The Heart Can See (Completed)

Day 21b - Got My Eyes Set On You

A/N: Ang update daw po, kahit maikli, update pa rin.

Ako talaga? Ako talaga problema mo? Paano?  "Ang ganda-ganda naman ng problema mo, dalawang araw nang hindi nakakaligo nang maayos. Puwede mo na kong bitawan." Maine dismissed his remark while trying to pull her hand back but RJ won't let go.

He looks at their joined hands. They fit. "Bakit may problema ka?"

"Bitawan mo na ko, please. Promise hindi ako tatakbo. Hindi mo ba pansin, pinagtitinginan na tayo ng mga tao. Alam mo ba iniisip nila?" She needs to distract herself from the feel of electricity flowing from their joined hands going through her body. Kalma Menggay, may point siya, hawak kamay lang 'to. May nalalaman ka pang kuryente.

"I don't care."

"Well you should care. Kasi ang iniisip nila, 'Uy bakit hawak ni Governor yung kamay nung alalay niya?' Hindi ka na nila iboboto sa susunod na eleksyon."

"Mali ka diyan, dahil iba ang iniisip nila, 'Kawawa naman yung bodyguard nung anak ni Governor, siguro natakasan na naman siya ni madam. Ang daming sugat o!'. Kaya tama lang na hawakan kita."

The truth is, not a few of the evacuees inside the covered court are remarking what a fine pair the two make. It's as if a young royal couple went out of their palace and graced the poor town with their presence after a calamity to bring them comfort, making them momentarily forget their tragic situation.

RJ was no match to the pleading in her eyes. He let her hand go but stayed close to her as she made her round to the people that she met yesterday.

He observes as she moves from one family to another, saying her goodbyes. He wonders how easily she can put them at ease, comforting them, eliciting laughter or tears as she assures them that help will be coming. She even hugged an old woman who keeps crying because her two sons are still missing.

He's reminded again of another time, and another place when a slip of a 12-year old girl, despite her disability, took it upon herself to bring joy to sick people. He shakes his head to clear his thoughts. Why does she always remind him of Menggay?

"O bakit naging poste ka diyan? Dapat kumaway ka man lang, ala-governor nga diba? Dapat nga kinakamayan mo sila. Ngayon nila kailangang-kailangan ang tulong mo. Diba puwedeng mag-pretend ka man lang?"

"Madali akong kausap. Sinabi mo eh. At hindi ako kailangang magpretend na gusto ko silang tulungan. Ooops, nangako ka, hindi ka aalis diyan."

Maine is surprised that he took her challenge when he went to the same set of families she approached, occasionally leaning over to listen as they talk. He would turn to her with a strange look each time he finished talking to a family. She saw him nodding. Ooops! Nabuko yata ako.

He also hugged the old woman she was talking to earlier. Gaya-gaya, walang originality.

"Let's go, nauna na yata sila." Maine innocently turned her back and started for the exit when RJ grabbed her arm. "O nasasanay ka na, bakit may paghawak naman ng braso ngayon?"

"Tama ba yung dinig ko? Ano sinabi mo sa kanila?"

"Sabi ko, assistant talaga ako ni Governor kaya puwede nilang sabihin sa aking kung ano kailangan nila at ipapadala mo. At kaya ka nagkasugat-sugat eh dahil may niligtas ka kahapon. Satisfied? O diba hero si governor sa tingin nila. Malay ba nila ano hitsura ni Governor."

"Why did you have to tell them that when you know it's not true. What if the real governor comes here?"

"O di doble ang tulong na matatanggap nila. Alden, they're at the lowest point in their lives. Pag-asa na lang ang puwede nilang panghawakan. Huwag kang mag-alala, ako tutupad nang mga pinangako ko sa kanila. Okay na yung kaway mo."