Fictional (making some slight changes)

After Ending: Chapter 12

After Ending: Chapter 12

" Why does time pass by so slow when you're sad and comes fast when you're happy? Why can't pain just end fast and make happiness longer?" naiiyak kong tanong kay Mico sa phone, " Are you crying? Please don't cry..."

" I was about to." Pinunasan ko ang luha pumatak sa pisngi ko, " Answer me, please?"

" Why are you asking this?" I just cleared my throat and did not speak after. Nang mapansin nyang wala akong balak magsalita ay nagalit ulit sya, " Why are you crying?"

I frowned and stomped my feet kahit alam kong hindi naman nya makikita, " Love, talk to me, please?" nakapikit ako ng marinig ko yon. I can't explain what I feel...

Lola was right. Pagmahal mo yung tao, kahit hindi mo pa alam, iba talaga yung pakiramdam. It's different. When he called me by the thing he always used to, it made my heart race, brought back memories... and feelings. And the thought of Lola made me sob uncontrollably.

I didn't even had the chance to say thank you... Thank you kasi tama ka Lola, tama ka. Mahal ko parin sya. Salamat, Lola. But it sucks kasi hindi ko manlang nasabi sakanya.

" Love..."

" It just sucks..." I said between sobs, " It sucks that happiness can't just stay..." iyak ko sakanya.. " Sagutin mo naman ang tanong ko, Mico... Alam mo naman ang lahat diba?"

He sighed, " I don't know all but I know this, stars won't shine without the darkness. We won't know greatness without mishaps... We can't differentiate normal from extraordinary if we haven't experienced the latter one... And we won't know happiness if there was no sadness. Kasi kung constant na saya lang, hindi magtatagal, normal na yun sayo... May narinig akong sinabi ng isang tao... Sabi nya, life isn't just about a straight path. To have the ups, you must have the downs or else the ups won't feel as high. And I think it's the same as happiness and everything..."

Natahimik lang ako sa sinabi nya. My tears stopped falling and I felt relieved, " Thank you..."

" Hmm?"

" Thank you..." ngumiti ako at tumingin sa langit na puno bituin, " For what?"

Reasons flooded my mind, " For making me okay..." Thank you for fixing me, for not giving up, for loving me, for understanding, for marrying me, for staying with my drama... For everything. " You're welcome and you always will be..."

" Why?"

I hear him chuckle, " What do you mean why?"

" Why are you always doing this?" he laughed, " Do what?"

" Everything... for me."

I felt like he smiled, " Because I love you." Napangiti ako, " Yun lang?" Nagawa ulit sya, " It was a more than enough reason."

" What a flattering reason..." Natawa sya sa kabilang linya, " What can I do? I really do love you." Napangiti ako lalo, " And I do, too."

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Nang bumaba ako kinabuksan ay nagulat ako sa isang napakalaking puno na nasa first floor. Nakakunot-noo akong lumapit dun sa malaking Christmas tree na inaayusan ni tita ng limang mahahabang Christmas lights... Bakit ganto kalaki to? Tatlong tao ata ang taas nya. And it also smells like a real tree. Nakabaon sya sa isang hole sa floor... There was a hole in the floor? I didn't know there was one.

Patuloy lang si tita sa pagdedecorated ng Christmas lights at hindi pa ata ako napapansin. Nagaayos lang sya hanggang sa may mahulog na pine needle sa muka ko. Kinuha ko yun at tiningnan ng maigi, " Totoong puno 'to tita?!"

Gumalaw yung ladder kaya napatingin ako kay tita na nakapikit at hawak-hawak ang dibdib nya, " Bakit hindi mo manlang ako sinabihang nandyan ka na? Muntikan tuloy akong matulog sa gulat..."

" Sorry..." bumaba sya ng hagdan at tiningnan ako, " Ganda no?" tumango ako, " Maganda at ang lagong." ngumiti sya at inilipat yung hagdan para mag-ayos ulit ng Christmas lights, " Imported yan—joke. Fresh from Baguio, darling."

Agad akong napatingin kay tita na paakyat sa hagdan, " Teka po, nandito na si Mico?" Natawa sya at tiningnan ako, " Wala. Busy eh, bakit? Miss mo?"

Napaiwas agad ako ng tingin dahil naramdaman kong uminit ang tenga at muka ko, " Hindi ah."

" Talaga lang ha..."

Umikot lang ako dun sa Christmas tree at tiningnan ang half-done na Christmas lights tapos napatingin ako sa butas sa floor kung saan nakabaon yung puno, " Tita, hindi kaya tumumba yan?"

" Hindi yan! Nakabaon ng 3 feet yan." Napatingin ako kay tita, " Pano mo naibaon yan mag-isa?"

Natawa naman si tita at tiningnan ako, " Syempre kinailangan ko ng tulong."

" From who?"

" Some old friends of mine. Pumunta sila dito para tulungan ako, though kanina pa sila nakaalis." tumango-tango ako, " Sadyang di ko naabutan.."

" Tulog ka pa eh. Okay lang yan, you'll meet them sa Christmas..."

" Dito sila magkiChristmas?" tumango si tita at bumaba ulit sa hagdan, " There are like part of the family, so yeah. They're coming..." Nang makababa si tita ay napabuntong-hinga sya, " Kangawit. Tulungan mo ako, dali. Para matapos na."

Natawa nalang ako ng unti, " bakit kasi ang laki nyan?"

" Tradition na rin. Simula bata si Mico malaking Christmas tree na talaga binibili ko para mas enchanted ang feeling, parang fairytale vibe ba. I want him to feel like the other kids or even better than that. Heck, he's my child. Of course I want everything for him. That's also the reason why I invite people too, pili nga lang..."

I grabbed some Christmas lights, " Bakit pili lang?" tiningnan ako ni tita na may ngiti sa muka, " Because I wanted to be away from the messy world out there... Sa tingin mo, bibilhin ko ba ang napakalaking lupain na to kung walang rason?" She held my hand at dumeresto kami sa stairs papunta sa second floor at dumeresto sa terrace doon.

" Look, can you see the other houses?" Nanlaki ang mata ko nung makitang puro puno lang ang natatanaw at walang ibang bahay, " Iyo lahat ng ito?"

" Yes, though, more like akin at kay Mico. And yours too." Napatingin ako kay tita, " A-Akin din?" tumango sya, " You're part of the family too, right?"

Ngumiti ako at niyakap si tita, " Salamat..."

She hugged me back, " You're welcome, Yumi..."