Lovely Ever After

Kabanata 114

Kabanata 114

"Daddy, mommy, saan tayo pupunta?" Tanong nina Levitrei at Levitrish habang naglalakad kami sa may buhangin.

Tumingin ako sa dalawa at ngumiti, "we're going to watch a firework display."

Levitrish gasped, "really?"

I nodded.

Tila naengganyo sila dahil sa kanilang narinig, tumakbo pa sila papunta sa tabing-dagat habang si Liham naman ay nagbubuhat ng mga paputok. "Do you want my help?"

"No, I can do it." Sagot naman niya at bumalik sa paglalakad. It feels like he is becoming distant recently, o siguro ako lang talaga.

Sumunod naman na ako sa kanila, habang nagse-setup si Liham ay binabantayan ko ang aming kambal, matapos ang ilang sandali ay tinawagan kami ni Liham, "it's time!"

"Yay!" Agad namang lumapit ang magkambal sa akin, medyo malayo kami sa firework display, just in case something goes wrong.

"I'm gonna light it!" Anunsyo ni Liham kasabay ng pagbukas niya sa lighter na hawak, nilagyan niya ng apoy ang string ng isa sa mga fireworks, matapos iyon ay tumakbo siya palapit sa amin, nang nasa tabi ko na siya ay saka siya humarap sa papaputok nang fireworks.

Biglang nagsiliparan at nagputukan ang mga makukulay na paputok sa kalawakan, the sky was dark and full of stars, it was a breathtaking view. Ngayon lang ako makakita ng actual fireworks display, ganito pala iyon?

Mabuti naman at napag-isipan ni Liham na magdala ng mga paputok. Habang nakamasid kami sa fireworks display ay tumingin ako kay Liham, for a breath-taking second, I thought I saw the horrifying and deathly red glow in his eyes, or maybe it was just me, siguro dahil sa fireworks sa kalawakan.

"Liham?" I murmured, ang magkambal namin naman ay tahimik lang na pinagmamasdan ang mga makukulay na paputok. The sound of them as they burst in the air gives me terrible nostalgia, like of the bombs, like of the cannons. Like war.

The only difference was they give color to the night, though temporary, at least, they remain forever, locked, and treasured in my heart.

Tumingin sa akin si Liham, "bakit?" He said in his soft voice, nagulat ako nang hawakan niya ang kamay ko, then afterwards, he intertwined our fingers together.

"No, nothing."

Tumango siya at muling bumalik sa panonood ng mga paputok, ako naman ay tila na-distract sa kanya kaya naman habang pumuputok ang mga fireworks ay kay Liham lang ako nakatingin. Particularly in his eyes.

It feels like there is death hiding behind the warmth of his eyes, behind those windows of his soul, I feel it. The enormous energy raging from within, waiting to be unleashed, waiting to be ignited by fury, for a split second, I felt afraid. Not of Liham. But for him.

I was afraid of the what ifs, what if Lastrel miscalculated? What if one month is too much to ask? What if Liham is truly running out of time?

"Mi, you look at me like I'm dying." Liham chuckled.

Because of what he said, I blinked. Was I really looking at him like that? "Hindi ha." Umiwas ako ng tingin, to divert my attention, I looked at the fireworks display above.

Tumayo si Liham, "babies, let's go to somewere farther, lumalapit na ang usok ng mga paputok sa pwesto natin." He held our twins hands, breaking our holding hand apart. Pagkatapos ay naglakad sila palayo, ako naman ay sumunod.

We ended up staying at the glass house's porch, after five minutes, tumigil na rin ang mga paputok. We called it a day and went inside.

Dahil hindi pa kami kumakain ay nagluto na ako, isang simpleng adobong sitaw ang aking niluto at sinabayan ko ito ng avocado shake, may avocado tree kasi na malapit sa glass house, I took my leisure a while ago picking fruits.

Though I'm really curious about the depths of this island, gusto kong pasyalin ito, there's actually a mountain which is visible, gusto kong mag-hiking! But that's too much to ask, considering the condition of Liham and we have our twins.

"Mommy, bakit parang wala ka sa sarili mo?" Bumalik ako sa huwisyo dahil sa tanong ni Levitrei, I took a spoonful of rice and looked at him, giving him a smile.

"Talaga? I'm sorry, it must be disturbing you."

"No..." Umiling siya, "I'm just worried. Daddy too. Right, daddy?" He looked at Liham, nasa kabisera siya ng mesa, tumingin siya sa akin at tumango.

"See?"

My twins are no longer kids. They are growing up. Nagkakaroon na sila ng isip hindi na gaya ng dati, darating ang panahon na malalaman nila kung sino talaga ako, kami ni Liham, darating ang araw na isa sa kanila ang mamahala, I hope Levitrei will be the one to do that, I hope he protects his twin sister.

Though that's too much to ask again. Nang matapos na kaming kumain ay ako na ang naghugas. Nagulat na lang ako nang lumitaw si Liham sa likuran ko, he hugged me from my back, kaya naman nabitawan ko ang baso na aking hinuhugasan, nabasag tuloy ito.

"Mi, if you're worried of something, can you please forget it?"

"L-Liham, may nabasag na baso." Akmang kakawala ako sa yakap niya nang mas lalo niya itong hinigpitan. "Liham..."

"Mi, what's wrong? Is it me?" Malumanay na tanong ni Liham, "are you afraid of me?"

Mariin akong umiling. "I'm not."

"Then why are you putting an invisible wall between us?"

"Liham, I'm just afraid of things, of your condition, natatakot ako sa mga posibilidad na pwedeng mangyari sa iyo."

"Are you hiding something from me? Are you not telling me something I should know?"

I gasped. He must have known that by the very start.

Hindi ko alam ang aking isasagot kaya naman kumawala na ako sa mahigpit niyang yakap, lumuhod ako at isa-isang pinulot ang mga bubog.

"Yomi..." Hindi ko siya pinansin, I engrossed myself with the broken glasses. "Listen, please..." His voice was distressed.

Nagbingibingihan ako, hindi ko alam kung paano ba siya haharapin. I don't want him to know. It is for him. Please don't speak anymore, Liham. Please just stop!

"Yomi! The fuck! Don't ignore me!" Sigaw niya, his voice was now angry and not soft, ngumiwi naman ako at napahigpit ako sa hawak sa mga bubog kaya naman nagalusan at nasugatan ang aking palad. Blood starting to drip, I bit my lower lip.

Hinawakan ni Liham nang mahigpit ang aking braso, "Liham, nasasaktan ako..." I tried not to stutter.

Tila hindi siya natinag sa aking sinabi, mas lalong humigpit ang kanyang hawak, the pain started to move and pound my senses, kumawala ako, but his grip was just too strong. I couldn't resist. Not when he is stronger.

"Tell me what the fuck is happening to me?!" He groaned.

"D-Daddy? Are you hurting mommy?" Napatingin kaming dalawa ni Liham kay Levitrei, halata ang pag-alala sa mukha niya.

"B-Baby..." As if regaining his senses, he stopped from gripping me.

Tumingin si Levitrei sa aking duguang palad at sa tumutulong dugo mula rito, "mommy! You're bleeding!"

Mula sa likod niya ay lumitaw si Levitrish, halata ang takot sa kanilang mukha.

"It's not what you think, okay? Pinagalitan lang ako ni Liham dahil nasugatan ko ang sarili ko." I smiled, I can't believe how much of a liar I was.

"Daddy, treat mommy!" Levitrish demanded.

Tumango si Liham, his face stone cold. Nabitawan ko na ang hawak kong mga bubog kasabay ng pagkahulog ng ilang butil ng dugo ko.

"Liham..."

"I'm sorry." He murmured, regret was visible in his voice. "I'm really sorry..."