The Paintbrush Deal

EPILOGUE

The warm midsummer air caressed my face as our car sped past people and buildings. The late afternoon sun hung over the horizon, bathing the surroundings in its warm, golden light. It’s only hours before sunset, and the sky is currently lit with beautiful shades of orange and red as the clouds basked in the dying glow of the sun.
 
“It’s pretty, isn’t it?” Skyler said beside me.
 
I looked at him. “Yeah. I’m going to miss the sunsets here.”
 
Skyler smiled before wrapping an arm around my shoulder and pulling me closer to him. “Yeah. Me too.”
 
The two of us are leaving the country. Pinadalhan kasi si Skyler ng sulat ng isang art school sa Europe, asking him if he’d still like to teach there. Tinanggap naman ni Skyler ang offer. Apparently, they’ve been trying to hire him for quite a while now. It seems na mas lalo lang silang nagpumilit na makuha si Skyler dahil sa ginawa nitong proposal sa ‘kin.
 
Well, Skyler’s show became quite of a big news especially in the world of art and painting. Just several days after his ‘exhibit,’ nakatanggap ng katakot-takot na dami ng tawag si Skyler mula sa mga taong gustong bilhin ang painting na ginawa niya para sa ‘kin. Skyler has always been known for the beautiful storytelling of his paintings, kaya naman pinag-agawan bigla ng mga collector ang pinakabago niyang gawa. Nakadagdag pa sa hype ng painting niya na gumamit siya ng colors matapos ang napakatagal na panahon ng paggamit niya ng mga dark at gloomy na kulay.
 
Of course, wala namang tinanggap na offer si Skyler kahit na milyones na ang offer sa kanya. The painting is coming with us. It’ll probably decorate our new place soon.
 
Also, yes. Paalis na nga kami ng bansa. Dahil na rin sa mga koneksyon nina Tito Hector at Tita Susan, may papasukan na rin akong trabaho sa lilipatan naming bansa. Actually, hindi pa naman talaga kami magtatrabaho agad. For the meantime, maglilibot-libot muna kami ni Skyler para naman masanay kami sa klima at lugar.
 
As for my mom, she already went back to the US several weeks ago. I did promise that we’re going to visit her as soon as possible. Malamang na by December na kami magkikita ulit. As for my father, kinausap ko rin naman siya. He gave Skyler his blessing, so we’re really good to go.
 
Zoe and her boyfriend are currently spending their summer together. Pambawi lang naman daw nila sa isa’t-isa dahil naging abala rin sila sa pag-aaral. Adrian, on the other hand, seems to be busy getting close with Miles na hanggang ngayon ay nandito pa rin sa bansa. Hindi naman kami tanga para hindi ma-realize kung ano ang pakay ni Adrian kay Miles, pero hindi na namin sila ginagambala masyado bilang respeto na rin sa mga plano ng una.
 
To my surprise, Kelly turned down the offer of Ate Hannah. It seems na gagamitin muna ni Kelly ang lahat ng mga pinag-aralan niya sa business para matulungan si Sir Mico na mapalago ang negosyo nito. I’m pretty sure walang problema kay Ate Hannah kahit anong oras mang gustuhin ni Kelly na pumasok sa kumpanya ng pamilya nila.
 
Of course, Sir Mico and Kelly are still happily living together. Base na rin sa nasasagap kong balita mula kay Skyler, mukhang next year plano ni Sir Mico na pakasalan si Kelly. Mukhang nag-iipon na rin ito para sa lilipatan nilang bahay in the future.
 
As for Calix, he’s now working in their parents’ company. Ilang beses ko rin siyang nakausap in the past few weeks. He seems to be doing fine. When I asked him kung ito ba talaga ang gusto niyang gawin, he said yes. He added na he’s always wanted to help in their business. That way, magagawa raw makapag-focus ng parents niya sa pamilya nila. Fortunately, umaayos na ang samahan nina Sir Mico at ng mama niya. I heard from Calix na ilang beses na ring nag-dinner sa kanila ang kapatid niya na kasama si Kelly.
 
All my friends are now busy with their respective lives. What’s making me feel more at ease is that I can see that they’re all happy with what they’re doing. They’ve always wanted to see me happy, that’s why seeing them enjoying their respective lives really puts a smile on my face. They deserve everything, lalo’t wala silang ibang hiniling para sa ‘kin kung hindi ang ikabubuti ko.
 
“Hey, we’re here,” sabi bigla ni Skyler, sanhi para bumalik na ang isip ko sa kasalukuyan.
 
As soon as we stepped out of the car, we were immediately greeted by Skyler’s family. As expected, walang mapaglagyan ng iyak niya si Tita Susan. Despite his embarrassment, Skyler allowed his mom to hug him for a long moment.
 
“Mukhang natuloy pa rin ang plano mong umalis,” sabi sa ‘kin ni Kelly habang pinapanood namin ang buong pamilya ni Skyler.
 
“Well, yes,” sagot ko naman.
 
“Matagal-tagal din tayong hindi magkikita. I’m going to miss you,” Kelly told me.
 
“Magkikita tayo ulit soon. Probably next year. Ikakasal na kayo ni Sir Mico, ‘di ba?” sabad ko naman.
 
Kelly pinched the side of my body.
 
“Jokes aside, mukhang totoo naman ang sinabi mo,” dagdag ko. “Matatagalan pa ako bago makabalik dito. Kagaya ng sinabi mo, tuloy na tuloy pa rin ang plano ko. My plan hasn’t changed at all. I will earn a lot of money and then I will go back here to help children. Ayokong buhay ko lang ang magbabago. I want to make their lives better.”
 
“Don’t worry dahil tutulungan kita diyan,” sagot ni Kelly. “While you’re away, I’ll keep on searching charities and organizations that help children. That way, magiging mas madali sa ‘yo na tulungan sila kapag nakabalik ka na.”
 
“Salamat. We'll keep in touch with each other so that you could help me with my plan,” I answered.
 
Kelly smiled at me gently before gesturing at Skyler and his family. “Did you dream of this? Sumagi ba minsan sa isip mo na magiging ganito ang buhay mo?” tanong niya.
 
I chuckled while shaking my head. “Nope. Not at all. Back then, gusto ko lang talagang makapagtapos at makahanap ng magandang trabaho para makaalis ako sa bansang ‘to. Hindi na ako humiling ng dagdag pa dahil baka sabihin ni Lord na umaabuso ako. I didn’t expect that I’d be showered with blessings that I didn’t even ask for. Nagkaayos kami ng pamilya ko, umayos ang buhay ko, at nagkaroon pa ako ng isa pang pamilya. Sometimes, I’m still struggling to believe how my life has changed drastically in just the past year,” I said.
 
“Well, you deserve it. Ilang taon kang nagpagod at nagsakripisyo para maabot mo ang mga pangarap mo, that’s why it’s just right na mabiyayaan ka ng maraming blessings. You deserve everything that you have now. Why? Because you made yourself worthy. Hindi ka naghintay ng milagro. Hindi ka nagpadala sa nakaraan mo. Instead, you worked diligently to achieve your dreams. You are living a better life now because you worked hard for it, because you made the effort to make yourself better,” Kelly said.
 
“Thank you, Kelly,” I answered.
 
Skyler’s family called us kaya lumapit kami sa kanila. Tita Susan immediately hugged me before placing her hands on my shoulders.
 
“Talk to us when you have time, okay? Medyo pabaya itong si Skyler, kaya ipagkakatiwala ko na siya sa ‘yo. May tendency rin siyang hindi magparamdam sa ‘min, so I’m asking you to contact us as frequently as possible. Don’t make us wait for too long,” she said.
 
“Opo,” sagot ko naman. “By the way, maraming salamat po sa lahat. Salamat po at hindi ninyo ako itinuring na iba mula noong nagkakilala tayo. Salamat po at tinanggap niyo ako, mama at papa.”
 
Both of them smiled at me. “Well, I’ve always felt that you’re special to my son, kaya hindi ako nagdalawang-isip na tanggapin ka sa pamilya namin,” Tita Susan replied. “Besides, you are a diligent and hardworking person. We admire people like you. Kahit hindi kayo nagkakilala ni Skyler, alam kong magugustuhan ka pa rin namin.”
 
“You are a part of the family now,” Tito Hector added. “Alam ko naman na may mga pangarap pa kayong gusto niyong tuparin, pero sana magawa niyong bisitahin kami rito as frequently as possible. Hindi na kami bumabata ng mama mo.”
 
“Don’t get too emotional, dad. Malamang babalik pa kami rito. Besides, malamang na baka kayo pa ang unang bumisita sa ‘min. Kilalang-kilala ko na kayo,” sabi naman ni Skyler.
 
All of them gave Skyler and me one final hug. “Take care, okay? Take care of each other,” Tita Susan told us.
 
Skyler and I looked at each other for a long moment.
 
“We will,” both of us said. After waving goodbye to our family, the two of us finally walked away from them. Just before turning in a corner, we looked back at them and gave them one final wave. They also waved back at us before Skyler and I continued walking, finally hiding our family from our sight.
 
Healing, as people would always say, takes a lot of time. It can’t happen overnight. Even if you heal completely, you’d still be left with scars. Those scars will remind you of the wounds of your past, how you got them and how you eventually healed them. No matter how deep the wound is, if you give it enough time and care, it will eventually heal.
 
My past has given me a lot of wounds. Bata pa lang ako, marami na akong pinagdaanan at tiniis. I will always carry with me the trauma and pain from my past. After all, bata pa lang ako noon. Hindi magiging madali sa ‘kin na basta na lang kalimutan ang lahat ng hirap na pinagdaanan ko noon.
 
Oo, nagpadala ako sa galit at hinanakit ko. There was a time in my life when I was full of hatred and spite. I was angry with the world for making me suffer. I mean, wala naman akong ginawang masama. Gusto ko lang na mamuhay nang matahimik. I was only a kid back then, so why did I have to suffer like that?
 
As I met new people, I realized that there is so much more to this world than negativity and anger. When I met Zoe and Adrian, they made me realize that people will still accept me despite my past. It took me a long time to trust them, for me to tell them my full story. Noong malaman nila ang kwento ko, they gave me a tight hug and assured me that they will help me achieve my dreams.
 
Those two are the first people who helped heal my wounds. Sila ang unang nagpakita sa ‘kin ng pagmamahal matapos ang ilang taon kong pag-iisa. I will always cherish the day when I first met them. Malaki ang utang na loob ko sa kanila dahil sila ang nagsilbing tulay para makaalis ako sa nakaraan ko. Without their help, baka wala ako rito ngayon.
 
As I met more people, they only showed me kindness and compassion. They seemed to understand me really well kahit na hindi ko pa sila gaanong kilala. Of course, I’m talking about Kelly. He’s a big factor para mabawasan ang pagkasuplado ko. Sino ba namang walang pusong halimaw ang kayang awayin ang taong iyon? Kelly made me realize that kindness goes a long way. Ika nga nila, what you give is what you get. I personally believe na pinagpala si Kelly dahil sa kabaitan niya, dahil sa positibo niyang pagtingin sa mundo.
 
As for Calix, he made me realize that having fun is never a bad thing. He made me happy again. He made me experience the things that I should’ve experienced back when I was a kid. Siya ang rason kung bakit nagagawa kong tumawa at ngumiti nang tunay. Calix brought out the child in me again. Malaki ang naitulong niya para magawa ko ulit na i-enjoy ang buhay ko.
 
Of course, I can’t possibly forget about Skyler. Surprisingly, kahit na wala siyang pakialam sa ‘kin noong una, I eventually felt his care for me. As we got to know each other better, I learned to love his gentle side. Skyler made my heart beat again. He made me feel something that I haven’t felt ever since I was born. This sounds cheesy as hell, but Skyler softened my stiff heart, allowing love to blossom from it. Just like his old paintings, Skyler made me see how colorful and bright love is.
 
There were a lot of factors that contributed to my healing. It took me a long time. It took me through many ups and down to get to where I am now. I can confidently say that the journey was worth it. I still have scars. I will always have them as a reminder of my past, but what’s important is that I am healing. I’m still healing. I’m still trying to fix my broken pieces. However, now that I have a lot of support, I don’t think it’ll take me a long time before I can fully heal from my wounds.
 
“What’s the matter?” Skyler suddenly asked me. “Ang lalim yata ng iniisip mo.”
 
I blinked several times. Malapit na kami sa eroplanong sasakyan namin. In fact, natatanaw ko na iyon mula sa puwesto naming dalawa. The sight made me realize that we’re really leaving, that we’re about to start a new life together.
 
“Nothing,” sagot ko. “I was just thinking of something.”
 
Skyler held my hand and gazed outside the glass wall in front of us. Over the distance, the late afternoon sun is currently peeking between the towering buildings. It reminded me of Skyler’s painting of me—bright and radiating with warmth. I felt his hand gently squeezing mine, as if he’s transferring the warmth of the sinking sun into me.
 
“Let’s go?” Skyler asked me.
 
I also squeezed his hand before nodding. For the first time in my life, I’ve never felt this assured and safe. I found myself smiling at Skyler, his gentle face giving me the warmth and comfort that I’ve always loved.
 
“Let’s go.”

fin.

● ● ●

August 26, 2021 (Thursday)
11:09 am