Eighteen

Chapter 40

Bath tubs lined one corner of IKEA I was picking out the perfect tub at the same time contemplating if I would actually like a bathtub in my own place. Hindi naman kalahikan ang napili kong condo. Plain condo with a wide area. Wala rin naman sa plano ko ang magpapunta ng bisita roon.

One-spaced room with the bed, mock kitchen, and living room all in the same area. The closet was joined with the bathroom, divided by a glass divider. The only thing unique about it was that the bed space was elevated than the rest of the surface. And, my resting place was over and against the glass walls of one corner that was facing directly the city. I lived up on the 52nd floor.

I put a hand on my temple, checking the material and design of one marbled tub. Gray and glossy in the light. The motif was black and white, each not too much of itself. I could have called someone to pick these things for me, but that would make my first ever condominium not-so-special. Namomroblema lang ako nang kaunti dahil ang hirap palang pumili; lahat ng narito magaganda.

I opted for that one for the sake of saving time. I still had to make my formal visit to the office later this afternoon. I had just arrived yesterday, but I had been thinking about how Tito Serio must have been waiting for this moment.

The sooner I presented myself in front of the board, the quicker Tito Serio would get the trouble of running the company for almost a decade out of his hands. I knew he had also been waiting for this though he would not tell.

After purchasing the necessities I had to have in my place, I decided to visit someone first. Before I went back to the hotel and get changed for the big afternoon, I had to visit her.

"Hija!"

"Oh, my! You have arrived!" sigaw ni Sophia at niyakap ako kaagad. She had grown so much.

"You're here! You should have said so! Dapat ay makita ka rin ng iba mong tiyo at tiya. Gustong-gusto kang makita ng Tiya Irina mo," sabi ni Tita Vicky. Siya lang ang naiwan sa bahay. Si Tita Jiruna, nasa bakasyon kasama ang asawa niya. She had married.

Tita Victoria pulled me into a hug and kissed me on both cheeks. I could still remember in vague, the times I had spent here. Hindi gaanong nagbago ang villa nina Lola Remedios. Mas naging makulay nga. May mga nadagdag sa pamilya.

"Ate Camille, your bangs suit you more now," ani Sophia at natawa. Malaki na siya. She was far from one of the kids who had cut my hair by accident.

"I think so too," ani ko.

Nasilip ko mula sa pinto si Amelia na nakatitig sa amin. She was holding her child in her arms. She had gotten married last year, at 20. I could still see myself in the mirror at 21—I had been a mess far from restitution.

Lola Remedios was in Cebu with Tita Jiruna and her wife, having the time of her life along with a man she had met in Milan. It turned out, she had plans on making the flower that had long wilted come to life again. It was actually delighting to know that despite the generational barrier and all her overly fixated traditional beliefs before were, one step at a time, crumbling away. Anyway, she had called before I arrived at my homecountry, telling me she had felt sorry about not being able to come. Bibilhan na lang daw niya ako ng pasalubong.

Lumapit ako kay Amelia at nginitian siya. She looked blooming.

"Hello, ate," she said meekly.

"I missed you, Ame," ani ko at sinilip ang buhat niyang bata. Inayos naman niya ang pagkakahawak niya sa bata para makita ko nang maayos.

The baby's face scrunched at the sudden disturbance in his peaceful sleep. He was so red and tiny that the mere frame of his being made my heart leap. I thought about Cain looking like this before, and I had not been able to see the same sight.