Catch Me When I Fall (Isla De Verde Series #2)

Chapter 36

"Na-heatstroke ang tatay mo last year ngunit medyo maayos naman na ang lagay niya ngayon. Nakakagalaw na siya at nakakapagsalita hindi kagaya noong mga unang buwan niya..."

Pagku-kwento ni Aling Pacita habang papasok kami sa loob ng bahay. Medyo namangha pa nga ako dahil kahit mukhang gawa na sa semento ang buong bahay ay hindi nawala ang mga kagamitan namin noon.

Ang mga larawan ko at mga larawan namin nila Tatay at Nanay ay maayos na nakapatong sa itaas ng tukador. Everything's still the same. It still feels home even before I left Isla De Verde.

"Nasaan po si Tatay?" Bumaling ako sa kan'ya at itinuro niya ang isang sliding door na mukhang patungo sa teresa ng bahay na nakaharap sa dalampasigan.

Back then, we don't have any terraces in our house. Nasa likurang bahagi iyon ng aming bahay noon na may naglalaking niyog at nasa malapit sa dalampasigan. I remembered something because of it.

It was when I saw a glimpse of a small boat's arrival on the waterfront. Then I walked near the boat only to see that goddamn self-proclaimed Greek god. At talagang sinabi pa nitong sumisid siya para lang ipagmalaki sa'kin si SpongeBob at Patrick!

"Puntahan mo na lamang siya sa teresa, Yana. Maghahanda lang ako ng makakain," aniya at nagpaalam upang magtungo sa kusina.

I cleared my throat and went towards the terrace of the house. Nakita ko ang isang bulto ng lalaking nakaupo sa wheelchair. May dyaryong nakapatong sa lamesang nasa harapan niya at isang tasang kape.

Malayo ang tingin nito sa karagatan na tila ba may malalim na alaalang binabalikan at ninanamnam ang marahas na hampas ng hangin mula sa hilaga.

"Ehem,"

My heart thumped loudly when his head slowly turned to face me. Nakakunot ang noo nito habang nakatitig sa akin na may pagtataka.

"Sino ka, hija? May bisita pala si Pacita?" aniya at binigyan ako ng isang magaang ngiti sa kan'yang mga labi.

Maybe it's the longing for a father's love that's why I'm feeling emotional right now? I could feel the brimming tears in the both corner of my eyes while looking at my father with love and longing. I missed him so much. I really do.

Kung siguro ay hindi ako nahulog sa bangin six years ago ay kasama ko parin siya sa loob ng mga taong iyon at masaya kaming namumuhay nang mag-kasama. I forgot everything about him for six years. Everything about my past.

Every night it haunts me thinking why can't I remember everything in my past? It hurts me to the core that I can't even remember even just a single detail about him. The man who loved me for being who I am and who I wanted to be. He never judge me not even once.

He will always say that he has no right to judge me. If other people has a lot of time judging me then he has a lot of time loving me instead. He never failed to make me feel loved and secured.

He has done everything just to give me the life that a normal kid should have. Kahit pa nga wala na si Nanay para punan ang responsibilidad niya bilang ina ay hindi naman nagkulang ang aking ama para roon. Mas doble pa sa kumpletong pagmamahal ng magulang ang ibinibigay niya sa'kin noon.

"T-Tay..." I cried. I rushed towards his side and hugged him tightly.

Is this what people felt too when they lost their fathers and reunite with them after so long? It's a mixed emotions. Masaya, nakakalungkot at panghihinayang. Ngunit mas higit ang saya na nararamdaman ko ngayon.