Cruel Summer

ika-10

"Anong ginagawa mo rito?" tanong ko. I was really shocked to see her here without any message that she'll be flying here in Netherlands.

"I-I came to visit Lolo," she said.

Like I said, we're not close enough. We barely even talk to each other, but something seems off today. My eyebrows furrowed.

"Sinong sumundo sayo? Bakit di ka man lang tumawag?" sabi ko. Umalingawngaw naman ang boses ni Lolo ngayon sa likod ko.

"Apo, don't worry," aniya. "Your Tita Leah already took care of her."

I shifted my gaze to Clau again, and she's looked away. I sighed.

"Kumain ka na?" tanong ko. She nodded.

"How come walang pasabi sina Mommy and Daddy na pupunta ka rito?" dagdag ko pa. "Dapat ay ako na lamang ang sumundo sa'yo."

"No need, Ate," tugon niya. "Nakarating naman na ako rito. I also wanted to suprise you kaya hindi ka na namin tinawagan."

I just nodded and got myself a glass of water then drank it. Nakaupo lamang doon si Claudia habang nanonood ng TV, habang napagmasdan kong medyo hinihimas niya ang tiyan niya.

Could it be...

No way.

Nakita ko namang lumingon siya sa akin kaya umiwas naman ako ng tingin. I just decided to text and update Bryson na nakauwi na ako.

Ako:
    Hey, I just got home.

Dahil ilang minuto na ang lumipas at hindi pa rin nagrereply si Bry ay nagbihis muna ako at nagpahinga. I never received a call from Mom and Dad today, and I think Claudia is just pretending to be okay when the truth is she's not.

Dahil wala namang masyadong ganap sa loob ng apartment, nagpatuloy na lamang ako sa pagr-revise ng powerpoint ko para sa presentation ko regarding the partnership between R&L and the Fontanilla.

Since I am the eldest among us siblings, I am in-charge of doing this. Besides, I am staying here in Netherlands and this is a very good timing for us to coordinate with them. Ang balita rin kasi, ever since nagkaroon ng branch ang R&L dito sa Netherlands ay dito na rin madalas mag stay 'yong CEO. Maging 'yong head nila.

I sighed. Umiinom naman ako ng kape ngayon habang inaayos pa at pinapractice pa ang presentation, bigla namang nag notif ang phone ko at nakitang si Bry na pala ang nagreply.

Bry:
    Sorry late reply. Marami ako ginagawa e. Musta?

Kaagad naman akong natipa ng irereply.

Ako:
    Okay naman. How about you?

Bry:
     Okay lang din.
      I m

My eyebrows furrowed at his last text message. Typographical error lang ba? Or was he saying something else?

Hindi ko na pinansin pa ang huling message na iyon. Dahil wala na rin naman akong mairereply doon ay hinayaan ko na lang din 'yon at nagpatuloy na lamang sa ginagawa.

After a few hours of doing that, I went out of my room and checked my little sister. She was still watching TV, and I took a deep breath.

"Hey," sabi ko sabay tapik sa kaniya. "Do you wanna go sight-seeing? May gusto ka bang puntahan rito?"

She smiled and shook her head. "Maybe next time, ate. Gusto ko muna magpahinga."

I nodded. "Tumawag na ba sina Mommy and Daddy?"

Umiling naman siya at umiwas na lamang ng tingin. Bigla namang nagring ang cellphone ko at sina Mommy nga iyon.

"Hello?" bungad ko.