“Hello?” naghihikab pa si Olive nang sagutin ang tumunog na cellphone. She would have ignored it, but it wouldn’t stop ringing.
“Olie,” anang tinig sa kabilang linya.
Nawala bigla ang antok niya nang marinig ang pamilyar na tinig. “Kuya Matt?”
Kinabahan siya. He usually doesn’t call so late. He calls at a regular basis always scheduled at their time.
Did something bad happen?
“Is there something wrong, kuya?” mahal na mahal niya ang nag-iisang kapatid. Despite his misgivings and imperfections as her older brother and father to the twins and Jeremy, he cares for him a lot.
She heard him laugh, and it was flat. Sana ay marinig niyang muli ang tawa nitong puno ng buhay. Si Matt ang isa sa pinakamaloko at makulit na lalakeng nilalang sa mundo nuong bata pa sila. He’s a womanizer. Iyon ang bisyo nito dati. He loves risk and challenges.
But when he met his wife, he said it was love at first sight. He changed. He became responsible and never had other relationships and flings. They were so happy before the tragedy.
She blinked, she remembered their parents. Sa kasawiang palad ay kasama rin and dalawa sa aksidente. Matt was there, too. He’s the only living survivor, but he wished to have died with his wife.
Napailing siya. When will he recover from what happened in the past?
“Your friend had been harassing me for quite some time now,” umpisa nito. Iritasyon ang nasa tinig. “She won’t let me be. I changed my contact numbers but she had a way to trace them. She’s like a stalker. She keeps on bugging me with e-mails and phone calls. And you know what, my inbox is almost full of her messages every single day,” parang hindi humihingang litanya ng kapatid niya.
Olive could imagine how her brother is frowning right now. This is a revelation. Besides grief, this is the first time he showed another emotion.
“Sino ba’ng kaibigan ko ang tinutukoy mo kuya?” kalmanteng tanong niya kahit may kutob na siya kung sino.
“That hobbit,” he said.
“Ah,” out of words, iyon lang ang nasabi niya.
It was indeed Melody.
Napailing naman siya. Likas na pakialamera si Melody. She would have no doubt if she managed to be a spy someday. Ang hindi niya maintindihan ay kumbakit at kumpaano nito natrace ang kuya niya. Melody never asked his number to her. Ni hindi nito kinakamusta ang kapatid niya.
“Why would she do that?” ano na naman ba ang pumasko sa kukote nito.
“She was asking me to go home for you and the kids,” nag-iba nag tono ng kapatid niya. His voice became faint and distant.
“I’m sorry, kuya,” she managed to say. Alam kasi niyang mahal na mahal din ni Melody ang mga pamangkin niya.
“I’m the one who should say sorry,” nagulat siya sa sinabi nito. He did not speak of what he’s feeling from the moment his wife died. Marahil ay iyon ang dahilan kumbakit hindi nito nakaya ang nangyari, he never shared it with anyone. Kahit sa kanya.
“I have left you with a big responsibility in raising the kids,” he added. “I’m a selfish bastard,” he laughed bitterly.
“Kuya Matt,” waring pinipiga ang puso niya sa narinig. “You know I will always understand you,” totoo iyon. She had always understood him.
There was a long moment of silence. She could hear him breathe and releases heavy sighs. Kuya, come back, piping dalangin ng puso niya. Kahit man lang ang pagiging masayahin mo ang magbalik. It would really help you a lot.
