Kagaya ng siyang hiling niya ay hindi ko iniwan si Rance. I went with him at Alta Roca, at sa tatlong araw na naroon kami ay hindi ko halos makausap si Rance. He was always too busy, constantly on the move, attending to the needs of everyone around him. His focus was especially on his great-grandfather, Don Vicente, who had just lost his wife. Halos hindi umalis si Rance sa tabi ni Don Vicente, kung nasan ito'y nakasunod siya. At kung nasan rin si Rance ay nakabuntot naman sa kaniya ang pamangkin na si Harlow.
It was a somber time for Rance and his family, filled with grief and mourning. I could see the weight of it all on Rance's shoulders, the burden of loss pressing down on him like a heavy yoke. But despite his own pain, he remained steadfast in his commitment to his family, putting their needs above his own. Kung puwede ko lang itong yakapin ng mahigpit ay ginawa ko na.
"Hindi pa kayo kumakain ni Rance," nag-aalalang sabi ni Spring kay Reid nang lapitan kami nito at tanungin kung may kailangan ba ang asawa. "Did you two have lunch at the ranch? Baka hindi, ah."
"Don't worry about us, Sothis," Reid pressed a kiss on top of her head as his hand reached down her slightly showing baby bump. "How's everything here?"
Nang gabing natanggap ni Rance ang tawag mula kay Lance ay agad kaming bumyahe paakyat ng Alta Roca, wala siyang sinayang na oras because he knew he needed to be with his grandfather. Sa malaki at antigong villa kami tumuloy kung saan naroon na ang mga magulang ni Rance, kinabukasan ay ang mga kapatid naman niya ang nagdatingan bitbit ang mga pamilya ng mga ito.
They arranged a funeral service for Lola Anastacia, it was too quiet and intimate that Uncle Zanti strictly banned the media to feast on their family's grief. Ilang malalapit na kaibigan lamang ang pinayagang makapasok sa Alta Roca upang makidalamhati.
Kagabi ay magkakasunod na dumating ang mga De Salvo at Santa de Leones. Everyone was grieving, pero higit na si Cameron Dela Paz-De Salvo. It felt too much for her as she just lost a husband a little over two years ago. They had to sedate her last night dahil hindi ito matigil sa paghihisterya, and we could all imagine the pain she was going through.
Sa kagustuhan na rin ni Don Vicente na huwag nang pahabain pa ang pagluluksa ng buong pamilya ay inihatid na si Lola Anastacia sa huling hantungan nito kaninang umaga. Nang mag-alisan na ang lahat ay nanatili ito sa musuleo, refusing to get up and leave his wife to rest. Kaya naman nagpasya sina Reid at Rance na manatil upang samahan ito roon. Inabot na nga ng gabi at kababalik lamang ng mga ito.
"Nakatulog na ang mga bata," kuwento ni Spring sa asawa. "Isinama ni Sasa sa kuwarto sa itaas si Raven. Nasa kabilang villa naman si Ridge, kanila Paris. Si Rafael naman ay na kanila Dad, alam mo namang hindi iyon papayag mahiwalay sa Papa niya."
Reid nodded. "I'll get him later. You should rest too."
Hindi pa rin napirmi si Spring, hinawakan nito ang kamay ni Reid at inakay patungo sa kusina. Binalingan ako nito bago magtuloy-tuloy. "Kunin mo si Rance doon. Sigurado akong hindi kumain ang dalawang 'yan sa buong maghapon. Nandyan naman sina Ethan at Zander para mag-asikaso sa ilang naiwang bisita. Si Zach nagsabi rin na babalik."
Wala nang nagawa pa si Reid kundi magpakaladkad sa misis nitong buntis. Ako man ay ganoon rin, lumabas ako sa lanai at hinanap si Rance. He was standing by the long line of rose bushes with Harlow who was wearing her baseball cap backward. Nilapitan ko ang mga ito at bahagyang narinig ang usapan, they were talking about the plant that Lola Anastacia had grown and taken care of for most her life.
"If I go here everyday and water them, they wouldn't die?" Tanong ng munting si Harlow.
"You didn't have to come all the way here just to water these plants," Rance placed his hand on top of her cap, making sure her head was properly covered. Gabi na rin kasi.
