In The Arms Of An Angel (ON HOLD)

Chapter 20

"Hiii! nemiss mo ba akhhooo?..."

A pair of delicate hands covered his eyes. Then an intentionally modified feminine voice whispered those words unto his ear as he sat quietly at the bank of the stream that night.

He smiled weakly and gently removed the hands from his eyes to gaze at the owner of the voice and the asthmatic-like laugher that echoed around the clearing after. He followed her with his eyes as she also sat at a clump of grass by the bank a few feet away from him.

"Dei..."

Even after being with her every single night for the past seven days, he still can't get enough of her infectious laughter and her company. He was always looking forward to their nightly rendezvous just to be able to experience again and again the magic of her laughter.

"Kung alam mo lamang, Dei. Handa kong ibigay ang kahit ano marinig lamang lagi ang iyong tawa araw-araw habang ako'y nandirito sa mundo...nawa'y hindi mawala ang ngiti sa iyong mga labi sa aking sasabihin..." He sadly thought.

"Richard, may itatanong ako sa'yo bilis! Lipat ka dito sa tabi ko." He smiled indulgently at her before he scooted closer to where she is. She immediately wrapped her arms on his biceps and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Dei, mayroon din akong mahalagang sasabihin sa'yo..." He tried to say but she interrupted him.

"Wait, ako muna! Kanina pa ako may gustong itanong sa iyo..." Her excitement is very much evident in her voice that Richard's chest constricted with sadness as he imagine her reaction to what he is about to tell her.

"So ayun na nga...Wala ako appointment kaninang hapon so nagstay lang ako the whole afternoon sa office ko doing some online research about mga tagabantay or spirit guardians as most people know you for. You would not believe some of the things I read from some of the websites I went to..." She giggled, completely oblivious to the eery silence eminating from the man beside her. He just continued to stare at her beautiful face as if committing to memory every detail of her features.

"...one site said that spirit guardians are actually the protectors of certain places, group, or individual...well nasabi mo na sa akin dati yun. Pero alam mo, yung ibang websites na napuntahan ko medyo malayo sa realidad kung pagbabasehan ko yung mga nakwento mo na sa akin tungkol sa mga tagabantay. Pero may mga nabasa rin ako na mukha namang legit na mga testimonials. So possible na hindi lang ako ang nakaexperience ng close encounter na gaya ng sa atin dito sa mundo...Pero eto talaga yung gusto kong itanong sa iyo...Totoo bang nagiging ganap na tagabantay lamang ang isang ordinaryong tao kapag sya ay namatay na? " She asked him eagerly. He looked forlornly at her hope-filled eyes before answering.

"Oo, Dei. Totoong maari lamang maging ganap na tagabantay ang isang napiling ordinaryong tao kapag siya ay namatay na pero..." He was not able to finish his statement again as Dei interrupted him yet again with her eager words.

"At hindi ka pa ganap na tagabantay hindi ba? Hindi ka pa ganap na tagabantay dahil hindi pa dumarating ang takdang araw ng pagtatalaga sa iyo, di ba?" Her questions were asked so enthusiastically that he could barely stand looking at her.

"Oo, Dei. At malapit na ang araw na iyon..." But again she cut his statement with another barrage of questions..

"Oo nga, alam ko na malapit na. Next week na iyon, di ba? Pero may time pa tayo kung sakali, di ba? Hindi ba sabi mo sa akin di mo kayang lumayo sa akin? Ganun din naman ako sa iyo. I am willing to try anything para tumagal pa ang time natin na magkasama. May paraan pa, di ba?" She was still smiling but he can already see the unshed tears pooling around her doe eyes as she ask these questions.

"Dei, hindi ganoon kasimple ang sitwasyon natin..." He painfully try to reason out.

" Alam ko! Gets ko yun! Pero may paraan pa, di ba? Di ka pa natatalaga dahil buhay pa ang katawang lupa mo, hindi ba? Hindi ka pa patay! Maari pang makita ang katawang lupa mo!" She exclaimed as she shook his arm in excitement. He sighed dejectedly.

"Dei, alam ng Diyos kung gaano ko nais na makasama ka pa ng matagal. Ang mga araw na nagkasama tayo ang ilan sa pinakamasaya kong araw sa mundong ito. Totoo pa rin hanggang ngayon ang sinabi ko sa iyo na hindi ko kayang layuan ka. Magiging napakahirap ng mga susunod na araw para sa akin na hindi kita makakasama na tulad nito. Kailangan ko na lamang makuntento sa pagtanaw sa iyo mula sa malayo o sa pagsubaybay sa iyo nang hindi nagpapakita..." He was observing her expression as he is saying all these things. He can clearly read the hurt in her eyes. The same feeling of hurt that is making him choke on his own words as he try to make her understand.

"A-ano ang sinasabi mo? N-namamaalam ka ba? May isang linggo pa tayo, di ba? Bakit? Anong..? H-huwag mo namang gawin sa akin ito please..." She said pleadingly while desperately clutchung unto his arm. Tears filled her eyes but she determinedly try to hold them in.

"Dei, hinihiram lang natin ang mga panahong ito na nagkakasama tayo kahit sa panaginip man lang..Magiging mas mahirap lamang sa ating dalawa kung patatagalin pa natin ito. Mas magiging masakit kung hihintayin pa natin ang araw ng aking pagtatalaga.." He is finding it more difficult to discuss this with her as he look at her face.

"R-Richard, tanggap ko naman na ang sitwasyon natin...Pero ang malamang may posibilidad na buhay pa ang katawang lupa mo, hindi ko mapigilang umasa na maaari pa tayong magkasama sa iisang mundo. Tama ba ako? M-maaari pang mangyari iyon, hindi ba? Sabihin mong oo!" She asked brokenly. He wanted to tell her yes but that would not be entirely true at this point.

"Dei, ito na ang huli nating pagtatagpo. Patawarin mo ako."

And he watched as the tears she was valiantly holding back finally fall...