It has been a week since Calissa left. I am currently teaching my last subject class in the building B. Ito rin ang klase na naabutan noong unang linggo ni Cal. Simula noong nagpakita si Cal dito ay palagi nilang tinatanong kung bakla ba ako. I shook my head. I don't want to label myself. Labeling myself it feels like there's a limitation and standard to follow in order to called like that. Can't we just settle and say that I am a woman who fell in love with a woman? Do we really need to label things?
"Class, as I've said before I am not frugal in giving you time to solve the equation but please refrain from talking nonsense in class." I frustratedly said, my patience is wearing thin. I know this is not just because of the noise my students are creating it is because of something else. Gish, it's been a week since I last saw her and everything feels weird without her.
I sat down in my chair and massaged my temple. My students must have noticed it because they became quiet which is very unusual.
"Miss, okay lang po kayo?" I heard someone asked so I lifted my head.
"I'm okay, continue answering please." I said and stood up to lean in the door frame para hindi nila ako masiyadong makita.
"Mama" Sigaw ng pamilyar na boses kaya agad akong napalingon sa direksyon ng taong tumawag ng mama. To my surprise it was my son. Agad akong lumuhod at sinalubong siya ng yakap. This is unexpected.
"You are here. Who brought you here?" I asked at luminga-linga but I saw no one. Kaya agad kumunot ang noo ko. Pero hinalikan ako ng anak ko.
"It's mommy po." He answered and giggled.
"Mommy?" Nagtataka kong saad. May mommy siya? Sino ang mommy niya? Ha?
"Yes, she was left behind because run so fast. She's old Mama, she can't keep up with me." Natatawang saad ng anak ko kaya naman mas lalong kumunot ang noo ko. Don't tell me Mama visited her? And imbes lola ang itawag niya ay naging mommy? Natigil lang ang tanong ko sa sarili nang makita kong may isang babae na kakarating lang dito sa floor ng classroom na tinuturuan ko.
"Mommy you are a turtle." Ani ng anak ko kaya tumawa si Cal. Ang ganda niya talaga kapag tumatawa. Tumayo na ako at kinarga ang anak ko.
"Why are you calling her mommy, anak?" I asked my son gently and he smiled evilly.
"Mama, I saw the two of you kissed last week." Bulong nito sa akin na agad akong pinamulahan. That did not happen. We just almost kissed. Almost. Pero hindi natuloy dahil ginulat kami nitong bulilit na karga ko. I looked at Calissa who is staring at me for long now. I raised my brow to her and she smiled and went near me.
"Hi" She shyly said and put her hand in my back.
"What are you doing here again?" I asked strictly so she brushed her hair with her fingertips to come up with a reason.
"Luh, diba yun yung babae noong unang linggo ba iyon? May anak pala sila ni Miss?" Dinig kong saad ng mga estudyante ko. Lihim akong napailing.
"I came here to see you immediately. I missed you." She said and kissed my cheeks. Narinig ko naman ang mga tili ng mga estudyante ko. Parang mga timang.
"You could have waited in the house." I said and she looked at my son.
"Our son wants to see you." Napataas naman ang kilay ko nang marinig ang our son na sinabi niya. Kailan niya pa naging anak ang anak ko?
"Wait for me in the office." Baling ko sa kaniya bago binalingan ang anak ko.
"Baby, don't run around okay. Mama will finish this class then I'll come after. Stay with your mommy first." Binigay ko na siya sa Mommy niya na ngayon ay may ngiting aso dahil sa sinabi ko. Tinaboy ko na sila at ipinagpatuloy ang paglelesson sa mga bata.
"Class dismiss." Nagmamadali kong sabi at umalis kaagad sa room at tinahak ang daan patungo sa opisina ko.
I opened my office and I immediately saw them tickling each other in my sofa. Nakahiga na silang dalawa at tawang-tawa na.
"Mommy stop, I can't breathe." Nahihirapang saad ng anak ko habang tumatawa kaya tumigil si Cal at umupo na nagpaharap sa akin. Nagulat silang dalawa na makita ako.
"Baby Cali" Tawag ko sa anak ko.
"Yes baby." The adult replied kaya naman binigyan ko siya ng nakakairitang tingin.
"Hindi ikaw, kundi anak ko." Lumapit ako sa sofa at pinunasan ang pawis ng anak ko dahil sa kakalaro sa kaniyang Mommy.
"I thought it was me. Baby Cali rin naman ako." She reasoned out with a grin in her face.
"No, Mommy, I'm the only baby in this family." Nakangusong saad ng anak ko. Kaya napatawa naman ako habang si Cali ay nakabusangot. Serves her right. Ang tanda-tanda na niya pero nagpapababy parin.
"Let's go home." Ani ko naman at kinuha na ang bag ko pero wala pang isang segundong nahawakan ko ito ay kinuha ito ni Cal sa kamay ko.
"Let me." She said so I just went to my son and got him out of the seat. Karga ko na ang anak ko na lumabas ng opisina.
"Naks, happy family yan." Natatawang saad ni Rach habang nakatingin sa amin. Nadaanan kasi namin siya papuntang parking lot kaya ito ngayon ay nangbubulabog na naman.
"Shut up." I said and rolled my eyes agad naman siyang umacting na parang nasaktan siya sa sinabi ko.
"Rach, Mary said she wants to invite us for a dinner." Biglang saad ng katabi ko na may ngisi sa labi. Napangiti naman si Rach at tumango.
"G na g ako diyan." Ani niya at nagpaalam narin na umalis.
Tinungo na namin ang sasakyan ko dahil hinatid lang pala sila Cal dito sa school.
"Give me the keys, I'll drive." Usal niya kaya kinapa ko ang susi sa bulsa ko at ibinigay sa kaniya. Pinagbuksan niya na muna kami ng pinto bago siya pumasok sa driver seat. Kaya pala tahimik ang anak ko ay nakatulog pala ito sa braso ko. Hinalikan ko ito at inayos ang pagkakahiga niya sa bisig ko.
"How are you?" She asked as she drove us out of the school.
"Same as usual, tiring." Sagot ko habang ang tingin ay nasa labas.
"I still can't believe that you are a teacher now. I am proud of you." Para itong isang mainit na palad ang sinabi niya na humahaplos sa puso ko ngayon. Napangiti naman ako sa kaniya.
"Too bad we were not there for each other during achieving amazing things." Sabi ko na may kalungkutan, maikli niya akong liningon at binigyan ng maliit na ngiti.
"I'll make it up to you, baby. I'll be forever by your side and our little monkey. Hindi na ako aalis pa." Ani niya at kinuha ang kamay ko para halikan ito.
"Pero paano kung hamunin naman tayo ng panahon na magkahiwalay muli? Babalik din ang sakit." Mapait kong sambit kaya agad niyang inihinto ang sasakyan. Nandito na pala kami sa harap ng bahay namin. She took off her seatbelt and face me.
"I promise Cy, I won't let go anymore. I'm sorry for leaving but I have my reason for doing so. It won't happen again." Ani niya at pinalis ang luhang umaagos sa mga mata ko. Hindi parin kasi kami nagkakausap tungkol sa nakaraan. We are too busy so we loosen up and live in the moment.
"I know you have your reason that's why I still can't let you go even after almost a decade of being broken hearted. That's a lot of time to move on but I haven't, and I didn't. Because I am still holding on to you."
BINABASA MO ANG
Intersected Lines
RomanceA part time instructor with a major in Math. A student that aims to be a statistician. They were intersected by their faith in theorems and love in data. Will they be able to use the theorems that they've known and data that have been gathered to...
