MADNESS IN LIFE

WAKAS

"Oh my! Oh my freaking gosh!"

Nakakuha ng malaking atensyon ang tinig na iyon. Mabilis na nagsalubong ang kilay ko. Hinanap ng mga mata ko ang taong sumigaw para sitahin. Hindi naman ako nahirapang hanapin siya sapagkat nasa akin ang paningin niya.

"Pusanggala!" naibulalas ko nang bigla ako nitong dinamba ng yakap. "Putcha... Sino ka?"

"I can't believe you! You really have this place! Oh my gosh!" Hindi niya pinansin ang sinabi ko. Malikot ang mga mata niyang nagmasid sa kabuuan ng lugar. Nangingiwi akong sinusuri siya. "Like O to the M to the G, Ate Rosane! Really?! You are too stunned to see me here?! Oh my gosh! Sino nga ba ang 'di magugulat if they saw a gorgeous-sexy vlogger in their bookcafe shop!"

What? Ano raw? Sino ba ang babaeng ito? Pamilyar siya, kulutan ang mahaba niyang buhok na kulay reddish-brown. Bilugan ang mga mata niya at makapal ang kilay... I remember someone on her...

"Ate! You're so unbelievable! Bakit lukot na lukot ang face mo? I don't know if you were shocked to see me o naaasiwa ka sa mukha ko."

I stood up straight. Inayos ko ang reaksyon ng pagmumukha ko and I smiled a bit. "Sorry, do I know you, Miss?"

"Oh my gosh!" she gasped of disbelief. Muntik ko nang matakpan ang tainga ko dahil sa bigla niyang pagsigaw. "I'm getting disappointed na, huh! You're hurting me, Ate!"

"Excuse me?" I raised my brow. "Do you want me to call the security to get you out of here, Miss? Nag-eeskandalo ka na. You are disturbing my customers."

"A-Ate..."

"What?"

"Ate Rosane, you forgot me na?" She looks like she's gonna cry any second. "I can believe you. I'm Reesava, your sibling..."

I frozed.

"What?"

"What?" she mocked me. "My gosh, do you have dementia? It's just ten years, Ate and you forgot everything. I'm your sister, I'm Ava and I have twin. She's Rozzene! Also we have five brothers! Kuya Avier, Kuya Asher, Kuya Aven, Kuya Anjoe and Kuya Arion! So? Do you want proof? I have picture with you when you were 17 years old, and it was your birthday--"

"Ava!" natigil sa pagtatalak ang babaeng nasa harap ko nang may tumawag sa kaniya. Doon naman ako nagkaroon ng pagkakataon para talikuran siya at nagmadaling pumasok sa office ko.

"Pusanggala... Bakit sila nandito? Paano nila nalamang nandito na ako?" I reached out my phone and dialed his number. "You said they are staying in Spain for good. Bakit sila nandito ngayon, Zenric? Anong mukha ang maihaharap ko?"

I heard his small laughs. "Rora, calm down your ass. They might be having a vacation there. You need to face them. After all, they were still your family."

"Oh! Our family," I corrected him. "But, Zenric... Nahihiya ako... Sampung taon... Sampung taon akong hindi nagpakita sa kanila. Hindi ko alam ang sasabihin ko..."

Narinig ko siyang bumuntong hininga. "Be confident, Rora. They wouldn't be judge you..."

"I know... Nahihiya lang ako sa kanila."

"You missed them, right? It's your time. Go, talk to them. Miss ka na rin nila for sure."

"Sumunod ka na rin dito. Dapat mo rin silang makilala," sambit ko. "They are good siblings. You deserve to know them. At ang plano natin sabay tayong magpapakita sa kanila!"

He chuckled. "I'm busy... You gotta go first, okay? Maybe next year, uuwi ako riyan."

"Tatandaan ko 'yan, huwag kang scammer, ah!"