Chapter 1

MARGOT'S POV

"You are not going anywhere!" Dad shouted when I told them about my plan going to the Philippines. Napatalon pa ako sa gulat nang sumigaw siya.

"But dad! You promise to me 3 years ago that once I close the deal you want me to close I can have a two to three years vacation," Saad ko pabalik at staka umupo sa couch.

"Sweetie, nag-aalala lang kami sayo, hindi ka sanay mabuhay ng wala kami, paano kung may mangyaring masama sayo doon?" Bato naman ni mommy, alam ko naman na kapakanan ko lang ang iniisip nila eh pero paano ako magiging independent nito kung ganyan lagi sila?

"Dad, that's exactly my point, I am 26 now yet I still depends on you, I want to be independent dad, mom. I want to try live alone and see if I could make it." Pag mamakaawa ko sa kanya.

"But why do you have to go to Philippines? There's a lot of places you can try to visit that is not too far from us. Sweetie I don't think this is the right time to decide, maybe you can try it done other time not now." My dad said and sit beside me. Ito mahirap kapag nag iisang anak ka lang eh dahil para ka nang sanggol na ayaw pa dapuan nang lamok.

"There's no right time dad, and if there is, i have to wait until when? When I got old and can't enjoy my life? Since I graduated from college i spend my time in our firm. And now I want to take a rest, please dad, mom." I beg to them and they both sigh.

"Okay kung yan talaga ang gusto mo pero pupunta ka doon kasama ang mga bodyguard mo at iba pang personal assistance," Saad niya.

"Dad, alam mo ba ang dahilan kung bakit gusto kong pumunta sa Pilipinas? Dahil gusto kong mamuhay ng malaya, gusto kong mamuhay ng simple at may kapayapaan. I want to work to feed my self. I am not gonna use our money there. I Gusto kong manatili sa mababang profile para isipin ng mga tao na hindi ako mayaman, dahil kung alam ng mga tao na kaya ko ang lahat ng bagay sa buhay ay sasamantalahin nila ito. Tulad dito sa America, kilala at respetado tayo, alam nila na kaya natin ang lahat kaya naman patuloy silang nagsasamantala sa atin na gusto nila akong kidnapin para mabayaran natin sila ng malaki. At hindi iyon ang gusto kong mangyari. Nag aantay ang mga tao para samantalahin ka kapag alam nilang may makukuha sila sa iyo." Sagot ko sa kanya at napabuka ang bibig niya dahil sa sinabi ko. Hindi ko lang alam kung bakit ayaw nila akong pumunta sa Pilipinas, masyado bang malayo iyon? Pero doon naman nakatira ang parents ni mommy noon ah bago nag migrate dito sa US. Mommy is half Filipina but she's very fluent in tagalog as well as me and dad dahil dad lives there when he was young dahil nag black sheep siya sa family kaya pinatira sa Philippines. As for me dito talaga ako lumaki but I know how to speak tagalog.

"Pero kilala ka naman sa boung mundo," Saad ni mommy, pansin ko lang na hinahanapan nila ang ako nang butas para wag matuloy sa plano.

"They only knew my name because of you mom and dad, but they haven't seen my face closely so I'm still safe." I said and dad nod.

"If you are that eager to live there for a little then I think you are right, you have to stay low profile for your safety but I am against to your idea not using our money, deal it or not you are going to use them. I'm not saying you have to spend them all, it still depends on you if you are going to use it little by little so people would not think you are not from a wealthy family. And another, change all your stuff, if you continue wearing that expensive clothes I don't think your plan will be effective. The problem now is your skin and beauty, because if i am a beggar and I saw you, I won't think your are poor, looking your features and skin people would think you are from a wealthy family." Dad said again and look at me. Ngumisi ako bago nag salita sa kanya.

"I can deal with that dad, I can answer them like I am using any skin whitening and other stuff, besides people from Philippines are now using that base on my research." Sagot ko at tumango si dad, nang tignan ko si mommy ay hindi siya nasiyahan sa sagot ko at naka simangot.

"Mom, I know you are just worried about me but I can assure you that nothing will bad happen to me and if there is I will go home immediately." I said and hug her. I saw her wipe her eyes. But her tears are not cooperating. Ganito ang kinaiinisan ko eh dahil kapag nakita ko silang umiiyak ay napapa iyak narin ako.

To make my mom feel better I decided to company her in the mall. Dad go with us. We bought a lot of things and I can see the plan is very effective because she's smiling now.

Kumain kami sa isang restaurant at nanood nang mga palabas nang makarating sa bahay.

Gabi na nang may kumatok sa pinto nang kwarto ko at nang pagbuksan ko iyon ay si mommy pala.

"Mommy bakit gising pa kayo? Gabi na po kailangan niyo na pong mag pahinga." Saad ko sa kanya.

"May ibang paraan paba para mapigilan kita sa pag alis mo darling? I just can't imagine being away from you. I know we can visit you there but I am used to not see you in a day. I will miss you badly, please don't leave. I know you just want to explore and enjoy while you're still young but I can't take it darling, I don't think I can live without you," she said and bursted crying. Im crying too because it hurts seeing my mom here very emotional about me leaving.

"Mom you can, you can live without me, and mom, it's not as if I will not go back here. I will just have a very long vacation and after that I'll go home here. We could still talk each other through internet and i can even come here if I'll miss you or you'll miss me. It's not as if I am going away and never return. You are my family and I will always come back to you and dad." I said and hug her. She patted my back and fix my hair.

Isang araw bago ang flight ko ay nakapag usap kami nang masinsinan ni mommy at daddy.

"We are known here for being a wealthy and respectable family and I want to keep it until the end of forever. Even if you are in the Philippines I don't want you to come and go the men you met, stay being a respected woman and never forget about your decency. Even if you act a low profile stay being a decent woman. Being a decent women doesn't really need to be rich. Just act proper and don't be a mess to your self that's enough." Saad ni mommy habang inaayos ang mga gamit ko.

"And always remember the rules, NO MARRIAGE, NO SEX, and another, we want to meet the person you think you are sure with. We want to meet him personally and if we like him then we'll let you be with him but if we think that he's dangerous for you then we're sorry in advance, we won't matter if he's rich or not, handsome or not. If you love him then present him to us. Even if you are old enough I don't want you to get pregnant by some random guy, that's a shame for our family. You know how I hate early pregnancy and base on my research it's very common there in Philippines. The very first time you step in the land of Philippines always remember to no sex without marriage, are we clear in that?" Ani ni dad, ano ba itong mga magulang ko kung I trato ako ay parang bata. Ang laki ko na jusko!

Jusko! Napaka protective nila. Alam kong alam nila ang tungkol sa mga ka-fling ko at sa tingin ko okay lang sa kanila iyon.

I thank God for having a very supportive parents, kahit na tutol sila sa plano ko dahil iniisip nila kung paano ako makatira doon na wala sila sa tabi ko pumayag pa rin sila at nagtitiwala sa akin na kaya ko.

Four in the morning ang flight ko kaya kailangan kong matulog ng maaga para magising din ako ng maaga.

Bago ako nakatulog ay ininom ko ang gatas na inihanda sa akin ni mommy kanina.

"Hoy! Sweetie gumising ka na! Mahuhuli ka sa flight mo. C'mon Margot, I would be the happiest mother now if your flight will be cancelled," agad akong bumangon.

"Mom, we had talked about this already," I said pouting and she chuckled.

"Kaya kita ginigising Gatty," sagot niya.

Gatty ang palayaw ko, hindi ko alam kung bakit sila pumasok sa palayaw na iyon.

Tinutulungan nila ako sa mga gamit ko at pinapunta ako nina mama at papa sa airport.

Masyado akong naging emosyonal nang magpaalam ako at ganoon din sila.

Hinalikan at niyakap ko sila ng mahigpit at hindi ko na napigilang mapaiyak na naman. mamimiss ko sila.

"We'll gonna miss you honey, don't forget to call us anytime and visit us regularly since you don't want us to visit you there," my mom said. Oo sinabi ko sa kanila na huwag akong bisitahin doon dahil ayokong magkagulo sila. I care for their safety, alam naman natin na hindi natin masasabi kung kailan mangyayari ang aksidente o anumang peligrosong bagay.