That Summer Night of August

Kabanata 50

A las diez y media na ng umaga nang makababa kami. Halos manginig na ang tuhod ko nang makababa kami mula sa itaas ng bundok. It was a best experience for me so far, yet, most tiring. Parang ayaw ko nang ulitin. Pabagsak akong umupo sa buhangin katabi ng lawa nang makarating kami sa ibaba.

Halos maiyak na ako dahil sa sakit ng mga paa ko, pero rinig na rinig ko ang tawa ni Gabriel sa likuran ko.

"Love, kaya mo pa ba? I can carry you on my back," he gently said as he kneeled in front of me.

"You're so shameless. Mahiya ka nga kay Kuya Ed," sabi ko saka sumulyap kay Kuya Ed na nakangiting nakatingin sa amin. "Do you have a family, Kuya Ed?"

"Ah, opo, Sir Dee. May dalawa po akong anak, lalaki at babae. Senior High School na ang lalaki ko at eight years old naman ang bunso."

"Are you free tonight, Ed?" Gabriel asked. "You bring your family later for dinner. Around 6pm at Haven's Restaurant."

Nanlaki ang mata ni Kuya Ed sa narinig mula kay Gabriel. "Naku, Sir Gabriel. Huwag na po. Ang mahal diyan, hindi po kaya ng bulsa ko."

Gabriel smiled warmly and shook his head. "No, no, it's our treat, Ed. You've been so helpful today, and we'd love to meet your family. It'll be fun! Please, bring them. 6pm at Haven's Restaurant, okay?"

Kuya Ed hesitated for a moment but then nodded, his face lighting up with a big smile. "Sige po, Sir. Magpapaalam po ako sa misis ko. Maraming salamat po sa imbitasyon. Napakabuti niyo po."

I smiled at Kuya Ed and added, "We're looking forward to it, Kuya Ed. It'll be nice to have a relaxing dinner after this tiring day."

"Yes, Sir Dee. Siguradong matutuwa po ang mga bata," he said gratefully before giving us a small bow and heading off.

Nang makaalis si Kuya Ed, Gabriel sat down beside me on the sand, stretching his legs out and letting out a satisfied sigh. "Dinner tonight's going to be fun. It'll be nice to share the evening with Ed and his family."

Napangiti ako habang tinitingnan siya. Gabriel always had this way of making thoughtful gestures seem so effortless. "You really know how to make people feel special, you know that?"

He chuckled softly and gave my hand a light squeeze. "I just want us to enjoy our time here, love. Besides, Ed's been great, and I thought it would be a good way to show our appreciation."

I leaned my head on his shoulder, grateful for this moment of peace by the lake after the exhausting hike. "Yeah, you're right. This trip keeps getting better and better."

Gabriel kissed the top of my head, and we stayed like that for a while, just sitting in silence with the gentle sound of the water lapping against the shore. The soreness in my legs and the exhaustion from the hike faded into the background as we relaxed together.

As the afternoon turned into evening, we both got ready for the dinner at Haven's Restaurant. Gabriel looked effortlessly handsome in a casual button-down shirt and jeans, while I decided to wear something comfortable but still presentable for the dinner. It felt good to get out of our hiking gear and into something more suitable for a relaxing evening.

By the time we arrived at the restaurant, Kuya Ed and his family were already there, waiting at the entrance. His wife smiled warmly at us, and his two kids looked excited but a little shy. The youngest one, a little girl, hid behind her mother's legs but peeked out curiously at us.

"Good evening po, Sir Gabriel, Sir Dee," bati ni Kuya Ed habang nakangiti. "Ito po ang asawa ko, si Mila, at ang mga anak namin—si Anton at si Ella."

"Good evening po," bati naman ni Mila, obviously a bit nervous but grateful.