When a Geek Fell in Love

Chapter 4: Was Once a Home

So that’s what happened. Eric drove me home but, hindi ako nagpahatid sa bahay namin mismo. Sa gate lang ng subdivision. He insisted panga na ihatid ako kaya lang ayoko talaga. Sabi ko nalang na mapapagalitan ako ng parents ko pag nakita nila akong may kasamang lalaki. Like nandito sila sa bansa. Hindi ko nga alam kung kelan uuwi yung mga yun.

 So we bade goodbye at natural kahit medyo labag sa kalooban ko ang paghatid niya sakin, nagpasalamat parin ako. Hipokrita ako kung hindi diba?

Pagkaalis na pagkaalis niya, pumasok na ako sa subdivision. Binati kaagad ako ng dalawang guard sa guardhouse.

Manong guard 1: Good evening po Ms. Rheema. Ginabi po yata kayo ah?

Me: Good evening din po, Traffic po kasi eh.

Manong guard 2: Ano pong nangyari jan sa salamin niyo?

Me: ah eh nahulog po kanina sa paglalakad ko. -_- (liar!)

Manong guard 1: Naku mahirap yan lalo nat gabi. Ihahatid ko nalang ho kayo. Toto, ikaw muna bahala dito .

Me: naku po wag na ho kayong mag-abala. Kaya ko ana po to.

Manong guard 2: Naku Ms. Rheema, magpahatid na ho kayo at malayu-layo payung sa inyo. Malalagot kami sa parent’s mo pag pinabayaan ka namin.

Me: Ah ganun ho ba? Sige po.

Mas mabuti ngang magpahatid nalang ako kasi talagang hindi ko na maaninag ang daan sa kondisyon ng salamin ko ngayon at baka nga malagot sila kina mom at dad pag nalaman nilang pinabayaan nila ako. So ayun umangkas ako sa motorbike ni manong guard at hinatid na niya ako pauwi.

Wondering why the guards are quite protective over me? Well, truth is, my parents own this subdivision and many other subdivisions. My dad is a big time contractor, my mom is a chief draftswoman and they both manage an unrivaled engineering firm in the country and also doing great in their branches abroad. They’re so good at what they are doing. They are partners in business and in life. I admire and love them for that. Kahit na masyado silang busy lalo na after the.. after what happened . They were trying to keep themselves preoccupied then, so sinubsob nila yung sarili nila sa work to prevent themselves from remembering such memories although sometimes, pati ako nakakalimutan din nila.   *sigh*

Pagbaba ko ng motorbike ni manong guard, bumungad agad sakin ang isang gigantic gate. Welcome home. Yeah, our house is the largest unit in the subdivision and that’s why ayokong ihatid ako ni Eric. Only few knew we’re sort of “rich”. Lalo na sa university. Dahil sa suot ko at dahil din siguro I’m a university scholar, maraming nag-aassume na mahirap lang kami at mas gusto ko pang ganun kesa sa maraming nakikipagkaibigan pero peke naman. Nag pasalamat ako kay manong guard na naghatid sa akin and greeted the other guard waiting by the gate.

And like what I had mentioned, my parents are out of the country and no one knows when they will be back. So, mga kasambahay lang ang kasama ko ngayon.

Barren. That’s one word that can best describe this well built infrastructure. You can call it a house if you like but never a home. It’s nothing but walls and roof that gives a place to sleep in and nothing more.

“Good evening po Miss Rheema. Nakahanda na po ang pagkain niyo.” Salubong ng isang katulong namin nung nakapasok na ako sa front yard.

Me:  Sorry ate Cha, kayo nalang po ang kumain. Di po ako nagugutom eh.

Maid: Sige po, ililigpit ko nalang ang pagkain.

“Anak, palagi ka nalang walang  kinakain. Pano nagkakalaman ang utak mo gayong wala namang laman ang tiyan mo?”

Me: Nanay Jo, busog pa po talaga ako eh. Tsaka kailangan ko pang mag-aral at may exams pa po ako bukas.

Si nanay jo ang nag-iisang yaya nam-… ko mula childhood. These past few years, siya na nga lang ang parang nagiging totoo kong mother.

Nanay Jo: etong batang to talaga oh. Pano ka naman makakapag-aral niyan eh sira yang salamin mo? O siya, uutusan ko nalang si Berto pumunta sa bayan para tignan kung makakahanap siya ng kapalit niyan ngayon. Huwag ka na munang mag-aral at  nakakasaama yan. Iaakyat ko nalang ang gatas mo maya-maya.

Me: Salamat po Nanay Jo.

Then I started climbing up the staircase. You know? I’d rather live in a very small house with a complete family rather than living in a spacious mansion but not knowing whether I really am living or just DWELLING in such place.

As I walk through the corridor to my room, I passed by a certain door.

*sigh*

This place was more than a home several years ago. It was heaven for us.  Huh. Heaven, until hell decided to expand its territory.

I stared at the door of an empty room.

Me: Though they’re digging their bones off in their work back then, I know mom and dad were doing it for US. But now it is different. And now, I wonder. Are they doing it just for me? Only for me now?

Are they really?