The Red Sack

Part 3

Part 3

"What?!" sabay na sagot ni Kuya at ni Tita Sophie na halatang gulat na gulat.

"You heard it right; I want to study again, for fashion designing, at Paris."

"We're not deaf Chalista! But you just arrived here for about two hours, and then you want to go to other country na naman? Napakatagal bago ka pumunta dito which is na dapat 4 years ago pa. Tapos, balak mong lumayo na naman? We are just three in the family, tapos maghi-hiwalay hiwalay na naman tayo. Are you out of your mind?"

"Calm down Tita Sophie. Maybe, she's just too pressured to answer that question. Two hours pa nga lang sya dito pero parang ang dami na nyang dapat gawin. Give her a chance to adjust first. Let her breath. Please lang, we're having dinner."

"Thanks Kuya." Then Kuya squeezed my hand, assuring me that everything is undercontrol.

After dinner, Tita Sophie left dahil meron pa daw syang business whatever.

Hindi ko na sya inintindi, pagkatapos nya akong sigawan sa hapagkainan, wala na akong balak makinig pa sa kanya.

Nakatulala lang ako sa terrace nang bigla akong inakbayan ni Kuya.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Thank you ulit sa pagsalo sa akin kanina kay Tita Sophie. Akala ko ibabato na nya sa akin yung wine glass o kaya yung ice bucket e."

Kuya chuckled. "Ano ka ba, she wouldn't that. She has the creepiest devilish smile but she's kindhearted person, she really is Ching."

"But she's acting very weird."

"Sino ba naman kasing hindi magiging weird sa mga sinabi mo kanina. 2 lines lang yun, pero nakakapang-galit. You provoked her."

"Yeah, I did."

"Sinadya mo?"

Tumungo ako.

"You little brat! Why did you do that? May plans ka ba talaga na ganon?"

"I wanted to enter to a fashion school before, remember?"

"But Tita Sophie insisted that you should enroll Business Management."

"Exactly! Kaya, I think, this is the best time to do it. What do you think?"

"Most probably yes, but not in Paris."

Kumalas ako sa pagkaka-akbay nya."What? Kuya, doon ang pinakasikat na mga fashion schools."

"I know. I wasn't born yesterday Ching. Pero I don't want you to go somewhere else, ngayon na nga lang tayo ulit magkakasama e tapos gusto mo na naman umalis. That's what you did 4 years ago."

"Kuya, akala ko ba napag-usapan na natin yun?"

"You chose to leave the mansion, kahit na ayaw mo yung course, para lang makaalis ka, nag-enroll ka. Then you left me, with Tita Sophie, tapos ngayon, ganun na naman gagawin mo. How long will I sacrifice for you to stay away from Tita Sophie?"

"Kuya."

"I told you already, Tita Sophie wasn't bad as you think. She wasn't in good terms with Mama, but that was in the past. Iba na ngayon."

"I know but it really takes time to heal everything di'ba?"

"Alam ko, pero kahit pakonti konti, try to forgive her. Ginagawa nya lang naman ang mga ginagawa nya para sa atin din naman. Kung tutuusin, hindi na nya tayo kargo, pwedeng pwede na sya magsarili at kunin lahat ng meron tayo pero andyan sya, para samahan at i-guide tayo. Please appreciate her Ching."