Just Us

chapter twenty-four

Napuno ng tawanan at kwentuhan ang lunch namin. Madaling naging close kay Ken si Mackenzie.

"Alam mo ba Kenz, when we had a get together sa house, my cousin looked flasttered when she was looking at her phone..." Kennedy laughed, nakita ko ang bahagyang pag-angat ng gilid ng labi ng girlfriend saka pinasadahan ako ng naghahamong tingin. "She was really a womanizer!"

Of course you, she knows it. Siya ang dahilan noon. That silly brat in front of you sent me her sexy photos. Who am I to decline?

Habang nagtatawanan ang dalawa ay hindi ko namalayan ang bahagyang paglubog ng kutson sa upuan na katabi ko. When I glanced at the direction, I saw my Papa who is smiling brilliantly to me.

Marahan ang ginawa niyang paghaplos sa buhok ko habang kitang-kita ang saya sa mukha niya. "You looked happy with her, anak." Then his eyes looked at my lips, hindi pa rin Natalia ang marahang ukit ng ngiti sa labi nito. "Yung ngiti at saya mo, kitang-kita sa mga mata mo... I am happy that you let us see this side of you, my princess."

My heart was whelmed by what he said. My Papa... Simula pa lang nung bata ako, he will always reassure that I am okay. I am in the better form of myself. He was always guiding me to the path that he thinks makes me happy. He will always watch out for every recognition and achievement that I have in life. He was a support system when I was child, na kahit gaano kasakit at kabigat lahat-lahat ng dala-dala ko, hindi ako tuluyang bumitaw. He made me feel the warmth, hindi niya iyon nakalimutang iparamdam.

"Pa, thank you." The last word is the way of a lone tear to fall on my eye. Mabilis niyang hinaplos ang pisngi ko kung saan pumatak ang luha, punung-puno ng pagmamahal ang mga mata niya. "And I'm sorry...s-sorry po."

Alam ko na hanggang ngayon nasasaktan ko pa rin siya. It was a core memory to me, but to them, parang bagong sakit, parang bagong sugat na nilagyan ng alcohol. I am very aware of how much I mean to them, and I ought promise to myself that that moment when I confessed is the last moment that they will cry for me. I will never want them to feel that it was their fault.

"Mahal na mahal ka namin...sobra." I felt a soft thing on my temple. "Alam mo ba nung unang beses kitang kinarga...yung time na kinuha ka na namin sa nurse pagkatapos Kang ilabas ng surrogate mother...it was the day that totally completed my life...pinangako ko sa sarili ko, hindi ko hahayaan na maranasan mo ang mga maranasan ko...hindi ko hahayaan na maramdaman mo ang takot na ipakita ang totoong ikaw sa amin... I promised to make sure that even if the world hates you or turns it back on you, we will always be here...yayakapin at mamahalin ka lang...tatanggapin at hindi huhusgahan."

Hindi ko alam ang nararamdaman ko. The feeling that inside me was the mixture of happiness, fulfillment and even a bit of fear. But all the positive emotions were driven the only negative. Nawala ang mga pangamba kasi hindi ako mag-isa.

"Bub," Dumaan sa mata ko ang ngiti ni Papa bago ko tuluyang naharap si Kenzie. Mackenzie is smiling brightly, she extend her arms, signalling me to go with her. Hindi na ako nagpatumpik-tumpik at sinunod ang gusto niya.

We arrived at the unit's door, I was just looking at her, eyebrows twitched, but she was all smiles while waiting for something to happen.

"Bub, who are we waiting for?" I asked, obviously doesn't know what's her expression all about. She was gripping both of her hands while smiling widely on the doorstep. Hindi pa nakatulong ang maningning nitong mga mata. Negative emotions brushed the little happiness I felt earlier.

I clicked my tongue, my hands were starting to form balls as I craned my neck in annoyance.

"Mackenzie Sirene, who are we waiting, really?" Ang iniintay Kong sagot ay hindi dumating dahil sa tunog ng doorbell sa labas.