AMACon 3: Oikos - Home

Belen - December 25: Her

Aldene heard everyone greet each other Merry Christmas. She smiled, outside the Mendoza's gate, as the stars twinkled down on her. Her bike was beside her, she remembers how she went along with Nicom's plan of getting her lost.

Iba rin tong Paskong 'to Ma. Merry Christmas.

"Kakadating mo lang? Bakit nandito ka? Bakit di ka pumasok?" Ah, it was Nicom who found her. Again, as always.

"Nahiya ako bigla, ewan."

"Sus, lika na sa loob."

"Teka lang."

"Bakit?"

"Eto lang talaga wish mo? Na pumunta ko dito?" He smiled at her, smile even brighter than the stars above.

"Part to nung wish ko, oo. Kinausap ko sila Lola, sabi nila di mo kasama pamilya mo pag Pasko. Kaya eto, pasko na." And he let her in.

Everybody's there. His family, his friends, her Lolas, just the people she had a connection to in her stay here. Aldene remembers the first time she has seen these people, acting together but not really; staying with each other because someone else says so. And now she sees them as a family really.

"Merry Christmas" Nicom whispered in her ear. She looked at him and smiled. Here's that guy who had been the most distant. That guy who didn't even want to be in that mass. But here he is now, bringing them all together.

Christmas miracle

"Teka asan si Lola Nidora?" She asked and they found her inside the kitchen, savoring the lechon skin piece by piece. Literal na napabayaan sa kusina. Patay.

"Lola, tama na yan."

"Ok lang ako Aldin, ok lang. Ok ok ok"

Ok ok pero inaatake na. Lola naman eh. Tamo, nagulo na pasko nilang lahat.

"Nay ako na." Nicom took the keys to the van and they left the Mendozas. Just him, her and the three Lolas.

"Mag-ingat kayo ha. Tsaka magtext ka."

"Opo nay, Merry Christmas nay."

Good thing there are still nurses and doctors on duty, and she was treated already. Her sisters came with her, which left Aldene and Nicom.

"Huy wag ka na magaalala dyan. Paskong-pasko malungkot ka. Oh." Nicom gave her a cup of coffee.

"Eh paskong-pasko nasa ospital si Lola."

"Kasalanan mo ba yun? Di naman diba? Si Lola naman kumain nung balat."

"Kung hindi ako nakisali sa trip niyong iligaw ako, edi baka napigilan ko pa si Lola."

He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Alam mong niligaw ka?"

"Onaman, memoryado ko na tong lugar noh. Nagdrama pa ko sa labas ng gate niyo hay."

"Alam mo, konti nalang sisikwenta na yang si Lola sa pagpapaospital ngayong taon.

"Forty-seven palang. Forty eight na pala to."

"Ay may ibang dates pa kaya, di pa tapos ang taon oh. Hanggang 31 pa. Ano pustahan?"

"Sige sige. Anong pusta?"

Nicom's smiles made her smile too. Madaya ka talaga, nakakahawa ngumiti.

"Ewan ko, for fun lang?"

"Korni naman neto. Ganito, pag di umabot si Lola sa fifty, I get one day na ako may hawak ng camera mo. Tas kukuhanan kita di ka pwedeng magtago."

"Hmm. Sige deal, pano pag ako nanalo?"

"Ewan, ano ba gusto mo? Wala pa nga yung wish mo eh."

Nicom emptied his hot coffee in one go.

"Wish ko? Christmas wish? Yung buo?"

"Oo. Oo. Oo."

"Pag tinanong ba kita ng will you be my girlfriend, oo din isasagot mo?"

"Yun ba Christmas wish mo?"

Nicom laughed, bringing life to the deserted hospital hallway. Ibang klase ka Nicom, paano mo nagagawa to? Paano mo ko napapasaya sa lugar na may hawak ng pinakamalungkot na ala-ala sa akin?

"Alam mo bang ayaw na ayaw kong pumupunta ng ospital?" She told him.

"Bakit naman? Takot ka ba?"

"Hindi. Si Mommy, sa ospital siya namatay. I was beside her. Kaya masakit sakin pag nagpupunta ng ospital. Naalala ko si Mommy. Kaya din ako nagcecelebrate ng pasko sa kung saan-saan. Baka makalimot, ganun.

She smiled at how he never took his eyes away from her while speaking.

"What? Grabe makangiti sakin oh. Tama na Nicom."

"Well, bagay nga tong gift ko sayo."

Nicom pulled a bracelet out of his pocket.

"Di ko na alam kung paano babalutin, binulsa ko na nga lang eh. Pero yan, charm bracelet. Yung camera, kase lagi mong inaagaw pa kinukuhanan kita tas idadamay mo pa ko. 16 kase yun yung unang simbang gabi. Tapos etong angel, kase mukha kang aparisyon nun."

"Mary ako hindi angel at lalong hindi multo. Nicom naman."

He stared at the ceiling.

"Ang ganda mo talaga. Pero alam mo kase medyo madali na mahirap yung wish ko at andami kong sinsabi ano? Kase ganito yun no, gusto na talaga kita noon pa hindi naman masyadong obvious diba? Lalo na sa chat, seryoso ako sa mga hirit ko dun. Tapos ngayon sana baka naman pwede, gusto kitang ligawan sana. Kahit na noon pang unang araw feeling ko gusto na kitang pakasalan tapos nakatingin ka pa sakin ganyan ayun na nga gusto sana kitang ligawan pwede ba?"

"Sige pakasal na tayo."

"Aldene naman eh."

"Bat mo pinutol yung rap ko? Hinayaan kitang magrap ah."

"Seryoso naman kase yun Aldene."

"Eh wala naman kase akong naintindihan bukod dun, ambilis mo kayang magsalita."

He sighed, and Aldene smiled at his frustration. Cute.

"What if I say something crazy and ask you to marry me as a Christmas wish?"

"What if I say something crazier and say yes to grant your wish?"

"Why are we quoting Frozen?"

"Pasko eh."

Laughter once again filled the air, then of sincerity.

"One day, Aldene."

"Talaga ha."

"Believe me, we'll make this work. Teka wait."

Nicom pulled out his camera and captured her face. He looked at the screen.

"For now, I want to get to know you. I want to make you feel the way you do to me. Gusto ko mapasaya din kita tulad nung pagpapasaya mo sakin. Sorry kung ganito pero yun."

She took the camera.

"You already did."