APRIL FOOLS

EPILOGUE

My forehead creased when someone knocked at my door. “Mom?”

“Come in,” I said.

“Mom.”

“Yes?” I asked. Tinanggal ko ang reading glasses ko at hinarap ko si Cali.

She bit her lower lip and scratched her head. “Uh, we have a camping, which is nasabi ko na months ago, I guess? Magpapaalam lang po ako and to signed this parent's consent.” Cali handed me a paper.

Ngumiti ako sa kaniya. Cali was now on her second year college. I can’t really imagine she will grew so fast. I sighed.

Pinirmahan ko ang consent na binigay niya, without looking or reading at it. I just read at least the first sentence at dumiretso na ako sa ibaba para pumirma. Nadaanan ng paningin ko ang camping place and it’s a place with a ‘Carlos’ on it’s name – whatsoever. I’m busy examining a murder case here. Binalik ko na sa kaniya ang papel.

Buenacarlos? That’s it. Iyon ang nahagip ng mga mata ko. Malapit lang ang Buenacarlos dito kaya panatag ako. Iyon lang naman ang lugar na alam kong camping place around here.

Except for that one...

She smiled like she won the grand draw in sweepstakes. She fight the urge of shouting and jumping in joy. I planted a smile on my lips.

“Thank you, Mom!” Lumapit siya sa akin at hinalikan ako sa pisngi. I giggled.

“Kasama rin ba si Lana?” I asked. Lana was Dave’s daughter with Gabriella.

She scratched the back of her ear. “Uh, I don’t know yet, Mom. Hindi ko alam kung papayagan siya nina Tito.” She shrugged.

“Kailan ang alis ninyo?” I asked, rerouting my gaze on the papers in front of me and wearing back my reading glasses.

“Mom?!” she exclaimed. I laughed.

“What?” I asked and laughed again.

“Parang pinapaalis mo na ako kaagad!” she exclaimed. Hindi na maipinta ang hitsura niya ngayon.

“What? I’m just asking though,” I defended and chuckled.

“Next, next week pa, Ma. I told you last month na may camping kami, but it was postponed so they announced last week na tuloy na, so, tada!” she exclaimed exaggeratedly while gesturing her hands.

I shook my head and smiled at her. “Yeah, yeah. Prepare your things—”

“Already done!” she exclaimed. I smiled. She always act exaggeratedly like my friend back then – Sky. “It was ready since last week, actually! Lana and I helped each other!”

‘She's excited that much, huh?’

I sighed and remembered the excitement Cali was wearing was the same excitement I wore back then on our camping.

I shook my head.

The word camping was introducing me something from the past. The ghost of the past that’ll always be there to scare us.

But, yeah. Wala nang mangyayari masama this time.

I wish.

Wala na, matagal nang tapos ‘yon. For the past years, dapat patay na ang multong iyon ng nakaraan.

I heaved a deep sigh once again. I smiled at Cali.

I gulped and said, “Invite your friends here later, okay?”

“Okay, Mom,” she replied and smiled.

Hindi na rin siya nagtagal at lumabas na.

Her friends did came here the next day. Their days went well, as well as mine.

The excitement was traced on their faces at hindi sila makapag-usap nang hindi binabanggit ang tungkol sa camping nila.

And the day of their camping comes.

Tanks aren’t enough place for their excitement since these kids loves traveling, road trips and camping. These kids, really.

Inihatid ko si Cali hanggang sa gate dahil nandoon na ang sumundo sa kaniyang mga kaibigan niya.

I smiled at Cali and hugged her.

“Keep safe and enjoy,” I whispered to her. She nodded.

Sumakay na siya ng sasakyan na may malawak na ngiti.

“Enjoy the camping, sweethearts!” I shouted.

“Yes, Tita, we will!” Lana answered and waved her hand.

Since Dave and Gabriella lives on the same village, nasa katabi ko si Dave at kumakaway sa mga bata. Gabriella was on her duty and left early so hindi niya naabutan na aalis sina Lana.
 
“Take care!” we shouted.

Inilabas pa ni Cali at Lana ang kamay sa bintana at kumaway sa amin. Ang mga kaibigan nila ay kumaway rin sa amin.

I waved my hands to them. Bumalik na rin ako sa loob after that and continued my errand.

Two days had passed since the kids left for the camp, good thing wala namang ibang nangyari.

No more mysteries and mysterious happenings, thank goodness.

I knew that camp will turn out to be nice.

On the nect day, I was peacefully sipping my coffee when Dave bumped in to my door and show me his phone.

“What?!”

I saw his wife behind him— which is Gabriella and also my husband— Blue.

“Read this,” Dave said and show me something.
   
 
 
 
From: Unknown Number
 

Let me return the knives to your beloveds.

  

After reading that text message, my heart beats fast. I looked up to them and gulped.

“What does this mean?” I asked Dave.

“I don’t know,” he replied.

“Punyeta,” Gabriella uttered. She looks bothered.

“Bakit?” Blue asked.

“Sina Lana at Cali.”

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa biglang pumasok sa isip ko pero napailing na lang dahil imposible.

‘Claire, calm down. Stop over-thinking.’

Napalingon ako sa phone ni Dave nang makitang mag tumatawag dito na ‘unknown number’. Nagkatinginan pa muna kami bago ito sinagot ni Dave. He press the loud speaker button.

“H...Hello?”

[ Hi, there, love! How are you guys? Who misses me? Raise you knives! ] We heard a giggle.

“Hey, we’re sorry, but I think you called the wrong number, I think you are mistaken,” Blue said politely.

[ Oh, sorry. In case you forgot, I am the prankster you guys once pranked. ]

I gasped.

I looked at them with my eyes wide opened. My heart starts pounding and I can feel my hands shaking in fear.

And when I heard her last line before ending the call, I almost faint.

“And, oh, Claire. My date with Satan was postponed. Let’s book that soon, okay?”