Hinahanap - Hanap Ko Siya

Chapter 33

"Si Pandada ba yan?", tanong ni Sarah ng nakangiti.

Nagulat si Bamboo sa pagkakabanggit niya ng Pandada. Paano niya nalaman ang tungkol dun sa storytelling niya kay Isa? Si Isa! Hay, talagang batang yun! Malamang tinawagan nanaman niya si Sarah at kinuwento ang tungkol kina Pandada at Biddie! Naunahan pa siya, tsk, tsk.

"Y-y-yeah, howd'you know?", he asked from above the huge, stuffed panda's head.

Kasalukuyan silang nagii-skype ni Sarah. He was showing her the toy and was just about to explain the story behind it when she mentioned the name, Pandada.

Natawa naman si Sarah. "Eh, si Isa kase, eh! Kinuwento niya sakin yung gawa-gawa mong bedtime story, hahaha."

Bamboo took on a serious face. "Seriously, Mommy Serah, sorry kung naba-bother ka ni Isa, ha. I'll talk to Ce...."

"No need", Sarah interrupted him. "Daddy boo, actually may ilang beses na kameng naguusap. Pati si Cecil. Nakakausap ko narin. I'm sorry. Pero I swear, kaya ko lang naman di nabanggit sayo yun kase di ko lam kung ano magiging reaksyon mo, eh."

Natahimik si Bamboo. Pati si Cecil, nakakausap na niya? Bat walang nabanggit sa kaniya si Cecil?

"Meron ka pa bang di nasasabi sakin?", he asked quietly.

"Yun lang! I swear!", sabi ni Sarah, nakataas pa ang kanan niyang kamay. "Wag ka magalit, please! Sorry na, Daddy Boo!"

He sighed. Di naman niya kayang tiisin si Sarah, eh. Sa kahit na anu mang dahilan. And besides, it's not like ayaw niyang magkasundo sina Cecil at Sarah. At wala naman siyang sinisikreto kay Sarah.

"So", he said, carefully, "how's it going with Cecil?"

"Um, anu kase, eh", Sarah said, hesitantly, "nagsimula yan nung second time akong tinawagan ni Isa. Gabi rin yun, yun yung yime na naikuwento niya sakin yung bedtime story mo. The next day, well, syempre nakita ni Cecil yung call log niya, malamang, so tinawagan niya ko para humingi ng paumanhin. After that, well after that, Daddy boo, nagkaka-skypan na kame", nanlaki mga mata ni Bamboo doon, "mostly morning yun, bago pumasok sa school mga bata...."

He interrupted her then. "You mean, you've met Lucio narin?"

"O-oo", nahihiyang pagamin ni Sarah. "Maggu-good morning sila saken tapos magkukuwentuhan kame ng onti ni Cecil", she sighed. "Yun lang naman, honestly. I'm sorry kase sabi ko rin kay Cecil na wag na niya banggitin sayo."

"So wadduyah talk about?", he's really curious to know.

"Mostly, mga bata", she replied. "And sometimes about sa pagiging parent."

"Why? D'you wanna have babies na ba?", he couldn't understand himself. Bakit ba parang balisa siya na nagkakakuwentuhan sina Sarah at Cecil?

"Ha? E-e-hi-hindi naman sa ganun", he knows he's making her flustered. "To naman, napaguusapan lang naman namen. Apart from that, magkukuwentuhan din kame about sa family and childhood, ganun lang."

"So close na kayo nyan?", he said. Why does he sound accusing?

"Bamboo, wala naman masama siguro kung maging close kame, diba?", halatang naiirita na si Sarah. Di na siya tinawag na Daddy Boo. Hohoho.

Bamboo sighed. "I'm sorry. Really. I should be grateful you girls get along pretty well. It-it's just that.... Well, for a while natakot lang ako na baka madiscouraged ka na sakin pagna-meet mo na yung ex ko, or something like that."

"Ha? Anu ba yang naisip mo?", nagulat si Sarah. "Kaloka to! Di ka naman niya sinisiraan and wala namang makapagdidiscouraged sakin about you."

"I-I know, I'm sorry", he said. "I shouldn't have jumped into conclusions that easily."