Broken Vessels

Kabanata 33

Kabanata 33

Rebuilding 

“Tata Anwar!” Napatayo ako sa gulat.

Amare looks behind him and stands just like I did. He is wearing dirty clothes with a garbage bag in his left hand. The man beside me walked and gave him a warm hug.

Napalunok ako. Iba yata ang nakita ko.

Lalapit na sana ako sa kanila nang marinig ko ang boses ni Mommy. Her morning voice and the classic wine robe.

“Amare, is that you?” she said while walking towards the door.

Lahat kami napatingin sa kaniya. She didn't hesitate to hug him tightly with a smile on her face. Nakalimutan yata ni Mommy na ako ang anak niya. Lumapit ako sa kanila. I saw Tata Anwar looking at me softly with a smile on his lips too.

“Good morning po,” pagbati ko.

“Oh, Tata Anwar, napaaga ang pagkuha niyo ng basura, ah,” Mommy interrupted when she noticed him.

His gaze turned to her, and he smiled again.

“Oo. May pupuntahan kasi ako mamaya sa munisipyo.”

Amare advances his steps.

“Tungkol po ba ito sa pag-alis mo po sa lupain?” May lungkot sa tono niya.

He laughed, holding Amare's shoulder, assuring him that it was something he wouldn't worry about.

“Hijo, lupa ng asawa ko. May karapatan ang mga anak ko doon. Kaya hayaan muna, may ipon pa naman ako dito. Huwag kang mag-alala, malakas ako.”

“Anong nangyari, Amare?” I was about to ask this question, pero inunahan na ako ni Mommy.

But Tata Anwar answered her.

“Kunting alitan lang sa mga anak ko.” He smiled. 

Everyone is silent, including me. Pareho ang tingin namin kay Tata Anwar, but he only gives us a warm smile. 

“May mga basura ba dito at nang makaalis na ako. Dahil may pupuntahan pa akong ibang bahay,” tumikhim siya.

“Wait lang po,” si Mommy. “Lyn, may basura pa ba ‘dyan sa kusina o likod ng bahay?!” mahina niyang sigaw.

“Wala na po, Ate!”

He smiled after ate Lyn answered. “Kung gano'n, ako’y aalis na…”

Amare nodded his head. Mommy also did the same thing. Habang ako, tinitigan ko lamang siya. I am very bothered by what I saw earlier. Nang dumapo ang mata niya sa akin, ngumiti siya. Matamis na ngiti na parang ama nakatitig sa kaniyang anak.

“Sa susunod nating pagkikita…”

After he left, my mother invited us for breakfast. Gusto ko sanang sabihin kay Mommy na tapos na kaming kumain. But he stopped me by holding my hands and saying yes to her instead. Ngumiti na lamang ako sa kaniya at umupo kami ulit sa sofa habang hinihintay si Mommy dahil nagboluntaryo siyang magluto.

“Anong gagawin ulit natin ngayon, Amare?”

“Bible study is our usual routine. It's God's day, Adri.”

I smiled widely as my mind seemed so settled spending time with him and God the whole weekend was just amazing!

Every whole weekend, that's the first thing we do before anything else. Then Sunday morning, we will be at the church to attend a mass. In the afternoon, we will visit his church. Iyan ang lagi naming routine at pagkatapos ay ihahatid niya ako sa bahay. We do something in our house, like baking cookies or cooking tinola, sinigang, or even adobo, which was my favorite among his dishes. It is quite nice to feel lighter each day. Nobody intrudes; I'm just happy. At peace.