His Other Side (on hold)

30

30 : Payback

NANG magpaalam na ang Carter family, doon pa lang kami nagkaoras kasama si Mommy. The three of us finished the other tub of ice cream over a movie and random chit-chat.

At nang 'yung credits na ang pinakita, si Theo na ang nagpatay ng TV at naunang nagpaalam na aakyat na sa kwarto. Habang si Mommy naman ay hinatid ako sa kwarto ko. She stayed there as I went to the bathroom to clean and brush my teeth. At nang makalabas nga ako'y naligpit na iyong mga gamit kong nakakalat. Si Mommy ay naroon na sa kama't inaayos ang tutulugan ko.

"Mom," pukaw ko sa atensyon niya. "Nagligpit ka pa po. Ako na lang po dapat."

Ngumiti siya sa akin. "It's okay. I've missed doing this."

"Thank you," tanging nasambit ko na lang saka lumapit sa kanya at hinagkan ang kanyang pisngi. Pagkatapos ay umupo sa tabi niya sa kama.

"How are you, Reese?" biglang tanong ni Mommy matapos ang ilang segundong katahimikan. "School is okay?"

Tumango naman ako. "It is. As usual, nahihirapan pa rin po ako sa Math. But Dale volunteered to tutor me."

"Really?" umangat ang isang kilay ni Mommy. "That's so kind of him. At napansin ko, hindi na kayo ganoong nag-aaway. You guys decided to be friends again?"

Napakagat ako ng labi. It's actually more than friends, Mom, sagot ko sa isipan.

But that was something I can't let Mommy know. At least, for now.

"Something like that," iyon na lamang ang nasabi ko. "But he still annoys me sometimes po."

"Well, that's like boys' second nature, ang mang-inis. But all is good if isn't offensive naman."

Nag-usap pa kami ng mga ibang bagay hanggang sa nabanggit niya iyong tungkol sa panaginip ko.

"I'm really glad and relieved you've stopped having those bad dreams," sabi niya habang sinusuklay ang buhok ko gamit ang mga daliri niya.

Tumango lang ako.

"But know what, it's still a mystery to me kung paano nahinto ang panaginip mo ng ganoon," sabi ulit ni Mommy.

I swallowed hard. Mom couldn't know about Dale.

"Maybe the fact that he's dead did help me a lot," sagot ko at pilit ding itinaboy ang alaala tungkol sa kanya.

Mom smiled at me with her lips tightly closed. He has never been a typical topic. Madalas ay iniiwasan na mapag-usapan ang tungkol sa kanya—ang rason kung bakit ganoon ang mga panaginip ko. Mom knew same with Theo how hard it was for me, my childhood and the things—awful things—I've experienced.

Pero, totoo ang sinabi ko kanina, malaking bagay nung nalaman kong namatay na siya para kahit papaano'y magkaroon ako ng kapayapaan. Knowing that he couldn't come back and do the things that he did to me really gave me peace.

Mom didn't comment to what I've said anymore. Instead, she stood up and I knew she was about to rest. We were calling this a night.

"Are you sure you don't want me to accompany you for the night?" tanong ni Mommy.

I shook my head no. "I can manage, Mom."

She pouted and I laughed. "Sige ka baka mawala din ako ng ilang weeks. Pagkakataon mo na ito para makasama ako," pilit niya.

"And what? To hear your loud snore? No way!" I joked.

She rolled her eyes at me. "Whatever. Night, Reese," sabi niya.