Heaven On Fire

Thirty

"He can't hurt us now." was the only thing na nasabi ko matapos namin makalabas ng bahay.

*****

In the final moments before Alina and Cvne departed for Kentucky, a somber atmosphere pervaded my mansion.

"What happened to him?" I asked Cvne's secretary, na malakas ang kabog ng dibdib.

Kasabay nito ay ang pag-ring din ng cellphone ni mommy. Makailang saglit pa lang niya na sinagot ang tawag ay para na siyang binuhusan nang malamig na tubig sa pagkatulala.

Alina's return from her phone call brought with it a wave of anxiety, her expression betraying the gravity of the news she carried.

I watched as she leaned in to whisper something into Cvne's ear, their faces drawn with sorrow.

Cvne's eyes widened briefly before she, in turn, leaned over to whisper to Lorie, who was seated nearby.

I couldn't hear their conversation, but the solemn expressions that crossed their faces spoke volumes.

"Your Royal Highness, let me excuse myself and my daughter for a moment." Mommy said, na agad naman akong hinila paalis ng dining room.

I nodded speechlessly to Cvne before leaving the room.

Bakit ba ako kinakabahan? Ano bang nangyayari?

I could still remember the taste of foie gras na lasang liver spread lang naman na kinain namin 'nun, and sharp pain came over me in waves; one minute I was enjoying my food, the next minute everything ached. But here I was, thinking, na bakit ba puro kamalasan nalang lagi.

Saoirse nestled in my arms, oblivious to the weight of the moment as she gazed up at me with wide, innocent eyes.

"Loren," She finally broke our silence.

"What happened, Ma?" I asked her back.

Lorie's gaze softened as she reached out to place a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"It's about your Kuya," she began, her voice barely above a whisper. "There's been an accident."

My heart skipped a beat at her words, a rush of fear and panic flooding through me. "Is he okay?" I asked, my voice trembling with emotion.

Lorie's expression darkened and shook her head. "I'm afraid not, Loren. Wala na siya."

Shock and disbelief washed over me in a tidal wave, leaving me reeling as I struggled.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I clutched Saoirse closer to me, seeking solace in her innocent presence.

"Oh God," I whispered, my voice choked with emotion. "How? Paano nangyari iyon eh kakagaling nga lang niya?"

Mommy wrapped her arms around me, offering what little comfort she could in the face of our shared grief.

"I don't know, sweetheart," she murmured. "But we need to go to him. Makakasama ka ba pabalik ng Seattle?"

In that very moment, I knew I needed to reach out to Benjamin.

With trembling hands, I dialed his number, my heart pounding in my chest as I waited for him to pick up.

"Benjamin," I said, my voice shaky with emotion as he answered the call. "May nangyaring aksidente."

There was a moment of stunned silence on the other end of the line before Benjamin spoke, his tone cold and detached.

"Na naman?" He replied.

"Yes, Benj. Si kuya...wala na siya."

"At ano naman ang pakialam natin dyan, Loren?" he said, his words like a slap in the face.