The Chase

Chapter 18. 2

Aliyah Ikeuchi

Chop. Chop. Chop.

Nilagay ko naman sa isang container yung hiniwa kong karne. At inabot yung patatas para balatan at i-dice narin diretso.

Yiz. As soon as pagkauwi ko, nagprepare agad ako sa pagluto ng adobo para kay Ice bebelabs. Hihi.

"Aliyah okay ka lang ba talaga jan? Sigurado ka ba na di mo kailangan ng tulong?" biglang sabi ni Manang Cecille.

"Manang, I can do this. I've done this tons of times, remember?"

"Oo nga. Pero lahat naman yun epic fail," natatawa-tawa niyang sambit.

"Manang naman eeeh," I pouted. She just laughed.

"Osige na. Pinapapunta ako ng Okaasan mo sa taas. Tulungan ko daw siya sa pag-aayos dun sa bagong library ng Otosan mo. Sure ka bang kaya mo na dito?"

"Oo naman Manang. Go kana." I smiled at her.

"Sige. Wag mong susunugin ang kusina ah," she laughed bago siya umalis.

"Manang naman eh!" pahabol na sigaw ko sakanya atsaka napailing nalang ako ng ulo.

May nirerenovate kasi si Okaasan na room sa taas. Ginagawa niyang bagong library ni Otosan. Ito daw magiging gift niya para sa papalapit na anniversary nila. Ang sweet ng Okaasan ko diba? Ganyan talaga siya. sobrang ma-effort at maasikaso sa Otosan ko. Sobrang mahal niya kase. I mean SOBRA to the point na kaya niyang igive-up ang career niya para lang sa ama ko.

Interior designer kasi dati si Okaasan. And I can say that she was at the top of her game. But she gave that up just to become a full time wife to my father.

She loves him that much. And I wanted to love that much, too. To be able to love someone more than your dreams. And to choose him over the life you wanted eversince.

I think not many people can do that. Not many people can be that brave, can take risks, just to be with someone whom they love. Not everyone can take sacrifices just to be able to give much love that is pure and selfless.

And I adored my mother for that. And I wanted to be like her someday. To give that much love, too.

I looked at my unfinished cooking business and a smile plastered itself on my face.

Can I be able to give that much love to Ice? Can I take that much of a sacrifice just for him?

I'm only 18. And my Otosan always reminds me that I'm too young to be so attached to someone. Well, he probably knew about my 'emotional state' (as he calls it) towards Ice. Di naman siya against dito o kung ano, but he always reminds me that there's more to life than just this "love".

That statement of his confused me before. I was at the verge of asking him, "Why Otosan? Don't you have much faith in love? Don't you love Okaasan as much as she loves you?"

But knowing my father, an independent, aloof man, he's just not a fan of fairytales and cheesy storylines. He's the type to side on the realistic, practical border. Maybe that's why he doesn't show much cheesiness compared to my mother.

But I know he loves mom so much.

I can see it in the way he looks at her across the table at dinners. I can see it in that little, controlled smile he makes everytime my mom makes him a cup of coffee. I can hear it in the way he says her name. And at mornings, before going to work, when Okaasan calls him to fix his neck tie, his love for her can be seen in the beam in his eyes while he looks at her.