After Her

Chapter 37

 
  
"Come on, Eli!"
  
 
Nagising ako sa iilang sunod sunod na pagkatok sa pinto ko. Napatingin ako sa wall clock sa aking kuwarto at nakitang alas otso na ng umaga, maybe because I slept late last night.

 
"Kuya, that's open." nilakasan ko ang boses sapat na para marinig niya.
 
 
My door opened and Kuya Markus was there with his unusual morning face. Why is he grumpy today?

 
"Did you not sleep early?"
 
 
He's facing is accusing me that I did something bad. Like sneaking out of my windows at night and had date with my boyfriend. Tumawa ako.
 
 
"Good Morning, Kuya. We talked over phone about some stuffs. Hindi ko namalayan ang oras. Why?"

 
"Huh! You don't need to feed me so much informations like that Eli. Now you're bragging you have a boyfriend?" he scowled.

 
Dumiretso siya sa bintana ng aking kuwarto at hinawi ang kurtina roon. Medyo nasilaw pa ako sa liwanag kaya napatabon pa ako ng unan. Maya maya lang ay naramdaman kong hinila iyon ni Kuya.
 
 
"You have to get up. Alas siyete pa lang ay nakapag grocery na ako para sa boyfriend mo!" he said emhasizing the word 'boyfriend'
 
 
Natawa ako. So that's the reason he's this grumpy in the morning, huh? And grocery? Oh, right. Today, Arkiel will finally meet my parents. It's almost a week that we're in a relationship, pero kahapon ko lang pinaalam kina Mommy. Though, they still didn't know that it's Arkiel. Sinabi ko lang na may boyfriend na ako at ipapakilala ko sa dinner.
 
  
"Thank you, Kuya. That's why I love you."
   
    
"Really? Who do you love more then, me or Arkiel?"
    
   
Naningkit ang mga mata niya habang sinasabi iyon. Natawa naman ako sa tanong niya.
  
 
"Of course, you!" natatawang sabi ko.
 
 
"Gotcha!"
 
 
Huli na nang na realize ko na nai-record niya pala 'yon. Ni hindi ko napansin! Ang bilis naman ng kamay niya, ni hindi ko nga nakitang may cellphone siyang bitbit kanina e. Tuwang tuwa si Kuya Markus, at sa ngiti pa lang at halakhak niya ay alam ko nang makakarating ang recording na iyon kay Arkiel.
 
 
"Kuya, why don't you get a girlfriend? How about Anaia? Hindi na ba kayo nag usap ulit?"
 
 
Nawala ang ngiti niya saka itinago ang cellphone niya sa bulsa. Ngumiti siya sa'kin.

 
"Anaia's already married, Eli."
    
    
Naitikom ko ang bibig. Really? I didn't know that! Ni hindi ko nabalitaan. Well, hindi rin naman kasi ako mahilig sa social media. Maybe alam ni Angel?
 
 
"I...I'm shocked. Kailan pa, Kuya? And how about you? Are you okay?"
 
 
"Like five months ago, and I'm fine. Matagal na 'yon Eli. Besides, I've already moved on!"
   
  
I looked at him, hindi naniniwala. Totoo? Sobra ang pag iyak niya n'on! Naglasing pa kaming dalawa!
 
 
"Don't give me those looks. I'm telling the truth."
  
  
I sighed. Paano? How can he moved on after all those memories he made with Anaia? Saksi ako simula pa n'ong umpisa. I don't get it. Maybe he forgets but I think that the love is still there. Because in my case, kinalimutan ko si Arkiel, yes. Pero lahat ng pagmamahal ay bumalik n'ong nakita ko siya, ni hindi naging kami bago kami nagkahiwalay. Pero sila Kuya... Ipinilig ko ang aking ulo. Anaia's married, we can't do something about that, of course. Nalulungkot lang ako para kay Kuya Markus.
 
  
"I told you I'm fine, Elissa!"
  
 
Umupo siya sa gilid ng kama ko at kinurot nang marahan ang pisngi ko. Maybe he noticed I'm sad. Nginitian ko siya.
  
  
"I just hope you're happy too, Kuya. I can't be happy knowing you're sad...that maybe you're hurting inside."
  
  
Kinuha ko ang kamay niya, "We're best friends, right. Kuya, I hope you're being honest with me."
  
  
Hinawakan niya rin ang kamay kong nakahawak sa kaniya, "Of course I'm being honest. I'm really fine, Eli. Matagal na iyon."
  
  
Niyakap ko siya. I believe him, but I know the news of Anaia getting married to someone else hurted him. I wish I was there the moment he heard it.
  
  
"Are you feeling guilty you're dating Arkiel?"
  
  
Tumango ako. I feel like I'm being selfish. I feel like I'm not being considerate, about his feelings or other person's feelings. Bago sagutin si Arkiel ay hindi man lang ako nag isip. What would everyone feel if I date Arkiel? Is it okay to date the son of my Mom's best friend? Is it okay to date Kuya's best friend? I feel like I decided too early.
  
  
"Am I selfish, Kuya?"
  
  
"No. The moment you decided to say yes to Arkiel, you thought of yourself , your feelings, and your love for him. And that's all that matters, Elissa. I admire you for that. You finally stood up for what you really feel."
  
  
"What do you think Mom and Dad would say?"
  
  
Nagkibit balikat siya. Siguro, ay tulad ko hindi rin alam kung ano nga ang sasabihin nila Mommy o kahit ang magiging reaksiyon nila. The reason I didn't tell them it's Arkiel I will introduce later is because I can't say it, alone.
  
  
"Kung ayaw ba nila Mommy kay Arkiel, hihiwalayan mo ba?"
  
  
"Uh... no?"
  
 
"That's it. It doesn't matter, Eli."
  
  
Ginulo niya ang buhok ko saka tumayo, "Now get up and fix yourself dahil kanina pa ako kinukulit ni Mommy na gisingin ka."
  
 
Natawa ako dahil bumalik ang pikon niyang mukha. Mukhang naalala na naman na gumising siya nang maaga para lang makapag grocery. Matapos naming mag usap ay lumabas na rin si Kuya sa aking silid. Bumangon na rin ako and I did my usual morning routine saka bumaba sa sala para hanapin si Mommy. Nang hindi siya nakita ay dumiretso ako sa kitchen.
  
  
"Good morning, Manang."
  
 
"Good morning, Elissa. Magkakape ka ba?"
    
  
Tumango ako, "Si Mommy po pala?"
  
  
"Ah, nasa garden. Kumukuha ng bulaklak, papalitan niya raw iyong mga nasa vase." sabay abot ng isang tasa ng kape sa'kin
  
  
I said my thank you at nagpaalam na para puntahan si Mommy sa garden. Nakita ko siya roon kasama ang ilang katulong na busy nga sa pag aayos ng bulaklak. Agad akong lumapit at umupo sa harap niya.
  
 
"Good morning, Mommy."
 
  
"Finally, you woke up!" masayang bati niya.
  
  
She became extra happy since yesterday. Her mood changed after knowing na may boyfriend na ako.
  
  
"Tulungan mo akong mag arrange nito, lahat ng bulaklak sa mansiyon ay papalitan ko!"
 
  
Natawa ako sa kaniya, itinabi ko ang tasa ng kape sapat na para hindi masagi. Kumuha ako ng isang vase ni Mommy at nagsimula nang pumili kung aling bulaklak ang ilalagay.
  
  
"I hope your Kuya Markus will bring a girl on his birthday party." tuwang tuwa si Mommy.
  
  
"I don't think he will, Mom."
  
  
"Really? Why?" itinabi niya ang natapos na vase, "Lia, ito 'yong sa dining table."
  
  
"I heard Anaia' s married."
  
 
"And you think your Kuya Markus still like that girl? I don't know hija, ni hindi niya iyon ipinakilala sa amin."
   
  
"Because when they're together, they're studying in Manila, Mom. They're busy."
  
  
"I don't think so, hija. I've been with your Kuya Markus for almost four years now, and I think he's seeing someone else."
  
  
Natigil ako sa pagaayos ng bulaklak at tinitigan si Mommy. I didn't know that!
  
  
"Why would you think that way, Mom?"
  
 
"Well, minsan lang 'yon umuwi dito."
  
  
"Of course he is a doctor, I'm sure he's busy in the hospital." pinagpatuloy ko ang pagaayos.
 
  
Kung meron nga, sana sinabi na ni Kuya kanina?
  
  
"No hija. I know he's busy with something else." she smirked
 
  
"Minsan nga e nakita raw ni Mariela na bumibili ng bulaklak. She asked me if Markus bought that for me, e wala namang binigay sa'kin ang Kuya Markus mo!"
   
  
This time, Mommy really caught my attention. Naging interesado na rin ako sa mga nalalaman niya.
  
 
"What if it's for his patient?"
   
  
"But what if that patient is his girl?" tumili si Mommy, natawa ako.
  
  
Now, that's impossible. Mommy's being delusional. Kung ano ano na lang ang iniisip. Masyado atang excited na magkaroon ulit ng girlfriend si Kuya Markus.
   
  
"Let's just see, on his birthday."
   
  
Next week na ang maliit na birthday party ni Kuya Markus, Angel's arriving before that day. I'm also excited to see her. Halos mag a-alas diyes na nang natapos kami ni Mommy. Si Kuya ay nasa ospital, hindi ko rin alam kung anong oras ang duty niya pero sobrang busy n'on.
  
  
Bumalik ako sa aking kwarto pagkatapos, kinuha ko ang cellphone ko at nakitang may text message na galing kay Arkiel doon. Binasa ko iyon,
  
  
Arkiel:
  
  
Good morning. Please eat your breakfast.
   
  
Napangiti ako roon at agad na nag reply.
   
  
Me:
  
  
Good morning! I'll eat later. I had my coffee :)
   
   
Ilang segundo pa lang nang naisend ko ang message na iyon nang makitang tumatawag na siya. Sinagot ko iyon.
  
  
"Hello?" kinakabahang tanong ko.
  
   
"Good morning, baby." malambing na sabi niya sa kabilang linya.
  
  
My heart melted, dumapa ako sa kama.
  
  
"Good morning, Arkiel."
  
  
"I missed you already. I'm in the mall right now. Uh, I wanted to ask if it's okay to give your mother jewelry? Or will she appreciate designer bags more?"
  
  
Sa tono niyang iyon ay parang nagdadalawang isip pa siya kung ano ang kukunin niya. I wonder if kanina pa siya sa mall na sinasabi niya? Inaantay niya ba ang reply ko? He texted me around 8, ni hindi ko na nabasa iyon dahil nakalimutan kong i check ang phone.
   
   
"Gifts aren't necessary Arkiel. She's already excited knowing I'm introducing my... uh, well boyfriend."
  
  
"I wanted to. And why do you sound like you're not sure I'm your boyfriend? Hmm?"