Stuck With You ✔️

11

Chapter 11

Theo

"Wanna visit your mama Andy?" I asked Perez as soon as many hours passed and I started to get bored being at home even though there's a tons of plates and files that I need to do. It's only been a day and I started to feel empty without Andy here. I felt like it became too quiet even though I'm used to it already.

I know I couldn't focus anymore so I started cleaning my table and was planning to move to Andy's house para roon gawin ang trabaho ko. Atleast doon, I have Andy and not just my dog. Am I becoming dependent to Andy? Hindi pa nga umaabot ng dalawang buwan mula nang umuwi ang dalaga.

I shook my head as I went to the bathroom to shower before leaving but as I was putting on a simple shirt, I heard the doorbell rang. Thinking it was Andy, I immediately fixed my hair with my hand and ran to the gate but then, I noticed an unfamiliar car parked outside my house. As I open the door of the gate, a smiling woman around my age greeted me with a hug.

"Oh my god! It's been so long! How are you, Theo?" Tuwang-tuwa na bati nito habang yakap ako nang mahigpit.

Sa sobrang gulat ko ay hindi na ako nakapag-react kahit pa nga tahol nang tahol sa Perez. Tyaka lang ako nakagalaw nang makita ko si Mama na lumabas ng sasakyan at napakalaki ng pagkakangiti sa mukha habang nakatingin sa akin. Medyo naluluha pa ito nang tuluyang humiwalay ang babae ay ito naman ang pumalit.

Agad kong ipinalibot ang mga braso sa ina kong matagal kong hindi nakita. Para akong bumalik sa pagkabata habang yakap ako ng mga braso nitong nagkaka-edad na. Kahit pa mas matangkad ako rito at kailangan kong yumuko upang mayakap ang nanghihina na nitong katawan ay hindi ako nagpapigil at mas hinigpitan pa ang yakap dito. How I missed my mother. Kahit pa gusto kong makasama ito araw-araw ay magkaibang bansa ang gusto naming panatilihan. My mother never understand my attachment to this country but she had no choice but to respect my decision as I respected her decision to leave. 

"Ma." Malambing kong bulong dito at isinubsob ang mukha sa leeg nito. Muli kong nalanghap ang pamilyar nitong amoy at hindi ko napigilang hindi maging emosyonal at muntik pa akong maluha. 

"How are you, my baby? Are you living well? Are you happy here? You know that you can always come with me sa Australia, right?" malambing nitong pangangamusta habang hinahaplos nito ang buhok ko tulad ng ginagawa nito noong bata pa lang ako. I missed her touch. I missed my mom.

Tuluyan akong humiwalay sa yakap nito upang titigan nang mabuti ang mukha nitong medyo may katandaan na pero kita pa rin ang kagandahang taglay nito noong kabataan nito 

"Of course, Mom. How are you? Bakit hindi mo sinabing umuwi ka para nasundo ko manlang kayo?" Tanong ko at ngumiti lang ito nang malambing habang masuyong umiiling. "I know you'll do that kaya nga hindi ko sinabi. Kasama ko naman si Beatrice at ang driver ko. Alam ko namang sobrang busy mo, hindi ka na nga makatayo sa upuan mo kaka-trabaho." Sagot nito na bakas ang pag-aalala sa mukha. Medyo na-guilty naman ako dahil kabaligtaran ng iniisip ni Mom ang gagawin ko sana kung hindi sila dumating. Balak ko pa ngang magliwaliw sa bahay ni Andy sana. 

Thinking that we couldn't hang-out today, I glanced at the house in front of us where Andy lives and sigh. Yeah, I felt dissapointed even though we were just together this morning. 

"Mga anong oras mo kami balak papasukin, hijo?" Tanong ni Mama habang nakataas ang kilay.

Agad namana kong pumasok sa loob bago sila inantay na makapasok din. Beatrice or whatever her name is, smiled at me before stepping inside. My mom probably saw me glancing at Andy's house because she also glanced at her house before stepping in.