I Love You, Sir

Chapter 17: Home

"Khrss!" Si Lola.

I entered the private room where Mommy was. I noticed her sleeping peacefully on the hospital bed. I approached Lola and hugged her while keeping my gaze fixed on Mommy. Maputla siya at laki ng pinayat.

She kissed my cheeks. "My granddaughter is already grown up, and I miss you so much, Apo," aniya at muli akong niyakap. 

I shifted my gaze from Mommy to Lola. "I miss you too, Lola." 

Dati magkasing-tangkad lang kami pero ngayon, mas matangkad pa ako sa kanya. Akala ko mag-isa siyang nakabantay kay Mommy. Not untiI, I noticed a woman standing on the corner, surprised. It's Ate Selya. 

"Ate Selya," tawag ko at nanatiling nanlaki ang kanyang mata sa gulat. Tumango lang siya at halatang 'di inaasahan ang pagdating ko. They must not have expected me here.

"Ang laki mo na, Khrss. Tapos...tapos ang ganda pa. Dalagang-dalaga kana talaga." She complimented me as she looked at me amusedly.

I gave her a shy smile. "Thank you po, Ate."

"Selya, pasuyo ng isang upuan para kay Khrss." Utos ni Lola sa kanya na siyang sinunod niya kaagad.

Lumapit si Ate Selya habang hawak-hawak ang isang upuan at binaba sa tabi ko. Tinapik niya ng dalawang beses yung upuan at hinawakan ang kamay ko para maupo. Hinarap namin nang sabay si Mommy.

"Apo... I'm sorry to ask you pero may hindi ba kayo pagkaka-intindihan ng Mommy? Hindi naman ganto si Firenze. Wala siyang nasabe simula nung umuwi siya," panimula niya. Nanatili akong nakikinig kay Lola habang taimtim na pinagmamasdan si Mommy.

"Pansin kong nag-iba si Firenze. Sa loob ng ilang taon, hindi ko na siya masyadong napapansing umuwi ng bahay niyo. Lagi siyang balisa kapag kinakausap ko at alam kong may tinatago si Firenze. Can you tell me what's going with your Mom? Or between the two of you?" Lola inquired casually.

Alam kong nakatitig si Lola sa akin, nag-aantay na masagot ang mga tanong sa isipan niya. Mukhang hindi pinaalam ni Mommy kay Lola ang nangyari kaya wala itong alam. It's...her fault in the first place.

"Your Mommy was found in her room that night by Selya. Your mom is depressed, Hija, and she's taking antidepressant medication. You must know something about it, don't you?" The last sentence made me look at her. Makahulugan ko siyang tinignan. 

"Tria said only you two needed to talk, so it must be something to do with you as well," pagpapatuloy niya at naguguluhang sinulyapan ang mahimbing na natutulog.

Marahan akong tumango. "I...I will talk to her, Lola." 

Tinignan ko ulit si Mommy. Everything that happened in the past should be in the past. Not communicating with her for so many years is already enough. I should forgive her, that's what I need and she needs so both of us can live again. We were both buried in our past that killing us both even though were still alive.