Just the Ticket

Chapter 33

Chapter 33 #jttwbs

"O, ano? Super sakit ba?" June asked, ricocheting within to collect answers from every part of me.

Nasa tapat ako ng restaurant. Kinuwento ko lang ang nangyari kay June, lalo na ang naging sagot ni Fern. I'm really so grateful that she's available to pick up my call.

"Siyempre," I admitted. "But I'm still composed."

It's true, it hurts. Fern rejected me, and on what facet would it not hurt? Pero ang puso ko, parang minamartilyo nang malakas kaso hindi naman nadudurog. That's how I feel about it.

Maybe because I already expected and accepted the worst outcome so when it truly happened, I was armored. Hindi na nadurog kasi handa at protektado. It might be that.

Umismid si June. "Eri, what if sabihin mo sa kanya kung ano'ng nangyari sa'yo? I mean, wala siyang alam five years ago."

"What difference will it make?"

"About you being an offspring of rape. Pinaalis ka ng Mommy mo. Inferiority mo kay Ingrid Estancia. Lahat ng destroying thoughts na sinarili mo. So much difference if he discovers all that."

June's litany zipped my lips for two reasons. One, I didn't want to recall those past events at this very moment. Pangalawa, tinimbang ko ang suggestion niyang 'yon.

"I'll think about it."

"'Di ka naman nakikipagbalikan. Syempre, he's taken! Para lang alam niya kasi at some point, nadamay rin siya sa napagdaanan mo. Nasira ang meron kayong dalawa."

Natahimik ulit ako at natulala na lang sa ibang mall shoppers na dumaraan sa harapan ko.

Her point was slowly being clear to me along with one thought. I damaged Fern back then. He tried his best to hold my sharp broken pieces, wounding himself in return. Siguro kailangan ko rin humingi ng tawad...

Hindi rin sa sinisisi ko ang lahat sa sarili ko kasi may mga mahirap na kinaharap din naman talaga ako noon.

Filled with June's substantial ideas, I told her I needed to go back inside after muttering my gratitude. Hindi naman siya umangal kasi papunta na rin sa trabaho.

Bumalik nga ako sa loob. My former classmates were reminiscing high school memories when I excused myself to call June. Kanina pa kasi kami natapos sa pagkain.

Tungkol naman ngayon ang usapan nila sa kung kailan wala na kami, saka gumanda ang school! They all targeted the Reverend Father with their sulky laments!

Hindi ako umimik habang kasali naman sa usapan sina Fern at Caelan. The latter would strike a simple conversation with me at times and the former would casually join. That's how it went with us three.

The reunion was concluded at around 6 p.m. with a group picture. Naghiwalay din ang lahat pagkatapos. Ako naman, sumama kina Caelan sa parking area kasi niyaya nga akong sumama kina Marion.

"Tawagan ko na nga si Keno."

"Sabihin mo, i-full tank niya 'ko kung pasusundo siya, ha?"

"Gago." Natawa si Caelan. "Parang 'kala mo sa El Nido manunundo. D'yan lang naman."

Narinig ko na lang ang mahinang halakhak ni Fern dahil sa sariling kalokohan.

But their chats aside, I riveted my attention in front of us. Madilim na ang kalawakan sa itaas kaya naman mas aninag ang pangingintab ng itim na sasakyan.

I padded closer to it, mesmerized not by seeing the four overlapping circles in a row at the rear to scream the brand but by the entire idea of this before my eyes. Nalaman ko na kanina kaso namangha pa rin ako.