Arabella's Game

Chapter 18: The Call

Florida, US 2010

“Tito, gising na! Dito na ang surfboard ko,” Yñigo pulling the blanket with his surfboard on his other hand.

“Antok pa ako,” sagot ng natutulog.

“Tito CS naman, its 10 am,” yeah, it’s Curtis. Nasa bahay ni Curtis si Yñigo. Arabella’s son is studying in California pero palaging tumatakas para bumisita sa bahay ni Curtis sa Florida. It’s been the kid’s routine mula noong nagkakilala ang dalawa. Yñigo’s home is Curtis' vication house in Florida. Tuwing summer, Christmas break, holidays and weekends doon umuuwi si Yñigo. Malapit ang bata kay Curtis because Arabella was always busy since her wedding at ganun din ang asawa nito. Everytime Curtis arrives in US they go for fishing or a roadtrip crossing borders. Mas marami pang oras si Curtis sa bata kaysa sa dalawa. Even the child’s school affairs like family day, closing ceremony, foundation day, theater performances it’s always Curtis who’s around.

“How did you kow I am here?” tanong nito sa bata.

“Nag-away kay ni Miss Natie according to her Facebook account,” palaging inuusyoso ng bata ang account ng girlfriend ni Curtis na si Natalie. Nagkabalikan ang dalawa at sa tuwing nag-aaway ay palaging naka post sa wall nito. “That’s why I know you’re here,”

“Alright, magbibihis lang ako,” nakabangon na ito. Kinuha ang tuwalya at papasok na sa bathroom. “Asan ba tatay mo? Bakit ako na naman ang kinukulit mo?”

“Wala akong tatay. Tito Nico went to a business trip. Mom went to Hawaii for her friends medical mission,” pagpapaiwanag nito.

Napailing-iling lanag si Curtis. Nagpalit na lang ito ng board shorts at hinila ang bata sa tabing dagat. “So what’s the plan?”

“Tito, ever since na nagpakasal ang Mommy di ka na dumadalaw ah,”

“Well, I have to spend time with Natie. Sa tagal ba naman naming nagkahiwalay, I should make time with her,”

“Did you ask her to marry you?”

“Yes,”

Natigilan si Yñigo. Hinila niya si Curtis papalayo sa tabing dagat.

“Hey kid, what’s wrong?” tanong nito sa bata.

“Does Miss Natie and you have a baby?”

Nagtaka si Curtis sa mga tanong ng bata. “Dahil sa Mommy mo, we almost had one kaso namatay yung baby,”

“That’s why you have her again as your girlfriend?”

“Uh, it’s just-”

“I don’t want to stay with my Mom, Tito,” putol nito sa sasabihin sana ni Curtis.

“What?”

“Dito na lang po ako. My mom is always busy and so is her husband. Sumpungin na rin ngayon ang Tito Nico. Masyado yatang marami ang trabaho,”

“I don’t stay in one place,”

“Stay here, Tito,”

“I’m getting married next month kid,”

“Alright but I want to stay with you,”

“What?” napailing lamang si Curtis. “Okay, after the wedding I’ll find a place in LA na malapit sa school mo so you can see me whenever you want,”

“Great!” saka niyakap si Curtis ng pagkahigpit-higpit.

Curtis was eating his lunch with Yñigo sa terasa ng bahay nito na tanaw ang malawak na karagatan nang tumunog ang phone nito. “Yes Ate? Napatawag ka,”

“Go to San Francisco first thing tomorrow morning,”

Tahimik ang paligid. Di umimik si Curtis. Nagtataka ito sa kanyang Ate Bea. “Why?”

“Ikaw na ang bahala kung pupunta ka o hindi. I gave you my instruction already, CS,” saka binaba ng Ate nito ang telepono.

“Well, kiddo. I have to go to San Francisco tomorrow. Iiwan kita dito and I’ll be back by evening. I’ll just prepare microwave foods for you to eat,” bilin nito sa bata.

The next day, Curtis is preparing his car to San Francisco, “Tito, balik ka agad. It’s our school’s family day two days after tomorrow,”

“Alright kid, babalik agad ako,” sumakay na siya ng kanyang black BMW M6. He speeds up to San Francico.