How Great Is Our Love

Kabanata 35

The days that followed brought me no peace. Kinakabahan pa rin ako sa tuwing nakikitang nag uusap sina Papa at Manong Steve, pero so far hindi pa ako napapagalitan kaya maaring hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin ako sinusumbong pero kahit ganoon, hindi pa rin ako napapanatag.

"Gab, baba ka na." Si Papa yun.

Ngayon ang alis namin papuntang Roxas. Isasama namin ang isang kasambahay at si Manong Steve para may driver, magdadala kasi kami ng sasakyan.

"Andiyan na po." Isang maleta at isang backpack lang ang dala ko, binitbit ko lang lahat ng kailangan. Kung sakali man na magkulang ako sa mga damit at gamit bibili na lamang ako doon.

More than 2 hours ang biyahe ng roro mula dito sa Bacolod papuntang Dumangas port sa Iloilo.

I am wearing an off shoulder floral blouse patterned with a high waisted cream colored shorts and a white sneakers. I wore my glasses and took some pictures and post it on my Instagram and Facebook account.

Few seconds after a notification appeared saying a certain Keith Michael Ciudadano reacted love in my post on Facebook.

Keith:
Have a safe trip.

That was a message from my Messenger account. I typed a reply and managed to send it to Keith before the signal went gone.

Nilibot ko ang paningin sa loob ng barko, so far the facilities were okay, upuan lahat ang nakahilera sa fully air conditioned na barko kaso nakabukas naman ang dalawang pintuan kaya hindi ko maramdaman masiyado ang lamig na ibinubuga nito lalo na at nandito kami nakaupo malayo sa air-conditioning unit.

May dalawang television sets, kaso nakapatay ang isa. We're already at the middle of the sea that's why the signal isn't at peace. Masakit sa mata kung manonood ka dahil hindi malinaw ang TV kaya mas minabuti ko nalang na umidlip muna.

"Ate, gising. Andito na tayo." I gently opened my eyes when I felt my brother's poke but that didn't made me awake of course, it was the ship's horn.

Some people were already standing carrying their baggages and stuff, excited to touch down.

I removed the travelling pillow in my neck and fixed myself. My parents, my brother beside me and Ate Cindy are still sitting but Manong Steve isn't here anymore. Maybe he already stood up to prepare the car.

Two hours and thirty minutes to three hours ang biyahe mula dito sa Iloilo papuntang Roxas pero bago magpatuloy sa biyahe dumaan muna kami sa isang mall sa city upang kumain.

I am not really excited on going to Roxas, if I only have a choice I would rather stay in our house but unfortunately I don't have any choice.

Isang oras at kalahati na ang nakalipas pero hindi pa kami nakakalagpas sa Passi may road widening kasi kaya ma traffic ang daan. Gosh! This ride is so exhausting, kung hindi ako kumakain ngayon siguro kanina pa napanis ang laway ko dahil walang makausap. My mother's sleeping, my brother is with his iPad and headphones, Ate Cindy is also sleeping beside me. Si Papa lang nga at Manong Steve ang nag uusap na hindi ko naman masabayan.

I texted Keith but he's unresponsive, I can't call him either because surely my father's gonna hear our conversations.

Sinubukan kong matulog kaso hindi ako makatulog nakatulog na kasi ako kanina sa barko kaya inaliw ko nalang ang sarili ko sa pagkain. Mabuti nga lang at nakabili kami nang dagdag pagkain sa Iloilo kanina.

After almost six hours of exhausting ride at last we finally arrived. Nakangiting mukha ni Lola ang sumalubong sa amin. She's old but doesn't look like one. She's teen by clothes and heart.