City Lights & Country Hearts (SS #1)

Chapter 40: Shift

Listen to the song while reading this chapter. Thank you, lovies!

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They say that Christmas is supposed to be a season of joy and creating memories with your loved ones. It's supposed to be the time when love wraps itself around us like a warm embrace.

I stood in front of the windowpane, my subtle reflection on it covered the flickering lights from the houses below me. From where I am, I observed hundreds of cars on the boulevard. I could hear the noise of the Christmas rush... as they were supposed to be home before midnight, on Christmas Eve.

My train of thought was disrupted when my phone rang. Kaagad kong hinugot mula sa aking bulsa ang cellphone ko and looked at the caller ID.

Oh.

Hmm.

I swiped right to answer the call and placed my phone on my ear. "Anak..." Mama's soothing voice echoed through my mind.

"Ma?"

"Pupunta ka ba rito?" Tanong niya, her voice sounds hopeful. I bet she cooked my favorite food, and I guess Natalia asked her to call me.

Bumaba ang aking mga mata sa sahig. "I'll see, Ma. Kung wala na ang mga reporters sa baba, ita-try ko." Sagot ko sa kaniya. Hanggang ngayon ay may iilan pa ring mga reporters na hindi marunong rumespeto sa privacy ko.

Hindi ako nagpalabas ng kung anumang statement, gano'n din ang entertainment. Thus, it explains why there are still reporters on the ground waiting for my explanation. Akala ko huhupa na ang lahat nang masapawan ang issue ko nang dahil sa on-going case ni Senator Ontengco.

Hugo helped me a lot. Kung hindi dahil sa pagpapalabas niya ng malakas na ebidensya laban kay Senator, laman pa rin siguro ako ng mga balita. Nang dahil doon, na-divert ang attention ng karamihan sa issue ni Senator.

"Oliver..." pagtawag ni Mama. She calls me by that name, kapag may itatanong siyang importante. When the issue blew up, I hadn't called or texted her. Ayokong dumagdag pa sa kaniyang problema.

She reached out to me a lot of times, pero ayokong pahirapan si Mama. Alam kong aabot sa puntong pipili siya kung sino sa aming dalawa ni Dad ang kakampihan niya. I know she'll choose me. Pero ayokong magkalamat sila ni Dad nang dahil lang sa'kin... sa anak niyang bakla.

"May kasama ka ba ngayon diyan anak?"

My heart leaped at her question. Umangat ang aking mga mata papunta sa mga matatayog na buildings sa harapan ko ngayon.

"Hmm."

"Ayaw mo ba talagang umuwi, anak?" She asked as if she's not believing me.

"I would, only if I could, Ma." I heard her sigh in response, at the other end of the line. Alam niyang hindi mahirap baguhin ang aking isipan at desisyon.

"If that's what you want, anak." Aniya at tila ba tinanggap na lang sinabi ko.

"Please tell Natalia that I sent her a gift."

"You should tell her that anak, nang magkausap din kayo. Miss na miss ka na ni Natalia... she's worried about you," sagot ni Mama. I hummed in response while thinking that she's right. I should call Natalia mamaya.

After na sabihin 'yon ni Mama, saglit kaming natahimik dalawa. I miss her, big time. Uuwi siguro ako mamaya pagkatapos ng gabi. Malayo ang bahay mula sa kinaroroonan ko ngayon. Uuwi siguro ako... but I'm sure that he'll be there.

Paano ako makakauwi kung may isang tal roon na kinamumuhian ako? As much as I want to celebrate my Christmas with Mama and Natalia... alam ko ring masisira lang ang gabi nang dahil sa aming dalawa ni Dad.