For A Day

Three

Three.

“Goodmorning Summer. Why were you late?” Mom said while I was kissing her cheek.

“Sorry. I’ve overslept.”

“It’s okay. Here, you want fillet?” Tito Lyam handed me yung plate ng fillet.

“No, Tito. She eats bread lang for breakfast.” Kinuha ni ate yung plate and nilapag beside her.

“So, Summer, nakapag-apply ka na ba?”

“Yeah.” I cut a piece of bread then a hotdog.

“Where?” Mom said smiling.

“A friend of mine offered me of partnering with her dun sa studio niya. I’m her new photographer.”

“But diba, you took education? Hindi ka ba mag-mmasterals? Why won’t you teach na lang kaya instead of taking just pictures. Sayang naman don’t’ you think, graduate ka ng UP then you’ll just be a simple photographer.”

I put down my fork. “Why Ma? Is there something wrong with being a photographer? Dad was once a photographer and you still married him. Yun nga lang, after twelve years you left him. Yes, I took education because that’s what you wanted, but not me. So no. I won’t teach, because I also took photojournalism. And I’ll pursue that.” I stood up. “And because that’s what makes me happy.”

“Summer, tama na.” Ate said.

“No ate. Haven’t you had enough of her? She walked away from us and now she wants us back? Ganun-ganun na lang ba yun? Kung ikaw, okay lang sayo but for me it’s not.”

Tumalikod ako, but before I took a step. I said, “Wag kang mag-alala ma, hindi naman ako magiging isang simpleng photographer lang e. I dream big. You’ll see my name in one of the newspapers one of these days. I believe on my dreams.” Then I walked away from them.

I sat on the one of reclined chairs sa may shore.

“Hey. What are you doing here?”

“Hey. Nothing. Nag-uuniwine.”

He sat beside me. “Why? Something happened?”

“I had just another argument with my mom.”

“Anong nangyari?”

“She walked away from us then after fourteen years she came back and wants to control me and my sister’s life just like nothing happened.” Sinipa ko yung sand.

“She married another man after my dad died. Grabe. I just graduated high school nun nung namatay si dad. Then after a year, nalaman na lang namin na kinasal  na pala siya sa States. I got so angry at her.” A tear fell from my eye, I harshly wiped it away.

“I mean, what kind of mother is she? She tries her best to be a mom for others but then sarili niyang anak hindi niya nakitang lumaki. After dad died, ate stood up for the both of us. Kakagraduate niya lang din nun ng college, pero nagpapa-aral na agad siya.”

“Shhhh. I’m sure mahal ka pa rin nun, besides she’s still your mom. In the end, kayo lang din ang magiging magkasama.”

“Damn her.”

“Alam mo, I never had a mom. She died while giving birth to me. Si dad, always at work. Swerte mo nga, you have a sister e, kahit papano, may kasangga. Ako, wala. Mag-isa lang. Pero I lived normally, Masaya pero paminsan-minsan malungkot. Pero I never gave up. Yun nga lang I never had the chance to have a mother.” He smiled then wiped my cheeks.

“Kaya ikaw, hangga’t may time pa, replace the bad memories to good ones. You’ll never know when it will end.”

He stood up and grabbed my arm. “When will you be leaving?”