Every New Beginning Counts

Chapter 12

Mula sa sasakyan, nakita kaagad ni Ara si Kanoa. Nakaupo ito sa may glass walls kaya madali niya itong nakita. Nakayuko ito at nakapatong ang dalawang siko sa tuhod habang magkasaklop ang mga kamay.

Ara gazed at Antoinette who was playing with her pacifier making her heart pound and she felt her eyes watered.

"Are you okay?" Belle asked Ara when she heard a sniff. "It's gonna be okay, Barbara. Don't worry. I'm here. You already talked to Kuya Sam naman na and I know he understood."

"I'm okay," Ara forced a smile and wiped her tears. "I was just . . . I don't know. Seeing Antoinette and Kanoa together again, I don't know what to feel."

Belle parked the car in front of the café, looked at Ara, and smile. "Just feel whatever you wanna feel. 'Wag mong pipigilan kung ano 'yan. If you're nervous, then be nervous. If you're scared, be scared. If you know that you're still in love with him then love him. It's all you and don't mind Kuya Sam this time."

Hindi muna bumaba ng sasakyan sina Ara at Belle. Hinayaan na rin muna ni Belle ang kakambal niyang tahimik na nakasandal sa back seat ng kotse niya habang nakatingin sa bintana.

It was the first time Ara fought with her Kuya Samuel and it pained her. Sinabi niya kay Sam na wala itong karapatang magdesisyon para sa kanila ni Antoinette. Na siya lang ang may karapatang magdesisyon para sa anak niya at kung papapasukin niya ulit si Kanoa sa buhay nila, wala itong magagawa.

Nang sabihin niya iyon, hindi nagsalita ang kuya niya. Seryoso itong nakatingin sa kaniya. It was too late for Ara to realize what she said, and she saw the pain in Samuel's eyes. If she could just take it back, she would.

Hindi makalimutan ni Ara kung paanong tumalikod ang kuya niya, pumasok sa kwarto, at basta na lang silang iniwan sa sala. Ngunit kinabukasan, naghanda ito ng almusal para sa kanila na parang walang nangyari.

Ara wanted her Kuya to say something—to be angry—but Sam didn't. Instead, Sam smiled at her and apologized.

"Let's go?" pag-aya ni Belle. "I'm starving. I messaged Kuya Sam to cook some waffles for us. Grabe, nagugutom na 'ko."

Natawa si Ara. Naunang lumabas si Belle ng sasakyan at ito na rin ang kumuha ng bag mula sa kaniya para si Antoinette na lang ang bubuhatin niya. May kabigatan na ito dahil lumalaki na rin at naglilikot kaya nahihirapan siyang lumabas nitong mga nakaraan.

"Ready?" Muling tanong ni Belle at tango lang ang naging sagot ni Ara.

Sumalubong sa kanila si Sam. Pinagbuksan sila ng pinto at tinuro nito kung nasaan si Kanoa na kaagad tumayo nang makita sila. Mukhang nag-aalangang lumapit. Tumingin pa nga ito sa kuya nila bago muling ibinaling ang tingin sa anak nilang nagpupumulit sumama sa kuya niya.

Hindi kinuha ni Sam si Antoinette kay Ara kahit na gusto niya. Hinalikan lang niya ang pamangkin sa tuktok ng ulo bago iniwan ang mga ito at pumasok ulit sa kusina ng café. Naabutan niya si Harley na hinahalo ang waffle na iluluto nila para sa mga kapatid niya.

"Andiyan na sila?" tanong ni Harley.

Tumango si Sam bilang sagot at nag-focus sa pagluluto.

"I'll be in the kitchen lang, ha?" Belle smiled at Ara. "Call me lang if you need anything."

Ara warmly smiled at Belle and nodded. She gazed at Kanoa was standing . . . maybe waiting, she didn't know, until she smiled as if it was the signal he was waiting because he immediately walked towards them.

Kinuha ni Kanoa ang bag na hawak niya, pero nakatingin ito kay Antoinette.

"You can carry her," ani Ara na bahagyang lumapit kay Kanoa para ipabuhat ang anak nila. "She's a little fussy and baka she'll cry kasi she doesn't know you yet, but it'll get better. Her favorite biscuit naman is in her bag, you can feed her some."