HEARTBEAT #11
CAIAH's POV
In life, you have to take chances in order to make a change. You need to take a risk and gamble what you have if you wanted something new. Something that can make you happy. Something that can make you realize the real value of life. Something that will give you the courage to live your life the way you wanted. And that something could be just around you, waiting for you to grab it
"You can just drop me off here" I said while looking around the area
"What? Malayo pa yung bahay mo" may pagtutol na saad niya
"It's okay. At isa pa.." At itinaas ang dalawang plastic bags na hawak ko at naglalaman ng mga pagkain na hindi namin naubos kanina
Tumango siya na tila naiintindihan ang nais kong ipahiwatig. Maya maya pa ay lumabas siya ng kotse niya at pinagbuksan ako ng pinto
"Thank you" I said then started to walk, hoping that I would see the dogs that I always feed whenever I'm going out
Nagtaka ako nang sumunod din siya sa akin sa paglalakad. I look back at him with my forehead creased
"What are you doing?"
"Walking?" He said as if it's already an obvious thing
"Yeah. And you're supposed to get in your car and go home, right? " I answered with the same tone as his
"But I want to be with you" he then shrug his shoulder
Tumango na lamang ako at nagpatuloy sa paglalakad. I look up in the sky and it's still cloudy. It's a good day for me to walk around. I can still feel his presence on my back
"Blacky" may kalakasang tawag ko nang makarating ako sa lugar kung saan madalas ko silang nakikita
"Who's Blacky?" Tanong ni Excekiel at tumabi sa akin
I was about to answer him when I heard a familiar bark which made me smile. Soon, there are 3 dogs in front of me, waging their tails as if they're happy to see me
Lumuhod ako upang maging kapantay sila at isa isang hinawakan ang mga ulo nila. Nagtatalon naman sila na parang tuwang tuwa
"How are you, three?" Malambing kong tanong sa kanila
Tumahol sila na para bang sinasabi na maayos naman sila which made me chuckle
Tumayo ako at naglakad patungo kung nasaan ang mga lalagyanan nila ng pagkain na ako mismo ang naglagay noon. Hinawi ko ang mga halaman na nakaharang. Naramdaman ko namang sumunod sa akin ang tatlong aso ganundin si Excekiel na himalang nanatiling tahimik lamang
May tatlong lalagyan don. Lumuhod muli ako at isa isang nilagyan ng pagkain ang mga 'yon
"Here's for Blacky" I said then give the food to the black dog, which is also the biggest among them three
"Here's for Whitey and Browny" isa-isa kong ibinigay sa kanila ang lalagyan ng pagkain nila
I was actually the one who gave them the names. It's all based on their color since I can't think of any names
Kaagad naman nila itong sinunggaban at kinain. Tumayo ako at naramdaman ko ang presensya ni Excekiel sa tabi ko
"Bakit hindi mo na lang sila ampunin?" Tanong nito habang nanatili ang mga mata sa mga aso
"I can't take care of them" tugon ko na may mahinang tinig
"Bakit? Naranasan mo na ba?" Natahimik naman ako sa sinabi niya
"Yeah" I said in a small voice, almost inaudible
I heard him sigh and put his hand over my shoulder
After feeding the three dogs, I suggest to go back to where he parked his car. Hindi naman gaanong delikado ang lugar na ito pero masyadong agaw-pansin at mamahalin ang kotseng dinala niya. He insisted on driving me home. And since, tinatamad na akong maglakad at napakain ko na ang mga aso, pumayag na rin ako
