Bella's POV
It's almost 12 in the evening, but I'm still painting my mommy's— or should I say Ma'am Lea's portrait. Today is her birthday and sure enough that everybody is gonna be busy once we kick off the party— Manang Fe had already prepared everything yesterday, and assured that everything is fine before the celebration comes.
Looking intently at this amusing image creates perfection through my imagination. Honestly, it's a live painting. It's an image of her that I silently picture in my mind. That— that exact face, a smile she wore the night she smile genuinely at me.
"Y-you did this?" She unbelievably asked me while looking at my drawing, reflecting how beautiful the relationship we had together.
It wasn't as perfect as what you thought, dahil stick stick lang kasi iyon, but It's still me and her—holding hands under a shining sun.
My innocent eyes stared at her as I saw her reaction. Her lips slightly opened as I smiled at her happily.
"Yes po, mommy!" I responded and look at her with my twinkling eyes.
Her eyes got watered and I know where is that tears coming from. She likes it!
"Ahm, I'm just here po to give that to you mommy, i'll go back now to my room." I said as I break the silence that is now occupying the whole space of her veranda.
Stepping on her room is a good sign for me, plus, to have any conversation with her is also an unexpected moments I have always been waiting for.
"Wait—"
One word she said that made me stop from moving. Oh no, did I do something wrong? It's really not a good thing everytime she is calling my name...
She moved towards my direction, and I just stared at her waiting for her next actions. She then kneeled down infront of me and pulled me for a hug.
"Thank you, Belle" she whispered, but clear enough for me to hear.
"At least I have you..." she added enveloping my whole flesh with her warm cuddle, while wiping her tears away.
I have never felt this love before... The anger, pain, hatred feels like nothing now. I just want this moment to never end.
I wiped my tears when that memory crossed in my mind— however everything is unsure whether it's a memory or just my pure imagination, but that scene keeps on repeating in my mind. My age were most probably between 3 or 4 years old at that time.
Nangyare ba talaga iyon mommy? I asked while staring at her face in the portrait.
Her eyes seem to be full of stars, they are shining not because of tears in pain, but in so much glee and love. Her smile are brighter than the moon. Her face here are glowing and so soft. Did I see it real? Did she looked at me really that way before? Kung totoo man iyon, bakit she suddenly act like this to me? She now build a high wall, that not even me can't break it.
I really don't understand what happened to the both of us but the only thing I knew, nangyare man iyon o hindi...I still love her. Mahal na mahal ko parin si mommy. Aasa parin ako na balang araw matutunan niyang mahalin at matatangap ako. I finished the portrait—inserting so much efforts, and love in it.
I smiled again, looking at what I did. Sana talaga magustuhan ni mommy.
I slumped my body right on my bed after praying, and wake up early in the morning to prepare mommy and Issah's breakfast.
"Bella, hija paki-akyat na lang 'yang breakfast nila Lea at Issah." I creased my forehead when Manang said it.
"Po?" I confusingly asked.
