🌹 THE PROTECTOR 🌹

🌹 kabanata 17🌹

Ana

“Okay…” ani Hera.

She had to push herself and not make it hard for her to say that. She ate her food a bit formal as she always does. Gusto niyang umaktong normal kahit hindi siya komportable bigla.

“Kumain ka pa. Tapos ka na?” tanong ni Jun habang nakatingin sa kanya.

“Ha?” napatingin din siya sa pinggan niya. She was lost in her thoughts that she stopped eating. Mukhang tapos narin si Jun at hinihintay lamang siya.
Uminom siya ng tubig. “Busog na ako.”

Nagkatinginan silang dalawa. Isang ngisi ang biglang namuo sa labi ni Jun. “Pag nandito si nana papagalitan ka non. Hindi mo naubos ang pagkain mo.”

Ngumuso siya at nagtaas ng kilay habang nakatingin sa pinggan niya. “Then I’ll put lesser food next time.” She smirked too.

“And finish all of it.”

Natawa si Jun at umiling. “Ihahatid na kita sa kuwarto.”

Tumayo ito at hinintay siya. Sabay silang naglakad patungo sa isang pasilyo.

Hangang ngayon hindi parin mapigilan ni Hera ang tumingin-tingin sa mga disenyo ng bahay. Even the wallpapers look old. It would need a little bit of new interiors.

“Who’s nana?” hindi mapigilang tanong niya kay Jun habang napapatingin parin sa paligid. They came out to a wide hall. There are a lot of busy people going in and out of the other doors. Naisip niya agad ang sinabi ni Henry na harvest ngayon.

“Siya ang nag-alaga sa akin. Pangalawang asawa ng lolo ko,” he answered.

She halted for a bit. Hindi niya inasahan iyon. She looked at him. “You call her nana? Bakit hindi lola kung ganon?”

He was looking at the wide backdoors di kalayoan sa malawak na hagdanan na kaharap nila ngayon. Nilipat niya ang mga mata sa kanya. “Nasanay na ako. Tsaka, hindi na bago iyon sa amin.”

Tumikhim si Hera, shaking every speculation she had earlier. She can’t help but think that his family is a bit complicated. If she didn’t know lola Antonia is like a family relative, iisipin niyang ang dami naman niyang lola. But then everywhere he went, he was deeply missed. They liked him so much... How long was he gone anyway?

“Jun!”

Two girls are going down the stairs. One ran a bit smiling so wide, tila hindi na makapaghintay na makalapit. The girl is taller and tanned in a very good way. Hera immediately knew she could be related to Senyora. She resembled her in so many ways, even her strong and strict features.

Niyakap nito agad si Jun. “Welcome home soldier! Ang tagal mong nawala mabuti naisipan mo pang bumalik…” her deep voice echoed along the hall.

Mahinang humalakhak si Jun. His right arm hugged her too. “Ethel.”

She stepped back when the other girl reached down too.

“Kararating niya lang din kahapon. Nong sinabi naming darating ka hindi siya naniwala.” A familiar soft spoken voice rang through Hera’s ears. Iyon ang nag-udyok sa kanya upang mapabaling sa bagong dating.
Naestatwa na si Hera sa kanyang kinatatayoan.

“Ana.” Sabi ni Jun at sunod na yumakap sa kanya ang babae.

“Kuya… Sa wakas bumisita ka rin.”

“Bibisita rin naman talaga ako. Naantala lang…” sabay tawa nito.

All three then looked at her but even though the Ethel girl stared at her with distaste, her gaze was directed towards Anabelle. She can’t believe it. There stood the girl she never liked in front of her. The girl who once made her so insecure and jealous.