THE MONTECRISTO (COMPLETED)

EPILOGUE

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MY daughter wiped her tears after I told her about her Lola's story. We are currently doing cleaning our car, pupunta kami ngayon sa libingan ni Mama.

"Tell me more, Mom! Tell me more!" Pag pilit pa nito sa 'kin. "How did Lolo met Lola?"

I sighed. Thank God, Papa told me about things like that. Pero... hindi na 'ko ang mag sasabi no'n sa anak ko, si Papa na, siya ang may mas alam kaysa sa akin. Ngumiti na lamang ako sa bata.

"Lolo will tell you" I whispered. "He will tell you a love story, the endless one" Ngumiti ako bago siya tumango. "I love you, kid!"

"Never love ending story po? Just like you and Daddy?" She asked innocently. Tumango ako ulit. Nang matapos kami mag linis ay naligo na kami, nag luto na rin ako at kumain. My husband isn't here, he's in work, giving justice to those who deserves it.

He's a Lawyer, he's our family Lawyer back then. Abogado na si Papa, may family lawyer pa kami, akala mo joke lahat, eh! Ma- trip kasi si Papa, trippings, ewan ko ba ro'n! Walang pag gastusan.

"You, Mommy, ang sarap mo mag luto!" My kid giggled while eating. Favorite niya ang niluto ko, eh. Mabuti na lang at tinuruan ako ni Mama noon, she taught me how to cook, para raw malutuan ko si Papa tuwing busy siya.

Little did I know, the word 'busy' means death. She lied, ang akala ko aalis siya for work or something, I thought gusto lang niyang umalis to unwind, to refresh because of troubles that happened that day.

Ang akala ko hindi niya kami iiwan. Pero umalis siya, iniwan na 'ko, she lied to me, to us, sa 'min ni Papa at nila ninang. The happy family that I had in a short period of time, and I won't deny it, hanggang ngayon, gusto kong bumalik si Mama... even if that's impossible.

Bakit ba lahat na lang ng gusto natin, imposible? Why can't we wish for someone's long life? It's... it's so hard, she left me waiting for her, ilang taon ko na siyang hinihintay... pero wala pala talaga akong dapat hintayin.

Everytime that I saw a kid together with her mom, naiinggit ako kahit isa na 'kong ina. It's because I never experienced that. My biological Mom never looked for me, ang kilala ko namang ina ay hindi na kinaya ang nga byahe pa sanang gusto ko puntahan. All my dreams, para lang silang tinangay ng hangin nang malaman kong habang buhay na siyang umalis.

At first, I found it selfish. But then I realized, she's tired, she wants to rest. At hindi na rin siya gusto mahirapan ni Papa. I never really understand this dati, I mean, we all know how much Dad want Mom to be alive... pero... paano niya 'yon tinanggap?

I still have a lot of questions in my mind. All of my questions... are still here.

Bakit mo ba 'ko iniwan, Ma? Don't you trust me? Paano ako hahakbang kung hindi ko alam ang hahakbangan ko?

She loved me so much. At sa sobrang pag mamahal niya sa 'kin, nakalimutan na niyang mahalin ang sarili niya. It's... unfair. Why is it so unfair? Bakit ganoon... bakit?

"Love? Aalis na kami..." I informed my husband who is currently on his work.

"I'll pick you up, saan kayo?" Seryosong sagot nito, mukhang masakit na naman ang ulo dahil sa mga hawak niyang kaso, ah?

"Nasa bahay pa. Okay ka lang?" Tanong ko rito, "Drink you water, or coffee. You're thinking too much, you're stressing yourself"

"You're taking care of me now, huh? I thought you're mad at me?" He chuckled, I suddenly remembered our small fight earlier because of one pillow.

"Mahal kita, eh" I giggled.

"Mahal din kita" he answered.

Pinatay ko na ang cellphone ko matapos iyon, binihisan ko na ang anak ko at hinanda ang mga gamit na dadalahin namin kila Papa. He's currently living with his dogs, noon ay gusto ko sanang kay Papa na lang tumira, doon sa bahay namin. Pero ayaw niya, ang sabi niya sa 'kin ay huwag kong ikulong ang sarili ko sa bagay na hindi ko na magagawan ng paraan. I must live my life normally, so I did.