Noelle Canarette
"Mauuna na kami." Jumbo said to Tabitha, "Sa labas ka na lang namin hintayin." Tabi simply nodded, her eyes downcast, and made her way into the restroom.
Tumambay na naman sila dito kahit sinabihan ko na silang huwag na. Dahil hindi ako makapagpahinga kapag nasa paligid sila. Sa halip na gumaling, lalo lang akong napapagod. Walang peace of mind!
Si Miss Agape naman ay abala nitong mga nakaraang araw, nakakatampo na. Lalo na nang sinabi ng doktor na makakauwi na ako bukas. Simula no'n hindi na mapirmi dito. According to her, may mga bagay siyang kailangang asikasuhin kaya dadaan lang siya at aalis din agad. Si grandma naman, patuloy pa rin akong pinipilit pumunta sa Amerika, ngunit paulit-ulit ko ring tinatanggihan.
"Your life will be better if you stop being so stubborn and come with me to the US," Matigas at seryosong sabi ni grandma. She stood beside me, her presence imposing.
"My life is better here, Grandma. The US lifestyle is not meant for me." Pagmamatigas ko rin.
"Better? Is this what you consider better?" Tinama ni grandma ang kanyang baston sa hospital bed, producing a sharp clang. "Lying in this bed, vulnerable and exposed? You are not safe here," Dagdag niya ng may tiyak at mababang tono.
"I am safe—"
"No, you're not," she interjected, cutting off my words.
Napatingin ako sa kanya dahil sa paraan ng pagsasalita niya, parang may ibig sabihin na hindi ko maunawaan. I also couldn't help but notice the tight grip she had on her cane, as if it were a lifeline.
"Paano mo nasabi na hindi ako ligtas?" Wala sa sariling lumabas na lang ng kusa sa bibig ko.
She stared at me for a prolonged moment, her gaze penetrating, before finally releasing a deep sigh. "I will discuss this with you once you are out of this place."
And with that, she turned and left, leaving me with unanswered questions. This encounter was not the first of its kind. Grandma had repeatedly expressed her belief that I was not safe, but whenever pressed for an explanation, she would either change the subject or abruptly depart.
"Hoy, akala ko ba aalis na kayo?" Tanong ko kay Jumbo at Sage na nag-aasaran ngayon.
"Nag-change na ang isip namin. Hintayin na lang namin si Tabi."
Hindi nagtagal ay lumabas na si Tabi mula sa banyo. Balik ulit kami sa paalamanan, ngunit bago pa sila humakbang, biglang bumukas ang pinto at lumabas ang taong hindi ko inaasahang pupunta. Isang beses lang siya dumalaw dito at hindi na nasundan pa. Kaya nakakagulat na napadalaw siya ngayon.
He stood at the threshold of the door, his gaze fixed on me at sabay ngisi bago tuluyang isinara ang pinto at naglakad palapit sa akin.
"Okay ka na nga." Hindi ko alam kung tuwa ba o pagkadismaya ang tono niya. "Kahit kailan talaga napakatigas ng bungo mo."
Despite the uneasiness and my strong reluctance to acknowledge or show any respect towards him, there was no denying the undeniable truth: he was still my father. With a knot in my stomach and a wave of discomfort, I mustered the strength to utter the word that made bile rise in my throat, 'Dad.' It took a lot of work to get that word out, as if it were a bitter pill I really needed to get rid of.
BINABASA MO ANG
But Not Me (GxG)
Lãng mạn"C'mon Miss Agape, let me warm your bed. Hindi ba 'yon lang naman habol niyong mga professor?" I went near her tsaka bumulong. "I offer myself before you beg." "Oh yeah? You beg, but not me. It's not you who's winning this game, but me." In the mids...
