บท 19: The Real Princess

<p>"I said, stop!" sigaw ni Belle in acting. Nakasalang ito sa rehearsals. "There will be no parties at all!"<br/><br/>"But Princess, it's your 18th birthday, why won't we celebrate?" ani Melai bilang Priya. <br/><br/>"Are you all crazy?" sagot ni Princess Alurah, "Look at me! I'm green!"<br/><br/>The crowd roared in laughter. Alurah's character might be bitchy and evil-like but Belle delivered it cutely. So the crowd was enjoying the rehearsals. <br/><br/>"Because it's daylight," debate ni Priya. "But at night, you're a princess. A beautiful one."<br/><br/>Belle's acting face shifted to a gloomy reaction. Napayukyok ito "B-but I'm scared..."<br/><br/>Lumapit dito si Priya. Pumantay ng upo at humarap sa batang aktres. Hinawakan nito ang dalawang palad ni Belle, saka nilitanya ang script. "Comm'on, Princess. We can pull this through. Nothing can go wrong."<br/><br/>"Cut!" sigaw ni Via. "Good take!" Everybody clapped and some cheered. "Melai, just remember that Princess Alurah is not a child. She's just small. There are emotions na lumalabas sayo as if your talking to a child," komento niya.<br/><br/>"Sorry, Direk. It's hard to adapt the scene when you act with this adorable one," ani Melai. <br/><br/>"Yeah, I get it! So Belle, stop being cute," biro ni Via na ikinatawa ng nasa aligid. <br/><br/>Biglang nagkaron ng kumosyon sa paligid. Matt came rushing in, kasama si Thor and JV. Frac was with them as well. Thor headed to where Belle is, while Frac and Matt walk towards her. Both have worried faces. <br/><br/>"Vi, you need to leave..." pabulong na sabi ni Frac.<br/><br/>Matt reached into her and bumulong. Her eyes widen kasabay nang pagbaha ng pag-alala sa mukha niya. Napatingin siya sa batang si Belle. <br/><br/>"Ummm... sorry guys. Let's call this a day. Be here tomorrow same time," ani Via while looking at JV holding Belle. <br/><br/>"We'll take care of Belle. We'll see you later," ani JV as he and Thor head out of the theater. Akay-akay si Belle. <br/><br/>Mabilis na napasunod si Via palabas ng theatro kasunod din si Matt. She went straight to PRV's office. Hindi na siya kumatok as she reached the office. Naabutan nilang nakatutok sa TV ang producer. <br/><br/>"What happened?" ani Via. <br/><br/>"This is bad, Via. This is really bad," ani ng producer na napailing-iling pa. <br/><br/>It is a breaking news about Matt's mother, Luisa Aragon. Ayon sa balita, natagpuan na ang nawawalang anak ng primadonang aktres mula sa pagkawala ng siyam na taon. The news was so big that reporters was swarming all over Luisa as seen on screen. But what was alarming is that the child they are referring was Belle! Lumabas sa isang DNA test na anak ito ni Luisa Aragon. <br/><br/>"I have to go, Via. My mom needs me," ani Matt. Tumango lang si Via as Matt rushed out of the office. <br/><br/>"If people heard na Belle will star on your show, it will be wild. You know what I'm saying," ani PRV.<br/><br/>Nahilot ni Via ang ulo. She's not worried about the show, she's worried for Belle. Hindi niya magets. How did Belle becomes Luisa's long lost daughter? She knows that Luisa was looking into Belle's family background na sinang-ayunan naman niya. But may usapan sila na Belle's life, whether good or bad, will remain private. Why would Luisa leak it?<br/><br/>Madami man siyang tanong, alam niyang wala siyang makukuhang sagot. Everyone will be worried kasama na ang mga madre ng Sta. Clarita. Napabuntong hininga siya. She needed answers. Kailangan niyang makita si Belle. She headed out. <br/><br/>"Where are you going?" habol na tanong ni PRV. <br/><br/>"To hell!" sagot niya. She didn't looked back. <br/><br/>She drove straight to where Luisa is. She needed to talk to her first. Dumating siya sa talent agency nito. Luisa hugged her immediately as she saw her. <br/><br/>"I'm so sorry, hija. I didn't now how did this happen," ani Luisa in almost in teary state. Via looked for Matt pero wala na doon ang binata. <br/><br/>"You didn't know?" may pagkasarkastikong turan ni Via. "You had Belle tested for DNA match!" Ayaw niyang magalit kay Luisa. She have high respect for the old lady. But her emotions are not stopping her. <br/><br/>Napayukyok si Luisa in disappointment. Hindi ito makapagsalita. <br/><br/>"I'm s-sorry. I didn't mean to burst," Via apologizes. "But I want to hear everything."<br/><br/>"I lost Matilda when she was just 2 weeks old. We tried so hard to looked for her. But I never had a hint where. The abducters were all killed so hindi namin alam san kami pwedeng mag-umpisa ulit. Everyone gave up searching but I didn't. Then, I met Belle. The first time I saw her, I felt that mother's instinct. She have my face when I was her age," may inabot itong litrato sa kaniya. Luma na iyon at hindi maikakailang si Luisa nga iyon. Kamukhang-kamukha ito ni Belle. <br/><br/>"I immediately have her tested with mine. But as I kept her alam ko na sa sarili kong si Belle ay si Matilda. When the result came, I tried so hard to hide it to anyone even to my son! I don't want anyone to take away Belle from me again. So I kept it low. I talked to you in finding Belle's parents but then alam ko na iyon noon pa man. Gusto ko sana sabihin iyon after the show. But I didn't know how Belle will react," Luisa explained in between tears. It's somewhat a tears of joy and worrisome sa hinuha ni Via. <br/><br/>Nagsalubong ang kilay ni Via. "S-so H-how did this happened?"<br/><br/>"The artist life was never too private. When Belle came into our lives, people started to get attention and revive the history of my lost daughter. I didn't know kung sino ang magaling na researcher na nakakuha ng DNA test ko with Belle and have it reported. I was also caught off guard when the news broke this morning," Luisa explained.<br/><br/>Unti-unting naiintindihan ni Via ang sitwasyon. Nakaramdam din siya ng pangungulila para sa inang nawalay sa anak. She grew in an orphanage, she knew the feeling ng mangulila sa isang pamilya. Plus alam niyang Belle longs to see her real mom. <br/><br/>"Where is Belle?" <br/><br/>Napailing si Luisa. "Matt hid her. I didn't know where. Inilayo muna sakin until probably I clear things up. And also, I don't know if Belle can understand all these. She's just 9 years old."<br/><br/>"I know her. She understand things well. You have no idea how much she longed for her mother. It kills her to see her friends leave Sta. Clarita. Ayaw niya ng naiiwan. But she waited. It's best to talk to her. She will definitely understand," ani Via. "She maybe 9 years old but she'd been so much already. Orphan life is not really that happy."<br/><br/>"I don't know where to start," turan ni Luisa. <br/><br/>Inabot niya ang palad nito. "Please let me..." She hugged the old lady...<br/><br/>*******<br/>VIA parked the car in Red &Terrenz' place. Halos padilim na rin nung mga oras na iyon. Matt told her that Belle was staying with the couple for now. Sinalubong siya ni Terrenz with a weak smile. She hugged her as well. <br/><br/>"The guys are here as well," ani Terrenz na bahagyang tinuro ang direksiyon ng garden pool. Via saw the team. She smiled and waved at them weakly. <br/><br/>"Si Belle?"<br/><br/>"Upstairs. She wouldn't eat or talk to us. Matt said hayaan muna namin. We didn't know what to do." <br/><br/>"Can I?" Via asked as she mustered to go upstair. <br/><br/>Tumango lang si Terrenz. Via headed upstair. Malawak na sala iyon and Belle was sitting on the floor at the far end side. Nakayuko ito sa center table at tila may sinusulat. Dahang-dahang lumapit si Via. She saw Belle coloring a book. Tumingin ito sa kaniya but didn't utter a word. Ngumiti siya rito. <br/><br/>"Can I join you?" ani Via as she grabbed a color and opened a coloring book. "I'll color this one," ani Via. It was a picture of a princess. <br/><br/>"Dapat po pink ang dress niya tas gold ang buhok," turan ni Belle. <br/><br/>"Ok," dinampot ni Via ang pink na color at nagsimulang magkulay. <br/><br/>"Sakin po bahay ang kinukulayan ko," sabi nito na tinuloy ang pagkukulay. <br/><br/>"Hmmm... patingin nga," sinilip ni Via ang ginagawa ni Belle. "Ang galing nga ah, aba. Hindi ka lang magaling umarte, artistic ka din."<br/><br/>"Sabi po nila namana ko daw po sa Mama Luisa ko. Madami po kasing litrato dun sa bahay nila tas si Mama Luisa daw po may gawa nun," turan ng bata na tila walang muwang. <br/><br/>Natigilan si Via. Humarap sa batang si Belle. It was her que. The child was definitely affected in the situation. Ramdam niya ang naguguluhang kamuwangan nito. Inabot niya ang palad nito and held it tight. Bumuntong hininga siya as Belle looked at her with a very sad look.<br/><br/>"Are you scared?" Via asked. Umiling si Belle. "Hindi mo ba gustong maging mama si Mama Luisa? "<br/><br/>"Gusto ko po. Totoo po ba yung sinasabi nila?" Belle's voice cracked. Nagpipigil ito na umiyak. Via pulled her and hugged the child. <br/><br/>"I'm guessing it's happy tears," ani Via as she tried to suppress her tears as well. <br/><br/>"Siguro nga po natatakot lang ako na baka hindi totoo. Pano po kung nagkamali po sila? Natatakot po akong bumalik ulit sa Sta. Clarita," amin ng bata. <br/><br/>"O bakit ka natatakot? Sta. Clarita is our home. Kahit san tayo makarating, we will always go back to Sta. Clarita, remember?" Inangat ni Via ang mukha ng bata. "Always remember that. Pamilya tayo. Kahit anong mangyari don't forget Sta. Clarita."<br/><br/>Tumango si Belle. "Pero totoo po bang si Mama Luisa ang tunay na Mama ko?" She managed to held her tears and asked innocently. <br/><br/>"Kahit hindi totoo, tatanggapin kang anak ni Mama Luisa."<br/><br/>Sabay silang napalingon ni Belle sa nagsalitang si Matt sa likod nila. He seemed watching them for awhile now. Lumapit ito sa kanila. Napahiwalay si Belle kay Via. Matt sat beside Belle. <br/><br/>"Pero Mama niyo rin po siya. Ibig po bang sabihin, kuya ko po kayo?" Belle asked. <br/><br/>"Oo naman! From now on, totoong magkapatid na tayo," ani Matt na pinindot pa ang ilong ng bata. "Tsaka magkamukha tayo eh. Pareho tayong galing sa magandang lahi."<br/><br/>Natawa si Via sa tinuran ni Matt. "Buti na lang humble si Belle,"<br/><br/>"For now. Eventually she'll learn how to flex our beautiful aura. I'll be her mentor," ani Matt na pabiro. <br/><br/>"Goodluck with that," ani Via. Humarap ulit ito sa bata. "Anyway, sabi nila hindi ka pa kumakain, samahan mo ko hindi pa rin ako kumakain eh," ani Via. <br/><br/>"Nahihiya po ako kila ate Terrenz atsaka sabi po ni Mama kaninang umaga bago ako umalis sa bahay, uuwi daw po ako ng maaga kasi may dinner daw po sa bahay," amin ng bata. <br/><br/>"Eh ang layo pa ng bahay ni Mama Luisa eh, hindi ka pa ba nagugutom?" tanong ni Matt. <br/><br/>"Nagugutom," ani Belle. <br/><br/>"Ganito na lang, tawagan na lang natin si Mama and inform her na kumakain na tayo. Then dalhan na lang natin siya ng pasalubong pag-uwi," suggestion ni Matt. <br/><br/>"That's a good idea!" Sang-ayon ni Via. "Ok ba yun?"<br/><br/>Malapad ang ngiting tumango si Belle. <br/><br/>"Let's go then. May pagkain pa ba?" ani Via.<br/><br/>"I have another better idea. Let's cook it!" ani Matt. <br/><br/>"What?!" apila ni Via. "I don't know how to cook!"<br/><br/>"Hindi ka marunong magluto, pero marunong ka mag-samgyup!" turan ni Matt. Belle giggle as she watched ang batuhan ng dalawa. <br/><br/>"That's basic!" sagot ni Via. <br/><br/>Matt stood up and pulled Via up. "Well, you have to learn how to cook. Hindi ako mahilig sa comfort foods and I prefer home made meals," sabi ni Matt. Hinila na rin nito si Belle. <br/><br/>"Then, you should hire a good cook!" habol ni Via as Matt and Belle headed downstairs. Iiling-iling na sumunod siya sa dalawa.</p>