Can't Go Back Now

Can't Go Back Now 7

"Oh, ma...saglit ah, labas lang ako medyo mahina signal dito eh," Maine explained as she excuse herself from the director, cast and staff seated together on the dinner table.

All of them were still in Batanes to shoot the movie's most pivotal scenes.

It was her mother on the other line.

"Yes, ma opo uwi na kami bukas," she was heard saying.

When she returned, only Alden was left waiting for her.

"Oh, asan na sila?" She hastily inquired.

"Hmm, matutulog na daw, alam mo na pagod sa biyahe," Alden answered his hands playfully tapping the dinner table.

"Hmm, mommy mo?" He asked swiftly.

"Oo, alam mo na, mga nanay...di pa rin maiwasan magpaka-nanay kahit ito, alam mo na di na bata," she gamely shared secretly observing his seemingly uneasy hand gestures.

"Richard, ano okay ka lang ba?"

"Ha? Ako? Oo, naman bakit may problema? Tsaka pansin ko lang di na Alden tawag mo sa'kin mula kanina pa," he asked in return, his face obviously lighting up.

"Wala naman, para lang kasing tensed ka, natetense ka dahil sa akin?" she mercilessly teased.

He laughed inadvertently.

"Wow, assuming lang?" he soon retaliated.

"May pinag-uusapan tayo kanina di ba?" she squeezed.

Both laughed as they suddenly noticed that everyone around now has their eyes on them.

"Balik na kong room," Maine whispered prompting the two to stand almost at the same time.

"Samahan na kita pabalik."

☺☺☺

While walking side by side with each other, Alden took his coat off, wrapping it around Maine's back not long after.

"Baka kasi giniginaw ka na," he murmured close to the side of the latter's face.

"Alden, kwento ka," Maine suddenly blurted.

"Hmm, ako? Anong ikwekwento ko?"

"Ikaw, kahit ano...makikinig ako, I mean, hindi pa kasi ako inaantok. Ewan ko, nagbago na ata talaga body clock ko lately," she softly elaborated.

Alden then shifted his eyes to the night sky. He was loving the night's serenity needless to say. It was more of a relief that she's there beside him, he finds it comforting that way.

"Yung mom mo yung tumawag kanina?"

"Yup, alam mo yun mommy ko, kahit malalaki na kaming magkakapatid, para pa rin kaming mga baby for her. She sees to it that she still looks after all of us," Maine uttered.

"Ganun naman yata talaga, yung mom ko nga dati, may sakit na siya't lahat noon kami pa rin iniintindi."

"You must have missed her so much..."

"Sobra! Every single day. Sayang nga lang she did not live long enough to see all these things happening to me right now," he emotionally explained.

"Sabi ko nga dati, gumaling lang siya, I'll do anything. I remember dati, yung mga karampot na kinikita ko sa paextra extra sa mga commercial, iniipon ko yun, pantulong man lang sa bahay or di kaya pang-enroll," he continued.

Maine now notices the mustering tears on Alden's eyes. Life must have been extra difficult for his family back then.

"I'm sure kung nasaan man mom mo ngayon sobra sobra siyang proud sa mga narating mo ngayon," Maine said consoling the man beside her.