Romance in Shambles

CHAPTER FOUR

Chapter Four

"How are you?"

I lightly kicked the stone in front of my foot as I replied to the person on the other line.

"I'm good." I sighed as I smiled. "It's good to be back home."

"Mabuti kung gano'n. Baka nga kulangin pa ang dalawang linggong leave mo sa duty. For sure maaaliw kang talaga diyan."

And yeah, Hershey's right. Hindi pa man dumaan ang isang araw ko rito sa amin parang ayoko na atang isipin na aalis rin ako after two weeks.

"Ikaw kumusta?" Balik tanong ko sa kaniya. Baka kasi magtampo.

"I miss you. Hay, kung hindi lang sana ako busy-damn, Hari I have to go! I have a patient to attend to. Geez, muntik ko nang makalimutan! Call you later, have fun there. Bye!"

A light chortle was heard from me when I dropped my phone down from my ear. Hay Hershey, nagiging ulyanin.

But it wasn't long when the smile on my face faded. Something hit my forehead and it was a peanut. The hell!

Napalinga ako sa paligid only to see my father's grinning face. He's currently chewing something on his mouth and I fucking know for sure that it's peanut.

"Dad!" I hissed.

Yumugyog ang balikat niya dahil sa tawa habang nakatingin sa mukha kong nalukot dahil sa inis.

"Was that your boyfriend? Naglilihim ka na pala sa akin Harith?"

I rolled my eyes at him. "Seriously Daddy?!"

Tumawa na naman siya and seeing my father that way, my irritation subsided. Gladly I would trade my life just for that smile to never leave his face. Seeing my father as happy as this, I know I am happy too. And I would never let anyone hurt him, makikipagpatayan ako.

"Harith, you're standing at the exact spot your brother marked."

With creased forehead I dropped my gaze down to where my feet is situated. Couple of seconds later, I lifted my left foot and there, I saw it.

'Harith Vane is Kuya's little princess. Always.'

I felt something inside me twitched. Memories hurried back on my mind

On this part of the cemented pathway, those words were written. I was ten that time and it was my brother's thirteenth birthday and that was also the time that he swore to always be by my side. That promise was kept though but...

I closed my eyes. Life's just too cruel, sana nanatili nalang kami sa panahong iyon. Sana...

--

It has been a week already since I came home and isa-isa kong binalikan lahat ng na-miss ko sa lugar namin. Yesterday, Dad and I went to a horse race. Pumusta pa nga si Daddy and for the first time natalo ang pinustahan niya kaya parang batang nagmaktol siya nang makauwi kami. Hanggang ngayon hindi parin siya naka get-over sa nasayang niyang pusta kaya hindi siya sumama sa akin na mamasyal.

I mentally laughed. Poor Daddy.

The sun was already setting when I returned my eyes to the sky. It was already brushed with orange color and it looks so serene. It somehow casted all the burdens I have in me and made me temporarily forget all the wrong decisions I made in life.

It may be just a simple thing pero iba ang impact no'n sa akin. It's just a whole lot breath of fresh air.

Takip silim na nang nagda-drive ako pauwi sa mansion. Dalawang oras kong iniwan si Daddy kanina para magpunta sa tabing dagat at panoorin ang paglubog ng araw. I even had two small bottles of vodka.