"Good morning, Mama! Good morning, Papa! Good morning Kuya's! Good morning ate!" Lalaine energetically greet her family as she walks downstairs from her room.
"Good morning bunchoy!" her family said in unison.
"Come here na, nak! We need to get ready na kasi we might be late for our flight sige ka iiwan tayo nang airplane." Her said to her.
"Kuya Aki! Kuya Lance!" I called my two brothers.
"Hmm?" they both said in unison. Kambal talaga sila Kuya haha.
"You guys want ice coffee po?" I asked them sweetly.
"Yes, bunchoy please." they both said in unison again that just made me laugh.
"Aren't you going to ask me baby?" Our oldest sister, Alena, asked pretending to be tampo haha.
"No." I pretend to not care.
"Mommy oh!" she whines! Halla nag sumbong.
"Buncho'y gawan mo na. Pati kami ni Mama. Hmm? Dali na kasi po malalate tayo sa flight." Papa said which I just nodded my head.
Dang, just like that. Uuwi na kami nang Pilipinas? After 3 years of living here in California, uuwi na kami nang Pilipinas. I need to adjust to new environment na naman. New house. New school. New home. New friends.
Hays. Bat pa kasi uuwi? We're okay naman here. Why does Papa's company need him pa?
"Bunchoy?" Mama calls me that made glance at them.
"Po?" I confusingly asked.
"Yung coffee natin baby? Kanina pa namin hinihintay. What's happening bunchoy ko? Are you okay?" Mama concernedly asked. I just nod my head as I don't want her to get worry.
It's not good for mama. My mama was diagnosed with Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a long-term, progressive lung disease that makes breathing difficult. Apparently my Mama have a family history, with the alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency gene being linked to COPD that got passed onto her.
Kaya when mama and papa find out that she got one. Pina test kaming lahat. Unfortunately, there's a possibilities that Ate Alena might have this disease as well.
"Anak? Lalaine?" Mama called me again that made me turn my attention to her.
"Po?" I asked her.
"Haynaku! Buncho'y mas malalim pa ata sa Pacific Ocean yang iniisip mo eh. Lika nga Buncho'y ko."
Mama motioned me to hugged her and that's when I burst out crying to her.
I can't lost my mother. Ayaw ko. How am I supposed to live without her?
"Anak? Hey? What's going on? Care to tell mama po?" she worriedly asked and I just shook my head.
Hindi naman talaga kami uuwi nang Pilipinas because of my Papa's company eh. It's for my mom. I heard them talking and she wanted to spent her last remaining days sa Pilipinas daw.
"Hmmm? Mukhang alam na ni Mama. Anak. Need kasi natin umuwi. Ayaw mo nun you can meet your cousins, ante's and uncle's?" She calmly said to me and I just nod my head. Then stayed at her embrace for a while.
Cause what if I don't get a chance to do this anymore?
"Anak, whatever happens don't hate Mama ha? Nor Papa, Ate, and Kuya's. Ha? Kasi if that time comes tapos you'll end up hating us hindi kakayanin ni Mama, anak ko." Mama suddenly said that made me curious because why would I hate my own family?
"How can I hate you mama? You're my mama. I came from you po. I could never hate you Mama and our family." I said with assurance as I hugged her tighter.
