Theodore

AINE 1

"Good morning, Atty. Al-ani."

I smiled nang makita ko ang maaliwas na mukha ni Mrs. Martins, she's one of my biggest clients.

"Sorry po I am late." Hinging paumanhin ko.

"No, it's okay. Ako nga dapat humingi ng dispensa. It's Sunday yet I asked you to come over." Sabi niya sabay giya saken sa isang bakanteng upuan paharap ng sa kanya.

"No Ma'am. I am your family lawyer so it's okay." I smiled, a genuine smile.

"Anyway, the reason why I called your attention is because I want to make my last will." Nagulat ako. Hindi ko inaasahan na ngayon namin to pag-uusapan.

"Po?" Nauutak kong sabi pero tinawanan lang niya.

"I know you are shocked. Sabi ko pa naman sayo noon na ayoko sa last will. It makes me feel like I am about to die."

Tahimik lang akong nakikinig sa kanya. She is not that old. I guess she's just late 50s or early 60s.

"I want you to prepare my last will and testament as soon as possible and inform my son about it. Naubusan na ako ng rason mapauwi lang siya." She's shaking her head and sigh. "My son is one heck of a hardheaded guy. Ewan ko saang lupalop ng mundo na yon napadpad. His dad doesn't seem to care. Napagod na rin siguro kakausap."

Mr. and Mrs. Martins are ideal parents. I adore them so much I even prayed to have a pair of parents like them but unluckily, maaga akong binawian ng pamilya. My stepbrother is in Turkey. Buti na lang we're very close. Andun siya para sa isang photoshoot.

"Are you sure about this Ma'am?" I asks.

"What do you mean?"

"Na uuwi siya pag nalaman niya."

"I don't know. But hopefully. Kinakausap naman niya ako so I know uuwi siya if it's because of me."

I sigh.

"Alright then. We'll talk tomorrow, shall we? Ihahanda ko lang ang mga dapat ihanda."

"Very well Iha. I'll be expecting you tomorrow at 5PM. Dinner's on me."

As soon as I arrived home, ginawa ko na ang mga dapat kong gawin. My night rituals. I was enjoying my rose scented bath in my big bath tub when I remembered him.

Memories of him.

Hindi ko namalayan na unti-unti na palang tumutulo ang mga luha ko. I smiled weakly. Hanggang kailan ako magiging ganito?

It is almost 4 years since it happened pero parang kahapon lang yon. His memories are still fresh. I can still smell his scent in every corner of my unit. Napangiti na lang ako ng maalala ko ang mukha niya everytime he visits me only to find out na nasa bath tub na naman ako nagkakampo hanggang sa makatulog.

He chose to accompany me in the shower room. Nakaupo lang siya sa isang silya malapit sa tub habang maingat na hinahawakan ang buhok ko para hindi mabasa at ang isang kamay ay may hawak na libro. He's sweet like that. Too darn sweet every piece of me aches when I think about him.

That lasted for almost a year. It was short but he was able to capture every broken piece of me and fixed it. Pero apat na taon - apat na taon akong nag-isa dahil wala na siya. Mas pinili niya ang buhay na walang inaalalang business. Isang buhay na kung saan malaya siya. Yung buhay na pinapangarap ng karamihan. Ang mas masakit, mas pinili niya ang buhay na yun kasama yung babeng mahal niya kaya naiwan akong mag-isa.

Ngayon gumagawa na ang tadhana ng paraan. Siguro dahil hindi na man talaga kami naghiwalay. Nagising na lang ako isang araw and realized that he's not here anymore. I can't even see him nor touch him. Hindi ko alam kung ano na ang nangyari sa kanya. His parents don't know about us. We were discreet about it kaya hindi maaaring tumanggi sa pinapaggawa ng mama niya. It's not the professional me kung nagkataon.