Alex Is Leonel

Dyosa and Carissa helped their mothers prepare dinner that evening. Carissa kept asking her mom if they were hiding something from them, but she denied it.

They all ate dinner quietly. Nobody said a single word to each other which made Carissa worry so much.

She remembered they were hiding a paper from her when she entered the house. After dinner, she entered her mother's room to find out what they were hiding from her.

She searched the closet, cabinet and under the bed, but she found nothing.

"Where is she hiding it?" she asked herself.

Her eyes flickered around the room and her gaze fell on her mother's bag which was on the table.

She remembered her mother used the bag that morning. She immediately walked towards the bag, picked it up, unzipped it and began searching.

"This must be it" she said as soon and she laid her hand on a paper in the bag.

She pulled the paper out of the bag and dropped the bag back on the table. She unfolded the paper and read it aloud. "DNA test report"

She was surprised. "Huh? Why did mother do a DNA test?"

She continued to read and her eyes widened in shock. She blinked three times and rubbed her eyes to be sure she was not seeing the wrong thing. She looked at the paper again and her mouth opened in shock.

It was the DNA test results showing that Alex is her son. Her long lost son.

Carissa was shocked that she did not know what to do. She staggered back and fell on the bed. Tears trickled down her cheeks. She looked at the test result again and she burst into tears.

She didn't know what to do. She wanted to hear from her mother that the result was true and not fake. She stood up immediately and ran out of the room.

She ran into the living room with tears. Her mother was surprised to see her crying.

"Anak, what happened?" Elvira asked.

Mrs. belen did not understand why her granddaughter was crying too. "Carissa, why are you crying? You can tell your grandma"

Carissa lifted the paper in her hand up with tears running down her eyes. "What is this?"

Elvira was surprised that her daughter found the paper. She looked at Lola belen like she was asking for help.

Lola belen was also surprised. They were trying to keep it a secret from Carissa, but the latter found out eventually.

No one could say anything. Their faces were down.

"Will someone please tell me something" Carissa shouted at the top of her voice.

Elvira raised her head and tears fell from her eyes like running tap. She stood up and walked over to Carissa. "Anak, I can explain everything"

"What? I need an explanation now" she demanded.

"Carissa, this is a test results"

"I know"

"I am sorry Carissa, I am sorry" she said and she burst into tears. She held her mouth so she won't make any sound and shook her head.

"Sorry for what?"

"I am sorry for keeping the truth from you. Your Lola and I were planning to tell you. Don't get mad at us" she said, still crying.

"So that means Kuya Alex is kuya Leonel?" she asked

"Yes" Elvira said and nodded her head.

"What do you think I am? You kept this a secret from me, Huh? Don't I have the right to know the truth?" she questioned the both of them.

Carissa felt like they were keeping secrets from her. She didn't understand why they don't want her to know the truth.

"No, no..." Elvira moved closer to Carissa and Carissa moved back form her mother.

"Don't come near me" she said in anger.

Lola belen stood up and walked towards them. "Carissa..."

"Lola please. You guys kept me in the dark. You didn't think about how I will feel when I find out about this test results. Did you ever think about how I will feel? Huh? Do you know how sad i am right now? You guys knew he was my brother, but you didn't even think of telling me"

"Anak..."

"No, don't say anything. You treated me like a complete stranger. He is my brother, so I am supposed to know" she shouted angrily.

Elvira cried the more when she heard her daughter's word. Her heart ached.

It was not her fault for not telling her daughter. She thought it was the best thing to do. To keep it from Carissa.

This was the first time Mrs. belen saw her granddaughter like this. She felt very sad for her granddaughter. She could not help, but shed tears.

"Anak, I am sorry"

"No" Carissa said and dropped the paper and turned to leave, but Elvira immediately grabbed her hand.

"Nay, leave me alone" Carissa said as she tried to break her mother's grip.

"No, I won't" Elvira said and hugged her daughter tightly.

Carissa struggled to pull away from her mother, but her mother hugged her even tighter.

"Anak, please forgive me. I am sorry" Elvira apologized.

Carissa did not respond. She only continued to cry. The mother and daughter cried for a long time and when Carissa saw that her mother was not hugging her tightly again, she pulled away from her mother and ran out of the house.

"Carissa..." Elvira wanted to run after her daughter, but she didn't. She turned back and looked at her mother and began to cry helplessly.

Mrs. belen walked over to her daughter and patted her shoulder gently.

"Mama, she has gone. She left the house. My daughter is mad at me. I am such a bad mother" she said and cry even more.

Mrs belen shook her head. "No, you are not. You are not a bad mother"

Elvira hugged her mother and cried in her arms.

***

Out on the street.

Carissa walked on the street, crying. People were looking at her, but she did not care.

She walked on the street like a sheep that has lost his shepherd.

Her mind was filled with so many thoughts. She didn't know if she should go home, or keep wandering around. She thought of going to Dyosa's house, but she immediately shook her head.

If she goes to her place, her mom will definitely find her there and take her home.

Then she thought of going to South cotabota to see Alex. She walked to the bus station and boarded the bus going to South cotabota.

***

After two hours, Carissa did not come home. Elvira was already becoming worried. She glanced at the clock and walked up and down the living room.

"Mama, where do you think Carissa is?"

"I don't know" she looked so worried.

Elvira continued to pace up and down thinking of who she might be with.

She turned to Lola belen. "She might be with Dyosa"

"Then call Dyosa and ask if Carissa is with her"

Elvira pulled out her phone and dialed Dyosa's number.

"Hello tita"

"Is Carissa with you there?"

"Carissa? No. Why?"

"She ran out of the house and she has not come back since then. I am so worried Dyosa" she said and broke into tears.

"Oh no... Tita calm down, okay?" she didn't know what to do. She only consoled Elvira.

"I am going to die if something bad happens to her"

"No, nothing bad will happen. I will call our other friends to ask if she is with them" she said.

"Thank you so much Dyosa" she said and hung up the phone.

Dyosa called all the people she knows that Carissa can go to, but she did not go to them.

At south cotabota.

Carissa walked alone on the lonely road. Her eyes were already swollen and red from crying. The tip of her nose were red also.

She raised her head and saw a bar. She walked into the bar and ordered for beer. She just wanted to forget about what happened today.

Her eyes flickered around the room as she take her drink.

Eventually, she was able to drink two bottles of beer. She payed for the beer and staggered out of the resturant.

Even though she was drunk, she still made her way to Alex's house. She reached his house, walked towards the door and knocked.

The effect of the beer came back and she staggered to the side and hit the wall. She slowly fell to the ground and with all her energy, she knocked on the door again.

The door opened and Alex eyes widened in surprise when he saw Carissa lying on the floor.

"Hey... you opened the door? I thought you won't open for me" she smiled and tried to get up, but she fell down back again.