Between Love and Goodbye

KABANATA 1

Viorel Montezor

"Ano pa ang hinihintay natin? Harapin na natin ang mga Xenaki at nang matapos na ang lahat ng ito." Rinig kong sabi ni Uncle Bacchus mula rito sa kinatatayuan ko. Nasa labas ako ng study, inabisuhan ako ni Odysseus kanina na pumunta ako rito pagkatapos ng agahan. Alas otso na ng umaga ako kumain kaya wala akong nakasabay sa dining area, wala rin si Vesta dahil nasa Manila siya para sunduin si Aurora galing Italy. "Huwag na nating patagalin pa at baka tuluyan nang hindi masemento ang lamat sa pagitan ng mga pamilya natin."

"Why are we fussing about this, Bacchus? There already has been a treaty between the three families after I married Vishnu." Aunt Ceres intervened after Uncle's claim. She was seated at Aunt Jupiter's left side. Sa kanan naman ay may espasyo na parang may nakaupo rito. It used to be my mother's seat when she was alive and no one was occupying it even after her death years ago. "And I'm sure they're not pushing it anymore given that it's been long overdue."

I was just silent in my seat, listening to them as they discussed the matter as if I'm not existing in this room. I wanted to voice out but it wasn't still my cue lalo pa at parang uusok na sa inis si Uncle Bacchus. Kung itutulak pa rin nila ang nakasulat sa testamento, wala na rin naman akong ibang pagpipilian. I can no longer go back to the valley. I can't even run away again, my destiny is already sealed long before Mamita wrote her last will and testament. In fact, it was just like this ten years ago.

We were at our fortress in Transylvania — celebrating a milestone. I just finished graduate school at Oxford and they won't let end the day without giving me something to remember. They threw me a party and while most of the family were busy partying, I was summoned to the family room. I got nervous when I saw the people inside. It was the Olympians, my aunts and uncles who were the head of every company of the family empire.

Wala akong ka-ide-ideya sa gaganapin kaya pumasok pa rin ako kahit na sobrang kaba na ang naramdaman ko. Yumuko ako sa harap nila bilang respeto bago umupo sa tabi ni Aunt Jupiter. Sa kaliwa niya ay si Aunt Menrva na nakasandal sa headrest ng couch. Sa harap ko ay si Uncle Neptune na naka-de-kuwatro at busy sa pagtitipa ng kung ano sa kaniyang cellphone. At sa tabi naman niya ay si Uncle Bacchus na kausap si Uncle Mercury.

Kumunot ang noo ko dahil wala ang iba kong pinsan. Kahit si Cupid na hindi ko gusto ang ugali ay hinanap ko. My eyes scourged through each of my uncles and aunts, akala ko kasama nila ang mga panganay nila; usually ay ganoon naman kapag may ganitong klaseng pagtitipon. Napatanong tuloy ako kay Aunt Jupiter kung susunod ba si Orpheus dito pero ang sabi niya ay hindi raw. Mas lalo akong kinabahan, wala akong makausap na ka-edad ko.

Sumandal nalang muna ako sa armrest ng couch at napatingin ulit sa katapat — sa male line ng pamilya hanggang sa huling upuan na sa tabi ni Uncle Mercury. I just noticed someone sitting at that corner — isang babae na sa tantiya ko ay kasing edad ko lang o mas matanda sa akin ng isang taon. Bigla akong nabuhayan ng loob dahil sa wakas, hindi ako mag-isa sa kuwartong ito na mas bata.

Napanguso ako nang luminga siya sa akin na mukhang wala sa gana. Akala ko pa naman ay anak ni Uncle Mercury pero si Vesta pala, ang bunsong kapatid ng Mama. It's still quite weird to think na magkasabayan sa pagbububuntis si Abuela at si Mama noon kaya hindi nagkakalayo ang edad naming dalawa. I wanted to ask why she's around, her graduation is scheduled at the end of this year and she's in a boarding school. But then I realized something...only my grandmother can make her visible in our eyes.

I wanted to go over her and have a conversation when suddenly, Mamita came in with a dreadful look plastered on her regal face. She seemed displeased with whatever. And she was even puffing smoke while holding her churchwarden pipe.