Wanted: Perfect Housewife

M A R C O M O N T E F A L C O "It's sleeping time!" magiliw na pahayag ko sabay bukas ng pinto sa kuwarto ni Lovie. Naabutan ko siyang naglalaro sa ibabaw ng kama. She immediately put all her toys inside the box and pushed it down to her bed. "Done, Daddy!" tugon niya sa akin. Masigla niya akong sinalubong at niyakap. "Very good!" I complimented. Lovie was a sweet and lovable kid. Kahit na lumaki siya na walang mommy ay mabait at masunurin pa rin na bata. Hindi pa muna namin sinabi sa kanya ang lahat, like all about the real relationship between her and her true mother, masiyadong komplikado at bata pa si Lovanah. Besides, if we will really think of it, she was Mutya's daughter, or supposed to be Maria when we got married. Ang importante naman ay okay na kami. We are all happy and contented. Masaya na sina Rhem at ang bagong Maria. In fact, they are waiting for their own baby boy to come. Para sa akin ay wala na ang asawa ko at masaya na ako kasama ang aking pinakamamahal na anak. Ako, I already have Lovanah. She's enough for me. "Daddy!" Nakangisi niyang inabot ang isang story book sa akin. I knew it! Magbabasa na naman kami ng fairytale story na palagi niyang pinapaulit na ipabasa sa akin. Tila ba walang kapaguran niyang pinapakinggan ito at kahit na alam na niya ang ending ng malungkot na prinsipe at ang babae sa kuwento ay nagagalak at nasasabik pa rin siya. My daughter is so sweet, so innocent. Kaya nga nasasaktan ako tuwing nagtatanong siya sa mommy niya. "Alright. Go, hop into your bed." Agad namang tumalima ang bata at nahiga sa sariling kama. I put the blanket on the top of her chest and sat beside her. "And now, let's pray first..." She put her two palms together and closed her eyes. I gently stroked her black, straight hair and carefully listened to her prayer. "Papa Jesus, thank you for this wonderful night. Thank you for Daddy, Tita-Mommy, Tito-Dada, and Nanay Esther, " she recited. She unfailingly said this prayer every night. Sa palagay ko nga ay nabibingi na ang Diyos sa palaging dasal ni Lovie at nakatutuwa lang na wala siyang ibang hinihingi kundi ang magpasalamat. Napangiti ako. Pero parang hindi pa siya tapos dahil hindi pa nag-a-amen. Baka may bago na naman siyang hihingin. Toys, maybe. Bihira lang siyang humingi ng laruan sa akin. Minsan nga ay ako na an bumibili kaya masayang-masaya si Lovie minsan. She appreciated small things and I was so lucky that God gave me wonderful and sweet daughter like her. "And also, thank you po for my future and new mommy. Amen!" New Mommy? Where did she get that? Napatitig ako sa kaniya. Nanlulumo ang puso kong marinig ito galing sa bibig ni Lovie. Alam kong sabik na sabik ang anak ko sa pagmamahal ng isang ina. But how? Hindi naman ako kukuha lang ng kung sino para maging nanay ng anak ko. Mahal naman ni Maria si Lovie pero iba talaga kung nakakasama ang nanay mo. The Maria I met before was the ideal woman for me. She was perfect in all her imperfections. And if I will get married again, I want to choose the best, and let's say, the perfect woman ~ a perfect mother and perfect housewife. Hindi iyon para sa akin. Para iyon sa anak ko. Gusto ko siyang maging masaya. Pasimple kong pinahid ang mga luha. I was really emotional pagdating kay Lovie. Mahal na mahal ko ang anak ko and she already hooked my weakness, especially my heart. "Okay, let's read." Pilit kong pinapasigla ang boses. She must not see me crying. No one must see me crying. I am fine. Am I? I shook my head at the idea. Okay ako! Okay na okay ako... "The Sad Prince.. " Iyon ang titulo ng libro. "There was a girl who had been wandering along the dusty road for many years... Her dress was as yellow to outshine the sun and was embroidered around the hem with cuffs in cherry-red flowers. Long and burnished was her brown hair, twined and tangled through a small red dress..." Lovie sat and looked at me. Napatigil ako sa pagbabasa para tingnan din siya. "Daddy, the girl is beautiful, isn't she?" Nginitian ko lang siya at pinahigang muli. I eyed back to the book and continued reading. "Despite her traveling, the girl was not worried. One morning, she turned a corner and came across a ruined town. The ruins were inhabited with an abundance of life. But there were no people..." Pasimple kong tiningnan ang bata at nakita kong humihikab na. She slowly closed her eyes and I thought she was really sleeping, that's why I slowly closed the book until I heard her mumble. "C-Continue, Daddy," she said in a very sleepy voice. Gising pa pala! I smiled and opened the book again. Pinakli ko pa ito at saka muling nagbasa. "The girl went inside the castle of that ruined town. She saw a man sitting in a chair beside a deep-set window. A slim golden crown straddled his head. The man with a sad face and sad eyes is a Prince..." I stopped when I heard her sweet snore. Papakiramdaman ko muna siya bago ako hinay-hinay na tatayo. Madaling makatulog si Lovie pero ang bilis niyang magising lalo na kung may gagalaw. But I didn't have my move yet when Lovie quickly hugged me at my waist. Wala akong nagawa kaya bumalik ako sa pagkakasandal sa higaan at hinayaan na lamang siya. My sweet little princess. I caress her hair and stared at the beautiful face of my precious daughter. I enjoyed the moment looking at her. She grew up so fast. And years later, may dalaga na ako. She really looks like you, hon... sabi ko sa sarili. Nawala man ang pinakamamahal kong asawa, may isang tao naman ang humalili sa kanya. I leaned my head on the headboard of the bed and took the book I just read. The Sad Prince.... Ako ba ang tinutukoy sa istorya? Am I really that sad? Binuklat ko ang pahina kung saan ako nahinto and continued to read it. Mabuti pa nga ang mga bida sa kuwento ay may magandang happy ending sila. Sa totoong buhay ay may masasabi ko namang happy pero hindi ganoon ang magiging ending ko. Masaya ako sa piling ni Lovie, ayos na sa akin iyon. You will never know what will happen. You will never know who will come. And definitely, Lovie was the best person who came into my life. Napahikab ako at nakaramdam na ng antok. Not just a couple of minutes, I instantly fell asleep... Sleep sad prince...