Mirae

Kapitulo 32

Kapitulo 32

The Path Below the Mountain

Time and again, life had told Cyra she should always think things through before doing anything. She had learned. She understood that many things could affect a decision that she couldn't control. Only prayers and hope would help her after deciding. She also knew that preparing for the future was useless since what tomorrow would bring, no one could see.

Now that her future was further unforeseeable, she felt incapable of planning for it.

"Ano'ng pumasok sa kokote mo at umalis ka ng walang paalam, Cyra? At, bakit ngayon ka lang nagpakita ulit?" tanong ni Papay.

Hindi nagsasalita si Cyra. Her parents arrived while she was sitting alone in the living room. Paola left for class, she had an exam. Walang TV na naka-on habang naghihintay si Cyra. Tahimik lang sa bahay. Hindi siya nakatulog, masiyadong magulo ang isipan niya para umidlip. Pero pagod siya. Pagod na pagod.

The family sat at the dining table. Cyra is on the left side, and her parents are on the right.

"Cyra," Papay looked at Cyra. "Tinatanong kita."

She looks down at her hands. Knowing that her parents probably resented her, her chest burned at the extreme abandonment she felt. Her breathing is slow.

"I was depressed, Pa," Cyra replied in a low voice. "I felt the need, I needed..." she swallows. "I needed to leave. I needed to go somewhere far because I couldn't face anyone anymore. Lalo na si Adiel."

With a frown, Cyra's mother watched Cyra. Walang planong sumali sa usapan. Walang planong makipag-ayos. Makikinig lang dahil sa hiling ng asawa.

"Nasaan ka? Saan ka tumira?" Papay continued to interrogate.

Cyra sighed before answering. "Sa Baguio, Pay, nag-rent ako ng apartment do'n. Nagtrabaho ako ro'n. Wala akong kakilala ro'n, kaya gusto ko ro'n."

"Hindi ka umuwi kahit kailan? Ngayon lang? O umuwi ka na ba dati, hindi mo lang pinaalam?"

"Ngayon lang ako bumalik," Cyra glances at her mother. "Hindi ako umuwi simula no'ng umalis ako, ngayon lang po."

"Nakausap mo na ba si Adiel? Ang mga magulang niya?"

Under the table, Cyra grazes her fingers on the ring of Adiel. "Si Adiel pa lang po nakakausap ko. Plano ko pong kitain sina Mama at Papa kapag... nakahingi na ako ng tawad sa inyo."

Papay observes his eldest and notices the changes. She looked underweight and stressed; she still might be depressed. Of course, once this conversation is over, he'd want to take her in again. Hindi nga lang siya sigurado kung papayag ang asawa niya; kukumbinsihin niya na lang.

Ilang taong natigil ang pagdalaw niya sa panganay niya. Hindi niya alam kung ano'ng gagawin. Hindi niya alam kung paano hahanapin ito. Nagsimula silang magsabi sa pulis. Pero nang makarating iyon kay Adiel, pinahinto nito ang imbestigasiyon. Ito ay dahil alam ni Adiel na hindi nawawala ang asawa niya, umalis ito, naglayas. She left a note for Adiel to know.

Tumigil nga ang paghahanap ng pulis sa anak niya, pero si Papay, hindi. He went to different places he could think of, even riding an airplane to Cebu, because they had some distant relatives there. But once his wife told him to stop, he did. Wala na silang nagawa kundi ang maghintay at magdasal para sa kapakanan ni Cyra.

"I'm sorry, Papa, Mama," Cyra's voice struggled to be stable. She was beginning to cry. "Patawarin n'yo po ako dahil umalis ako ng walang pasabi. Patawarin n'yo po ako dahil kinalimutan ko ang pangaral n'yo tungkol sa pag-aasawa, na dapat hindi ako bumitaw kahit ano'ng hirap ang dumating."