IT started out like any other day.
Kakauwi lang ni Santana galing sa paghatid sa mga kapatid niya at plano niyang mag-deliver ng painting ngayon sa kliente niya dahil wala din naman siyang pasok mamaya.
She should've known better.
Her plans are rarely brought to fruition and this day is not an exemption. Dahil habang ibinababa nila ni Kuya Robert galing sa kwarto niya at papunta sa pick up niya ang painting ay may tumawag sa bahay nila.
They never get calls.
Kakasabi lang din sa kanya ng lawyer ng magulang niya na next week na nila siya ulit kokontakin.
The shrill ring of the phone echoed through the empty house. Santana and Kuya Robert stopped their tracks. Nagkatinginan ang dalawa habang narinig nilang sinagot ito ni Ate Terry.
Santana's palm sweats as dread settles in her stomach.
Please let my siblings be okay. It was almost mantra inside her head as they wait for Ate Terry.
"Miss Santana...nasa kabilang linya ang lawyer ng lola mo." Ate Terry was pale and did not meet her eyes. Her stomach dropped. Whatever the lawyer had to say is not a good news.
Please let my siblings and my friends be okay.
Inabot sa kanya ni Ate Terry ang telepono bago nito alalayan sa pagbaba ng painting ni Santana si Kuya Robert.
"Hello." She said meekly. She bit her lip in worry and her free hand automatically reached for the baller band on the hand that was holding the phone.
"Is this Miss Santana Sison?" The woman on the other line asked. Santana muttered her answer.
"This is Attorney Perrez, representative of Mrs. Abad-Soriano's lawyers in America. I'm calling to notify you that your grandmother, Delphina Verena Abad-Soriano has passed at 4:06 PM, Wednesday, California time at the age of 72 due to multiple internal complications from her terminal cancer. According to her latest will and testament, she is to be buried next to her daughter, Sarina Soriano Sison..."
Santana's mind blanked.
Hindi na niya naintindihan ang sinasabi ng lawyer ng lola nito because all she can hear is a high pitch ringing in her ears. She stopped breathing. Every possible scenarios went through her head.
Santana, breathe. It's okay. Breathe.
"Ay! Anak! Hinga ka ng malalim! Robert ikuha mo ng tubig si Miss Santana bilis!" Panic na utos ni Ate Terry kay Kuya Robert. Some on their helpers scrambled as her knees gave out. Mabuti nalamang at nasambot siya ni Ate Terry.
Breathe, Santana. You got this. May kaunti ka ng naipon. You got this. You can put a roof on your siblings' head with the money you have now. You can sell your truck. You can afford a small house. It will be a tight fit, but at least you have a home. Breathe.
"Ate Terry, paano na kami? Paano kayo?" She said in such a quiet voice Ate Terry almost didn't hear it.
Santana was just starting to stand up on her own, only to have the floor she was standing on to be yanked off underneath her so abruptly.
☼
For the whole day, wala siyang ginawa kundi sumagot ng tawag sa telepono sa bahay nila. From their lola's reps galing sa America at mga business partners nito.
She knew that their mother's family came from money but not like this. It was overwhelming.
Nung gabi ay nag simula ng dumating ang mga bulaklak na pakikiramay galing sa business and associates ng pamilya nila. She didn't know who they were. Some are from families of great influence, na nababasa lang niya o naririnig sa media.
BINABASA MO ANG
SANTANA (SISON IN LOVE #1)
Romance"On any given day, the sun moves through our sky in the same way as a star. It rises somewhere along the eastern horizon and sets somewhere in the west. But as the weeks and months pass, you'll notice that the sun's motion isn't quite the same as th...
