The Virgin Mother ✔

Christmas in the air

Christmas. I'm not fond of Christmas. Not that I hate it, but I just don't like this.. occasion. It brings back the bitter memories I had in the past.

"Mama, punta po tayong mall? Kasama si daddy?"

"Yes, honey. We'll shop for toys and clothes." Mommy seemed nervous. My ten-year-old mind wondered.

Today is December 24, at nandito kami sa mall. Dito na siguro kami mag-celebrate ng Christmas?

"I got my toys, I got you daddy.. and you, mommy. I love you both! Soooo much!" I said while eating my spaghetti. Natatawa naman si daddy, at pinunasan yung bibig ko.

"Look at you, little girl. Your lips are red. Go on, eat and be full so you'll grow!" Said daddy.

Mommy doesn't look comfortable. "I.. I'll just go to the comfort room." Mommy kissed daddy on his cheek and kissed me on my forehead, but that was matagal. Naisip ko tuloy, weird si mommy ngayon. Pupunta lang naman ng CR pero she kissed me and daddy.

Ang takaw ko naman. Naubos ko yung isang plate ng spaghetti, then I ate a chicken drumstick pa. Tapos may ice cream pa akong vanilla.

Kaso ang tagal na, hindi pa rin bumabalik si mommy? Saan ba siya nagCR eh meron dito sa loob ng restaurant.. "Daddy, nasaan po si mommy?"

"Hindi ko rin alam, anak. I'll go check for her." Tumayo si daddy at naiwan akong kumakain pa rin ng chicken. Why is chicken so masarap?

Bumalik si daddy pero mukha siyang nag-aalala. "So daddy, where's mommy?" Finish ko na yung chicken!

"Go, finish your ice cream. We'll put your toys in the car and we'll go home."

What? Bakit uuwi na kami agad? Hindi na hihintayin si mommy? "Hindi na po natin hihintayin si mommy?"

"Baka.. baka nauna na sa bahay.." Daddy said.

I nodded, and finished my ice cream fast. Ooh, brain freeze! Uminom tuloy ako ng maraming water. Sabi ni daddy noon, ganun daw dapat. For relief? I don't know, di ko masyadong naintindihan noon. I'll ask daddy some other time again tungkol dun.

Umuwi kami ni daddy without mommy. Natatakot na ako kasi bakit ganun hindi bumalik si mommy. Wala rin siya sa bahay pagdating. Tumatawag si daddy sa phone ni mommy pero sabi ay can't be reached daw. So we waited until four in the morning. Nakatulog pa kami ni daddy sa couch, nakaupo siya tapos ako ginawa kong unan yung legs niya.

I woke up to the sound of daddy's phone ringing. Pero si daddy tulog pa rin. It was a message tone. Dahan-dahan akong gumalaw para abutin yung phone ni daddy. I opened the message and it was from mommy kasi ang pangalan ay My Honey.

Simula ngayon, huwag mo na akong hintayin. Don't tell Marie that I left, she won't understand it yet. Nasabi ko naman na sayo noon ang tungkol kay.. Richard at sa anak namin. You met Daniella, right? She's turning four on the 28th. It wasn't your fault, but it's me.

What did she just said? I understood every word! I am not fool not to understand that text!

"Marie!" Daddy called me, hindi ko naman alam na umiiyak na ako. Sinisipon na ako.

"Bakit? What's the problem?" Daddy asked.

Hindi ko naman nasagot ang tanong niya kasi nagmamadali akong pumunta sa kwarto ko. There, I cried myself to sleep.

And this was the worst Christmas.. ever.

I was a bit shocked when I saw Enzo in front of me. "I'm sorry to barge in to your office, here is--"

Kinuha ko agad ang folder na hawak niya. I suppose, ito ang hinihingi ko sa kanya kanina. Wala pa naman yatang tatlumpung minuto? "Ms. Romero, I'm sorry, it was actually late. I exceeded beyond the time I--"

"Really? Sa tingin ko mabilis nga eh.."

"Ang sabi ko po ay thirty minutes maibibigay ko na, pero fifty-five minutes na po ang nakalipas.. I'm sorry, ma'am. I have to do some grammar and graph edits too." Nakayukong sabi niya. Why does he keep on apologizing?

"It's.. it's fine, really. Hindi ko rin naman namalayan. Have your lunch." I slightly smiled and nod at him. I massaged my temples, even though there's no pain. I reminisced, and that's not a nice thing to do. I should get back to work.

I saw him smile shyly at me bago siya tumalikod at lumabas ng kwarto.

Night fell and it's time to go home. Nakita ko sa lobby ang Christmas lights and decors na may gold and red ang theme. Yearly, I have this feeling of incompleteness pag nakikita ko ang mga Christmas decors as they remind me of my.. mom.

Everyone seemed joyous about this annual occasion pero hindi yata ako isa doon.

Pagdating ko ng unit ko.. madilim. Bakit madilim? Bakit walang ilaw? Binuksan ko ang ilaw sa salas pero tahimik.

I went straight to my bedroom and switched on the light, there I saw a boy sleeping soundly. Naalala ko.. ah oo nga pala, kaninang umaga sumulpot siya dito bigla. Hindi ba siya marunong mag-switch on ng ilaw?

Pumunta ako ng kusina at may tatlong basong nasa sink. Hindi ba siya marunong maghugas? May kutsara pa na may chocolate. Tumingin ako sa ref at ayun nga, nagpapak siya ng chocolate spread. Paubos na agad yung Nutella na kabibili ko lang three days ago!

"Oh, nandito ka na po pala mommy!" Inaantok na nakangiti ang bata.

"Have I told you, don't call me mommy? At sabi ko wag kang gagalaw ng ibang nandito sa unit ko hindi ba? Mauubos na yung Nutella, pinapak mo? At yung mga basong nasa sink, hindi mo hinugasan? Hindi mo ba alam kung paano?!"

Nakayuko ang batang lalaki at nakalagay sa likod ang dalawang kamay. Huminga ako ng malalim. Oh, this kid's testing me. "Halika rito, I'll show you how to wash the dishes. Pull that chair beside me, tumuntong ka dyan." Agad naman siyang sumunod sa sinabi ko.

"Una, kailangan mong hawakang mabuti habang hinuhugasan ito. Then pour the liquid detergent in the sponge, tapos ikuskos mo hanggang sa malinis na. Huli, hugasan mo para mawala ang sabon, tapos ilagay mo doon. Ngayon, ikaw naman ang gumawa." Tumango siya at ginawa naman.

Bumagsak sa sink ang baso pero hindi naman nabasag.. "S-sorry po."

"Will you be extra careful?" I said with a little hint of irritation in my voice.

"Sorry mommy." He said with his little voice. It gave me chills and goosebumps. As if he's really my child. Nakakalambot ng puso.. but no. Hindi ako magpapadala sa emosyon. Tumalikod na ako sa kanya pero nagsalita pa siya. "I'll be the best son for you, mommy! Thank you, and I love you."

My heart skipped a beat.

~*~*~

Omg huhu sorry sobrang late ng update. Dapat noong December pa talaga to, pero thesis eh walangya hahaha. Ok na, tapos na ang thesis. Graduate na ako. Magttrabaho na ako HAHAHAHA

Thank you so much for waiting huhu.