Mommy asks me how my day has gone more often since the dinner with Kalon.
This new and somewhat weird side of her just popped up out of nowhere. I have no idea why it popped out. Wala namang nagbago sa buhay namin. Hindi naman yata ako nagbago. So, I was perplexed by the change that was happening.
Two weeks passed since my Intramuros date with Kalon, and I was walking out of campus right now. Tapos na ang mga exams ko at naka-focus na ako sa dalawang orgs na sinalihan ko. May ilang events kasi na mangyayari sa dalawa. Hindi naman ako kasali sa pupunta sa events, logistics lang ako sa mga events na 'yon. So, all I had to do was face my laptop and make sure the plans would be executed well. And, so far, everything was set and ready.
Papunta ako sa bahay ni Kalon sa ngayon, doon uli ako kakain ng hapunan. Mommy knows. Since I was going home later than usual, she sent me a text, asking how my day was. Hindi ko pa nasasagot 'yon, mamaya pagdating kay Kalon ako magre-reply.
Sinuot ko ang headphones ko pagpasok ng train. Suprisingly, wala masiyadong pasahero ngayon. Minsan talaga, may mga ganoong araw sa LRT. How I love those days.
In less than 30 minutes, nasa Tayuman station na ako. Kalon was at the exit of the station, waiting for me. He held out his hand and I gave mine. We walked together to his house.
"May ikukuwento ako," Kalon said as we strode the street.
"What is it?" I ask.
"Napanaginipan ko 'yong totoo kong Papa kagabi. It was so vivid, I thought it was real."
"What happened?"
"I was outside a building that was on fire, and Papa told me to stay where I was, he was going to come back," hinila niya ako papalapit bago nagpatuloy. "Imbis na bumalik siya, dumating 'yong mga magulang ko ngayon. Tapos, nag-iba 'yong background, wala na 'yong apoy. It was just white. Hindi ko maintidihan 'yong panaginip, pero it's been a while since nagpakita si Papa sa panaginip ko, so I think it meant something."
"How about you mother? Have you ever dreamt of her?"
"No, probably because I don't remember her face anymore."
"Sinabi ko sa parents ko 'yong panaginip, Mama hugged me. Sabi ko, hindi naman ako malungkot, it's just... I haven't thought about Papa, at all, recently, kaya hindi ko gets bakit ko siya napanaginipan."
"You miss him?"
We were nearing his house already, pero parang bumagal ang lakad ni Kalon. Siguro dahil busy siya sa pagkukuwento.
"I think so, minsan," sagot ni Kalon.
"Then, maybe his soul missed you too, kaya nagpakita siya," he nodded and looked at me.
"Hindi ko na maalala ang nanay ko, pero minsan, miss ko siya. Parang ewan pakinggan, hindi ko maalala pero miss," ngumiti siya pagkasabi no'n.
"True, sometimes, feelings are unexplainable, contradicting."
Binuksan niya ang gate ng bahay nila at hinayaan akong pumasok muna. After closing it, kinuha niya muli ang kamay ko at pumasok na kami sa loob. I was expecting his siblings to greet me like they always did, but there were no people.
"Sa'n mga kapatid mo?" tanong ko.
"Dumalaw sa mga lolo namin, I passed since I had dinner with you."
Dinapuan ako ng pag-aalala.
"Hala, puwede namang next time na," sabi ko.
"No, it's fine kasi pumunta ako sa kanila kahapon. Ako 'yong nauna, ngayon, mga kapatid ko naman."
BINABASA MO ANG
Jump From the Air (Erudite Series #5)
General FictionHaving to care for her mother since the end of grade school, Meadow Jil Carreal was no stranger to exhaustion. Being the bigger person physically, mentally, and emotionally was excruciating, but Meadow always was. When Meadow, a DLSU student, eats d...
