Chapter 11

MELISSA QUIZON

His face was serious. "Tell me. The boy in the picture—is he my son?"

I yanked the arm he was holding, then faced him. He looked at me seriously. Remorse was in his eyes.

"Wait? Your son? I didn’t know you had one. Why are you asking me this, Mister Agoncillo?" I frowned. I lowered the picture frame I was holding onto the table closest to me and then faced him again. "Didn't your stomach turn when you said that?"

I was sure he’d feel insulted by what I said. I didn't care. Why? After all these years, he had the nerve to call Reid his son? He must be out of his mind.

"Melissa..." He tried to reach out to me, but I raised my hand to stop him.

"Don’t take a step closer, Mister Agoncillo. Stay where you are." I had a hard time even saying his name. "If you come any closer, I'll hit you with all my strength." I looked around and pointed to the office supplies on my desk. "I have a lot of choices here."

He stopped and sighed. His jaw tightened. "Melissa, all I want to know is if he's my son—"

"Stop. Don’t say anything.” I couldn't help but raise my voice. I sighed and counted to ten before I looked at him coldly. "You know, I'm impressed with the thickness of your face. The thickness, really. The encyclopedia would be embarrassed."

"You don't have to insult me, Melissa. My question requires a ‘yes’ and ‘no’ response. Is Reid my son?!" he said authoritatively.

"You have no right to command me! You're in my territory, Wright!" I clasped my hands together because I wanted to hit this shameless man.

"I don't care!"

"You have no son, Wright!" I looked at him angrily. The painful memories came back as I looked into his face. The time he left me high and dry, the time he fooled me, the time he wanted to abort our child. "You told me to abort him, didn't you?"

‘Let's break up.’

‘So, what are you asking for now? Money? Supplies?’

‘If you don't have an abortion, you won’t receive anything from me.’

‘Have an abortion. I’ll take care of all the costs. It costs less than raising a child, Melissa. Your choice.’

I closed my eyes because of the memories. I didn’t want to remember those hellish words! Please! I didn’t want to remember the pain he caused me. I swallowed several times to keep the tears from coming out of my eyes. I looked up again and bravely met the anger in Wright's eyes.

"I gave you a choice then. Whether to have an abortion or not. But you said you didn't want to. Now, I'm asking you if he is my son!" he screamed back at me.

"He's MY child! My only child! My only child! I aborted your child before! You killed him!" I couldn’t help but vent my anger. I knew my face was already red with anger. I wanted to hit him hard to ease the anger I was feeling. I could already taste a little bit of blood because I accidentally bit my lip. "You have no children with me because you killed him yourself. And what right do you have to claim him now? What right do you have, huh, Wright?"

His expression softened. I backed away when he reached for me with his right hand. "Melissa..."

"Don't touch me! I hate you!"

I could see the agony in his eyes, but I kept my hard expression. "Please. Let’s just—"

I turned around and then covered my ears with my hands. "I told you! Reid isn't your son! He's not your son!"

There were arms wrapping around my waist. My hands that had previously covered my ears were now free and slapping Wright's arms. I pinched and even slapped him just to get away.

"Melissa! Bullshit!" There was determination in his voice. He tightened his grip on my arm. "I know he's mine!"

I struggled. I felt like I was getting burned everywhere he touched me. "What?! No! He isn’t yours!"

When he released me, I immediately backed away from him. He had left and enjoyed himself in a foreign country with a new girlfriend, and now he was back just to take my son? I needed to hide Reid.

"I'll find the truth, Melissa. Eventually," he said seriously. "For now, I'll let you go first. We're not done yet."

He walked past me. I didn't look at him until I heard the door slam shut. I pulled up a chair and sat down. My knees wobbled. I felt like I was out of energy because of what had happened. I felt scared. I didn't know what I would do if he took my son away from me.

Gradually, my co-teachers came in, so I organized myself as if nothing had happened. They asked me what a famous person like Wright wanted with me. I lied and told them it was because I slammed the door on him during class. I seemed to have convinced most of them, except for Ellyza. I just smiled at them, then took my bag and left the faculty room.

Out of exhaustion and confusion, I chose to take a leave of absence for the rest of the day. I was mentally and physically unstable. I thought deeply until I got to Eugene’s hospital.

His secretary let me inside his office. They already knew me because Eugene had introduced me to them before. I sat in the chair in front of his table, leaned on the table, and then closed my eyes. I remembered the conversation Wright and I had had earlier. It was as if many needles were piercing my heart.

"What happened? You look tired and bothered."

I lifted my face and looked at the door. Eugene was there. He was leaning against the door jamb and had both hands on his white coat. He also had a stethoscope around his neck.

I smiled at him, but it didn’t reach my eyes. "Hi. Sorry for coming without notice."

He closed the door and then sat in the chair in front of me. He took my hand and then kissed the back of my palm. "You’re not a bother. You know I’d cross a mountain just to see you."

We looked at the door when it opened. His secretary entered holding a bag of drinks.

"Doc, here's what you’ve ordered." Eugene approached her, then took the bag. After he gave his thanks, his secretary left us and closed the door.

He took the milkshakes out of the bag. I sighed deeply. It was my favorite flavor. He gave one to me, and I gladly accepted it. "Wow. Thanks."

He sipped on his milkshake. "Spill before you get a stomachache."

"It's okay. I'm in the hospital." I laughed after drinking the milkshake, then stared at my hand, which was holding the cup.

"We've run out of medicine for that. Tell me what’s the problem, Melissa." I sat up straight and looked at Eugene.

"Wright and I met earlier."

"I see." He took a deep breath, lowered the cup onto his desk, and held my hand. "And then?"

I told him everything. I didn’t even know why I didn’t have a hard time telling the story to Eugene. "Then, when I entered our faculty room, he was there. He was holding the...picture of Reid and me. He asked if...if Reid is his son."

"And, of course, because you were so mad at him, you said no."

"Right!"

He seemed disappointed in what I did. "Wright isn't stupid, Mel."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you think he didn't notice how much Reid resembles him?" He pushed his chair closer to mine and reached over my shoulder. "'Don't fool yourself, Mel."

He was siding with Wright?! My annoyance resurfaced.

I lowered the cup to his table and then removed his hand from my shoulder. "What do you want me to do?! I'll tell him Reid is his son?! Give in to what he wants? Damn it! He wanted me to abort Reid because he didn't want to be accountable!"

I stood and walked back and forth in front of Eugene's desk. I didn't have an ally anymore?! Shit! How could I think Eugene was mad at Wright before? Why was it that he was siding with the person who cheated on me and hurt me!?

He stood up. "Melissa, calm down."

"No! I can't believe it! I thought you were on my side, Eu." I couldn't stop my tears from flowing. I wiped them away. "Did you expect me to accept Wright with open arms?! I won't! I can't accept the person who dumped us like a pair of kittens in a cardboard box!"

Eugene hugged me tightly and stroked my hair. I wrapped my arms around his waist. "Stop crying, Mel. I'm sorry. Hush now."

"I can't. It still hurts. It still hurts." I sobbed.

"Shh...I know. It's not going to go away easily. But I'm here, Mel. I won’t go anywhere."

"You can try and put the pieces of me together, but I won't be the same again." Wright had wrecked me. He had left nothing intact of me. What was left that I could give Eugene?

We were in that position for a few minutes. I calmed myself before looking up at him. I watched Eugene's worried face. He raised his hand and then wiped the tears from my cheeks and eyes. He pressed our foreheads together, and I closed my eyes.

"Eu, what am I going to do?"

"You're old enough, Mel. What do you think is right?" he whispered.

I opened my eyes and met his. "I don't know anymore."

He kissed me on the forehead. "I'm here. I'll protect you and Reid. I love you."

"Thank you." I tiptoed and then kissed him on the cheek. "Reid and I love you too. We love you, Eugene."

"Yeah, we're family." He smiled. "Don't cry. You look like a loser bear."

"How do you know what a loser bear looks like?"

"Every handsome man knows that."

"Wow."

This was what I like about Eugene: he made me feel better. Maybe I wouldn’t regret it if I loved him. Maybe I wouldn’t be hurt if he was the one I loved. "You smell like a fresh orange."

“Yes, I was talking to a patient, and she had cravings. So, after her ultrasound, I peeled some orange for her.”

I was about to speak when there was a knock on the door. When it opened, his secretary entered. Her expression was blank and cold. She was always serious, so maybe that was why Eugene took her on as his secretary.

"Doc, it's time for a patient checkup."

"Yes. I'll be there.” Eugene nodded, and then he looked at me. "Are you going somewhere tonight?"

I nodded. "Yes. Crissa and I have a gig from ten o'clock till midnight."

"Ah. That's the end of my shift. I'll pick you up."

"Huh? Don't. You're tired. Just rest. I can handle myself."

"I insist." He caressed my cheek. His face dropped, and he gently kissed me on the cheek. "See you."

"Okay."