Five O'clock Sky (Nueva Caceres#1)

CHAPTER 19

Chapter 19

Punto de Vista: Ikatlong Tauhan

"Don't take it to the heart." Payo ni Candarica sa anak na mahinang humihikbi. "Nasasabi lang iyon ng Papa mo dahil galit siya. I myself couldn't be more angry and disappointed with you, Lucy."

She cannot believe that her daughter was capable of  going that far. Matagal na nilang napapansin ang paghanga nito kay Sandro. A young admiration. An infatuation. At hindi na nila iyon pinagtatakhan pa because there has always been a connection between Lucy and Sandro. Naputol lang iyon nang pumunta sila ng America upang magpagamot sa sakit niya noon.

When Lucy was six, she had always wanted a friend. Palagi nitong tinatakasan ang nanny upang makipaglaro sa ibang bata. But she was a haciendero's daughter. At marahil sa kadahilanang iyon ay ilag ang mga batang anak ng mga magsasaka sa kanilang hacienda. But then, Lucy found a friend in  Sandro's character. He was too old when Lucy, perhaps "forced" him to be her friend. Gayunpaman, maayos na pinakisamahan nito ang batang si Lucy at pinaglalaanan ng oras even if he did not have to. Hanggang sa isang aksidente ang naglagay ng lamat sa pagkakaibigan ng dalawa. An earthquake happened when Lucy and Sandro were inside the old, dilapidated greenhouse of the late Donya Constancia Altamontejo and her friend Virezia Gozano. At habang buhay na tatanawing utang na loob ni Rika at ng kanyang asawa ang pagligtas ni Sandro kay Lucy which almost cost his own life.  Kung hindi lang ibinuwis ni Sandro ang buhay para kay Lucy, they could have lost their daughter.

Lucy was too young when Sandro became her friend to even remember it. The traumatic incident 13 years ago was also one of the reasons why Lucy cannot remember Sandro as part of her childhood.  Rika saw how the two children respectively suffered after the incident. At ayaw na niyang alalahanin ang parteng iyon ng kanilang buhay.

Bagaman nalimot man ni Lucy ng tuluyan si Sandro. But her fondness of him could really be inherent. Sa unang beses na nakita nito muli ang binata,  a week after they came home from the US, her stares in him lingered. It was when they were at the patio and young Sandro passed by riding his stallion. Wari niya'y pauwi na ang binatilyo matapos ang maghapong trabaho sa plantasyon. And Lucy cannot take her eyes off him.

Hindi mapigilang kabahan ni Rika. Could her daughter remember Sandro and worse, the incident that traumatized her? But Lucy didn't look at him as if he's familiar. Adoration. Iyon ang nakikita niya sa mata ng anak.

Nang malayo na ang distansya ni Sandro sa mansion at hindi na nito maabot ng tanaw no matter how she turned her head, saka lang nito nilubayan ng tingin ang binata. Then, Lucy turned to her.

"That guy who just passed by..."

"W-why, sweetheart? Does he seem f-familiar?" Saad ni Rika. Pilit na ikinukubli ang kaba sa boses.

Her daughter smiled endearingly. "He's handsome, mom."

Nakahinga siya ng maluwag sa sagot ng anak. Hindi problema sa kanya kung sakaling maalala man nito si Sandro. She's only afraid she'll remember the earthquake incident and might suffer in trauma again.

She laughed lightly and pinched her cheeks. "You already have an eye for handsome men, ha. You're just 9, darling!"

"I wonder if he could be my boyfriend in the future..." Lucy dreamily uttered.

Napasinghap si Rica. Ang tangkang pag-simsim niya sa tea cup ay nabitin malapit sa kanyang labi. She was thankful she didn't drink the tea yet kundi ay baka naibuga niya ito pabalik.

"Lucy!" Saway niya dito ng may tinis sa tinig sa pagkamanghang naisip nito ang ganoong bagay. But her daughter only giggled adorably.

Lihim na napa-iling si Rica. She wandered how her brat would react if she knew that the guy she's eyeing to be a future boyfriend was her only friend before they went to the US.