Shelburne Springs

Chapter 1

—x

AYURI

This is the second time they moved into a house in Shelburne Springs. The first one was one summer ago, where they lived in a house somewhere near the coastline. And the reason why they were moving now move now was because her mother was getting married. Again.

When her mother told her that she has someone, she was not surprised about it. Nahuli niya itong kasama sa isang fast-food chain si Tito Howard na ipinakilala nitong kababata nito sa Shelburne Springs. Lumaki ang kanyang nanay sa Shelburne Springs. It was her mother's hometown.

She pretended she didn't see them and went back to the photography shop where she bought films. One of the things that would probably make her cringe when she saw her mother acting like a lovey-dovey teenager with someone she knew in a fast food restaurant. Kung saan masaya ang kanyang ina ay nakasuporta naman siya. Her mother deserved the love that her biological father didn't give.

Mabait naman at decent si Tito Howard. Niregaluhan siya nito ng isang vintage camera last Christmas and she was touched at the thought.

Lumaki ang kanyang ina, si Celine, sa Shelburne Springs until college years. She moved in the Delton City, lived there when she got married with her father. Since then, hindi na ito nakabalik sa Shelburne Springs. Until now. When her parents separated, they left Delton City to get away from the mess her father's family blamed them. They started anew in Shelburne Springs.

Napakurap-kurap na lamang siya nang iparada ni Celine ang kotse sa gilid ng picket fench ng isang two-storey na bahay na kulay condensada ang pintura.

May front porch doon, french door ang pinto at halatang naalalagaan ang mga halaman sa backyard though may nagtataasang mga damo sa gilid na mukhang nakalimutang tabasan ng kung sino mang hardinero ng bahay. The green foliage behind the house looked nice and earthy and she instantly took a picture of it with my phone. Mas lalong nakadagdag ng appeal ang hamog na bumababa sa bulubundukin.

"Ayu, tulungan mo na ako rito," untag sa kanya ng ina niya pagkabukas nito ng compartment ng kotse, revealing their baggage.

"Okay, ma." Tinulungan niya itong buhatin ang mga bagahe namin. Ito na ang bahalang nagbukas ng mababang gate ng bahay tutal alam na rin naman nina Tito na darating sila.

As if on a cue, Tito Howard went outside of his house, wearing his smile and his casual clothes at home. A graphic shirt and cargo shorts. He's in middle forties same as her mother. Pati mga mata nito ay nakangiti.

"Celine!"

"Howard!"

Napangiti naman kaagad si Celine at sinalubong si Tito ng magaang halik sa mga labi. Naitago niya na lang ang pagkangiwi niya saka niya nahagip ng mga mata ang anak nitong si Cricket sa may pinto, nakatunghay sa kanila.

Nagmano siya kay Tito Howard nang bumaling ito sa kanya at bahagyang nilingon si Cricket na ngayo'y nakahalukipkip, wearing his lopsided smile.

He has that kind of smile with a glint of playfulness of his eyes as if he's waiting something wicked to happen. She has been warned about that before by one of his friends.

"I presumed you already know my son, Cricket. Pareho kayong nag-aaral sa Shelburne Springs University and I hope you will get along well. Sabihin mo na lang sa akin kung may ginawa na namang kababalaghan 'yang anak ko," Tito Howard said knowingly and she just nodded, a bit confuse kung ano ang ibig sabihin ng huling sinabi nito.