Love is Blind

Chapter:12

Ilang araw ang dumaan noong party ni Jessica. Nasa sementeryo kami dahil bibisitahin namin si Papa. Kasama si Gavin dito kaya siya ang madalas kong kausap, he's my gay best friend after all.

"Pero alam mo friend?" Nahuli ni Gav ang atensyon ko. "He's not hard to love. Ang sarap niyong mahalin na mga Rivers kayo."

"I'm glad you're happy with him." Ginalaw ko ang palad ko sa mga damo. "I wish I can feel that." With you...it's you again! I can't get you out of my heart.

"If only the world was different diba?" Gav's right. Kung baligtad sana ang mundo, aamin kaya siya agad? More importantly...why is he hiding it? 2 years na niya pala akong gusto.

"Gav! Let's walk around the cemetery!" Aya ni Kuya Kal. Si Koral daw ay kausap si Nate sa phone.

Nakaupo lang kami ni Mama sa puntod ni Papa. Wala kaming sinasabi. I reached out to his name and traced my fingers on it. 'Endrio Kilven C. Rivers'. Nginitian ko ang pangalan niya.

"You look exactly like Endrio when you smile." Mama said. "Alam mo Karie? It wasn't easy to love Endrio. He was good looking, ako noon mukha akong patatas na kinayod ng manok." Natawa ako sa kwento ni Mama. "Pero sa dinami-rami ng mga babaeng lumalapit sa kaniya, he chose to court me."

"Then what happened?"

"Ayon. Over time, I found myself falling for a guy like him. My rules were simple. Hindi gwapo kahit sapat na itsura lang basta mahal ako, isa pa...I told myself to never love a playboy." Mama giggled softly. "Siguro nasa dugo na namin ang kainin ang mga sinasabi pag-dating sa pag-ibig. I still chose him even after I found out he was cheating on me."

"Pero...mahal mo ba si Papa?"

"Kilala mo ako, Karie. I will never put up with a man, mag-kaanak man kami o hindi." Mama blew a few air. "I love him. He also promised na kapag nag-pakasal kami ay hindi na niya uulitin pa. I was only 19 at that time, hindi ko siya pinakinggan dahil bata pa kami and I thought I'd find someone better. Tapos ito pa ang malala..."

"What is it?"

"I thought...I would find someone else but between those 5 years, it still was him. Siya ang pinipili ko at ang lalakeng nanatili sa puso ko. When we met again, he was dating my best friend. Her name was Ericka...alam ni Ecka ang nangyari sa amin pero hindi niya pinigilan ang sarili niya. They almost got married and she wanted me to be the maid of honor."

"Ano siya tanga?" Natawa si Mama sa'kin.

"When the wedding ceremony was taking place...he couldn't speak properly. Akala naming lahat ay kinakabahan lang siya pero hindi pala. I was sitting in the first row of benches in the church, he was at the altar and my eyes were swollen, hindi dahil masaya ako...dahil sobrang sakit ng nangyari."

"Tapos anong nangyari? Paanong hindi sila ikinasal?"

"He chose me." Parang proud pa si Mama. "Humarap siya kay Ericka tapos..."

"I'm sorry, Ericka." Humawak si Endrio sa kamay ng bride niya. "Gusto kitang maging masaya pero ayaw kong maging masaya ang isang tao kung may masasaktan na mas marami." Hindi na napigilan ni Endrio. "Kung pakakasalan kita ay parang pinapatay ko ang sarili kong puso, I loved you pero noon na iyon. Ngayon mahal ko pa rin siya. Siya pa rin kasi kakaiba siya and you know it, you saw how I was so hurt when she dumped me. I love her, with every blood running through my body."

"Endrio anong ginagawa mo? What are you saying babe?" Hindi makapaniwala si Ericka sa nangyayari.

"This is too much pain for me and her. Mahal ko siya, pinangako ko na kung ikakasal kami ay hindi ko na siya sasaktan ulit. I want to fulfill that promise hindi dahil utang na loob iyon kundi gusto kong maikasal sa kaniya. I want to see mini her running around the house that I will build for me and her."