No One Else

Kabanata 16

Kabanata 16

Boyfriend

"What is it, Belle?"

Bumaling si Isabelle sa asawa matapos ibaba ang phone niya. Nakausap niya lang ngayon sa phone ang tita Margaret niya. She looked at Sam. And then she smiled widely. "My Tita Margaret, she just called. And she said that she's coming back!" She excitedly told her husband.

Napangiti na rin si Sam habang nakikita niya ang tuwa ng asawa. "That's good news!"

Belle nodded at her husband. "Yes. I miss Tita Margaret..."

"You'll see her again soon." Sam gave his wife a reassuring smile.

Napangiti na rin si Belle sa asawa.

"Oo nga pala, pwede mo ba akong samahan na sunduin natin si Tita Margaret sa airport kapag dumating na sila?"

Sam nodded immediately at his wife's request. "Yes, sure. Kailan na ba ang dating ng tita mo? And someone's with her?"

Tumango naman si Belle at ngumiti. "Yes, she said she would bring her boyfriend. At para maipakilala na rin niya kay Papa..."

Tumango lang naman si Sam sa sinabi ni Belle.

At nang lumapag na nga sa Philippine airport ang eroplanong sinakyan nina Margaret ay nandoon na rin sina Belle at Sam na naghihintay sa kanila. At medyo tensed pa ang pamangkin dahil excited din itong makita na muli ang kaniyang tiyahin. Ilang taon din silang hindi nagkita dahil matagal na namalagi sa ibang bansa si Margaret.

"Tita Margaret..." Belle whispered when she already saw her aunt getting out of the arrivals. "Tita Margaret!" Belle smiled widely when she finally saw her aunt again.

"Isabelle," Margaret hugged her niece who welcomed her back a bit emotionally. She missed her niece, too.

"I heard from Diane what happened. Si kuya talaga, tsk... I'm glad that you're with your husband now, Isabelle?"

"Opo, tita. Mabait po sa 'kin si Sam," Belle whispered back to Margaret as they hugged.

Yumakap din si Belle sa kaniyang tiyahin. Nagkamustahan sila at nagpakilala na rin si Margaret ng kasama niya.

"Isabelle, this is Luisito, this is my dear niece Isabelle." Margaret smiled as she introduced the two to each other.

And Luisito Salgado smiled kindly at Isabelle, too. "Nice to meet you. Palagi kayong kinukwento sa akin ni Margaret na mga pamangkin niya." he told Isabelle.

Saglit pang bumuka ang bibig ni Belle dahil nananagalog ang kasama ng kaniyang Tita Margaret. They came from abroad so she just kind of expected that her aunt had met a foreigner there. Pero mukhang Pilipino lang din pala ito. "Nice meeting you, po."

And then Belle also proceeded na ipinakilala niya rin sa kaniyang tiyahin at kasama nito si Sam. "Tita, this is Captain Samuel Lazaro, uh, my husband..."

Napangiti lang naman nang masaya si Margaret sa pamangkin. Pagkatapos ay naroon pa rin ang ngiti niya nang bumaling naman siya kay Sam. "Do you still remember me, hijo? I'm Margaret De Leon, Isabelle's auntie."

Maagap naman na tumango si Sam kay Margaret. "Opo. I wouldn't forget how you welcomed me in your home before."

Ngumiti naman si Margaret sa nakita niyang pagiging magalang pa rin ni Sam na nakasama nga rin nila noon sa bahay noong teenager pa lang ito noon. And now she can see that Sam had grown into a really fine young man and a good husband to her beloved niece now. So she's also happy especially for Isabelle.

At nakipagkamay din naman sa isa't isa ang dalawang mga lalaki.

Pagkatapos ay nagkayayaan na rin silang mag-dinner na lang din muna sa labas. Hindi na pinaalam ni Margaret sa kaniyang nakatatandang kapatid na ngayon nga agad ang dating niya dahil mas gusto niyang mag-spend din muna ng time sa kaniyang pamangkin na si Belle. Bago siya umuwi sa bahay nila at ipakilala rin si Luisito sa kanila ni Douglas at Diane.

And the four of them had a great time through dinner together. Magaan lang sana ang naging tagpo nila at hindi nila akalaing pagkatapos pala noon ay may bagyo nang paparating at magkakaroon na pala sila agad ng problema...

"I can see that you're happy, Belle..." Margaret smiled at her niece when they were left alone after dinner since the two gentlemen went out first. May kausap pa sa phone si Luisito, habang nag-washroom naman din muna si Sam.

Ngumiti rin si Belle sa kaniyang Tita Margaret. "Same to you, tita. So tell me, how did you two met?" She smilingly asked Margaret.

Napangiti na lang din naman si Margaret sa pamangkin. And she started telling Belle of how she met Luisito as a patient at the hospital where she was working back abroad. May history na kasi ng aksidente noon si Luisito at may mga follow up check ups pa rin siya over the years...

Back when he heard of Rebecca's passing in the past, Luisito was so hurt that he could not do anything and just left the country. And while he was abroad that was when he also met Margaret...

But Margaret was not aware of the connection that Luisito had with them... especially to her late sister in law, Rebecca...

At hindi rin naman sinasadya ni Luisito na mahulog din ang loob niya noon kay Margaret bago pa man niya nalaman din na konektado rin pala ito sa asawa ni Rebecca...

But he just couldn't bring himself to tell Margaret about the past... Hanggang sa nakauwi na nga lang din sila ngayon sa Pilipinas at ipapakilala pa siya ni Margaret sa pamilya niya... Kaya hindi na rin talaga maiiwasan...

Nagpaalam na rin sila ni Belle at Margaret sa isa't isa matapos nilang makapag-dinner sa isang restaurant. Tumawag na rin si Margaret sa bahay ng mga De Leon upang ipaalam din sa kanila ni Douglas na nakarating na nga siya.

"Are you sure it's all right?" Luisito hesitantly asked.

Umiling lang naman at ngumiti rin si Margaret sa nobyo. "It's fine, Lui. Don't worry about it. Malaki naman ang bahay namin at marami rin kaming guest rooms. Kaysa mag-hotel ka pa. At nasabihan ko na rin si kuya ng tungkol sa 'yo."

"And what did your brother said?"

"He said that he wants to meet my boyfriend, too." Naiiling na napangiti na lang si Margaret. She's not young anymore. Late na nga rin siyang nagkanobyo pa. Pero pinagbibigyan niya na lang din ang kapatid sa pagiging kuya nito sa kaniya.

At pagkarating nga nila ni Margaret sa mansyon ng mga De Leon ay nandoon na rin sina Douglas at Diane kaya naman agad na rin niyang pinakilala sa kanila si Lusito...

"What is the meaning of this?" Douglas reacted right away. At may matalim na rin siyang tingin na ipinukol kay Luisito.

Bahagya naman kumunot ang noo ni Margaret sa kapatid. "What do you mean, kuya?"

"This man," dinuro ni Douglas si Luisito. "Aren't you aware of what he had done to my family?"

Lalo lang naman kumunot ang noo ni Margaret. "Kuya..."

"I will never accept this man for you, Margaret!" Douglas' voice boomed in almost every corner of the quiet house...