Dahil sa mabusising site inspection, mas natagalan sila kesa sa inaasahan, so its already 5:48pm ngunit nasa biyahe pa rin siya. Thankfully the traffic is not that heavy. Medyo nanghihinayang lang siya dahil di natuloy ang kanyang balak to pray at Quiapo Church. After almost an hour he is now entering the village gate when he suddenly remembers Liza's word about it doesnt matter who are you praying to or where are you praying at..as long as you're sincere in whatever you're asking HIM, then it will be granted. So instead of turning right where his house is supposed to be, he turned left towards the Church inside their village. After a few minutes, he stopped in front of the gate, park his car and walk inside. When is the last time he visits a Church? When Alex is suffering from her sickness? He can't really remember but he is here now, hoping that God will help him kahit na di naman siya gaanong nagpupunta sa Church, except on Sundays, minsan pa nga hindi pa especially kapag may emergency sa Company. He scans the place, everyone's so quiet..praying attentively, maybe just like him they are all asking God for his help. Nakita nya na sa bandang gitna ay walang masyadong tao kaya dun nya naisipang pumuwesto. After kneeling he does the sign of the cross and silently, pour out his heart to HIM. Right now he is the only one who has the greater power to help him with his problem, maybe for the others the lovelife problem of a 44 year old widower is unsignificant compared to some, but for him its like a matter of life and death.
"God, I know you have a purpose when you take away my wife Alex from us. I admit I am truly mad at you and even questioned your existence but now I understand all of it. You made that decision not to weaken us but to help us realize that we still have feet so we can still stand up after being down. I also realize that you didn't really just took something away from us instead you give back something more than we wish/need for and that is Maya, coming into our lives. I will now shamelessly confess that I LOVE HER MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, if before I still manage to get up after the fall because there is someone who caught me but I don't think I can do it again for I know that there will be no another Maya in this entire lifetime of mine to catch me for the second time. If she is really meant for me and my family, please show me some sign. Let my heart tell me kung yun na po mismo ang senyales na hinihingi ko."
After being silent for a few minutes he does the sign of the cross once again before standing up, his eyes, still closed. He opened it slowly and what he saw made him frozen to the spot. He didn't really know what happened but he just felt numb, as if his body forgot to feel and his brain forgot to think. His heart , who is beating loudly at the moment, is the only organ in his body whom he thought, is functioning at that moment. Kung di pa siya kinalabit ng isang matanda upang makiraan, hindi pa siya matatauhan. He didn't know what to think anymore, yes he asked for a sign from HIM but di nya napaghandaan na ganito kabilis. He is pretty sure that what he is seeing is the sign that he asked from him..because his heart recognize it when everything in his body failed. The sign from God is no other than her...MAYA. She looks so serene, beautiful as she silently uttered a prayer after she is done lighting her candle. He can't help but smile, funny cause earlier his heart is beating loudly as if someone near him will hear it but now it's so calm that others might think its not beating anymore. He slowly walked towards her, towards his happiness, his light, his dream. He just silently stood beside her, staring, waiting for her to finish. When she's already done and turned away to leave, she can't contain her gasp of surprise of seeing me there.
"Ser Chief, nandyan po pala kayo, ginulat nyo naman ako. Kanina pa po ba kayo dito, sinong kasama nyo?"
"Calm down Maya, isa isa lang ang tanong, but I think its good idea kung sa labas na tayo mag usap dahil nakakaistorbo na tayo sa mga nagdarasal."
"Opo nga po Ser Chief."
Outside the Church
"Sumabay ka na sa akin Maya, unless may kasama kang maghahatid sayo...like the guy who fetch you this morning."
He should really start teaching himself not to mention things na makakasakit sa kanya, but he can't help but do cause he is hoping na kahit papaano ay mapansin ni Maya na nagtatampo siya..na nasasaktan siya.
"Kung okay lang pong sumabay ako sa inyo Ser Chief pero kung hindi lalakarin ko na lang po tutal nasa loob naman na po ako ng village."
"Of course its okay, actually its more than okay.Get in."
He can't contain his happiness, kahit ba maikling biyahe lang iyon pauwi sa bahay ang mahalaga ay maihahatid nya si Maya. Maybe its not really a bad day for him, nah it is until he saw Maya. She is really one of a kind, for she can turn his mood without her knowing it.
"Ser Chief bakit po parang masaya ata kayo?"
"Me, why do you say that?"
"Naku Ser Chief wag na po kayong magdeny, kitang kitang po sa facial expression nyo, ayan nga po hindi mapawi pawi yung ngiti sa bibig nyo."
"Hmm.."
"Bakit nga po, share naman dyan Ser Chief tutal friends naman na po tayo diba...sa FB."
"I'm just happy cause you're here"
There he finally said it..way to go Richard Lim. He didn't feel any prouder with himself until now. Palihim nyang tiningnan ang ekspresyon ng katabi...nakatulala ito.
"Maya, are you alright?"
"Ahh..o-opo naman Ser Chief, medyo nashock lang po ako sa narinig ko. Ano nga po ulit yung dahilan bakit masaya kayo ngayon?"
"Maya, Maya..di ka na naman nakikinig, usually I hate repeating myself but I'll made an exemption with you." he told her as he flash her one of his genuine smile.
"Ahh.."
Nasa tapat na sila ng gate ng bahay, but neither of them wants to goes out of the car...she still wants to hear his reasons and he wants to tell his reasons.
"Maya, you asked me why I am happy, like I've said its because you are here...with me, beside me. I don't know if you will understand what I'm trying to say but you are right about before."
"Right about before ano po Ser Chief?"
"When you said na sa mga simpleng bagay lang naman pala natin matatagpuan ang makakapagpasaya sa atin. In my case its bringing you safely at TA and fetching you afterwards; sharing a talk with you at the veranda, kahit anong topic pa yan while drinking the coffee made by you . Those are the simple things that really makes me happy so Maya.."
"A-ano po yun Ser Chief?"
"Please don't take away from me this simple happiness...gusto ko ako ang maghahatid at sundo sa iyo to school, work and home."
"Utos po ba yan Ser Chief?"
He is silent for a moment, his eyes fixed on hers for a few seconds before he answered"
"No I'm not ordering you, my heart is begging you."
Mayamaya pa ay ang masayang tinig ni Abby ang pumutol sa mahikang sandaling bumalot sa kanilang dalawa ni Maya. Nauna na itong nakababa ng sasakyan upang salubungin si Abby. Sana nga lang sa kanyang ginawa hindi magbago for the worst ang pakikitungo sa kanya ni Maya.
"You can do it Richard..everything is just gettting started."
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Naman natapos din, dami kasing distraction kaya eto medyo nahuli haha. Baka late ang pagrelease ng chapter 5, makikiholiday mode ako mga pare at mare.
I dedicate this chapter para sa aming nagbibinatang si Ricardo(gaya ng sinasabi ng mga adik sa FB at PEX)..yung mga da moves nya...winner, pagpatuloy nya lang yan para sa ikasasaya ng sankaadikan.
xD
