This Kind of Love

25. Party

Siren's POV

"Dark wings?"

Hindi ko rin alam kung bakit pero parang may bumara sa lalamunan ko causing me to be speechless.

"Why Ieuhence?! Why didn't you tell me!"

Inangat niya yung ulo niya para tingnan ako.

"Siren, look at me. My eyes are not the same anymore and the light that radiates from my body is slowly going away. Pretty soon, it will be gone."

"Ieuhence...A-anong pwede kong gawin?"

Umiling nalang siya sa akin.

"Nothing. There's no stopping all of this...sinabi ko sa sarili ko na bago pa mangyari lahat nang ito, kailangan kitang makita. Whatever's left of me, as the real me, I just had to see you before the soul that is not pure consumes me. The angel in me--the one that protects you--is slowly dying. And despite having a heart that is slowly dying, I am still in love with you."

"D-dying? What does that even mean? Hindi ba angels don't die? M-may gamot ba? Kahit ano. Kahit ano gagawin ko. Sabihin mo lang kung ano ang pwede kong gawin."

"You don't understand, my love. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko ipapaliwanag sa 'yo sa paraan na ma iintindihan mo." He told me again at naka tingin lang siya sa mga mata ko.

"I came here to say good bye just in case I'm not able to anymore."

"Ano ka ba! Huwag mo akong tinatakot nang ganyan Ieuhence! Anong good bye? Hindi ba nangako ka sa akin na habang buhay babantayan mo ako? Babantayan mo kami ni baby diba? You promised me that Ieuhence! Bubuo pa tayo nang masayang pamilya diba? Lalabas na siya Ieuhence. Malapit na natin siyang makita."

Ngumiti naman siya sa akin at hinaplos yung tiyan ko.

"Even that thing that used to be the norm sounds like a dream. I guess in that manner, I am like a mortal with a dream. The closest I'll ever be to being one. Kung ano man ang mangyari Siren, just remember that I will always love you both. Kahit na wala ako physically, my heart will be forever yours. I know that you're going to be a good mother to our child. Alam kong ma papalaki mo siya nang maayos. Wala man ako pero babantayan ko parin kayo sa kahit anong paraan. Just keep that in mind." He said and kissed my stomach before closing his eyes slowly.

His eyes were closed but he's still talking.

Siren, I'm sick. Ganun ba sabihin yun nang mga mortal?" There was a chuckle like he was slightly amused.

"I'm sick and slowly dying." was his last words before he vanished into thin air.

"Ieuhence! Ieuhence! No!" I screamed so loud habang sinasapo ko yung tiyan ko.

"Siren enough! You're endangering your baby! Ieuhence is not dead! Kinuha lang siya nang archangel niya. Please stop! Even Ieuhence won't like this!" Enrique was hugging me so tight na para bang ina-alo niya ako.

"Shhh...magiging okay din ang lahat. What do you always say? Have faith, right?" tanong niya sa akin at tango nalang ang tanging na gawa ko.

***

Days passed by at pinipilit kong mamuhay nang masaya para kay Ieuhence at para narin sa baby ko. Bumibisita sa akin palagi sila Julia, Francheska at Enrique. I am very glad that I have friends like them. Hindi nila ako iniwan even I'm in deep sorrow. They even spoiled me by buying the food I like, going shopping at sinasamahan din nila ako for my monthly check up and I'm glad that of all the things that I've been through ay okay lang ang baby ko.

Grandma and I are talking about the gender of my baby and tama nga sila. It's a girl. We were on a middle of talking about the nursery room's design nang parehas kami napatingin sa pintuan ng may kumatok at bumungad ang galit na mukha ni Enrique.

"Enrique!" Napatayo ako bigla sa pagkaka upo ko.

"What happened to your face? Bakit ganyan ang itsura mo?"

"Your oh-so-beloved Ieuhence did this." Tinuro niya yung mukha niya, "You still think he's a good guy?"

Hindi ako makapaniwala doon sa sinasabi niya. Si Ieuhence binugbog siya? That doesn't even make sense. It's something Ieuhence will never do. Umiling-iling ako.

"He didn't do this to you." I said in low tone voice at nagsalubong naman ang kilay niya.

"Siren, wake up!" he snapped his fingers in front of me.

"Quit living a lie that the Ieuhence na kilala mo eh yung anghel na perpekto na iniisip mo. He's not the same guy anymore. Okay? He's falling apart! It's consuming him!" He yelled at me, "He showed up at my house last night and he punched me over and over."

"Pumunta siya sa bahay mo sa anong dahilan?" tanong ni Lola sa kanya.

"He told me something really felt off but he couldn't tell what. And I may have said something else about the sacrifice that he should undergo for him to become a full human. I told him that he has to be reborn and he--he will loose his memories."

Nang sinabi ni Enrique yun ay nakaramdam ako nang paghihina at galit. Why didn't he told us that before? Bakit ngayon lang? He provoked him kaya siguro nagalit si Ieuhence.

"How could you Enrique! Why the hell didn't you told us that before? We--we could have done something..." sinubukan ko siyang itulak sa dibdib niya. How could he?

"Enough! I'm not having any of this in my house!" sigaw ni Lola sa amin.

"Hindi ko ito-tolerate itong pag aaway niyo. Talk about this like a mature adults!" Nanahimik kami parehas ni Enrique. Ayaw namin maging disrespectful kay Lola kaya hindi na kami nag away kahit na galit parin ako sa kanya.

"At dahil nandito naman lang din kayo..." I heard Lola say.

May inilabas siya na dalawang sobre. Nakatingin lang kami ni Enrique sa kanya nang inabot sa amin ni Lola ang sobre at tig-isa daw kami.

"Ano po ito?" tanong ko kay Lola.

"This was in the mailbox yesterday. Hindi ko alam kung bakit but it just had a note na ibigay ko daw sa inyong dalawa..." sabi ni Lola sa akin, "Hindi ko alam kung kanino galing dahil wala namang nakalagay na pangalan."

Sabay naming kinuha ni Enrique yung sobre galing kay Lola. We opened it together and we saw na may matigas na parang cardboard na papel sa loob at kulay itim na ribbon sa taas. It looked like a formal invitation.

You are cordially invited to

'A Night to Remember'

-Going Away Party-

On the bottom of the card, there lies the address and directions kung paano pumunta doon sa lugar. This is odd. Parang familiar sa akin yung address, I just can't remember well kung bakit. It said that one of our closest friend is about to go on a long trip, and our presence is needed. The party is tonight.

Tumingin ako kay Enrique and he just looked right back at me.

"One of our closest friend?" Narinig ko na sinabi ni Enrique while giving a smirk.

"I don't buy this bullshit. I don't know who's messing up with us, but I'm about to find out."