Kabanata 28
At Last
"Malcom asked for Papa's blessing before he married you. He wanted to do it in a traditional way."
"Tapos pumayag naman si Papa?"
"Ayaw ni Papa na tumulad kay Lola. But it's for your safety, Triv, so, he agreed."
"Tapos pumayag ka rin?"
He nodded. "Papa and I both agreed. We can't provide you strong and loyal security against the Paruzino's threat. Hindi namin pwedeng itaya ang kaligtasan mo. You're safest in the hands of the Zalderials."
Pinag-usapan namin ni Kuya ang tungkol sa nangyari bago ang naging lipad namin ni Mamita patungong España no'ng gabing iyon. Pati ang naging buhay namin ni Mamita pagkatapos no'n, ikinwento ko na rin. I told him everything and spared no detail. Even what happened to me and to my marriage with Pavino Lunamovas, he knows.
Iyon ang naging usapan sa buong umaga. Nagtanghalian kami kaya natigil saglit ang usapan. Kinahapunan, ibang usapan na naman. This time, it's all about me and my marriage with Malcom.
Tumango ako kay Kuya kahit hindi ko narinig ang sinabi niya. Sinundan ko ng tingin ang pumasok na text.
Malcom:
Nasa Altaguirre ako. Babalik ako ng Solarez para sumabay sa'yo sa hapunan.
"Maybe it was for the better, Trivina..." sabi ni Kuya na hindi ko na nahuli ang huling sinabi.
Tumango ulit ako. I composed a reply to Malcom.
Ako:
I'm in my father's house. What time will you be home?
"Gusto ni Papa na makausap si Lola. We are doing our best to reach out to her. I just hope she won't refuse to our efforts."
"Why don't you just visit her in Spain?" sagot ko nang hindi siya tinatapunan ng tingin.
"We've thought of that actually. Kaya lang, wala na siya sa address na sinabi mo. She might have relocated."
Malcom:
Around eight. Susunduin kita.
Pareho naming nilingon ni Kuya ang labas nang dumagundong ang kulog. Kumidlat din, at bumuhos ang malakas na ulan.
Nagtipa ulit ako.
Ako:
Malakas ang ulan dito. Umuulan din ba riyan?
Wala pang ilang minuto, pumasok agad ang reply niya.
Malcom:
It's not. Ligtas naman sa biyahe pabalik ng Solarez.
I pouted. Malcom already knew what I was going to argue about.
Ako:
It's pouring hard here. Can you just stay in Altaguirre? Palipasin mo muna ang ulan. Just to make sure you're safe.
May sinabi ulit si Kuya pero hindi ko na pinansin. He called for a househelp. Nagpapahanda na ng hapunan. Nilingon ko tuloy ang orasan. It's quarter to eight.
Malcom:
Gusto kong umuwi sa'yo. I promise to drive safely. Susunduin kita. Please wait for me.
