To the Moon and Back

KABANATA 10

"Everyone listen up. This is it. Finally, the Philippine team stepping on the moon! I am more than excited for this breakthrough success. In five days, Moonchase space team will be flying spaceward!" malakas ang pagkabigkas ni Directress Tina sa bawat salita, bawat letra'y may saya't pagkasabik.
"Woooooo!" mas malakas na tugon ng mga taong naroon kasabay ng malaman ang malutong na palakpakan.
Nakatipon ngayon sa Stardeck ang buong space team na malapit nang lumipad, limang araw na lamang.
In the front row, Aries and the whole astronomical department had comfortably seated. Their faces were perfect ovals with sheer excitement. Whispering different expressions of delight. Their eyes were a pair of animated oars. Moving, blinking, batting and fluttering. They were happy and thrilled and excited and delighted and euphoric and worried and ecstatic and scared and nostalgic and blissful and longing and sad and everything in between. But all in all, they all felt great.
At the back row, all the minor departments had lined up. Telecast, Visuals, Mapping, Navigation, Assistance, attentively listening to the directress pacing back and forth in front blabbing blabbing blabbing. Her voice quivering with overjoy.
Sa dulo ng linyang iyon, nakasalampak si Luna, katabi ang iba pang katrabahong nakapako ang mga mata sa direktor sa harapan, pumapalakpak kung kailangan, nakikihiyaw sa iba.
Gayunpaman, wala ang diwa ni Luna sa madaldal na direktor na kumukutata sa harap. Nakikita nito ang bibig niyon na bumubuka, ngunit hindi niya naririnig ang mga sinasabi niyon. Dahil ang tinig lamang ni Aries ang naririnig niya. Ang mga tawa't halakhak nito mula sa 'di kalayuan. Ang mga bulong nito na halos hindi na maintindihan. Sumasayaw sa kanyang tainga, mahina, papalakas. Parang kuryenteng kumukiliti dito. Musika.
Doon nakapako ang kanyang paningin, ang kanyang pandinig, ang kanyang isip. Sa mga huling patak ng pawis, sa mga huling tinig, sa mga huling ngiti, sa mga huling oras bago umalis ang lalaking ilang taon nang kasakasama. Five days and he'll be gone for a while. A long while.
Eigth months. That's what the research team said. It would take eight months to reach the ground of the moon. To finally leave a footprint on it's version of dusty floor. A couple weeks of stay for a reasearch. Another eight months going back here. A long time indeed.
Luna was more than happy, more than proud even. Alam niyang ang matagal nang pinapangarap ni Aries ay makakamtan na nito sa wakas, at masaya siyang bahagi siya nito. Masaya siyang makakamtan na rin niya ang isa sa kanyang mga pangarap- half the time to keep him safe, the other half to keep him alive. Bilang land buddy. Ngunit hindi pa rin niya maiwasang malungkot tuwing iniisip niya ito. She will miss him big-time. She would miss everything about him.
Pero hindi naman papayag si Luna na umalis si Aries nang wala siyang ginagawa. She had a plan. Something he'd love. Something they'd remember.

"LUNA, Luna, Luna..."
Kinakausap ni Luna ang kanyang sarili sa harap ng salamain. She cupped her cheeks with her palms. Looking directly in the eyes of her reflection.
"In five days, mawawala nang matagal ang prinsepe mo..." she continued. "Kailangan mong mag-isip ng plano..."
She breathed in deep. Then she breathed it out.
"Ano bang dapat mong gawin? Parang good-bye and goodluck thingy..." she arched her brow.
Saglit siyang tumitig sa sariling imahe sa harapan, hinahalungkat sa loob ng utak ang pinakamagandang bagay na pwede niyang ibigay dito.
Isip isip isip isip isip.
She sighed in defeat. She couldn't think of anything. She turned her head to the blaring TV. Then when she was about to give up, an idea struck her, clear and hard. She smiled at herself.
"Great!" she squelled.
Humangos ito patungo sa kanyang kwarto, kinuha ang telepono at mabilis na ipinindot doon ang numero. Saglit iyong nag-ring bago sinagot ni Aries.
"Oh, Luna, napatawag ka?" kahit sa telepono'y malamig at malambing pa rin ang boses nito.
"Hello, may sasabihin ako!" she chirpped in excitedly.
"I'm listening..." tugon nito, nababasa sa tinig ng dalaga ang galak.
"Uhhmmm... let's meet at the Stardeck... may surprise ako."
"Sure... pero... bakit?" there was a tinge of curiousity in his voice.
"Malalaman mo 'pag nagpunta ka."
"Sige. Kahit saan pa 'yan." He chukkled
"10 pm, day after tomorrow, three days before the big day..." humina ang boses nito sa pagkabanggit ng three days before the big day... at tila nadibig iyon ni Aries.
"Let's make the best out of that day..." he beamed happily to lift up the mood.
"I'll see you then?"
"Yeah..."
A long silence.
"Sige matulog ka na..." she huffed sweetly.
"Ikaw rin... sweet dreams!"
Another long silence. Then they hung up. She had a plan. A brilliant plan, she thought. She'll remember, he'll remember.