Save Thy Lover [Completed]

Six

SIX

"Pasensiya na at maaga kitang ginising, ha. " malumanay na saad ni Lola Greta habang may bitbit na basket ang bawat isa. Hindi niya alam kung para saan ang mga iyon pero naaamoy niya ang nakakatakam na amoy ng mga pagkain mula sa loob nun.

"No, it's okay po. Wala rin naman po akong gagawin today since ni -- I mean, Nikka told me that the café is closed for today." and its a perfect timing because she didn't want to serve the customers with her eyebags flaunting to people.

"Masaya akong nagkakamabutihan na kayo ng apo ko. Sa totoo lang ay mahirap talagang magkaroon ng kaibigan ang batang iyon dahil sa ang hirap magtiwala sa mga kakakilala niya lang. Kaya kakaunti lang ang nagiging kaibigan niya eh."

Namae can't help but smile as she remember the days she spent in this time with Tala and Lola Greta.

"You two were so nice and kind hearted to let a stranger like me in even though hindi niyo pa po ako lubusang nakikilala. And I can't thank you enough because of your help to me. I just wish that I can repay your kindness even just this time." she doesn't know where those last words came from but strangely, she feels like she want to do something for them.

She wants to help them. Especially Tala's heart to pump for a very long time.

Wala sa sariling napahawak siya sa kaniyang dibdib. She silently feel and listen to her own heartbeat. Then, she remember how she sleep so peaceful last time like she was in her haven, in her very own favorite place. And when she woke up this morning, that's when she realized that two of them were sharing one bed.

And that feeling is something that is not new to her but she's having a hard time trying to remember the reason why.

Nang makarating na sila sa lugar na tinutukoy kanina ni Lola Greta ay umawang ang labi ni Namae. Muntik pa niyang mabitawan ang basket na hawak niya nang dumapo ang kaniyang tingin sa mga taong nakatayo malapit sa isang malaking puno ng mangga.

Nanlamig ang buo niyang katawan at hindi magawang gumalaw habang hindi inaalis ang tingin sa mga taong kilalang-kilala niya.

They were arranging the mat and food under the shade of mango tree like it is settle for picnic. And she almost stop breathing when those people suddenly turn their gazes at their direction and flash a very warm smile like they always do when they saw her in her present time.

"Lola Greta!" mababakas ang kagalakan sa boses ng kaniyang ninang Nikka at itinaas kamay para kumaway sa direksyon nila. Katabi nito ay ang kaniyang tita Emerald, tita Linsel at halos tumigil ang pagtibok ng puso niya ng nagsimulang tumakbo ang isang lalaki papalapit sa kanila at pagngiti ng sobrang lawak nang makarating na sa mismong harap niya.

"Shon... "

For a moment she saw her best friend in that man but later faded as she realized who the person is in front of her.

It's her Tito Alexander. The father of her childhood sweetheart, Shon Avrell.

Namae's mind suddenly became hazy that she almost fall down. Good thing that Alexander quickly manage to hold her arm.

Questions flooded her mind as she once again glance to the people around her.

Why?

Wala sa sariling napalunok si Namae. Sa sobrang lito ay tila nawala ang mga ingay sa kaniyang paligid. Mariin siyang napapikit dahil sa kung anong biglang bumigat ang kaniyang dibdib at tila nahihirapang huminga.

Then everything went back to normal as she heard the voice of someone she knew.

Someone she knew yet...

"Whaa! Anong meron? Bakit may pa-blindfold?!" dumapo ang mga mata ni Namae kay Tala na kaagad ding lumipat sa babaeng katabi nito ngayon na umaagapay  dito para hindi matumba habang naglalakad na nakablindfold.

It's her Tila Kyell, mother of Shon and also her Tito Alexander's wife.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMING BITUIN!!" sabay-sabay na bati ng lahat nang inalis ni Tala ang takip sa kaniyang mga mata.

Namae's surrounding was full of laughters and pure happiness of the people that she is with right now. But she can't digest everything in her mind.

Everyone she knew is here. Everyone is part of her present life. Everyone except someone that everyone knew.

"You're not there. You were never there."

Everyone is there but...

"Where are you, Tala?" she unconsciously whisper to the wind that answered by a sweet smile from Tala as their eyes finally meet. And just that, she felt an excruciating pain in her chest.

"Hmm, siguro dahil hindi talaga ako umabot sa panahong iniluwal ka." Tala answered her question after an hours of enjoying the party. They are both sitting on the big roots of mango tree while looking at the people who are giggling and laughing few meters away from their spot.

It was supposed to be only Namae gazing at them pero napansin siya ni Tala kaya ito lumapit sa kaniya. And that's where the conversation about her life in the future started.

"Aren't you sad?" Namae asked her. Ngumiti lang si Tala habang hindi inaalis ang tingin sa mga kasama bago siya muling nilingon.

"Kailangan bang maging malungkot ako?" pabalik na tanong nito sa kaniya na ikinathimik niya. Hindi niya maintindihan kung bakit iyon ang reaksyon nito. Na para bang wala itong pakialam sa hinaharap nito.

"Hindi importante sa akin kung ano ang magiging bukas ko. Kung ano man ang mangyari, mangyayari at mangyayari pa rin iyon dahil sa iyon na ang itinakda ng tadhana. Iyon na ang kapalaran na ibinigay sa akin kaya wala akong reklamo dun," bumaba ang tingin ni Namae sa lupa dahil sa sinabi nito.

Humahanga siya sa pagiging positibo ni Tala kahit na alam na nitong kakaunti na lamang natitirang oras nito sa mundo. She is so unlike her. Always questioning her purpose and how she hates her life. And now, balak pa niyang ibahin ang nakaraan. 

"How stupid I am for wishing to change the past in exchange for my future so desperately. And now, here I am. Destroying what destiny has already written." mahinang usal niya. She is already in the verge of crying when Tala tap her shoulder that made her turn her gaze on her.

"Ikaw rin mismo ang nagsabi, may kailangan kang gawin. May kailangan kang iligtas. Hindi pa ba sapat na rason yun para maging determinado ka pa lalong gawin ang misyon mo?" napakurap siya sa sinabi nito. Pero kaagad ding umiwas ng tingin nang maalala ang rason niya.

"I have to and I must. For the happiness of my father." she heard Tala sighed with her response.

"Kahit kapalit nun ay buhay at existence mo? Tsk, tsk, tsk. Alam mo, yan lang ang parteng hindi ko talaga maintindihan." umusog pa ito lalo sa tabi niya bago ipinagpatuloy ang pagsasalita na sinabayan pa ng pagkumpas ng mga kamay.

"Kasi heto yun eh. Kung ililigtas mo ang babaeng mahal ng Daddy mo, wala ng pag-asang magkatuluyan sila ng Mommy mo. So, wala ring ikaw. Pero pwede rin namang ikaw pa rin ang maging isa sa kanilang anak, diba? Siguro mag-iiba lang yung magiging Daddy or Mommy mo? Kasi kahit anong mangyari, pangalan mo pa rin naman ang ipapangalan nila sa magiging anak nila." napakurap si Namae dahil sa sinabi nito.

Her response to Tala's possibility is 50-50 for her to accept. But she has already the idea whose gonna be her parents if ever Tala is right. And somehow, her heart doesn't want to accept it.

"No. I don't want to be her child. She can have my father but I don't want her to be part of my life." matigas na sagot niya na ikinabagsak ng balikat ni Tala.

★•★•★