Boundless Time

Kabanata IX

Gumising ako ng maaga upang makapag-ayos na para pumasok sa eskwela. Umagang-umaga ay tila wala akong gana sa lahat. Feeling this way makes me miss the old me, iyon bang masaya at ganadong pumasok ng eskwelahan dahil makikita ko ulit siya. Bumuntong hininga na lamang ako saka na bumaba para makakain na ng umagahan.

Pagdating ko sa dining room ay nagulat akong makita na naroon din si Sebastian, kasabay itong sumisimsim ng kape nila daddy at mommy. Naabutan ko ang mga itong nag-uusap tungkol sa negosyo. His eyes immediately looked at me just seconds after I entered the room. I don't know how to react, kung ngingitian ko na lamang ba siya para bumati o iiwasan ko ang tingin niya. In the end I did neither.

Manang Imelda then emerges from the kitchen holding plates of bacon and eggs. Lumapit na lamang ako kina mommy at daddy upang bigyan sila ng halik sa pisnge.

"Good morning mom, good morning dad."

"Good morning din anak." Saad ni daddy while mommy gives me a knowing look. I remember her calling me out last night when I was rushing out of the door. I smiled at her innocently.

"Good morning too my little princess." She said afterwards after criticizing me with her look. 

Umupo na ako sa tabi ni mama, ayaw ko man dahil kaharap ko si Sebastian ay wala rin akong mapagpipilian. Ayaw ko namang umupo sa upuang katabi nito, it'll only do me indigestion. Manang Imelda quickly gave me a glass of milk. I tilted my head to look at her from behind to say my thanks. Agad na akong kumuha ng egg at bacon at iyon ang inulam ko. I tried my very best to still not look at him, kung saan saan na ako napapatingin basta ba ay hindi lamang madaan ang paningin ko sa kaniya. 

Ngunit paminsan-minsan ay napapatingin ako dito. Naaabutan ko siyang nakatingin sa akin. I tried making eye contact to see if tulad ko ay napapadaan rin lamang ang tingin niya sakin. But to my surprise, hindi nawala ang titig nito sa akin, kaya sa huli ay ako na lamang ang iiwas ng tingin at hindi na muling titingin sa kaniya.

"I've talked to some architectural school in France and they said they'd be willing to take you in this coming semester. Since you are still in your first years ang sabi nila ay maaari ka pang makahabol. Though you need to attend summer school para makahabol ka sa iba pang mga estudyante. I told them that I'd talk to you first. What do you think? Do you still wanna go?"

Napahinto sa ere ang kutsarang hawak ko. Silence filled the air, maski ang diyaryong hawak ni daddy ay binitawan nito para lamang marinig ang sasabihin ko. Ibinaba ko ang hawak na kutsara. Then my eyes turned to look at him. Hindi na ito nakatingin sa akin, ngunit may kunot naman ang kaniyang noo. Tila ba ay nainis ito sa isang bagay. He's actually staring at his coffee. Is the coffee made for him too bitter for his liking? Ngunit naaalala ko pa noon ay ganoon ang gusto niyang timpla. Or maybe he changed his tastes?

Lumingon ako kay mommy ng mahalata ko itong titingin ulit sa akin. Tila natagalan din sa sagot na sasabihin ko.

My mom is giving me the look that she doesn't want me to go. I looked at daddy and he's also looking at me the same. Alam ko, hindi man nila sabihin ay ayaw nila akong lumayo sa kanila. But I know them, even if it'll hurt them they'd still give me what I want. The very thing I am so thankful for, is that having them as my parents.

"You don't have to go to some other country to study architecture, mayroon din naman dito bakit ka pa lalayo?"

May iritasyong saad ni Sebastian na ikinagulat ko. No one would notice the restrained annoyance in his voice but I did. He was my husband, my love and I know everything about him already. Even his tone of voice.

"I...I wanna study deeper about architecture and I think doon ko lamang mapag-aaralan iyon." Sagot ko, trying my best to fight back the shaking of my voice.