Chapter 1
"Ladies and gentleman welcome to Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Local time is 11:15pm and temperature is 30˚C. For your safety and comfort, please remain seated with your seat belt fastened until the Captain turns off the Fasten Seat Belt sign. This will indicate that we have parked at the gate and that it is safe for you to move about..."
I heaved a deep sigh as I fixed my laptop and headphones inside my backpack. It's been 7 years since I left this country. And I am so excited to see what has happened ever since the day I left.
Naglakad na ako palabas para mahintay ang gamit ko sa baggage carousel. I was busy listening to Coldplay's new album as I waited for my luggages to appear. Five minutes passed and I'm already on my way out of the airport.
I walked to the taxi bay since wala namang susundo sa akin. Mahaba ang pila pero ayos lang. I'm not in a hurry naman.
"Wag kang sisigaw. Hold-up to!" nagulat ako when I felt a pointy object against me. Seryoso ba to? I just got back from my 7 years of soul-searching tapos pagbalik ko mahohold-up pa ko?
"Look. You can take all my things just don't harm me." I said, trying to sound calm. Nagtaka ako nang biglang tumawa ang magnanakaw. Lumingon ako and found out who the bastard is. "Fuck you, man!" I yelled sabay palo sa ulo ni Apollo gamit ang baseball cap ko. Agad niyang nasalo ito and snatched the cap from my hand.
"Thanks sa pasalubong dude!" he said as he wears the cap. "How's Boots, man?" he asked as we walked out of the line and to his car.
"Boots?" pagtataka ko.
"Ola! Soy Dora! Diba nagpaka Dora ka these past years? So kamusta si Boots? Si Map?"
"Ewan ko sayo." iritang sambit ko saka na sumakay sa kotse niya. He went to the driver's seat at nagmaneho na palabas ng airport. "How did you know that today's my arrival?"
"May tracker ka kasi." ngisi niya.
"Seryoso ako dito, Apollo." sabi ko naman. Bumuntong-hininga siya saka na lang nagkibit-balikat.
"Sinabi ni RJ." aniya.
"Wala talagang silbi yun. I told him not to tell anyone na uuwi na ko."
"Ba't ayaw mo? Ayaw mong malaman ni Julie?"
"Huh? Bakit naman naisip mo yun?"
"Well, she's one of the reasons bakit umalis ka in the first place. Diba?"
"Hindi no. Umalis ako because I wanted to explore on my career."
"Lokohin mo lelang mo." aniya. "Sabi mo pa nga and I quote, 'Let's not ruin her well-planned life okay? She'll be having a baby, she's going to be a successful businesswoman and she's going to forget me soon. So we don't have to bother telling her that I'm going away.'"
"Wow ang talas ng memory mo ha. Kailan ko sinabi yun?"
"Kingina nito ang sarap mong ipasagasa sa eroplano eh." inis na sabi niya. "You said that 7 years ago. At her insemination party."
Natahimik ako as I remembered that night. It was the night she decided to have a baby via a sperm donor. I'm not really sure who her donor was kasi di ko naman na tinangkang tanungin. Also, I'm quite not in favor of that process. Although I know why she did that. Ayaw niya kasi mag-asawa. Ang gusto niya lang talaga is to have a baby of her own.
"Speaking of that, was her insemination procedure a success?" I asked.
"Yeah. Actually sobrang gwapo nga ng inaanak mo sa kanya."
"Di ka kinuhang ninong?" pagtataka ko.
"Julie knows na ako ang pinakakuripot sa atin kaya ang ninong lang is ikaw and RJ. Yung iba puro ninang na." halakhak niya. "Don't get me wrong pare. Masaya akong dakilang tito lang ako at hindi ninong. Wala akong iniintinding utang."
