Antecedent

#11: COLOURS

"Mommy!" Ysa ran towards her mother when she saw her at their doorstep. Sarah who was holding Ysa's hand felt a bit uncomfortable when she saw her. She let go of her while Bamboo led her to her mother.

"I thought you can't make it?" Bamboo asked Mau.

"Well, it was easy to find someone else to take my role in the office...but I don't think Ysa would want someone else in my place." She said.

"Why aren't you wearing the white dress we bought for this party?" Mau asked her daughter.

"Shana said she will be wearing pink...Chloe will,too. We will be singing for Anne so we have to be wearing the same color." Ysa explained.

"Did Daddy buy you this dress. It looks great on you." Mau said.

"Tita Sarah did. I called her up last time about the pink i need for today. I don't have a lot of pink clothes so she said she'll get me a pink dress." Ysa smilingly told her mother.

"You don't have a lot of pink in your closet because you don't like wearing it." Mau remarked.

"I thought pink will not suit me. Then, Tita Sarah said that it will highlight my skin color and my sparkling eyes. She said I will look great in it." Ysa proudly told her mother.

Mau smiled at her daughter.

"Oh,wait. I forgot my bag. I'll be back,mom." Ysa walked back to her room.

Bamboo's phone rang. He looked at the caller.

"It's Pancho." Bamboo took the call and signalled to the two women that he needed to go to his room to check an email that Pancho sent him.

The two women remained where they were standing.

"I didn't raise Ysa to feel that it's not ok to be different. I've always told her that even if everyone wears pink and she wishes to be in white...she will still look perfectly beautiful."

"She obviously has a mind of her own. I guess she also sees that just because you are wearing the same color as everyone else, doesn't take away who you really are."

"Are you saying you had no say on why she changed her mind about the dress?"

"Pink was her choice. I just made sure that she has what she had chosen."

"Just like how you were Bamboo's choice and you made sure that he,too,would have his choice."

"I beg your pardon."

"How does it feel knowing you have taken him away from us?"

"I can and will never take him away from Ysa and Lucas...but you...he's no longer yours even before I came."

"Does that make it easier...being with him? Believing that I was no longer in the picture when you came? Pretending that you didn't ruin anything?"

"if you were still together...you should know that I will never allow anything to happen..."

"Always the righteous one. What if you...letting him go now would mean....us,being a family again? Will you do it, Sarah? Will you let him go?"

"Ok. I'm back. Sorry I kept you waiting, mom. I can't decide whether to have the pink bag, white or this red...then, i remembered Tita Sarah saying that a lady's bag should match her shoes. So i got the red one to match my red shoes." Ysa explained.

"Shall we go now, mom. I don't want to be late." Ysa told her mom.

"Ok. We will go. Are you sure you've got what you needed for the party?" Mau asked her daughter.

"Sure,mom. Where's dad?"

"I'm here. All set?"

"Yes,dad. So you and Tita Sarah will drive us to the party?"

"That's the plan..." Bamboo said.

"Well, Ysa. I think your dad will. I got a call from Boss Vic and I'm needed earlier at Viva office so I can't join you."

Sarah looked at Bamboo and continued, "My driver is still outside so he'll just drive me to Viva."

"Is everything Ok? We can drive them to the party then I'll take you to Viva."

"They're from opposite directions. Don't worry. We just need to finalize some contracts."

"Enjoy the party,Ysa."

Ysa went to Sarah and gave her a hug,"I will. Thank you for this pink dress. I do feel like a princess."

"You are." Sarah said.

Bamboo led Sarah to her van.

"I will call you. I will pick you up from Viva later,ok."

"Don't worry about me. Take this chance to spend time with them"

"Is there something that you're not telling me?"

"Hahaha. Don't be too paranoid. What could have happened in those minutes? Everything's fine. I'll just talk to you later. Don't be such an obssessed boyfriend to me today...checking up on me almost every hour. Enjoy your time with them. You don't usually have this luxury."

Bamboo looked at her and hugged her so tightly. He planted a soft kiss on her lips and said,

"I love you...so much. Nobody's gonna take this heart. Nobody's gonna replace what we had from the start.You are my life now...and always. Tell me you feel the same way."

" I do...don't know why but I need you beside me,B...whether it's wrong or right. I never had to ask why...having you is enough answer."

"Baby, we are right...you and me...it may not get easier but stay with me...coz I'm nothing without you. I love you, Sarah Asher Geronimo...soon to be Manalac." He kissed her again...this time, lingering...then, he looked at her finger where she was wearing her engagement ring. He took her hand and kissed it. Yes...she told him YES...because all she wanted was to be with him...for the rest of their lives...

She waved Ysa good bye as her van passed by them. She remembered Mau's words. Can she? Can she let him go? Can she again endure the pain of not being with him?