J
It was a lazy Saturday afternoon. I was in the garden with Elmo and reading a magazine I bought the other day while he plays with his phone. Tahimik lang kaming dalawa as I read about an article about how to succeed in life when he starts poking me.
"Babe..." aniya.
"Hm?"
"Look at me." aniya.
"Maya na wait lang." sabi ko and went on reading the article. He pokes me again and I ignored him. Alam kong kukuhaan lang ako ng picture nito eh. Mahilig to sa ganito eh.
"Love... Yoohoo!" he called. I looked at him and he just smiled and took another picture of me.
"Elmo naman kanina pa eh!" saway ko but he just laughed.
"Hahaha. Eh kasi naman kanina ka pa nakatingin diyan sa magazine. Pano naman ako?" aniya sabay nguso pa. Napairap ako at nagpigil ng tawa. Parang tanga talaga to. He calls me payb (five yun inartehan niya lang) pero siya tong kung mangulit eh parang bata. I went back to reading the magazine when I heard another click.
"If you take one more shot ayoko na." I warned him.
"Fine. Sabi ko nga mananahimik na lang ako dito eh." aniya saka na nilapag ang phone niya sa table. Hinayaan ko na siya and went back to finishing my magazine.
"Oh. Hindi ka pa rin pinapansin?" I heard Francine asked him.
"Nope. Still stuck in her own world." he replied.
"Hahaha. Julie the nerdy." my cousin said.
"Shut up, Francine." sabi ko naman and heard her laughing.
"Whatever, Juwie bear." she replied. I stuck my tongue out and she just laughed at me. "Elmo, there's food in the kitchen. If you ever get hungry, kuha ka na lang dun. Sure akong gugutumin ka sa tagal ng pinsan ko magbabad sa binabasa niya."
"Hahaha. Sige lang salamat. I like watching her read. Tsaka hintayin ko na lang siya matapos para sabay kami."
"Suit yourself." kibit-balikat niya tsaka na siya nagtungo sa gazebo.
Francine and Kiana arrived a few weeks after Charm's birthday. Dito na daw muna sila to spend more time with lolo. Finally, after almost 10 years ay nabuo rin kaming magpipinsan. And what made things better is that they all love Elmo. Lalo na si Bran. Sobrang kasundo si Elmo when it comes to basketball. Minsan nga napapaisip ako kung sino ba talaga sa amin ang pinsan nila eh. Ako ba o siya? Pero tatawanan ko na lang kasi ibig sabihin lang nun eh mahal nila si Elmo like a family. And that's good enough for me.
I glanced at him and saw him fiddling with the hem of his shirt. Napangiti ako saka na sinara ang magazine na binabasa ko.
"Sinong mas mukhang five saten ngayon?" I teased. He looked up and stopped playing with his shirt saka tumingin sa akin. I raised an eyebrow and he just chuckled.
"It's not five, love. It's payb." he corrected. Inirapan ko lang siya saka na tumayo. Francine was watching us by the gazebo at hinayaan ko lang si Elmo na sumunod.
"San punta?" tanong niya sabay hawak sa kamay ko.
"Pupuntahan ko si lolo sa kwarto." sagot ko.
"Okay. Sama ako." aniya. Tinanguan ko siya and we walked to lolo's room.
It's been months since his hospitalization and a few days from now ay magbibirthday na siya. I looked at him and felt a huge lump in my throat. Lolo looked so weak and fragile. Parang isang maling galaw, mababasag siya. His eyes were open and he looked at me as if he recognized me. Lumapit ako sa kanya and held his hand as I sit at the edge of his bed.
