Desiring Mr. Carter (ONGOING)

Chapter Thirteen: They Met

[Ivana's]

“Mommy? Who was with you when you went out?" tanong ni Tyler sa akin habang pinapatulog ko siya.

”I was with a client," I replied while combing his hair using my hand. Gene is just a client and it should stay that way, ayokong makahalubilo pa siya.

“Hmm... Okay," inaantok na giit niya. Hindi ko masabing lumabas ako at kumain ng dinner kasama ang bastardo niyang tatay dahil wala pa siyang kaalam-alam.

”Matulog ka na anak at maaga pa tayo bukas. Do you want our trip to be extended next weekend? No, right?" Palagi akong kinukulit ni Tyler na mag-beach dahil summer na pero busy ako sa trabaho. Mabuti na lang at pumayag siya noong sinabi kong tsaka na lang kami mag-bebeach kapag weekend na para wala akong trabaho.

“Okay, mommy. Sleep na po ako, goodnight!" bulol na sambit niya. My son isn't used with speaking Filipino dahil sa lumaki siya rito sa Italy. Nakakaintindi siya at nakakapagsalita rin ng Filipino kaso bulol nga lang.

”Goodnight, baby. I love you," mahinang untag ko bago hinalikan ang kaniyang pisngi. “I love you too, mommy!" aniya at pumikit.

I love my son and he's the most important person in my life. Sa kaniya lang ako naka-focus pero kailangan kong magtrabaho para sa ikabubuti ng buhay namin. I don't want my parents to support me because I'm a grown woman right now at may anak na rin. Kinakaya ko namang tumayo sa sarili kong mga paa kaya hindi ko na kailangan ang financial support mula sa pamilya ko. I'm balancing my time between work and Tyler, I'm making sure to spend time with him as much as I can dahil iyon ang dapat gawin ng isang magulang.

”You really look like him, anak," bulong ko habang nakatitig sa anak kong mahimbing na natutulog. I'm afraid to think what will happen when Gene meets him any time from now dahil nandito lang siya sa Italy. Ang mas inaalala ko ay ang sinabi ni Gene na gusto niyang makilala si Tyler.

Bukas ay maaga kaming pupunta sa Mazzaro Sea Palace at doon na rin kami magpapalipas ng gabi. Gusto kong mag-unwind kaya doon muna kami ng isang gabi lang dahil stress ako simula noong nakita ko ulit ang pagmumukha ni Gene. Honestly, halos wala akong tulog kagabi dahil sa kakaisip kung ano ang pwedeng gawin ni Gene, I can't underestimate him knowing what he's capable of. He may be strange now but I know it's just a facade that he put for show just to lure me in. Ang malas lang niya dahil ilang taon na akong sinasabihan ni Mr. De Guzman sa mga bagay na kayang gawin ni Gene. Isa siyang halimaw kaya dapat maging matalino ako. I have to lure him into my trap and I know I can do that because I have someone backing me up. The success rate of my revenge plan is hundred percent but it depends on how I do it. Delikado ang magiging kalabasan kapag pumalya ako.

[Gene's]

“Dad, how's mom?" I asked right after he picked my call up. I have to call him because I'm not sane right now and I know dad will have a say about it.

”Out with her friends," he replied with his bedroom voice. Kumunot ang noo ko at tinignan ang aking relo. “It's still nine in the morning there, right? Bakit ang aga naman yata ng lakad niya?"

Narinig kong bumuntong-hininga si dad. ”Kilala mo naman 'yung nanay mong one call away kapag nakatanggap ng tawag sa mga kaibigan niya. She never changed even when she's getting old," he replied then he yawned.

“Nakahiga ka pa? You have to go to work, dad. You have three boardmeetings with the investors today and---"

”I got it, geez. How about you? Why are you still awake? It's past midnight there but you're still wide awake. Did something happen?" He really knows me well, alam niya kung may pinagdadaanan ako.

“Yeah, it's quite late here but I can't sleep. I need a booze to calm my nerves." I'm still thinking about her and the one percent possibility that she might be my Kate. My head f*****g hurts when I think about it but I just can't tell anyone about what the sin I did in the past.

”Why? Did shits happen?" Not just a simple s**t, dad.

“Yeah and by the way, dad, I f*****g went on a date six hours ago. Don't you ever think about telling mom anything about it. Let's keep it for the both of us, alright?." Mom will surely nag me when she knows I went on a date.

”Ohh, cool. So, you finally managed to ask someone on a date. Thought you would shut everyone out and just marry your office," he sarcastically stated. I can envision him rolling his eyes with a smug looks on his face.

I hissed. “Look what who's talking. I heard you rejected mom couple times already and even barely asked her on a date. Guess we're sharing the same gene in our systems," I teased.

”Shut up, Marcus. Don't remind me of the days I'm still regreting up until now. But hey! I love your mom since I first saw her, I was just waiting for her to finish her studies before making a move," he defended himself. We're so much alike, I fell in love with Kate the moment I saw her dancing ballet and that's how the idea of kidnapping her came into my mind.

Damn, I wish I did the same thing like dad. I regret not waiting for her to recognize me, I got blinded by the thought of keeping her before anyone else does.

“Traditional-minded I see," I commented.

”Because that's what real men are ought to do. So why are we talking about women? You've finally grown a d**k? Nagbibinata ka na ba, anak?"

“What the hell, dad?! Are you looking down on me? My c**k is huge that it can produce a baby in just one round of s*x!" I shot back.

I heard him burst into laughter. ”Damn it, Marcus. Do you even know the art of s*x? I bet you're still a virgin on the age of twenty-seven."

“The f**k, dad? I did hook up with tons of girls when I was younger but I stopped four years ago."

”Why did you stop? You should probably get a wife and give us tons of grandchildren. Your mom might just stay in the house, looking out for your kids when you give us at least one or two."

Sumakit lalo ang ulo ko dahil sa sinabi niya. “I don't want to talk about it right now, dad. Things are quite complicated now."

”Fine. I have to get my ass ready for work. Don't forget about your mom's birthday gift, bye!"

“Yeah," I replied before the line went off.

Van Perez. You're an interesting woman and I want to know everything about you because you're stirring up my curiosity and what if's. I better set my eyes on you and keep you close to me before you get away.

Are you really who you are claiming to be?

[Ivana's]

”Come on, mom. Make it fast or we're gonna be late!" sigaw sa akin ni Tyler mula sa Lana's ng bahay. Hinihintay niya kasi ako kanina pa dahil medyo matagal ako rito sa loob ng bahay. Inaayos ko pa kasi yung zipper suot kong boots. “MOMMY! ANG TAGAL!" sigaw niya ulit kaya nagmadali na akong lumabas.

”You're too loud, Tyler. I was just fixing my shoes," I said when I went out and locked the house.

Humalukipkip siya at ngumuso sabay tingin sa akin ng masama. “You know it's hot in here but you kept me waiting for you, mom."

I stared at him in disbelief. Eto na naman tayo sa attitude problem ng anak kong 'to. ”Tyler, what kind of attitude is that? Didn't I tell you not to talk to me like that?“ galit na sambit ko. Wala naman akong ugali na ganyan kaya alam ko na kung kanino niya namana ang pag-uugali niyang medyo bastos.

Hindi naman siya ganito palagi pero kapag nawalan siya ng pasensya ay doon talaga lumalabas ang ugali niyang gano'n. Magulang ako kaya alam ko ang ugali ng anak ko dahil matagal ko na siyang inoobserbahan.

”Sorry mommy," naiiyak na giit niya. Nilapitan ko naman siya at kinarga para pigilan ang kaniyang pag-iyak. “Don't cry, baby. Mommy is not mad anymore but don't act like that again, okay?" ani ko.

”Yes, mommy." Hindi pa rin bumabalik ang sigla niya kaya nag-isip ako ng sasabihin upang bumalik ang na siya sa normal. “Let's get inside the car and leave. You want to see the beach, right?"

”Yes mommy! Let's go!" masigla siyang humiyaw na siya namang ikinangiti ko. “Alright, tara na."

Umalis na kami ng bahay pero sinigurado ko munang naka-lock lahat ng mga pinto, bintana at pati ang gate. Safe naman yung location ng bahay namin pero kailangan ko pa ring i-double check para sure ang safety. Malapit na kami sa Mazzano Sea Palace noong napansin ko ang sasakyan sa likuran namin na kanina pa sumusunod. Nagtataka na ako pero iwinaksi ko na lang iyon dahil baka naman coincidence lang.

”Mommy, where are we going?" tanong ni Tyler mula sa backseat. Saglit ko siyang nilingon bago ako sumagot. “Pupunta tayo sa Mazzaro Sea Palace. Favorite mong pumunta roon, 'di ba? We've been there couple of times already."

”Wow! Are we going to spend the night there like we always do?"

“Yes, baby!" nakangiting sambit ko.

”I'm so excited, mommy!" aniya habang pumapalakpak. Tumawa na lang ako habang tinitignan siya mula sa rear-view mirror. He's so innocent and knows nothing about the things going on between me and his dad.

“We're finally here!" pasigaw kong sambit noong pinark ko ang sasakyan sa parking lot. Agad namang tinanggal ni Tyler ang kaniyang seatbeat at sinabihan akong buksan na 'yung pinto. Umiling na lang ako bago lumabas ng sasakyan. ”Let me carry you out," ani ko.

Ang una niyang ginawa noong binuhat ko siya palabas ng sasakyan ay ang tignan ang iba pang mga sasakyang nakaparada rito. He's always been so fascinated by cars kaya halos sasakyan ang mga laruan niya. “Don't go running around again, Tyler. Hintayin mo ako saglit at kukunin ko lang ang mga gamit natin sa compartment," pahiwatig ko. Tumango naman siya kaya iniwan ko siyang nakatayo habang palingon-lingon sa paligid. Pumunta na ako sa likod ng sasakyan para ibaba ang mga gamit namin pero noong pagbalik ko ay wala na si Tyler sa tinatayuan niya.

"Tyler?!" sigaw ko at lumingon para hanapin siya. Sobra ang kaba ko kaya basta ko na lang iniwan ang mga buhat kong bag para hanapin siya.

Lakad takbo ang ginawa kong paghahanap sa kaniya at dahil sa malawak ang parking lot ay inuna ko muna ang kaliwang bahagi nito. ”Tyler?! Where are you?!" sigaw kong muli.

My voice echoed everywhere kaya alam kong maririnig niya ako. Isang minuto na ang nakalipas pero wala pa rin akong nakitang Tyler kaya nagsimula na akong matakot at maiyak. Nagtungo naman ako sa ka ang bahagi ng parking lot at inisa-isang sinuri ang mga sasakyan para hanapin ang anak ko.

“Lord, ibalik niyo po sa akin ang anak ko," paiyak na panalangin ko. Hindi ko kaya kapag nawalay siya sa'kin dahil siya lang ang meron ako ngayon. Ikakamatay ko kapag hindi babalik sa akin ang anak ko.

Nagsimula nang pumatak ang mga luha sa'king mata pero agad kong pinalis ang mga iyon nang makarinig ako ng tawa. Hindi ako nagkakamali, kay Tyler ang boses na iyon! Tumakbo ulit ako at hinanap ang pinanggagalingan ng tawa hanggang sa napatigil ako sa aking nasaksihan.

Nakaupo si Tyler sa harap ng isang itim na sports car at nilalaro ang manibela habang tinuturuan siya ni Gene. Kitang-kita ko sila dahil nga sports car ang sasakyan ng mokong. Hindi na ako nag-aksaya ng oras at nilapitan ang anak ko.

”Tyler. I've been looking for you!" puno ng pag-aalala kong sinabi bago siya kinarga palabas mula sa sasakyan. “Mommy, I'm just playing with that guy," sambit niya at tinuro ang tahimik na Gene sa sasakyan.

”So, he's your son, huh?" mapanuring tanong ni Gene na siyang nagpakaba na naman sa akin.

Bakit ba siya nandito?! Wala na, they finally met and I don't know what will happen next!