Home of Hopes (Caledonia Series #1)

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Refuse

If birds can fly with or without love, then I must too. I can live with or without the love I gained from my special person. I was anticipating I should know that all the people I was dreaming of are not going to hold you when you're trying to reach them. It's like a rope. When you hold the other one, some will loosen their hold and leave you eventually. Especially when the foundation is not strong enough to support the rope. And the rope was my relationship with him.

When I notice some leaves moving in one direction, I breathe normally. I closed my eyes when I stepped to the ground in my black ankle boots. I stopped when the western wind blew my hair away. I unwrapped my eyes.

I smiled more when I was just glancing at them. Embracing the moment they have. How I wish I had been like that when I was little, even though they had a small house. Not like a huge house. I can sense that they are happy together. Laughs I heard and teasing I spoke of. Happiness can be bought with money, but sometimes the things that can make you happy eventually. But if you hold a bunch of money and lend it to someone who is a gold digger, then your doom is certain. They are not accurate for you. Money can't buy the person who will stay and love you eventually. I believe the person who can love you unconditionally is just using you. When they are satisfied, they will leave you alone.

They slowly lost it when the boy I was wanting to see glanced at me. They all stopped whatever they were doing and looked in the direction of where their son was smiling more. I raised my right hand and waved at them while I was just wearing high-waist jeans and a tucked-in golden yellow t-shirt. Slowly, I went to them when Paul was just sweating on his white printed t-shirt together with his blue jeans and black slippers. I smiled and looked at him thoroughly.

"You're here," he begins the conversation. I stopped when I was at their wood fence.

"Naku naman. Nandito pala ang inaasahan ng apo ko. Napadalaw ka apo?" pagtutukoy sa akin.

My body position shifted when I heard that voice from my back. The boy in front of them just nodded, and I was shocked when I shifted my gaze and saw a man in his sixties with a hoe in his hand. MAbilis ko siyang inalalayan sa paghawak no'n. Naaliw naman siya habang tinitingnan akong seryoso sa pag-agaw no'n sa kanya.

"Ang bait mo talagang bata ka. Mukhang 'di ka sanay sa mga pinaggagawa namin, pero kung makapag-aalala ka ay ramdam ko na mahal na mahal mo ang mga empleyado ni'yo."

Napaatras ako at huminto. Ngumiti ako ng matamis at nakuha ko na ang gusto kong makuha. The smile and awe on his face are clear.

"Ahm...hindi naman po ako santo at may pagkakamali rin po ako. Pero respetado ko po ang mga empleyado namin," pormal kong sabi.

"Well, I can see in your eyes that you're concerned and sincere, iha.Kaya naman 'di ko masisi ang apo ko kung nahulog siya sa'yo sa kabla ng kamalditahan mo. No offend," sabay halakhak niya.

Tumango naman ako at binuksan na ang gawa sa kahoy na tarangkahan nila. Tiningnan ko si Lolo na simple lang sa palagi niyang sinusuot na t-shirt at shorts. Inakayan ko rin siya patungo sa loob. Nilagay ko sa gilid ang hoe na hawak ko. Pinagpag ko ang aking kamay na may konteng alikabok at pinahiran ko rin ang noo kong may pawis. Isang mainit na kamay ang humaplos doon. I closed my eyes when I felt his smooth touch.