He's In Trouble

Kabanata 26

Nanatili kaming naupo roon at tanging nasa kalangitan ang tingin. Ramdam ko ang bilis ng tibok ng puso ko pero sa kung anong kadahilanan ay kalmado naman ito. I mean.. napakapayapa sa pakiramdam ng buong lugar pero dahil siya ang katabi ko, halos lumuwa na naman ang puso ko.

"Alam mo bang mahilig na akong tumingin sa mga bituin kahit pa noong nasa Italy pa ako?" Ako na mismo ang bumasag sa katahimikan sa pahitan naming dalawa. Nakatingin ako sa kalawakan pero sa totoo lang ayaw ko lang salubungin ang mga titig niya.

"I've always wondered if you look up in the sky at night like I do.. and if we happened to look at it together at the same time. I'm glad to know that we might have just did."

Sandali akong napatingin sa kanya bago muling binaling ang tingin sa taas.

"The sky looks more magical at night, doesn't it Kairous? And to think na ang tanging nakikita lang natin ay ang mga naabot ng ating paningin and there's still up there that can captivate us even more. I've always wondered, may mas nakakamangha pa kaya bukod sa araw at buwan? May mas maganda pa ba sa kabukiran at karagatan?"

"Looks like there is.." napalingon ako sa kanya nang muling maramdaman ang mga titig niya sakin. Having no words to say, I leaned my head on his shoulder na mukhang ikinabigla niya.

"My Mom loves the sky so much, especially at night. She used to tell me that the reason why God created night is for us to take  rest after a long and tiring day. That night is supposed to be our break from our own thoughts and works. That's why sometimes, all we have to do is to wait until the sun has set and end the day with a scenery that is as captivating as a night sky."

"Wow. You're Mom is really deep right there.. so beautiful."

"She is. She said night is our rest from a tiring day but for me, she was that to me. That's why when she's gone, I felt so lost and.. drowned. Sa sobrang hinanakit ko non, muntik ko nang kwestyonin ang mga nangyari, na ngayon ay alam kong mali. I almost forgot that there isn't only one star in the sky.. because there are more that are just hidden from our sight. The ones that are just waiting to be found." Makahulugang ani ko na sandali pang lumingon sa kanya pero mukhang hindi niya iyon napansin.

"Seems that your Mother is a wonderful woman. She must be so proud that she just raised someone as wonderful as she is."

I don't know but what he said almost made me tear up. Pinigilan ko ang sarili.

"Kung nandito lang siya ngayon, sigurado akong gugustuhin niyang makilala ka." Nakangiti at senserong saad ko.

"Why not? You said she've always love the night sky, right? So she must be watching it too now with us." Tumingin siya sa mga mata ko. "Or.. maybe your Mom's already up there, watching her daughter grew up into this one beautiful fine young lady."

Nakagat ko ang sariling labi, pinipilit ang sariling h'wag umiyak pero binigo rin ako ng sariling mga luha dahil kusa naman silang kumawala at Isa- Isang pumatak.

"Or you can just visit her in her grieve. Nandito sa Pilipinas naman ang puntod niya." kunyari ay natatawa pang ani ko sabay pa simpleng pahid ng mga luha sa pisngi.

"I can do that, samahan mo'ko." He paused "Pero hindi ko alam na dito pala nailibing ang mommy mo?"

"Just months after she died when we went abroad. Dito sa Pilipinas namin siya pinalibing."

Tahimik lang siya, hindi nakasagot at naroon lang ang tingin sa kalangitan.

"What are you thinking?" kalaunan ay naitanong ko ng ilang sandali pa ay tahimik pa rin siya. He is smiling while looking at the sky.

"I was just telling your mother how much I love her daughter.... I was telling her how wonderful of a woman she has become."

Napakurap-kurap akong napatingin sakanya. Ni hindi ko namalayang kusa na palang tumulo ang mga luhang ni hindi ko alam na nagbabadya na palang tumulo.