Forever Agape [FS#1]

LAST OF AGAPE

First Half of the Last Chapter

"I'll decide on that..." Dad looked at me as if what I said was the most illogical utterance he ever heard in his whole lifetime. "If there is one person to declare the end of this, it'll be me. Hindi po kayo, hindi rin si Hell. Dahil hindi po kayo ang nakakaramdam, ako. Ako lang,"

My mother looked worn out, it's evident that she is already drained playing the role of the referee. "I'm going back to my room..." I saw how she slowly nodded as she turned to my father.

"Go now, this is tiring..." Dad turned his back on me as he massage his temple, Mom just let him be but from the corner of my eyes, it was clear that she's watching Daddy. "Anak, when will you accept the naked truth? Kung ano man ang mayroon kayo, pagkakaibigan, hanggang doon na lang."

"Hindi po ako naniniwala," Mahina kong sabi at dahan-dahang umiling. Sa kalagitnaan ng nararamdamang lumbay, kusa pang tumaas ang dalawang gilid ng aking labi, sumilya na ang munting ngiti. Ang ngiting hindi mawari kung masaya, o malungkot. Kung pagod na, o lalaban pa.

"Paanong hindi? Sobrang linaw na!" Malinaw na natapos na ang usapan o kasunduan nila, ngunit paano ang nararamdaman ko para sa kanya? Isa ba iyong lohiko na hindi ko alam? Na kapag natapos na sa isang tao'y dapat ay matapos na rin para sa isa?

"Hindi pa rin po ako naniniwala," Pagbibigay linaw ko. Natapos sila ng mga Laurette, ako ay hindi... Hindi pa.

"Atlas, Hurricane!" Sigaw ng aking ina, hindi na rin kinakaya ang nangyayari. "I'm tired of you two! If you two don't want to stop, then just continue fighting until your throat hurts of shouting at each other!" Parehas kaming natahimik nang dumagundong ang boses ni Mommy sa buong silid.

"Huwebes na bukas, biyernes at sa sabado'y pasko na!" Hinagilap niya ang aking pulsuan at hinila ako palapit sa kanya. Tumingin siya sa aking ama, tila nagbabanta. "Just please, let this go for awhile. Forget about them for the mean time, kayong dalawa lang ng anak mo ang unti-unting nasisira." Napakagat ako sa aking pang-ibabang labi at marahan kong tinanggal ang kapit sa akin ni Mommy.

"Babalik na po ako sa kwarto ko," Paalam ko sa kanila. I turned my back as I walked away from them, to consider Mommy, but before I could even grasp the doorknob, I heard their almost-whisper conversation.

"When will she accept this? If our daughter always refuses to believe the mere fact that the arrangement already ended, I'm afraid I might..." He stopped midway.

"She'll come to that point too, Atlas. Parang hindi mo naman kilala ang anak natin," Wika naman ng aking ina. "Believe in her, she can get over it too. Our child will come to that point too." And so with that, without any thoughts of running away again, I close the door.

I went back to my room and walked straight to my walk-in closet. From the bag where he place some of my valuable things, I took my phone out. I saw three missed calls from Hell and one message. I bit my lower lip as I lean on the cabinet door.

From: Hell Laurette

Are you sleeping? Sleep well, then.

That was sent an hour ago. After reading it, I immediately composed a message.

To: Hell Laurette

I just overslept. Kumusta diyan?

Hell replied just a minute after I hit the send button. That's fast, is he a fast-replier or was he just waiting for my response? I shook my head with that thought, maybe he's all bored and he's just on his phone.

From: Hell Laurette

Ayos lang ako, ikaw? Napagalitan ka ba? I'm here in the garden, with my macchiato. How I wish I can make you one because I already missed making your coffee.