Hello, Goodbye, and Everything In Between

Chapter 5 - Seasons

Her mom once said "May mga sandali sa ating buhay na mas matingkad kaysa sa iba."

For Aika, those moments were turning points in her life, moments that molded her to be the person she is now.

It was the day her sisters were born - the moments that made her an Ate on two separate occasions. She had dedicated her life to protecting, caring for, and loving her younger siblings.

She would move heaven and earth for them, even prioritizing their needs above hers.

She has vowed to be there for them no matter what and no matter when.

It was when her mom broke the news about her dad's crash. Her life turned inside out, and she started seeing the world in a different light.

She was forced to wear her big girl pants and step up not just as a sister but also as her mom's other half in the household.

"Ma, you called?" Aika got an unexpected call from her mom, which she unfortunately missed. She decided to return the call and was able to reach her mom.

"Asa'n ka? Bakit di ka sumasagot?" Her mom didn't call often. When she does, it's usually for important tasks and favors. She favored texting instead.

"Sorry I'm in Araneta Coliseum nanonood ako ng Ateneo game." It was an exciting bout between her Alma Matter and FEU in one of the UAAP matches.

"Sino kasama mo? Nag drive ka ba?" The air on the other line felt heavy. Aika had an unsettling feeling about the call, like something terrible was waiting to happen.

"The usual lang, Ma. Friends ko." Seconds felt like minutes for reasons she can't explain. "Mama, may problema ba?"

With a deep breath, her mom speaks again. "Aiks, parang may nangyari sa plane ni Papa." Aika couldn't describe the exact feeling she felt when she heard the news.

But, she remembers the words, how her knees turned weak, how her heart ached, how bad the drop was in her gut.

"That can't be. Ma, hindi pwede" she says with such a little voice. Her tears were already falling.

"Wala na tayong magagawa. Ang magagawa nalang natin ay magdasal. Kailangan kita maging ate today, Aiks. Magpakatatag ka." The words of her mom slip in and out.

She's thinking - processing. Her mom was reprimanding her but she still can't make sense of what she was hearing.

"Umuwi kana. Hanapin mo si Tricia. Ayokong malaman ng kapatid mo sa news. Dapat ikaw ang kumausap sa kanya." Tricia. Her sister's name gets her attention.

"Ganito, tell your friends ipag-drive ka. Kailangan ka ni Tricia. Kailangan ka ng kapatid mo." Si Tricia. Si Jillian. Si Mama. Papa, please wag muna.

She was never the same person after that tragedy in their lives. Everything her father said through the years now carries more weight.

"Take care good of Mama. Don't spend your time crying."

Of course, this now extends to her younger siblings. She was her mother's partner now.

Some events were less about herself but still momentous because it wasn't just her family on the line; other people's lives were too.

15,035,773

A number she will forever be grateful for and a number she will always be proud of - for the rest of her life.