#2: Strumming the Pain

Strumming 19

Umuwi na rin ako matapos ang pag-uusap namin ni Kirk sa labas ng hospital. Nasa tapat na ako ng bahay nang may makitang kotse na hindi pamilyar sa 'kin, I immediately concluded that their guest is already here. I hesitated to go inside so I stayed outside for a while, napatingin lang ako sa may front door nang bumukas 'yon.

"What are you doing here?" Juliana, who just opened the door, asked. Nilapitan pa niya ako nang hindi ako sumagot.

"What are you doing here?" balik na tanong ko lang naman sa kanya.

"Inutusan lang ako ni Daddy na tignan kung naka-uwi ka na ba." she answered, shrugging.

"What's wrong with him?" I asked myself, brows furrowed.

"I have the same question." she whispered, but just enough for me to hear like as if I was meant to hear that.

"You talk like as if that wasn't your dad." sabi ko sa kanya, hindi lumilingon.

"You're the same." sagot naman niya sa 'kin at umiwas ng tingin.

"Hah... Whatever," masungit na sagot ko lang naman.

"Yeah, and you need to go inside bago pa lumabas si Daddy." sabi naman niya sa 'kin.

Wala akong nagawa kung hindi ang sumunod sa kanya papasok. She instantly smiled, nanatili namang blangko ang mukha ko. Tumaas ang kilay ko nang makita ang bisita, may isang lalaki na mukhang kasing edad ni Daddy at may kasama siyang isa pang lalaki na mukhang ilang taon lang ang tanda sa amin.

"Hey, honey," Tita Ina greeted me sweetly that it almost made me puke.

"Sweetheart," Dad also greeted me sweetly with a smile. "Meet my friend, Rendi Severino, and his son, Rory." pagpapakilala niya sa 'to.

That Rory guy just glance at me, kaagad din niyang iniwas ang tingin niya na para bang hindi siya interesado sa presensya ko. His dad, on the other hand, smiled at me widely, kaunti na lang ay mapupunit na ang mukha nito kaka-ngiti. I remained emotionless, hindi ako interesado kung ano mang pakay nila rito.

"And oh, this is my other daughter, Khaisia." pagpapakilala naman nito sa 'kin.

"You have two beautiful daughter, Fred." sagot naman nito at sumulyap pa kay Juliana na nasa tabi ng Mommy niya.

"Of course, and Juliana here is also smart. She's one of the smartest at their school," sabat naman ni Tita Ina na malawak ang ngiti. "I believe you know her, Rory. You're schoolmates, right?"

"I don't think so." that Rory guy replied.

His dad laughed. "Sorry about him. He just don't pay much attention to people around him, I don't really understand him sometimes."

Tinitigan ko ang lalaki, he have that cold expression on his face that almost intimidating. I haven't seen him smile, obviously, but I think he's the cheerful type. I just shrugged it off since it just a feeling, I'm not really sure as I don't personally know him and I don't have any interest to know him more.