Dream Land

Chapter 4

At the dinner table, everyone was having fun except Irene. The whole time, her gaze was fixed to Riyana and Liza. Sinusubuan ang isa't isa habang nagtatawanan.

Imee noticed Irene's actions. She's observing her from the time she saw her wiped her tears away. She knows what is going on between her niece and her sister.

After a few more minutes, they are done eating and Irene decides to clean the dinner table that they used.

"Irene" Imee called her. Irene was startled because of it.

"Oh yes, ate? Ginulat mo naman ako" Irene chuckled softly. She may be acting strong in front of others, but not with her comfort person. She's showing her true self, her true feelings.

"Ading, are you still not okay?" Imee asked her directly. She's known for being a straightforward person.

"Haaay ate, I'm okay!" Irene replied and smiled.

"Are you still not okay from what happened to your daughter?" She asked again.

"Ate…" Irene's eyes were starting to brim with tears.

"You know, I saw you earlier. Why don't you try to forgive? Hayaan mo munang magpaliwanag ang anak mo. Ang tagal-tagal na rin, Irene" Imee stated.

"Alam mo namang mahirap. Ang sakit kasi. Nawalan ako ng anak"

"So hahayaan mo na lang din mawala pa sa'yo ang isa? Kilala ko si Riyana, hindi yon nagtatanim ng galit pero kapag napagod siya, ikaw rin ang mahihirapan. Irene nawalan ka ng anak pero simula nun parang nawalan na rin si iya ng nanay. Your youngest loss you also, hindi lang ikaw ang nawalan. Your daughter loss a sister whom she can run and a mother whom she can found comfort”

"I still need to heal the wounds in my heart. I'm still hurting everytime na titignan ko si Iya. You know how I love my children pero ibang-iba ang sakit kapag nawalan ka ate. Parang hinugot sa katawan ko yung isang parte ng puso ko. Para akong ninakawan ate" Irene's eyes were brimming with tears.

"Irene, naiintindihan kita pero ading, lalo ka lang masusugatan. You are not healing yourself, you are just hurting yourself. You are causing harm not just to yourself but to your daughter as well… to your family… Please remember how perfect your family was before. Hindi kayo kumpleto pero puwede pa rin naman kayong maging masaya. I'm sure your daughter will be happy up there kapag nakita niyang okay yung pamilyang iniwan niya. Matuto kang magpatawad para hindi ka na masaktan, para hindi ka na makasakit." Imee conveyed with full sincerity in her words. Sincerity in her eyes and sincerity in her heart.

“Mahirap manang, hindi naman madali lahat gawin. It’s not easy to see her tas yung isang anak ko wala na. It’s not easy to just forgive, hindi ‘yun ganon kadali manang”

“Irene hindi lang ikaw ang nahihirapan, your daughter is suffering too. You know we couldn’t fix it Irene dahil ikaw lang din ang maghihilom sa sugat na dinala mo sa anak mo. Please wake up bago pa mahuli ang lahat”

“Manang believe me I’m trying, sinusubukan ko naman na ayusin e. Kaso naguguluhan ako, ang gulo sa utak. Ang gulo sa damdamin”

“Irene remember this one please, sa lahat ng bagay magulo naman. Laging may problema, kung nahihirapan ka nandito kami para tulungan ka pero tulungan mo din ang sarili mo Irene hindi sa lahat ng oras nandito ako, si aimee or si mommy para punan yung pagkukulang mo kay Riyana bilang nanay Irene. She still needs her mother. Hindi sa lahat ng oras nandito kami para sabihin kay riyana na magiging okay din ang lahat. Please fix your relationship with her, hindi mo kailangan na madalihin lahant Irene kahit paunti-unti subukan mo kase yung anak mo lagging sinusubukan pero pinagtataboyan mo lagi. Sana sa oras na wala ng siyang dadamayan at tumakbo siya sayo hindi mo na siya ipagtatabuyan. It just takes a conversation to fix everything Irene.”