I'll Be Back

12

Aiah was at Colet’s house while Mikha was back at work. It had been three days since her father had passed away, and the weight of grief was still heavy on her shoulders.

"Hindi ka ba uuwi para sa libing ng dad mo, Aiks?" Colet asked, her hands busy as she prepared lunch for the group.

"No" Aiah replied, her voice cold and distant.

“Huh? Bakit?” Sheena asked, confusion evident in her voice.

“Basta. I just don’t want to go home yet.” Aiah said, her tone firm.

The girls exchanged puzzled looks but didn’t press further. They couldn’t understand why Aiah would choose not to attend her father’s funeral. She had the means, being a successful pharmacist in America, so it wasn’t about money. The reason behind her decision remained a mystery to them.

Hours later, they finished lunch and moved on to playing board games and chatting. The mood was light, but an undercurrent of tension lingered, a silent acknowledgment of the unresolved issue.

As the afternoon wore on, Sheena finally spoke up again. “Aiks, I know it’s none of our business, but… are you sure you don’t want to go home? It’s your dad.”

Aiah looked down, her fingers absently tracing the edge of the table. “It’s complicated” she said quietly.

“Complicated how?” Colet asked gently, sensing there was more to the story.

Aiah took a deep breath, struggling to find the right words. “Nung umalis ako para umuwi dito, nag away kami ni dad, it was very intense, and we never really resolved it. I feel guilty pero my grudge is holding me back.”

The room fell silent, the weight of Aiah’s confession hanging heavy in the air. Her friends looked at her with a mixture of sympathy and understanding, the pieces of the puzzle starting to fit together.

“I'm sorry, Aiks” Sheena said softly.

“It’s okay,” Aiah replied, her voice barely above a whisper. “I just… I don’t know how to deal with it. Going back for the funeral feels like admitting I failed him, like I’m too late to make things right.”

Colet reached across the table, taking Aiah’s hand in hers. “Wag mong sabihin yan, Aiks. You had your reasons for leaving, and sometimes things don’t get resolved the way we want them to. Pero puntahan mo kaya? Alam ko napatawad kana ng Dad mo and he hopes na papatawarin mo rin sya”

Aiah nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. “you’re right. It’s just so hard to face.”

The friends continued to talk, the conversation shifting between light-hearted moments and the deeper, more painful topics. They laughed over shared memories, cried over the loss, and offered each other support in a way that only close friends could.

Finally, the sound of Mikha’s car pulling up outside broke the uneasy silence. Aiah stood up, feeling a mixture of relief and anxiety. She said her goodbyes to Colet and Sheena, thanking them for the distraction and support.

Mikha walked in, her eyes immediately seeking out Aiah. “Ready to go?” she asked, her voice soft.

Aiah nodded, gathering her things. As they walked to the car, the silence between them was thick and uncomfortable. It wasn’t the usual easy silence they shared; this one was loaded with unspoken words and heavy emotions.

Once in the car, Mikha started the engine and they drove off. Aiah stared out the window, the familiar streets passing by in a blur. She felt Mikha’s occasional glances but didn’t turn to meet them.