Getting on my Pants

GOMP 24 - Cakes

Chapter 24

>>>River's POV

"You're hurting yourself,"mahinang sabi sa kin ng isang babae mula sa gilid ko. Nakatingin ako sa mga taong nasa pool area. Nagpaalam akong pupunta sa wash room. Pagbalik ko, huminto ako sa pintong kumokonekta sa bahay at sa pool area para obserbahan sila.

Si Summer nakakandong kay Aidan habang magkakausap ang mga ito kasama sina Winter at Ethan. The elders have their own conversation. Paige is talking with Aidan's Mom. But I can see her looking at Aidan from time to time. It's like a reflex for her. She has this kind of look that I can't read. Aidan, on the other hand, glanced at Paige when she's not looking.

I don't know if I made the right decision when I came here. First, Summer and Winter's dad is here. Second, I felt I'm out of the picture.
Humarap ako sa nagsalita. She's Elenny, Paige's bestfriend.

"What?"

"I said, you're hurting yourself,"kaswal na sabi nito habang nakatingin sa tinitignan ko kanina. Hindi ko namalayang nasa tabi ko na pala sya dahil sa mga iniisip ko nang panahong iyon.

"What do you mean?"tanong ko sa kanya.

"I hate to say this but look at Aidan and Paige and how they look at each other when they think no one can see them,"sabi nito.

Muli kong tinignan si Paige. Saktong kababawi lang nya ng tingin kay Aidan.

"I know how much you love Paige and I also know that Paige loves you in her own way. But Aidan is a different case and I can tell that you can see and feel it based on Paige's actions,"may simpatyang sabi nito.

"What do you want me to do then?"

"Let her go. Paige doesn't deserve a wonderful man like you. You are being unfair to Paige and most especially to yourself. You gave and love too much. You have the looks, body, wealth, everything. Halos lahat ng babae handang gawin ang lahat mapansin mo lang sila,"

"But it's Paige that I love,"kontra ko sa kanya. I know she's right but just a mere thought of breaking up with Paige makes my heart constricts.

"River, letting go of someone you love doesn't mean you love them. Sometimes, it is telling them you love them and you want them to be happy,"sabi nya na parang may inaalalang isang pangyayari sa buhay nito.

"I can't let her go. I don't want to do it first. Pag sya ang unang nagsabing ayaw na nya, dun ko pa lang siguro magagawa ang sinasabi mo. For now, I want to cherish every moment with her which can last for a lifetime,"sabi ko sa kanya. Paige is very important to me and I can't just let her go. Paano kung mali lang kami nang nababasa sa kilos ni Paige? I want to hope that there is still 'us'. That's the only thing I can do.

***

>>>Paige's POV

Iniwan ko ang mga bisita sa pool area para kunin ung mga cake na ginawa ko. Tinulungan ako ni Elenny na kunin ung mga cake. Habang nilalabas namin sa ref ung cake, nagsalita si Elenny.

"Have you decided to talk to Aidan and settle everything with him including about Autumn?"seryosong sabi nya.

Natigilan ako nang akmang ilalabas ko na ung pangatlong cake. Huminga muna ako nang malalim.

"No. I'm afraid of what he will say about Autumn,"pag-amin ko.

"Eh ung nangyari sa inyo dati?"nakataas na kilay na sabi nya.

"Hindi ko pa rin alam. Masyadong magulo ang utak at puso ko ngayon. Whenever he's around, I can't think straight. And letting my emotions talk will take us to nowhere. I'm still mad at him because of what he'd done before and what he's doing right now,"

"Hayyy. Hindi ko na alam kung ano ba dapat kong sabihin. You're running from something you don't even know what it is. I'm your bestfriend and I don't want you to get hurt and hurt others because you can't talk to him,"frustrated na sabi nito.

Hinawakan ko ang balikat nya. "I'll talk to him about everything but not now,"

"Ano pa nga ba? Bakit ba kasi ang komplikado ng buhay mo?"

"Ilang beses ko na rin tinanong yan,"

***

>>>Aidan's POV

"Daddy, bakit po sabi nila listen to what your heart feels?"inosenteng tanong ni Summer. Nakakalong sya sa kin habang nag-uusap kaming apat nina Winter at Ethan.

Natawa si Ethan sa tanong ni Summer. "Love guru ka na pala ngayon," pang-aasar nya. Binato ko lang sya ng marshmallow na kinakain ni Summer bago ko sinagot si Summer.

"Kasi po alam at nararamdaman ng puso natin kung san tayo sasaya,"

"But, Dad, according to books, brain is still the center of emotion. The heart's function is to pump blood not to feel,"sansala ni Winter.
Gusto kong pumalatak at matawa sa sinasabi ng mga anak ko. Masyado silang matalino at matanong.

"Winter's right, Dad. The brain will tell what to feel, not our hearts. I experienced it first hand,"bibang sabi ni Summer.

Nagtaka ako sa sinabi nya.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Kasi po, my heart is not ori---"

Naputol ang sinasabi ni Summer dahil kay Elenny.

"Time for blowing of cakes,"malakas na sigaw ni Elenny habang dala ang dalawang cakes.

May isa ring dala si Paige na nakasunod dito. Bakit tatlo?

Agad na bumaba mula sa pakakakandong ko si Summer at excited na tumakbo papunta sa table kung saan nakapatong ang cakes. Agad ring sumunod si Winter.

Kahit gusto ko pang tanungin si Summer tungkol sa sinabi nya kanina, hindi na pwede. Siguro sa susunod na lang.

Tahimik na sumunod kami ni Ethan sa dalawang bata.

Nakapaikot kaming lahat sa table habang ang dalawang bata, nasa tapat ng cake. Tig-isa isa. Si Paige ang nakaharap sa isa pang cake. Bakit kailangang may cake din sya? Sa pagkakatanda ko, March ang birthday nito. Nasa tabi nito si River na nakahawak pa sa kamay nito. Parang gusto kong hilahin si Paige papunta sa kin pero alam kong wala akong karapatan. Naiinis na bumuntong hininga na lang ako at itinuon ang pansin sa mga anak ko.

Sinindihan ni Ethan ung mga kandilang nakatusok sa cake,

"Kanta muna tayo,"sabi ni Elenny.

"Happy birthday to you... ~~~"masayang kanta namin. Ang iba ay sinasabayan pa ng palakpak.
Pagkatapos kumanta, nagsalita ulit si Elenny,"Make a wish first before blowing the candles,"

Pumikit sina Summer at Winter. Pagkatapos, sabay-sabay nilang tatlong hipan ang kandila.

"Bakit tatlo ang cake?"hindi ko napigilang tanong pagkatapos nilang hipan ang cake.
Nakita kong natigilan si Paige.

"Kasi po, Daddy---"sabi Summer pero Paige cut her off.

"No particular reason. I just want to do the blowing of cakes with the kids. It's like a tradition for the three of us,"maagap na sagot ni Paige.

I can tell that she's lying. Hindi ko na sya tinanong ulit dahil alam kung itinatago nya un. Perhaps, I can ask my kids about it. Something inside me is telling me that something's wrong. And I intended to look for an answer to that.

>>>tnx for reading... ^___^
---till next time... ^___^