One week matapos ang pagkikita namin ni Kalon habang umuulan, I helped Daddy pack before his flight the next day. Mommy was the one who sealed everything well. Kami na ni Daddy ang naglagay sa mga maleta ng kaniyang iuuwi sa Italy. The gift I sent to Italy arrived before the shipment company could delay it. Kaya naman, sinabi ko kay Daddy iyon. Nagulat siya at kumausap agad ng katrabahong mapagkatitiwalaan upang kuhain iyon.
Kalon and I consistently messaged each other after our breakfast together. Siya na ang nagri-reach out sa akin every day. My crush on him grew these days. Nag-aya siya, actually, na kumain kami kahapon, pero hindi kinaya ng oras ko—so, tomorrow na lang.
"Kompleto na?" si Mommy nang i-zip ni Daddy ang huling maleta na dadalhin niya bukas.
"Yup, everything's set," tumayo si Daddy at sinabi 'yon.
Ako ay pumunta sa kung saan nakatago ang mga pagkain at gamit ni Maki. Pakakainin ko na siya ng dinner. Kanina pa siya nangungulit, e. Sabi kasi ni Mommy napaaga ang pagpapakain niya ng lunch, kaya gutom na si Maki agad kahit ala-singko pa lang.
I then went to Maki's bowl and poured it some dog food. Kinuha ko rin ang lalagyan niya ng tubig at nilagyan iyon ng tubig.
"December?" I heard Mommy ask Dad while I was watching my dog devour his food.
"December, third week," ani Dad habang hawak ni Mommy ang kamay niya.
My father bent and kissed Mommy's head.
When I was a kid, I wondered about the possibility of Dad cheating while in Italy because I heard that's what happens when a married couple is distanced for too long. Sinabi ko kay Mommy iyon, she told me not to believe that and to believe my father. Dad wouldn't do anything to hurt Mommy or me, especially since he was in Italy for us.
Now that I was older, I came to realize that I knew my father. He wasn't someone to do that. He had proven how reliable and kind he was. Magkaiba man sila ng personalidad ng aking ina, hindi naman kailanman nagloko si Daddy. Magkalayo man sila, hindi binigyan ni Daddy si Mommy ng dahilan para magduda.
Besides, he talks to Mommy more than he does with me. So, seeing how my mother never had any suspicion about Dad already made me believe their marriage was nothing I should worry about.
That's why I think distance won't matter between two people who genuinely see each other as their person.
Daddy was Mommy's person.
Mommy was Daddy's person.
And, they're my people.
"Kain na tayo?" Daddy wakes me up from my thoughts and puts an arm around me.
"Ano'ng ulam?" tanong ko habang naglalakad kami patungong dining table.
"Walang ulam, baked sushi ang pagkain natin ngayon," Daddy goes to the oven and gets the food from it.
"Kuhain mo 'yong mga seaweed, nasa cabinet sa taas," tinuro ni Mommy kung nasaan ang seaweed at sinunod ko siya.
I took one sealed seaweed pack and opened it. Daddy was getting plates and forks while Mommy was pouring water on our glasses. Kumain kami habang pinag-uusapan ang mga nangyari sa stay ni Daddy.
My father seemed so happy after he met up with his college friends. Lahat ng kaibigan niya ay nanatili rito; ang iba raw ay naging doktor habang ang iba ay naging nurse sa iba't ibang ospital. Siya lang daw ang umalis sa kanila patungong ibang bansa. Niyaya raw siyang mag-beach para uminom, pero dahil ayaw ni Mommy ng gano'n, humindi si Daddy.
Kinita rin ng magulang ko ang mga kamag-anak ni Daddy upang ibigay ang mga pasalubong ni Dad. Siyempre, kumain din sila sa labas. May isa nga raw akong tito na humiling ng kotse sa Daddy ko.
BINABASA MO ANG
Jump From the Air (Erudite Series #5)
Ficção GeralHaving to care for her mother since the end of grade school, Meadow Jil Carreal was no stranger to exhaustion. Being the bigger person physically, mentally, and emotionally was excruciating, but Meadow always was. When Meadow, a DLSU student, eats d...
