Ang Bestfriend kong Robot

Chapter 2

"How dare you–" Hindi na natapos ng saleslady ang sasabihin nang biglang may humawak sa braso nito. Takang napalingon ito.

"Ilang taon ka na, miss pretty? May nakapagsabi na ba sa 'yo na kamukha mo si Princess Sarah?" nakangiting tanong ni Zeny, isa ring saleslady sa Mamita Dress Shop. Kanina pa ito nakikinig sa pag-uusap ng dalawa.

"Zeny?" takang anas ng saleslady.

Tanging tango lang ang tinugon ni Zeny rito.

"Huh?" Nagtaas ng kilay si Precious sabay halukipkip. "Well, I'm thirteen."

"Wow. Thirteen. Amazing! You look fifteen though."

"So your point is?"

"Meron kasi akong daughter. Gusto na niyang lumaki ng mabilis. Wants to be taller. She's already ten but looks eight. I think she'll want to be like you."

"Is that so?" Ngumiti ng tipid ang bata. "Well, I guess she does. Everyone hates me but wants to be me, anyway. Want to know why? Because I'm rich and pretty. I'm perfect."

"That's cool," sang-ayon ni Zeny pagdaka'y nilingunan ang kasamahang saleslady. "Ang cool niya, ' di ba, Alice? Sa tingin ko maraming tao ang natutuwa sa kanya."

"Natutuwa? Are you serious? That thing is a demon child. She's–" Napakagat-labi si Alice nang palihim itong kurutin ni Zeny sa tagiliran. She managed to maintain a straight face, though, thank goodness. Pinukulan nito ng makahulugang tingin si Zeny sabay ngiti. "Yes, tama ka. I'm sure maraming naiinggit sa kanya. Perfect, e. Wow naman."

"Tama." Muling ibinaling ni Zeny ang tingin kay Precious. "I think nasa 'yo na ang lahat na wala sa ibang mga bata. You're one blessed little girl. Ano nga pala'ng name mo? Maaari ko bang malaman?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"None of your business, slave."

"Very well. Teka, alam mo ba, kung walang slaves noong unang panahon, malamang na hindi naitayo ang Great Pyramid of Giza?"

"And your point is?" nakasimangot na tanong ni Precious na halatang bored na sa tinatakbo ng usapan.

"You seem like a smart girl. Alam mo na siguro ang ibig kong sabihin."

"No, explain it."

Payak na ngumiti si Zeny.

"I mean, Pharaohs treat their slaves the best ways they can. Kung wala kasing slaves, walang gagawa ng mga gawain nila sa pang-araw-araw," matiyagang paliwanag ni Zeny. Muli itong ngumiti. "Kaya kung isa ka talagang perfect girl, sigurado akong may perfect heart ka rin para sa amin na tinuturing mong mga slave. Respecting us as human beings is enough."

"Why should I respect two silly salesladies?" Napailing si Precious. Sinuri nito si Zeny mula ulo hanggang paa sabay ismid. "I don't owe you anything. Duh!"

"I know but–"

"We have lots of money to spend here. Buti nga bumibili pa kami dito sa bulok n'yong shop. Kung meron dito na kailangang respetuhin, it should be me and my mom. You owe us a great deal of money."

"I told you, Zeny. She's a demon child," Iiling-iling na anas ni Alice habang nakatingin kay Zeny. Bakas sa namumulang mata nito ang matinding pagkainis. "You're just wasting your time."

"Just because you spend your money here doesn't mean you can disrespect us, young lady." Napabuntong-hininga si Zeny. "And you're only thirteen. It was your parents' money not yours, anyway."

"Ano ba'ng alam mo? You're just a silly fat saleslady!"

"I'm a saleslady, sure, and all I know is you need to learn to control your temper. Ang sama ng attitude mo, kid. You're thirteen not eighteen. Stop acting like a bitchy young adult."

"Pati yata utak mo pinasukan na rin ng taba." Ngumisi si Precious. "You said I look like fifteen, remember? No more bacons for you, stupid fat Hobbit!"

"Nasaan ba mga magulang mo? I will ask them to ground you for behaving like this."

"Ground her forever," usal naman ni Alice, more to herself. She gave the girl a disapproving look. "Kids these days. Pathetic."

"Ows, talaga? Can you do that? Like really."

"Yes, I can." Medyo nanginginig ang boses ni Zeny. She thought she could handle the situation. Pero nagkamali ito. Tulad ng sinabi ni Alice, this girl was a demon. A devil in disguise. Nakaramdam si Zeny nang matinding kalungkutan at awa para sa mga magulang ng batang ito. They just created a monster.

"We're you yelling at my daughter?"

Napalingon si Zeny.

Isang babae na may magarang kasuotan ang nakatayo at nakatingin sa kanya nang masama. Tangan nito sa isang kamay ang bagong biling mamahaling bag.

"Mom!" Tumakbo patungo kay Doña Lilia si Precious sabay yakap. Lumingon ang bata at nakasimangot na tinuro si Zeny. " Buti bumalik na kayo. That lady was harassing me, Mom. Napaka-rude niya sa 'kin. I don't even know why."

"Alam mong hindi totoo 'yan." Tumingin si Zeny kay Doña Lilia. "Pasens'ya na po, Ma'am, pero nagkakamali po kayo ng akala. In fact, ang anak n'yo ang rude."

"Excuse me?"

"She was acting ridiculous."

"My daughter was not acting ridiculous."

"Your daughter started throwing things around, Ma'am. Even called us slaves. Pinagsabihan ko lang siya na matutong gumalang sa kapwa. She was being disrespectful and- "

"My daughter was not disrespecting anyone in here. She's not that type of a girl."

"But she was, Ma'am."

"Are you saying that my daughter is a liar?"

"No, of course not but–"

"We spend lots of money here, in case you don't know, miss."

Manghang napatitig si Zeny kay Doña Lilia. Ang kaninang awa na naramdaman nito para sa mga magulang ng bata ay tuluyan nang napalitan ng galit.

"And so is everyone that goes in here. They spend money, too."

Sumibol ang maliit na ngiti sa mapulang labi ng donya.

"Well, we probably spend a lot more money than them. We're one of the patrons here. We expect to get the best service there is." Hinaplos ni Doña Lilia ang pisngi ng unica hija. "And I want what's best for my daughter."

"And I want the best!" sang-ayon naman ng bata habang nakahalukipkip.

"I see. So that's where she was getting it from," naiiling na turan ni Zeny.

Kumunot ang noo ni Doña Lilia.

"Getting where what?"

"Her bad attitude. She's obviously getting it from you." Tinapunan ni Zeny ng tingin si Precious. Nakakurba paitaas ang mga labi ng bata. God, she's enjoying this whole confrontation, naisaloob ni Zeny. "Somebody needs to discipline your child."

"Pinapalabas mo ba na hindi tama ang pagpapalaki ko sa anak ko?"

"Yes," tugon ni Zeny. "She's so disrespectful. She's rude. She's inappropriate because you're inappropriate."

"Don't tell me how to raise my own child."

"Sure. And you're doing a terrible job."

"How dare you!"

Napabuntong-hininga si Zeny.

"Pasensiya na kayo, Ma'am. I know how it feels. I'm also a mother. Nakakalungkot lang na nabubulagan kayo ng sobrang pagmamahal n'yo sa inyong anak, to the point that you are unintentionally making her a monster. Adored by no one and hated by everyone. Your money's going to make your child's life a living hell. Trust me."

"How dare you," marahang anas ni Doña Lilia habang nakapako ang matatalim na mga mata kay Zeny. Hindi ito makapaniwala na magagawa itong pagsalitaan ng masama ng isang hamak na saleslady lamang. Her ego was bruised. She felt violated.

"Ano'ng kaguluhan ito!" Isang may edad na lalaki ang patungo sa kanilang kinaroroonan.

"N-Nothing, Sir Facundo. Kaunting misunderstanding lang po," mabilis na salubong ni Alice sa matandang owner ng Mamita.

"No, it wasn't. You're such a liar!" salubong ang dalawang kilay na sigaw ni Precious kay Alice.

"Doña Lilia, nandito pala kayo," gulat na bulalas ni Sir Facundo sabay ngiti. Tumigil ito sa tabi ni Alice. "I suppose sa inyo ang brand new BMW na nasa parking lot, tama ba?"

"Damn right, Facundo. Kabibili lang ni Wilfredo last week sa Canada," walang emosyong tugon ni Doña Lilia. Nanatiling nakapako ang tingin nito kay Zeny habang nagsasalita. Bagay na pinagtaka naman ni Sir Facundo.

"May problema ba, Doña Lilia?"

"Facundo, that woman was harassing me and my mom a while ago," sumbong ni Precious sabat turo kay Zeny. "She was very rude to us."

"Ano!" Napalingon ang matanda sa gawi ni Zeny. "Totoo ba 'yon?"

"Sir, let me explain." Hindi makatingin ng diretso si Zeny sa matanda. She knew she just violated the number one rule of this shop. The penalty is termination. At daig pa ni Sir Facundo si Duterte kung batas militar ang pag-uusapan. Rules are rules, ang motto ng matanda.

"Pambihira. Kabagu-bago mo rito sa shop ko, gan'yan ka na sa mga customer?" Napailing si Sir Facundo. "At si Doña Lilia pa talaga ang napili mong pagsungitan na isa sa mga masugid na parokyano ng Mamita. Wala kang delikadesang babae ka."

"Pero, sir, 'yong bata po kasi ang–"

"Manahimik ka, Alice. Huwag kang sasabat kapag hindi ka kinakausap. Know your place." Agad na humarap si Sir Facundo kay Doña Lilia. "Ipagpaumanhin n'yo po ang inasal ng isa sa mga empleyado ko, Doña Lilia. I don't know what got into her."

Tipid na ngumiti si Doña Lilia.

"It's all right, Facundo. It was just a little misunderstanding, I guess."

Maang na napatingala si Precious kay Doña Lilia.

"No, it was not! Mom!"

"Regardless, wala pa ring karapatan ang mga empleyado ko na pagsungitan kayo, Doña Lilia. Pinapangako ko sa inyo na hindi na mauulit ang nangyari." Madilim ang mukha na nilingunan ni Sir Facundo si Zeny. Kung nagkataong laser beam ang mga mata nito, malamang kanina pa natunaw na parang naupos na kandila si Zeny sa kinatatayuan.

"Alam ko ang iniisip mo, Facundo. Don't fire her, silly."

Sabay na napatingin ang apat kay Doña Lilia.

"Mom! Don't tell me you'll just let this woman get away with it," hindi makapaniwalang bulalas ni Precious. "She just insulted you, remember?"

"Doña Lilia, sigurado ba kayo sa sinabi n'yo? Ayaw ninyong tanggalin ko rito si Zeny?"

Tumango ang donya.

"She needs this job. Sa itsura pa lang niya, mukhang may mga anak siyang sinusuportahan." Binigyan ni Doña Lilia nang makahulugang tingin ang nakakunot-noong si Zeny. "Ayoko namang magutom ang mga anak niya nang dahil lang sa hindi ko mapalaki ng tama ang anak ko. Mababaw na dahilan, right, Zeny?"

"Mom! What are you doing?" inis na sambulat ni Precious.