Five O'clock Sky (Nueva Caceres#1)

CHAPTER 34

Hi, it's been a long time!
How are you?

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Chapter 34: Thiago

Unti-unting nagising ang aking diwa nang maramdamang may nakadungaw sa'kin. Slowly, I opened my eyes. Dulot marahil ng mahabang magkakatulog ay nanlalabo pa ang aking mata sa pagmulat. Right through my blurry sight, si Sandro ang nababanaag kong nakadungaw. Our faces just a few inches apart. But why do his face seemed so small? Kung nasubrahan o nakulangan ako sa pagtulog ay hindi niya alam. I would just dismissed it as a dream and go back to sleep when I heard a familiar voice calling me "Mama".

"Wake up, Mama!"

I felt a gentle tap on my cheek. Then I remember na ngayong araw ang dating ni Thiago mula Spain. Doon tuluyang nagising ang aking diwa at napabalikwas ng bangon.

"Thiago!"

I stared at the little boy sitting on her bed, contemplating if he's real or this is just another dream for missing my son so much.

"Thiago, sweetheart, aren't you a dream?"

The boy chuckled. He crawled towards my lap and kissed the side of her lips. "I missed you."

"Oh!" I sobbed when I realized it wasn't a dream. That mh son is finally in my arms again. I hugged him tightly. Binuhos lahat ng pangungulila na isang buwan mahigit ko ring dinamdam.

"You missed me so much, I could tell. You're not allowing me to breathe." He faked a complain.

I loosened my arms, but didn't let go with the embrace. This has been what I was always needing. Ilang minuto din kaming nanatili sa ganoong posisyon. I heard no complains from Thiago.

To have my son in my arms like this is what a calm after the storm feels like.

Nitong mga nakaraang araw ay gulong-gulong ang aking isip. Hindi ko malaman kung paano pakikibagayan ang mga nangyayari at mangyayari pa lamang sa buhay naming mag-ina. Idagdag pa ang pag-aalala ko kay Dahlia na hindi ko na muling naka-usap mula ng gabing iyon. My cousin did not go home and I have no idea where exactly in Nueva Caceres she is. But I know she's with Emiranda kaya kahit papano ay napanatag ang aking kalooban. Kagabi ay naka-usap ko si Anda. Over the phone, Anda told me na siya na muna ang bahala sa kapatid at alalahanin ko na lang ang sariling kinakaharap na problema. I promised after I settled the conflict I had with my parents, I'll be with my cousin again. Sa ngayon, maybe what Dahlia really needs is a space and a breather away from everything, from everyone.

Ngunit hindi lang si Dahlia ang hindi ko na muling naka-usap matapos ang gabing iyon, even my parents. Kung wala lang sina Aunt Aurelia at Uncle Ico ay walang magaganap na pag-uusap sa hapag. It would be a total silence, but the sounds of the utensils. Dahlia's parents stayed in the house in hopes na muling maka-usap ang anak, subalit sa tingin ko ay walang balak umuwi si Dahlia hanggat narito pa ang magulang niya. Ang kapatid naman nitong si Avelino ay nauna ng bumalik ng Nevada because his wife just gave birth. How unfortunate that we can't even celebrate the birth of their family's first grandchild because of how messed up things turned to.

I left the pastry shop early. It was 3 in the afternoon when I went home at agad akong naligo. Balak kong salubungin si Thiago sa airport dahil hindi naman lingid sa aking kaalaman ang pagdating nito ngayon kasama sina Hobie at mag-apong Jane at Alora. Pero dahil maaga pa ay humiga muna ako sa kama upang umidlip lang sana ng ilang minuto. Hindi ko namalayan na nauwi ito sa malalim na pagtulog. Maybe because I have been sleepless these past few days and emotionally drained too.

"How was... how was your meeting with your grandparents?" May kaba at pag-aalinlangan kong tanong matapos humiwalay ng yakap. Did they welcome him warmly or was their contempt in their eyes when they stared at him?