Same Old Love

Chapter 37

I woke up because my phone rings. I looked at the caller name pero number lang ang nakalagay.

"Hello?" I heard a feminine voice.

"Hi? Who's this?" I asked.

"Are you Irene Marcos?" She asked. Napakunot naman ang noo ko.

"Yes" I uttered.

"Are you Nathan's friend?" She asked, that made my my heart skip a beat.

"Yes? Do you know where he is?"

"Uhmm, I think I should tell you this personally, para mapakita ko na rin kung nasaan siya. Thank God, I found you already. I've been searching for you for about how many years" She said with a sigh. 

"Where should we meet?" I asked and stood up from my bed. Nagtataka pa nga ako bakit malapit sa sementoryo yung sinend niyang location siguro malapit sa sementeryo bahay ng mokong na yun.

I hurriedly went downstairs. I went upstairs again when I didn't saw my son on the bed. I immediately went Kuya's room. I knocked, and when no one answered. I twisted the door knob.

"Maa!" I shouted.

"Ohh!" She shouted. I heard her from her room.

"Si Alfonso? Ang aga aga wala nanaman" I said as I entered her room.

"Sinama ni Bonget, kila Liza. Sandali lang daw naman" She said.

"What? I-I mean bakit sinama doon? Sino ba kasama ni Liza sa bahay nila? Baka may tao don. Baka may makakita kay Alfonso" I said and sat beside her.

"Wala namang kasama si Liza don" Mom said and looked at me. Her eyes widened as she saw me. "Oh my god, what happened?"
She said and stood up. She lit my chin up.
"Your eyes, nakagat ka ba ng insekto?" She said checking on my eyes.

"Oo, Ma. Si Dad? Kailan labas ng hospital?" I changed the topic.

"Maybe bukas. Pinauwi ako ng ate mo siya na raw muna ang magbabantay" She said. "Are you sure you're okay? Maga talaga eh. Should we go to the hospital to check on that? Baka kung anong insekto na ang kumagat diyan"

"Ma, I'm okay. Mawawala rin yan. Maliligo na ako. Hihintayin ko lang si Alfonso para masama ko siya"

"No, wag mo na isama. Ikaw na lang. Pupunta kami nila Bonget kila Imee mamaya para masundo yung mga bata. Ano bang gagawin mo?"

"I'll meet Tantan" I said. She smiled.

"Really? Malapit  lang pala siya bakit hindi siya pumunta dito. Nako! Lagot talaga saakin yun" Mom said.

I smiled. "Don't worry, Mom. Sesermonan ko yun" I said and giggled.

That was when I thought I would see Nathan again. I never really thought that his sister, Alyssa would escort me to her brother's grave.

I stared at his grave unable to believe what I was seeing.

"He died 5 years ago" She cracked her voice. "B-because of cancer. Kami na nga lang dalawa hindi niya pa sinabi sa'kin na may cancer siya edi sana naagapan pa namin"

"Umuwi siya, we had time together for 1 year and a half then doon ko na napansin na nanghihina na siya. He denied na may sakit siya, sabi niya okay lang daw siya. Tapos bigla na lang ulit siyang di nagpakita, yun pala he's battling with c-cancer" Alyssa said, bowing her head.

I kneeled down, and slowly caressed Nathan's grave. I covered my face using my hands, and started crying. I felt Alyssa tapping my shoulder.

"He talks a lot about you" She said. Lalong sumakit ang nararamdaman ko ngayon. Hindi ko mapigilan ang pagpatak ng luha ko, pakiramdam ko'y hindi ito nauubos.