"Dada, what are you going to buy me for my birthday?" Ito ang malambing na tanong ni Zach sa akin, isang umaga habang naglalaro kami sa sala. He is turning six in two months.
"Whatever my baby wishes, of course," masigla kong tugon.
"Yey! You are the best, Dada!"
"Anything for you, baby. So, ano ang gusto mong ipapabili kay Dada?"
"I want another robot toy. The same robot you gifted me last Christmas, but... um, a bigger one. Pleassseeee..."
"You might need to get that toy baby para may reference si Dada," narinig kong sabat ni Tricia. Kakapasok lang niya sa sala galing sa kusina. May dala itong bowl of sliced apples.
"But Dada already knows which one it is. It was his gift to me," pag-iinsist ni Zach.
"Uhm, baby, Dada was not here last Christmas, remember?"
"Mm...y-yeah, but he sent me his gifts... He sends me gifts all the time."
Nakikita kong naguguluhan si Tricia sa sinabi ng anak.
"Dada, you tell mommy. S-she doesn't believe me."
Natawa ako sa palitan ng diskusyon ng mag-ina. Bahagya akong nagpigil ng tawa nang mabaling sa akin ang mga tingin ni Tricia.
"Here—" Maya-maya pa'y inabot ni Zach kay Tricia ang isang toy. It's a transformer toy.
"Dada told me to tell my wishes here...a-and he'll make them, umm, come true."
Panandaliang sinuri ito ni Tricia.
"Matt?" nagtatanong ang mga mata na untag nito sa akin.
Ngumiti ako bago sumagot.
"It is a toy with a recorder function and has the option to send. I told Zach to tell me everything through there and send it to me—it goes directly to my cloud."
Nakita kong nagulat si Tricia.
"So, Zach was communicating with you this whole time? And the gifts—I did find it weird the first time na may nag-deliver ng gifts nung 2nd birthday niya, but I thought godparents niya ang nagpadala."
"That's the least I could do, Trish..."
"Believe me now, m-mommy? Dada bought me a lot of gifts..."
Napakong muli sa akin ang mga mata ni Tricia.
"Don't worry, he didn't tell me about those casual dates; otherwise—"
Pinandilatan niya ako.
"I wish he did 'coz maybe you may have come back sooner," wika nito. Maya-maya pa'y tumabi ito sa akin. "Thank you."
"For what? For the gifts?" tanong ko.
"No—not just that. Thank you for thinking about him. Nung umalis ka nasaktan din ako para sa kanya. He kept looking for you. He kept asking me kung saan ka nagpunta at bakit hindi ka na umuuwi dito sa bahay. He thought this was your home, too. He is not wrong, though. This house feels more homey with you in it."
"I believe it now..."
Kumunot ang kanyang noo.
"Naniniwala na akong totoo 'yung journal. And that you wrote there these words that you wanted to tell me but couldn't—even your fantasies about me. It seems like you had tons of practice," tukso ko sa kanya.
"I decided to tell you everything from now on—my desires, my wishes, and yeah—even my fantasies about you. Sasabihin ko ng lahat para wala akong pagsisisihan should you decide to leave me again."
BINABASA MO ANG
Hello And Goodbye
RomanceYou want me out of your life? Just say the words, Trish, and I'll go. I am supposed to be your comfort person, but if I don't serve that purpose anymore, then what am I here for? -Matt A/N: Unless specified, most POVs are of the male lead, Matthew...
