Way Back Home

07

Sa nagdaang araw ay mas naging mahirap iyon sa akin dahil kailangan ko pang gumising ng mas maaga.

Nagsisimula iyong training ko ng alas-osto sa umaga hanggang sa alas-singko ng hapon at kailangan naman ako doon sa trabaho ko ng alas-sais ng gabi. Kaya naman ay wala na akong oras na umuwi sa bahay upang magbihis ng damit dahil sapat lang iyong oras na iyon sa pagco-commute araw araw kaya nagdadala na lamang ako ng damit ko para makapagbihis doon sa pinagtratrabahuan ko kung hindi ay wala akong ibang magagawa kung hindi suotin ang uniporme ng isang araw. Iniisip ko pa lang iyon ay napapagod na ako.

Akala ko ay mahirap na iyong buhay na kinagisnan ko noong bata pa ako pero sa ginagawa ko ngayon ay nasasabi kong mas papahirap ag buhay habang tumatanda na.

"Belle, hinihintay ka na ni Jeu doon sa sala." rinig kong sabi ni Auntie Susan sa labas ng pintuan ko.

"Salamat po," sigaw ko mula pa sa loob ng aking kuwarto habang sinusukat iyong bagong padala na sapatos para sa akin.

Mabilisan akong kumuha ng litrato sa salamin habang suot iyong pares ng sapatos para may mai-post ako sa aking IG. That was the way to say thank you and to promote their products online or called collaboration.

Isang linggo pa lang simula nang mag-umpisa iyong training ko pero parang hindi ko na iyong  pagod na nararanasan ko.

Laban lang. Bahala na.

Jeu was sitting on the couch while looking at Uncle sipping his coffee. He was saying something but I could not hear it since I meter away. Did I forget to tell you that this house is big? I looked for Auntie in the kitchen to bid me goodbye. So I did when saw her, she was cleaning the dishes when it should be me. I felt guilty.  We lost our hired maid because I said that I would be the one doing it, nahihiya na rin kasi ako sa gastusin dito.

Plus that woman was also pregnant so we didn't want her to cause a burden anymore. She should be safe and resting.

"Nandito ka na pala, Iha." it was a statement from Uncle.
Jeu automatically glances at me when we hear the statement. He gave me a warm smile and bid our goodbyes to the couple.

"Himala, nagpakita ka." no doubt, it was my first words for him.

He gave me nervous laughed and pinched my nose.  "Sorry." he apologized and I accepted it.

"I was just so stressed last week," he added.

"And you thought I am not?"

"Sorry." he apologized again before we rode his newly bought car.

Nice, hindi na magugulo iyong buhok ko sa hangin at hindi na ako maliligo ng alikabok.

"Angas ah," komento ko sa bagong kotse niya.

Amoy na amoy ko pa ang bango ng kaniyang kotse. Halatang hindi pa ito sanay sa kotse nito, because I saw him driving their old car. Alam ko na marami silang sasakyan dahil mayaman naman sila at may trabaho na iyong iba niyang kapatid and his parents own malls here plus they were working at a firm here. Pamilya ng mga abogado. 

"Birthday gift nila sa akin."

What?

"Ulol, December ka e," sabi ko kahit naguguluhan at kinakabahan na.

I looked for my phone and go to my calendar.

"Last week was my birthday, they looked for you at home since you annually show up there, that is why we waited for you,"   he said with true emotions.

I think about it because honestly, I forgot the date. This is not the first time but probably the worst time. Sinampal ko iyong pisngi ko dahil baka sakaling matandaan iyong araw ng kaarawan niya pero wala talaga, iyong buwan lang ang naaalala ko.