The Broken Heart's Beauty (Salguero Siblings Series #3)

Chapter 20- Mutual Feelings

I could still feel mom and dad's embrace. Every night, months after their deaths, I find myself sleeping with tears in my eyes. Their love, smile, and care still surround the house.

Their sudden deaths left deep scars in our hearts. Sobrang sakit. Walang araw na hindi ko hinahanap ang mga halik at yakap nila. Ang pagsalubong nila sa amin kapag mauuna silang umuwi sa bahay at ang mga ngiti at tawa nila. Lahat ng iyon napakalinaw pa rin sa mga ala-ala ko.

It's been a year since they died, and the pain of their departure is still in our hearts.

Ilang buwan din kaming hindi makatulog at makakain ng maayos. We don't know how to continue. All our lives, we have mom and dad taking care of us, they teach us to be independent, but losing both of them, we don't know how to start again.

Palagi kaming tabi-tabing matulog pagkatapos nilang mawala. Ang tawanan sa kusina sa tuwing sabay-sabay kaming kakain ay napalitan ng lungkot at pangungulila. Minsan nakikita ko na lang ang sarili ko na umiiyak ng hindi ko namamalayan.

Lolo Fred was also lamenting, but we know he's doing his best to support us.

Naaawa ako sa aming magkakapatid, lalo na para sa mga nakababata sa amin nila kuya. We're too young to become orphans. I asked God many times, but whenever I remember mom and dad's teaching and the reason why they died, I can't help but cry from the pain.

Marami ang nakiramay sa amin, kabilang na ang pamilya ng mga nakaligtas dahil sa ginawa nila mom and dad. They're almost thirty in total, thirty lives were saved, two people died, and eight children were left behind.

Minsan naitatanong ko sa sarili ko kung naisip ba kami nila mom and dad noong ginawa nila iyon, but kahit anong tanong ko sa sarili ko alam ko na oo. They will never bear to leave us. I know they fought. I always believed they fought hard.

Pinilit ko na tingnan ang kabutihan at resulta ng naging dahilan ng pagkamatay nila kahit na parang hinihigop ang lakas ko sa sakit.

A lot of things have changed, especially our lives. We learned to become independent, and maturity grew in us so that we could support our younger siblings. Alam ko na ang pinaka-nahihirapan sa sitwasyon namin ngayon ay sina kuya Royse at kuya Cassian.

I've only seen kuya Royse cry once. It's when we send mom and dad to their final destination. After that, he went to face the company and to look after us because lolo Fred got sick. He was stressed, and he couldn't bear to handle everything because of old age. Kaya si kuya Royse ang halos sumalo ng lahat. Katuwang niya si kuya Cassian sa estate at sa pag-aalaga sa amin.

I know how hard it is for both of them, lalo na para kay kuya Royse dahil kasabay pa ng nangyari ang paghihiwalay nila ni ate Camilla.

Kaya kahit na sobrang sakit din sa akin ay pinili ko na maging malakas katulad nila. I know our siblings also need me, lalo na si Mira at ang kambal.

Sobra kaming nahirapan sa nangyari, pero para sa naiwang pagmamahal at mga aral nina mom at dad ay pinilit namin na makabangon.

Kung alam ko lang na maaga silang mawawala, sana sinulit ko na ang mga panahon na kasama ko sila. I should have told them everything. I should have poured all my love into them.

Life is really like a string. No matter how short or long it is, there is an end.

Walang makakapantay sa pagmamahal na ibinigay nila sa amin. We will forever remember the legacy that they left behind.

"Hey, ang lalim naman ng iniisip mo." Napataas ako ng tingin nang marinig ko si Duke.

Ngumiti ako nang maupo siya sa tabi ko at bigyan ako ng dala niyang sandwiches.