“I’m sorry I cannot fetch Jeanie yet. I got trapped in the traffic,” he texted Princess para kahit naman paano ay ‘di ito magwala. Lagi na lang itong nakaangil. She must be living a very miserable life brought by so much anger.
“It’s okay. Take your time,” was the answer he got, and that really surprised him. Some good air must have blown over her step sister’s face. Well that’s a good sign, he thought.
“Hello, honey,” his phone rang and it was Pamela. Nagpapasundo dahil gusto nitong pumunta sa bahay niya.
“Okay, samahan mo na rin akong sunduin si Jeanie.” And the reply was okay. Now he was really curious. The second woman who really hates Jeanie just said okay to him.
Ano bang nangyayari? Jeanie must have performed magic that would melt the anger in the two ladies’ hearts.
Dahil sinundo pa niya si Pamela, pasado alas onse na sila dumating sa bahay ni Princess.
“What do you think of me, owl? Paniki? Gising sa gabi?!” Masungit na bungad nito sa kanila, not even saying hello to his girlfriend.
“Look, I am sorry. Some emergency happened -”
“Get her.” Tinuro nito ang batang natutulog sa sofa. “And leave at once, please. This is already so much bother, mister. I shouldn’t be the one taking care of her because it’s not my schedule!” Litanya pa nito. He could have just listened in his left ear and let it pass through his right ear, but Pamela worsened the situation.
“Kapatid mo siya. Dapat nga ikaw ang nag-aalaga riyan eh. Kaiser has no responsibility over Jeanie, bakit mo ba siya dinadamay?” Mali ang sinabi, mali pa ang tono at timing ng girlfriend niya and he knew it.
“Atty. Choi, what does the law says about speaking nonsense and untruthful things to someone at her own house? Pwede ko bang kasuhan ang girlfriend mo?” Halatang anumang oras ay baka mawala ang pagtitimpi nito. “Baka naman kasi nakakalimutan niya na kapatid mo si Jeanie –”
“Let’s go, Pamela,” pinilit na niyang umalis ang kasintahan. “Thanks,” he told Princess bago sila nito mapagbagsakan ng pinto.
Mali pala siya, baka dahil tulog na si Jeanie kanina kaya sinabi nito na okay lang kahit ma-late siya nang kaunti. Kaso masyado siyang na-late.
***
It’s her schedule para alagaan ang kapatid. And again for the first time, na-excite siya sa pagdating nito. She cooked special meriendas. Napag-isip isip niya na hindi siya nakatutulong sa sitwasyon ng bata.
Jeanie needs a company, ‘yong tutulong dito na malampasan ang pagsubok sa batang edad nito. Maybe she could share her pain. Galit siya sa nanay niya, pero hindi tama na idamay niya si Jeanie. Kaya nagpasya siya na she would make it up to her sister.
Usually, Kaiser and Jeanie arrive at ten AM. It was only eight so she decided na pumunta muna sa malapit na convenient store to buy her sister’s favorite snack, to add to her baked mac.
Pero past ten na ay wala pa ito. She got worried kaya tinawagan na niya si Kaiser.
“Nasaan na kayo?” She asked as soon as Kaiser accepted her call.
“Oh, I’m sorry. ‘Di ko nasabi agad, wala naman kasi akong lakad today so parang bayad ko na rin sa mga istorbo ko sa ‘yo when it was my schedule. Ako na muna ang bahala kay Jeanie.”
“Are you sure?” Parang siya ang hindi sure dahil medyo disappointed siya.
“Yeah – why I thought you’d be happy,” siguro ay nahimigan nito na dismayado siya.
“Yeah! Of course, I am happy. Thanks. I can take this day off,” she ended the call at once, but it rang again. “Yes mister, you forgot to say something?”
“I am just wondering, maybe you can join us. We’re going to the beach. Somewhere in Batangas,” anyaya nito. “With Pamela, of course,” he added.
“No, thanks.” She’d rather stay in her house than go anywhere with Kaiser and that mermaid girlfriend of his. “Just take care of Jeanie.”
Hindi naman sila close, her decision to patch things up between her and Jeanie didn’t include being nice to her brother too, most of all, his girlfriend.
“Of course. So, you’re not coming?”
“No, thanks though.”
Disappointed na naupo siya sa sofa.
‘Maybe tomorrow she’ll come,’ she thought, pupunta na lang siya sa mall to buy some gifts for her sister.
She’s already locking the door, ready to leave when Kaiser’s car stopped in front of her house.
“Just in time! Tara na?” binaba nito ang tinted na bintana ng kotse nito.
“Huh? I thought I already made it clear to you that I am not coming with you?” kunot noo na tanong niya.
“Your sister here is so makulit,” bumaba mula sa kotse ang batang tinutukoy nito.
“Ate, sama ka.” Yumakap ito sa paa niya. “It’s gonna be fun, kuya said he’ll teach me how to swim!”
“May lakad ako eh, next time na lang. Bonding naman tayong dalawa,” she smiled at her but she won’t let go of her.
“Please?” her eyes were pleading like she wouldn’t take no for an answer. “Because Pamela is coming with us. She’ll get all kuya’s attention and kuya will no longer attend to me,” dagdag nito nang yukuin niya ito.
Napapailing na lang si Kaiser sa sinasabi ng bata.
Sa palagay naman ni Princess ay pareho sila ng kapatid, ayaw din nito si Pamela.
Napangiti siya.
“Okay, let me get some foods first,” that statement really widened the mermaid’s eyes, hindi ata nito inaasahan na sasama siya.
What she found funny was hindi ito makaangal sa gusto ng bata.
“Yeheey!!!”
Binaon na lang niya ang mga inihanda niyang pagkain kanina.
“Oh, you did not mention to me na naghanda ka pala,” Kaiser teased.
“These are for Jeanie’s supposed stay here today,” she defended, sa back seat sila ni Jeanie because the queen mermaid was in the front beside their driver.
Hindi ito umiimik, halatang ‘di nito gusto na kasama siya. Well, that’s good para ‘di siya maobligang kasusapin ito.
Three hours drive to the area seemed forever dahil sa disgust na nararamdaman niya. Mula nang makatulog si Jeanie, ‘di na tumigil si Pamela sa pagharot sa step brother niya. And it annoyed her, what was she thinking to display such? Pakialam ba niya? She pretended to be asleep, but her giggles were more annoying.
Laking pasasalamat na lang niya nang dumating na sila sa paroroonan. They rented a cottage close to the beach. Her plan was just to watch them dahil wala naman siyang dalang damit. But Jeanie would cry kapag ‘di niya ito sinamahan.
“Pumayag ka na, bibilhan na lang kita ng bihisan,” Kaiser interrupted. “What’s your size?” bahagya siya nitong tiningnan, then with a playful smile on his lips, he said, “Never mind. Ako na ang bahala.”
Hindi niya ito pinansin. She could only guess what he was thinking. She was nothing compared to his girlfriend, but who cares anyway? Naroon siya para sa kapatid, kaya nagpahila na siya kay Jeanie papunta sa dalampasigan.
“Teach me how to swim, ate!”
“No I can’t – I don't know how to swim!”
“Then let’s just do sand castles.” Naupo na ang bata sa buhanginan.
“Okay.”
It took some time bago sumunod sa kanila sina Kaiser at Pamela, the latter in a very sexy and provocative swimsuit. Buntot na lang kulang dito at pwede na itong dalhin sa kaibuturan ng dagat. She was clinging to Kaiser’s arms like a snake telling everyone a message like ‘this man is mine.’
So? She nearly voiced that out.
“Nasa ibabaw ng bag mo ang bihisan mo,” Kaiser told her. Tumango lang siya sa binata. He was gorgeous with his shirt off, nakalantad sa arawan ang maganda nitong pangangatawan.
‘Bagay sila,’ she thought. ‘Ang halay.’
At sinasabi na nga ba niya, ginawa lang siyang tagapag-alaga ng kapatid nilang pinangakuan nitong tuturuang lumangoy. It’s a good thing na enjoy sa company niya ang bata. Jeanie totally forgot Kaiser’s promise.
***
Napapailing siya ng makita ang damit na binili ni Kaiser para sa kanya. Summer dress iyon. In fact maganda, pero hindi siya nagsusuot ng gano’n. So instead na isuot, ipinantuyo lang niya ito sa katawan. ‘Di bale ng magkasakit siya. Mababa ang self-esteem niya kapag naka-dress, pakiramdam niya ‘di niya bagay.
She was combing her hair nang dumating sina Kaiser at Pamela. Halatang masayang-masaya ang girlfriend nito pero agad iyong nagbago nang makita siya. Hindi niya ito pinansin.
‘Bahala ka,’ she thought.
“Why aren’t you wearing the dress?” Kaiser asked.
“Hindi kasya,” she lied.
“Okay,” sabi lang nito bilang tugon.
Kapag pala walang make up ang girlfriend nito eh hindi maganda? Natatawa siya sa naisip and she wondered kung ano ang nakita ni Kaiser dito. She might not want to admit it but Kaiser looks smart.
“Hindi kasi siya nagsusuot ng dress, hon. I told you hindi dapat ‘yon ang binili mo,” may halong pangungutya ang sinabing iyon ni Pamela.
‘Sige lang, may araw ka rin.’
“Kumain na kayo ni Jeanie?” Kaiser asked instead. Hindi na rin nito pinatulan ang sinabi ng girlfriend nito.
“Yeah,” was her short reply.
“Good,” anito. “Magbibihis lang kami, then I think we should go.”
“Okay.”
Bakit ba siya naiinis? Yumakap na naman sa braso ng binata si Pamela.
‘Bakit ba? Kukunin ko ba siya?’
Minabuti niyang ayusin na rin ang mga gamit nila ni Jeanie.
“Princess, baka magkasakit ka, basa ‘yang damit mo.”
Kaiser said habang may hinahanap sa bag nito. “Here, hiramin mo muna ito. Don’t worry, ‘di pa gamit ‘yan.”
Hinagis nito sa kanya ang t-shirt nito. “Pamela bought undies for you too, have you seen it? You should change. ‘Pag nagkasakit ka, ‘di mo maaalagaan si Jeanie.”
So, ‘yon pala ‘yon? Doon pa rin pala ang concern nito.
“Okay! Thanks,” sabi pa rin niya kahit yamot na.
At small size talaga ang binili ng mga ito para sa kanya? Mabuti na lang at malaki pala ang sukat noon kaya nagkasya sa kanya. At dahil ‘di naman siya katangkaran sa height na five feet two inches, ang tshirt ng six footer niyang stepbrother ay malaki para sa kanya. Mukha na itong dress ng isuot niya. Pero okay na ‘yon kaysa sa maiksing summer dress na binili nito.
“Let’s go,” karga na nito si Jeanie na tulog pa rin nang matapos siyang magbihis.
Malalim na ang gabi ng makauwi sila. Sa bahay na niya matutulog si Jeanie.
“Thanks,” she told Kaiser nang maibaba nito si Jeanie.
“Welcome,” he said looking at her. “Goodnight.” Then he went back to his car.