Girl of Never : Days to Love (Chat MD Series #4)

Day 368 : Sunset

***

We arrived at the house a little before one in the afternoon. Kinailangan kong bumaba ng kotse para buksan ang tarangkahan at makapasok ang kotse ni Harry.

The Fuenterico's house in Quezon is a fifteen to twenty minute walk by the sea. Ancestral house iyon ng mga Fuenterico—Spanish-style, may dalawang palapag na may left at right wing, at gawa sa kahoy. Doon unang tumira sina Mommy at Daddy nang ikasal sila. Naka-landscape ang bakuran sa damo at halaman, at sa likuran ng bahay ay may museleo.

"Welcome to the house," sabi ko kay Harry nang bumaba siya ng kotse.

Tiningala niya ang bahay. "Huge."

Tumango ako at ngumiti. "It is. Tara sa loob."

We took our bags and the boxes of packed food inside the house. Idineposito muna namin lahat sa living room. Panay ang linga ni Harry sa paligid.

"Matagal kang tumira rito?" he asked.

"Yeah. I've spent most of my childhood here. No'ng inampon ako, nandito na 'ko. Dito kami nag-aral ni Neah hanggang grade four," kwento ko habang iginagala rin ang mata sa bahay. The house used to feel really large and empty before. Pero dahil kasama ko ngayon si Harry, it's like I'm seeing it again for the first time. "Sa bakuran kami naglalaro dati ni Neah. Remember, 'yung kinuwento ko sa'yo na lagi siyang nakasunod sa'kin? May swing dati sa labas at maiksing rope course. Tinanggal no'ng napilayan si Neah sa kalalaro namin."

Harry's eyes glittered while still wandering through the house. "You've been in every corner of this house? Ga'no karami ang binago rito since then?"

Napalinga uli ako sa kabahayan. Kumpleto ang mga antigong gamit. Makikintab kahit gawa sa kahoy. Magaling mag-alaga ang caretaker.

"Nothing much. Recently lang nagka-repair no'ng nasira ng bagyo 'yung right wing. Pinahaluan ko na ng concrete 'yung sahig at 'yung ceiling. This is a really old house and Dad wanted to preserve the memory of his family by keeping it unchanged. Why?"

Harry looked around with a smile. "Wala naman. You've been here so I'm interested. Nandito 'yung maliit na Jianna na hindi ko nakita."

I know what he must be feeling. Pinigilan ko lang ang sarili kong maging overly curious kahapon no'ng nasa bahay ako ng mga Lastimosa. But I really wanted to take a pic of Harry's framed pictures and hear all the childhood stories about him. It was exciting to be in the same house he grew up in.

Lumapit si Harry sa patungan sa salas kung nasaan ang mga naka-frame na pictures namin. Mga family pictures namin 'yun nina Daddy at Mommy. May mga pictures na kasama sina Auntie at Uncle. May ilan din na kaming dalawa lang ni Neah.

Inabot ni Harry ang isang frame kung saan magkasama kami ni Neah.

"You're really together," sabi niya.

Lumapit ako sa tabi niya at tumingin sa picture. Limang taon lang kami ro'n. Naka-bathing suit kami ni Neah sa picture. Pink sa kanya at green ang sa akin. Nakaupo kami sa buhangin, building a sandcastle. Madikit ang buhangin sa katawan at mukha namin.

"Yeah. We're always together."

"Even here, Neah looked sick," he said.

"She did. But she's smiling brightly here."

"Mas malaki ang ngiti mo," pansin ni Harry. "Mukhang makulit ka na dati pa."

"Hindi lang makulit. Malikot din daw ako. Palatanong din."

"Pareho tayo," he laughed softly. "I hope it's a recessive gene or the teachers of the little you will suffer."

"You wish. It's likely dominant so codominance. We'll produce a pureblooded scientist."