#CDFragments XII. What is

XII. What is Dawn was resting alone in their tent after shooting three consecutive scenes when Richard's 12-year-old daughter, Juliana, made her way inside. "Hi," the girl said in her quiet voice much like her mom's. "My dad told me to wait here." "Sure," Dawn said with a smile, standing up to offer the girl a seat beside hers. "You just came from school?" The girl nodded in response just when the door swung open, Richard taking big steps for his little love. Dawn watched as he embraced his daughter --- pretty much his junior --and kissed her hair. There was a certain glow about Juliana as she returned her father's hug on tiptoe. Richard also clearly lightened up as he held his daughter, and for a moment Dawn thought of how, with Juliana, everything about him seemed to change. ~~~ {October 2000} She was alone at home that weekend and left without any chore, she decided to lay down the couch at the entertainment area and watch TV. She flipped through channels mindlessly 'til she decided to, for once, sit through an entertainment talk show, since she's been away from showbiz for so long. She had to admit that she missed the gossip. And then came frames of Richard holding his baby. The clip showed him holding little Juliana during her christening, as the priest poured water on her head, and during the picture-taking, where his grandmother even stood by his side. She was Lola Lydia's favorite among her apo's girlfriends, she was told, and she knew that to this woman, who raised Richard, seeing him with a family of his own was a fulfillment.

In the next frame came Richard and his wife, Lucy, who was now holding their baby girl. She was talking about Richard as a father. "He goes into the dirty stuff, like changing the diapers, he's the one who gives her a bath everyday..." "So ikaw na din ang nagpapa-burp?" the interviewer asked Richard. "He knows that also," Lucy answered, smiling. "Did you read a book or..." "Yeah, we've read some books, and perhaps through experience na rin, meron din kasi akong mga younger sisters before na inaalagaan ko rin, and the babies of our friends. They're like, 'You observe and you learn.' So pagdating ni Juliana, application na lang." "How did the baby's coming change your relationship?" they were asked. "Definitely our priorities have changed," Richard answered. "Well, when I married Lucy, my priorities changed, pero when the baby came in, ibang iba na." Dawn caught herself smiling. At last, Richard the playboy has settled down, and seemed happy with that. She was just glad. She knew Richard would be a good father. She even toyed with the idea in the past that he would've been good with her children. Children that she might not even have anymore. ~~~ The production assistant barged in. "Sir Richard, next scene na po." "Alin ito?" he asked, his arm around his daughter. "With Coco po." He turned to Dawn. "Tapos after po, 'yung sa inyo ni Ms. Dawn." Richard nodded and turned to Juliana. "Do you want to watch or stay here? Medyo mainit sa labas."

"Stay na lang, Dad." "Okay." He kissed her on the forehead. "Keep Tita Dawn company here." Juliana went back to her seat when Richard left, and for a moment, she and Dawn fumbled with the silence. "Do you want anything?" Dawn asked. "Magpabili tayo ng merienda?" "No, thank you." "Nag-merienda ka na?" "Not yet." Juliana smiled. Dawn took a jar of cookies from the side of her make-up station. "This is my stash when shooting. Kuha ka." Juliana took a couple. "Thank you." "So... how was your day?" Dawn began before she could catch herself at sounding so motherly. "It was okay," Juliana answered. "We had a planting activity this afternoon, vegetables na we can harvest." "Kumakain ka ng veggies? Naku, 'yang daddy mo noon medyo mahirap pakainin." Juliana only smiled, that same half-smile that looked a lot like Richard's. Dawn went on, "Your dad tells me you're into fencing na." "Yeah, we have a session nga today but I wanted to see my dad." "You know my son, Jacobo, is into martial arts naman." Juliana was genuinely interested. "Talaga po?" "Yeah, he's taking up lessons na and high-kicking everywhere around the house."

"'Di ba po you have another kid?" "Yeah, si Ayisha. She naman wants to dance. Twirl twirl siya sa bahay and always telling me, 'Mama, look, I'm a ballerina!'" "I want to have a baby sister," the girl said, looking at the remaining cookie in her hand. Dawn could tell that she was surprised to have slipped this intimate thought so easily with a woman she didn't know very well. "I heard your dad and mom are trying." "Yeah, but it's been so long." Juliana smiled. "I would have wanted siblings to fight with." Dawn smiled and held her hand. "Minsan tell your dad to let me know when you come visit sa set. I'll bring Jacobo and Ayisha so you can meet them." Richard came to the door and stayed put as Dawn and Juliana had their moment. He really wanted his daughter to get to know Dawn, especially with the revival of their love team. Content with watching them talk over cookies, his silent presence was only broken when Vivian showed up. "O, why are you standing --- Hi, you must be Juliana," she said as she shook the girl's hand. Vivian turned to Richard. "Ang ganda ng anak mo, kamukhang kamukha mo!" He laughed. "'wag mong sasabihin 'yan in front of Lucy." ~~~ "Your daughter is beautiful," Dawn said as she stood beside Richard while waiting for the next take. Juliana was hanging out with Melissa and Julia. "Ready ka na ba?" "Para saan?" "Sa mga manliligaw na dadagsa?" She could tell that Richard was uncomfortable with the idea even when he smiled. "Puwede ba 'wag munang magbiro nang ganiyan?" "Well, 'di mo maiiwasan."

"Yeah, pero dinadaga ang dibdib ko kapag napapaalala sa'kin." "Bakit naman?" "Dahil ayokong makakilala siya ng katulad ko," he said, looking at Dawn. "Ng katulad ng lalaking nakasama mo noon." "Bakit, okay naman 'yung boyfriend ko noon ha? Maalaga, masarap magluto, guwapo, protective," she answered, smiling. "Chickboy nga lang." "'yun nga eh." He smiled. "Alam mo, hindi ko alam kung makakaya ko kapag nagka-boyfriend na 'yang si Juliana. Lalo kung kagaya ko din." "You just have to guide her to the right choices," she said, tapping his arm. "Besides, I'm sure that just like every other girl, she would want someone who loves her as much as her dad does." Juliana looked behind her and Dawn could see Richard's face light up when his daughter waved at him. "'yun nga," he said, staring off to where her daughter sat. "Juliana is... she's my life. Everything changed when she came in, and hindi ko yata kayang makita siyang nasasaktan." ~~~ "So, what do you think about your Tita Dawn?" Richard asked as he and Juliana drove home. "She's nice. Sabi niya you should tell her when I come to the set so she can bring her kids. Para naman we can play." "Would you want that?" "Sure, dad." Juliana started playing with her fingers, Richard noticed, which signaled a tough question for him. "Uhm, dad?" "O?" "You dated Tita Dawn, yes?" "Yeah, for two years. Twenty years ago."

"How come you didn't marry her?" Richard took his time in answering that one. Because I cheated on her? Several times? "Because we were young then." "Mom was young when she married you." "Well, I wasn't ready, I guess. Besides, I had to meet your mom along the way." Juliana smiled. "And if you married Tita Dawn, you wouldn't have me." "That, too." Richard smiled and held her hand through the rest of the ride