Mended Broken Souls (✔️)

Chapter 43

Chapter 43

"Maraming salamat ulit, Caleb. Mag-ingat ka pauwi."

"Opo, tito. Kailangan ko na po talagang umalis dahil baka maabutan ako ni Julienne."

"Sige lang, hijo. Congrats din pala. Hindi kita nabati kahapon."

"Thank you po, tito."

I unhurriedly opened my eyes when I heard inaudible voices. When I did it, it seems like I forgot everything but when my eyes fixed on the familiar ceiling in my room, that's when I remembered everything.

I wished I didn't fix my eyes on it if that was the sole thing that I could do to avoid remembering every edge of my pain.

Questions begun to encircle around my head. Why am I here? Who brought me here? I want to give one hard punch to that someone for bringing me back in the place I just started to escape.

I was anticipating death because nobody knows my whereabout earlier in the Tan-awan Peak, and people might not see me there... except  Caleb.

I gritted my teeth as an idea just popped in my head. Sinundan niya talaga ako? Hindi ba siya nakaintinding ayaw ko nang bumalik dito? If he really knows me so well, he would fathom my point of view, judging on how he knows what I felt earlier when he saw me.

Nah, nevermind. Everything was already done. Nothing will happen if I keep on throwing hates at him in my mind. Nandito na ulit ako sa lugar kung saan pilit na kumakawala sa matigas na hawla.

I just sighed wearily. I covered my body with the blanket when I felt how I shivered due to the coldness. Ngayon ko lang din klarong narinig ang malakas at tuloy-tuloy na pagbagsak ng ulan sa labas. I opened my eyes again when I thought about something.

Caleb might be soaked with the rain. He could've just truly go home earlier for him not to be soaked by the rain. Baka lagnatin pa siya... at masisisi ko ang sarili kung mangyari man 'yon.

"Anak... alam kong gising ka na," narinig kong sambit ni papa, at naramdaman ko rin ang pag-uga ng aking kama.

I'm still not ready to face them after knowing the truth earlier. The heaviness in my body and soul is still not lifted. It still remained the same, o nadagdagan pa lalo nang marinig ko na naman ang boses niyang nakapagpapaalala sa 'kin sa mga kasinungalingan una pa man, at sa pagtawag niya sa aking 'anak' na wala namang kahit anong bahid na katotohanan.

"Who brought me here?" I asked coldly beneath the blanket. I still want to make sure. Baka ibang tao pala ang nakahatid.

Hindi agad ako nakarinig ng sagot mula sa kaniya. His silence transparently means that it was his nephew.

"Si C-Caleb..."

Hindi ako nagsalita ulit no'n. I became lazy in talking when it's him who keep on making a way to start a conversation with me.

It is so hard to apologize because forgiving doesn't mean forgetting. I want to do both at the same time, or perhaps... forgiving without forcing myself. It will take time. Hindi ganoon kadali.

Kahit sabihin pa na siya ang tumayong ama at nag-alaga sa 'kin mula pagkabata... it doesn't change the fact that he's selfish because I wouldn't know the truth if I hadn't accidentally heard it. That just only means one thing... he doesn't want me to know my real parents.

"A-Anak... kanina ko pa ito paulit-ulit na sinabi pero... patawarin mo ako. Nagsisisi na akong naging makasarili ako at hindi na naisip ang sakit na maidudulot no'n sa 'yo. Ako na rin ang humihingi ng tawad sa mga naranasan mo kay Lucie noon hanggang ngayon... P-Patawarin mo ako, Anak. Dahil sa p-pagmamahal ko sa 'yo ay hindi ko nais na malaman mo ang totoo..." I heard his sobs.