Path of a Lost Flower

Ika-pitumpu't anim na Kabanata

"Sorry I'm a bit late, kanina ka pa?" Rinig kong boses kaya itinaas ko ang tingin ko at nakita ko si Zia.

Agad itong naupo sa kaharap na upuan ko

"Hindi naman kakarating ko lang rin" wika ko.

"Let's order first please?" Wika niya kaya tumango ako.

Maayos naman siyang umorder at habang hinihintay ang order namin ay nakatingin lang ito sa akin na para bang tinitimbang kung ano ang mangyayari.

"Ah I almost forgot, I need to give you something" wika niya, may kinuha ito sa bag niya at biglang nilapag sa lamesa ang isang envelope.

"I was supposed to give you this last last week pa but I forgot and you know things happened kaya I was not able to give it to you na, but humabol naman diba? Its not yet Ma'am Yen's birthday" wika niya kaya kinuha ko ang envelope, ngumiti lang ako sakanya at bahagyang tumango.

"So what are we going to talk about?"

"Did you read this?" Tanong ko umiling naman siya

"Nope, I just know that its all about Ma'am Yen's birthday kasi nabanggit niya" tumango ako

"How are you?" Tanong ko, napatingin siya sa akin na para bang nabigla sa katanungan ko.

"I-im getting fine, slowly but I can sense that there is a progress. What about you?" Naiilang na wika nito.

"Heto okay naman, I guess. Masaya akong makita ka na paunti unti ay bumabalik ang dating ikaw" wika ko

"Me and Mom are already okay, I forgive her for all her shortcoming. I just realized that hindi na maibabalik ang dati, wala na tayong magagawa sa mga nangyari kaya kung pstuloy ang pagdadamdam ko patuloy akong masasaktan at makakasakit"

Napangiti ako.

"You're right, Im glad that you are slowly recovering from pain you've felt since then. Im really sorry Zi, If I became part and reasons of your suffering. I didn't know"

"Its fine, honestly when I think about it it still hurts but I need to forgive all of you because you guys are my family, mahal ko kayo and I want this family to become one and happy again"

"Im so proud of you Zi, you really proved to us that you are a strong girl"

"I know, what about you? When will you come back to our house? Don't you want to be with your family again? Sayang naman oh its vacation why don't you spend your vacation with us?"

Ngumiti ako ng tipid at yumuko.

"I still can't Zi Im sorry" nawala ang ngiti sa labi nito pero nagawa parin niyang tumango.

Huminga ito ng malalim.

"Mom really wants to fix this problem, And I promised her that I will help her. Why don't you try to help us also? Let's try to fix this" mahinang wika niya.

Unti unti akong tumango, tama siya kung patuloy kaming mamumuhay sa sakit na pinagdaraanan namin ay patuloy kaming makakasakit at masasaktan.

"Uuwi ako but not now Zi"

"Huh? Why?"

"Im here to tell you something"

"And What is it?"

"I'll go to Ma'am Yen's party---"

"And? Can't you go there pag umuwi ka na sa atin?"

"Zi its not like that, listen first" wika ko, tumingin lang ito sa akin at ang atensiyon niya ay nasa sasabihin ko.