I watch Louie as he pouts and cross his arms. I glance at the wall clock and it's already 8:30 in the evening. Nakaalis na din sila Yuri at kaming dalawa na lang ang nandito. Auntie Jean's off will be at midnight dahil mag-oovertime daw siya.
"Sleep ka na, Louie. May pasok ka pa tomorrow, diba?" Nilapitan ko siya at niyakap. Hindi siya sumagot kaya naman napabuntonghininga ako.
Nakasimangot na siya ever since his kuyas left. Kailangan na din naman kasi nilang umuwi dahil Lunes na naman at may trabaho pa sila. Louie has his school tomorrow kaya dapat ngayon, tulog na siya.
"Baby, babalik sila Kuya sa Saturday. Promise nila iyon sa iyo, diba?" I asked him in a soft tone. He faced me then nodded. Napangiti ako at bahagyang kinurot ang pisngi niya. "So, sleep ka na. Paano dadating ang Saturday niyan kung hindi ka pa magsi-sleep?" My smile widened when his face lits up at dahan dahan siyang ngumiti.
"Ibig sabihin po, kapag natulog ako, mas mabilis kong makikita sila Kuya Kobi, saka si Kuya Ralph at Kuya Yuri?" His innocent eyes stares at me kaya naman natawa ako at hinalikan siya sa pisngi.
"Opo, kaya sleep na. Halika na." Sumunod din naman kaagad siya at mas nauna pa sa akin pumunta sa kwarto niya.
I prepared his bed and took him to the bathroom to clean his face before sleeping. Matapos niyang malinisan, dumiretso na agad siya sa kama at sumampa.
"Ate, dito ka po muna," he said while pouting kaya napangiti ako at tumabi sa kanya. He turns his body to me and hug me. Isinandal ko ang ulo niya sa braso ko at niyakap siya.
"Good night, baby ko," bulong ko at hinalikan ang noo niya.
"Good night, ate ko," he said while his eyes are closed.
I smiled as I saw his resemblance to our parents. Louie was 6 years old when our parents died. I was 20 at that time. That simple picnic of ours turned into disaster. I still remember what happened that day.
"Sheen, bantayan mo ang kapatid mo," Mama said while preparing our foods. Papa is helping him kaya ako ang tumingin kay Louie.
I sit in front of Louie on the grass while he's playing with his toy car. He glanced up at me and smiled at me kaya napangiti din ako. I played with him until Mama called us.
Mama and Papa brought us to Enchanted Kingdom. Ito ang pinakasikat na pasyalan sa Laguna at dahil nag-top 1 si Louie sa class nila, ito ang reward niya. Marami ding pamilya ang nandito and it's mesmerizing to see that everyone is smiling.
"Ate..." I glance at Louie and saw him pouting. Napangiti ako at binuhat siya.
"Why, baby?" Naglakad ako papalapit kina Mama at Papa bago naupo. They look at us and smile when they saw Louie pouting.
"Bakit sad ang baby boy namin?" Papa asked and get Louie from me. Kinandong niya ito sa hita niya.
"Mama, Papa, Ate..." he called and looked at us.
"Why? Sabihin mo sa amin, ano gusto ng baby?" Mama asked and hold Louie's hands. His gaze went behind me and he pointed at something behind kaya napalingon ako.
"Pwede po... bili nung c-cars?" Napalingon ako at nakitang nakayuko siya. Lumawak naman ang ngiti ko at nagkatinginan kami ni Mama at Papa.
Hindi kasi sinanay nila Mama at Papa si Louie na gumastos. Sa ganoong paraan, lumaki si Louie na nahihiya pa kapag magpapabili. Bilang ate niya, ako ang nagkukusang bilhan siya dahil minsan, nahihiya talaga siyang magsabi.
I quietly stood up and went to the stall where he saw the cars he wanted. Lumapit ako doon at agad binili ang paboritong kulay. I thanked the vendor and went back to my family.
Louie is pouting kaya napangiti na naman ako. Mama looked up and met my gaze. I secretly showed her the car I bought. She giggled, causing Papa to look up and saw the car Louie wanted.
Papa cleared his throat. "Boy, smile ka na. Your ate is there na, oh." Louie looked up and saw me. His eyes lighten but he jumps up when I show him the toy car he wants.
"Wow!" He exclaimed. I sit down beside Mama and Louie immediately hugs me.
"Thank you, Ate..." he said and kissed my cheeks.
We spend our family day until 5pm. Sinulit na namin ang maghapong nasa labas dahil bukas ay may trabaho na si Papa and Mama. Kami naman ni Louie, may pasok na din. Louie is in grade 1 and I'm in 2nd year college taking up tourism.
"Anong gusto niyong dinner?" Mama asked while we're on the way home. Louie raised his hand excitedly.
"Fried chicken!" He shouted that made us all laugh.
"Leisheen, kumusta ang pag aaral?" Papa asked and turned to look at me but the moment he did, Mama screamed.
"Leandro! May sasakyan!"
My heart beat increased and I immediately pull Louie to me. Niyakap ko siya habang si Papa ay pilit nililiko ang sasakyan namin. I heard Louie's cry at napapaiyak na din ako pero pinigil ko ang sarili ko.
"Shh... baby, it's okay. Nandito si ate," sambit ko. I glanced at Mama and Papa pero hindi ko na nagawang magsalita nang may malakas na impact na tumama sa sasakyan kaya naramdaman ko na lang na nagpaikot ikot ang sasakyan and the car bumped on a post.
My head is throbbing. Hindi ko na maimulat ang mata ko pero sinubukan ko pa din. The first thing I saw is Mama with her eyes closed at duguan na ang ulo niya pababa and Papa... his head is bleeding at nakasandal ang ulo niya sa basag na bintana.
I panicked when I saw the hood of the car smoking kaya agad kong binuksan ang pintuan sa side ko. I held Louie tight until makalabas kami. Ibinaba ko si Louie sa may damuhan bago balikan si Mama at Papa but... I was late.
The car explodes which made me fall and hug Louie.
Napakurap ako nang maramdaman ang pagtulo ng luha ko. I look at Louie and hug him tight. He's young when we lost our parents. Wala siyang masyadong maalala noon pero alam kong alam niya kung paano namatay ang magulang namin.
And now, the same thing happened again. This time, I am alone. I'm just glad that I survived.
BINABASA MO ANG
Where It All Started (SOW #1)
RomanceSeries Of Wheres #1 - After breaking up with his girlfriend, Victorious Khein Anderson planned to go home to his mother in search of her comfort. Meanwhile, Leisheen Alonzo just wanted to go home to her brother. Their paths crossed on the same bus r...
