Let Us Be

Chapter 2

Malaki ang pinagbago ng bahay simula ng umalis siya pero nandon parin ang paborito niyang hardin na mas lalong dumami pa ang mga bulaklak. Habang naglalakad siya papunta sa main door ng bahay ay sumisikip ang paghinga niya.

Hindi niya alam kung kakayanin ba niyang makita ulit si Bryton pero sa ibang sitwasyon na. Nang nasa tapat na siya ng pintuan ay tumulo nalang bigla ang luha niya ng makita siya ng kanyang Mommy. Ngayon niya mas naramdaman na sobrang miss na niya ito.

"My baby..." niyakap siya agad nito ng makalapit sa kanya. Umiiyak na ang Mommy niya habang pa ulit-ulit na binabanggit ang salitang "my baby"

"Mommy, sorry. I'm sorry... Sorry..." ayon nalang ang naimutawi niya. Sobrang nasasaktan siya sa mga nangyayari.

Naglakad na sila patungo sa sala at doon niya nakita ang Daddy niya. Maiintindihan naman niya kung magagalit ito sa kanya. Masyadong matagal ang limang taon na kahit isang tawag ay hindi niya ginawa.

"Santiana, please sit down." malumanay na utos ng Daddy niya. Agad naman siyang umupo at tumabi na sa kanya ang Mommy niya.

"How are you?" bigla siyang napaisip kung kamusta nga ba talaga siya.

"Dad..." hindi niya alam ang isasagot niya.

"We already know what happened between you and Bryton. You don't have to say sorry because we understand." she's thankful that her daddy is an understanding man.

"Where's Bryton, Dad?" nagtataka kasi siya kung wala na si Bryton, bakit nandito sa bahay ang mga magulang niya.

"He's still in the hospital comatose. He died a few second and came back. The doctor says they don't have the exact time when will he wake up. Ali's got shocked that why. " ang sakit malaman lahat ng ito.

"What happened why is he in the hospital?" maingat si Bryton sa lahat lalo na sa sarili nito. Kaya paanong humantong sa ganitong sitwasyon.

Biglang tumayo ang Mommy niya at tumingin sa kanilang dalawa ng Daddy.

"Why don't we grab some lunch first then we talk about it after?"

"Mom and Dad, kalabisan naman po pero hindi po ako magtatagal. I just came her because of the letter." nakayuko niyang sabi. They're talking life and death here but still she can't stay longer.

"Let us eat lunch first then you can read the letter in your room. I know Santiana you're still hurting but can you think about us the parents that we are also hurting..." I felt  selfish only thinking about how badly hurt I am while her parents are also suffering.

The lunch went well its like she's in her junior high again eating lunch with her parents and before they finish eating her siblings will show up out of the blue.

"Your room is still the same. Wala kaming ginalaw sa mga gamit mo." sabi ng Mommy niya habang naglalakad sila palabas ng dining.

"Thank you, Momma and I'm sorry for running away. This is not what I wanted when I chose to left everything behind. Bryton's happiness is more important than anything else." pinipigilan niyang tumulo ang luha niya.

"Like what your father told you. I understand... You're still my baby and will always be." they stop walking when they reach the living room.

"I love you, Momma." then she hug her mother.

"I love you, always. Now go to your room whatever what's in the letter let us know, okay?" nag smile siya sa Mommy niya.

"Aalis ako. I'll visit your niece she's in her uncle for now. She's excited to meet you, Santi." She already has a niece at ngayon niya lang nalaman.

"Why she's in her uncle? Where's Lira, Momma? Ali's didn't answer me when I asked him." nasaan ba kasi si Lira. Dapat sa ganitong mga sitwasyon nandito siya.

"She died when she gave birth to your niece. I have to go." naglakad na siya papunta sa kwarto niya.

Maraming pangyayare na wala siya. Hindi na niya alam kung sinayang ba niya yong limang taon na mas pinili niya yong sarili niya o mas dapat pinaglaban niya kung ano man yong dapat kanya una palang.

Nang makapasok siya sa kwarto niya ay totoo talagang walang binago sa mga gamit niya. Well except for the bedsheet but still her favourite color. Naupo siya sa tapat ng vanity mirror niya and then she saw the letter.

"Bryton... Why are you doing this to me?" naiiyak niyang tanong habang hawak niya yong sobre.

Alam naman niyang walang sasagot sa tanong niya. Hindi niya alam kung nakabawas ba yon sa sakit na malaman na hindi patay si Bryton. Sobrang naguguluhan siya gusto niyang magalit pero ano pang magagawa kung magagalit siya.

She slowly open the enveloped and start to read the letter. When she's about to finish the letter she heard someone knock on the door and it slowly open.

"I thought you wouldn't come. How are you feeling?" pumasok si Ali at niyakap siya.

"I'm not okay. This is all shocking to me." she said. Nakaupo na ito sa kama niya. Tumingin ito sa hawak niyang papel.

"You've read the letter. I see." nakatingin na ito sa mukha niya na may pag tatanong.

"Hindi pa lahat. What really happened in the past five years?" niligpit niya muna ang sulat. Hinila niya ang upuan paharap dito at naupo.

"It was a roller-coaster ride for us especially Bryton's life. One morning when we found out that you run away from us..."

"I was hurt, Ali." pero hindi pa ata sapat ang limang taon na paglayo at bakit parang kasalanan niya lahat kahit sabihin man ng mga magulang nila na naiintindihan nila.

"What about me? Whatever will happened you have me Santi but what did you do? Ako mismo iniwan mo. You left me in this house that I can't never called home." wala siyang maisagot.

Nakatitig lang siya and then she noticed that ang laki na ng pinagbago ni Ali. He's not the jolly person he used to be. He's expressive eyes is now emotionless and the way he speak parang robot ang kausap niya.

Sorry in advance for the grammatical error.
Thank you for reading.