga niya—whom for her, really lost a lot of weight. May bitbit din itong bulaklak.

Then...

She froze and her knees almost gave in when she saw someone she had never expected to be there. Humigpit ang kapit niya sa hawak niyang bouquet. Dumagundong na rin ang kaba sa dibdib niya. Maya-maya pa, tuluyan na siyang napasalampak sa damuhan-- sa mismong tapat ng isang puntod.

Schatz, don't move.

She shook her head furiously, she wanted so bad for the memory to go away.

How could he be there?

How could a devil visit her mom?

Her fist balled as anger rose in her chest. She began to pant as she tried so hard to control the pure pulsating wrath in her veins, engulfing her entirety, trying to take over her sanity.

She was so angry and at the same time afraid. She knew what he could do. And she had never been near him for years, and she'll never do so now.

She looked at the flowers in her hands.

"We have to wait till the devil goes," she whispered, trying to calm herself still.

She knew, letting her emotions take over won't do any good.

Nagkunwari siyang binibisita ang puntod na nasa harapan niya bago niya inilabas ang lumang cellphone na pahiram sa kanya ni Ella. Ang gusto kasi nito kanina ay samahan siya sa pupuntahan niya. But she doesn't want anyone from the tenement to know about her real identity. Sa mahigit isang buwan niyang pananatili sa tenement, ni isa, walang nakakilala sa kanya. Ans she wanted it to remain as that. That's why she had to refuse Ella's company. But Ella gave her the old cellphone so that they could check on her.

She dialled her Yaya Bining's number. Umangat ang linya matapos ang tatlong ring. Mula sa kinaroroonan niya, natanaw niya ang bahagyang paglayo ng matanda sa musoleo upang sagutin ang tawag niya.

"Hello,"anang pamilyar na malambing na tinig.

"Y-yaya," bulong niya, nahihirapan kasi siyang magsalita. Naiiyak siya. Nami-miss na niya ang Yaya niya. Pero alam niya hindi ganoon kadali ang umuwi, lalo pa at wala sa bansa ang Daddy niya pati na rin si Lizzie na puwede niyang takbuhan kung sakali. That’s the other reason she had why she chose to stay at Will’s unit. She’s safer there.

"C-Cassandra?" pabulong na sagot ng yaya niya.

"O-opo."

"Anak, nasaan ka? Ayos ka lang ba ha? Kasama mo ba si Will?" bulong nito, nanginginig ang boses.

Napaluha siya. Namimiss na niya ang Yaya niya. Ito lang kasi ang tanging kakampi niya sa lahat ng bagay. Yaya Bining was more than just a househelp, she was her second mother. Tagagawa sa lahat ng mga bagay na hindi maibigay ng Daddy niya sa kanya maliban sa salapi.

She cleared her throat and tried to answer with her normal voice. She doesn't want the old woman to worry over her.

"A-ayos lang po ako, Yaya. Don't worry too much," paniniguro niya.

Bumuntong hininga ang matanda sa kabilang linya.

"Mabuti naman kung gan'on."

"S-si Daddy po at--"

"Wala pa sila. Mabuti na rin na nasa ibang bansa muna sila pansamantala," putol nito sa kanya, nag-aalala. "Anak h’wag ka munang uuwi. Nasa mansyon sila, hinahanap ka."

Natutop niya ang bibig. Kaya pala kasama sila ngayon sa pagbisita sa puntod ng Mommy niya. Maybe they were hoping to see her there. They knew she wouldn't miss this day.

"O-opo Yaya."

"Bining! Sino yang kausap mo? Si Cassandra ba 'yan?" anang boses sa background. It was Friedrich or simply Fred, her Tita Marga's husband.

"H-hindi po, Sir," mariing tanggi ng Yaya niya. "'Yong pamangkin ko ho na n-nasa HongKong, nangungumusta.”

"Bilisan mo d’yan at nang masimulan na ang padasal," narinig pa niyang sabi ni Fred.

"O-oho!" mabilis na tugon ng Yaya niya. "Anak, m-may gagawin pa ako. Mag-usap tayo ulit sa susunod ha? Mag-iingat ka. 'Yong bilin ko, h'wag mong kakalimutan," nagmamadaling sabi nito sa basag na tinig. She knew her Yaya isa about to cry.

Napaluha na siya. "O-opo, Yaya."

"Bining ano ba?! Nagmamadali kami ni Gerald!" si Fred ulit ‘yon.

She closed her eyes at the mention of the devil's name. She had loathed that name since she was 16.

She would've said take care to her Yaya but before she could, the line went dead.