MORE THAN I FEEL INSIDE

XXII

Six months later...

GABRIEL walked slowly, as if he were walking on clouds. He carried two bouquets of white roses.

He was at the Ruby Memorial Park. Nasa bayan iyon ng San Felipe, na ilang bayan ang pagitan sa Castillejos. He had travelled all the way from Castillejos to visit the graves of his loved ones.

He felt a sudden sense of sadness as he got closer to the graves.

Nang marating niya ang mga iyon, saglit na tinitigan niya ang dalawang puntod, kapagkuwan ay inilapag sa ibabaw niyon ang mga bouquet ng bulaklak na dala niya. Nag-alay muna siya ng munting panalangin bago siya sumalampak ng upo sa damuhan.

Napansin niyang marami nang damong tumubo sa kaliwang puntod kaya isa-isa niyang binunot ang mga iyon. When he was finished, he smiled and realized that he had done that for the first time.

"You know what? I should have been angry with both of you but I just can't, lalo na sa 'yo." He faced the grave on the left. "You see? Nagbubunot na ako ng damo ngayon. Tiyak na kung buhay ka lang, pagtatawanan mo ako. I know this is so unlike me." He laughed softly. "This is all your fault. But I want to thank you just the same. When you died, a part of me died, too. I loved you then, but now I'm finally setting you free."

Huminga siya nang malalim. "Nagbago ako mula nang mawala ka. Naging mas mabuting tao na ako ngayon. I've learned so many things. I've learned how to listen, I've learned how to care, I've learned how to worry, how to be sad, how to exist and, most of all, I've learned how to love truly with all that I have." Ngumiti siya. "Thank you for being a part of my life. At 'wag kayong mag-alala, napatawad ko na kayong dalawa." He smiled again. "Good-bye to both of you." May mabining hanging humaplos sa kanyang mukha bago siya tuluyang tumalikod sa mga puntod nina Genevieve at Uncle Antonio.

Muli siyang napangiti. Habang naglalakad siya palabas ng sementeryo, umiihip ang malamig na hangin na tila nagbabadya ng kaginhawahan.

Tumingala siya sa kalangitan. The sky was so clear and blue. He had never seen the sky look as good as this. Maluwag na ang pakiramdam niya dahil sa ginawang pagpapatawad niya sa dating kasintahan at tiyuhin. There was only one reason for that. Everything he had and everything he was right now, he owed it to one person—the one who taught him everything about the word love.

Finally, he could go on with his life. He could now be fully happy for the rest of his life.

Binilisan na niya ang paglakad.

"Gabriel!"

Dagling hinayon niya ng tingin ang tumawag sa kanya. He smiled broadly. Tinakbo na niya ang ilang nalalabing distansiya sa pagitan nila.

Althea was smiling sweetly at him.

Yes, she was alive. And so was their baby. Nalagpasan ng mga ito ang panganib noong nanganak ito. Totoong nagmimilagro ang Diyos.

Kung may salita lamang na hihigit pa sa "love," iyon na marahil ang nararamdaman niya para dito.

Eksaktong pagtapat niya rito, agad na sinaklit niya ito sa baywang at iniangat ito sa lupa. He wanted to hug her all the time. He wanted to be sure that this was not just part of a beautiful dream. He wanted to feel her to know that she was real. That she was really with him.

Tumili ito. "Gab, ano ka ba? Ibaba mo ako. Nakakahiya, baka may makakita sa atin."

"So what? They should be envious because I'm with the most beautiful woman in the world!"

"Gabriel!" She giggled. She eventually stopped complaining. Instead, she buried her face in his neck. "I love you, Gabriel," she whispered.

He grinned and shouted his answer. "I love you, Althea Vasquez! I love you so much!" He slowly released her and searched her face as if he was memorizing every inch of it. Then he slowly kissed her—a kiss that promised a happy life with him. They kissed passionately and thoroughly as if there was no tomorrow.

He slowly ended the kiss and looked straight into her eyes. "I love you. You're a god-send to me. I will never ever let you go. And I promise to protect you. You and our son are the most beautiful things that ever happened to me," maemosyong pahayag niya.

She tiptoed and kissed him. "Speaking of our son, I'm sure he's enjoying his grandfather and grandmother's company."

Tumango siya bilang pagsang-ayon. Kapagkuwan ay inakbayan niya ito at inakay papunta sa sasakyan nila. Nakasandig ang ulo nito sa dibdib niya habang naglalakad sila. Pagdating nila sa kotse nila ay hinawakan niya ito sa mga kamay nito.

"I will give you everything you wish for. I'm not God or a genie but I will give you what you want as long as it's within my power," aniya rito.

"Really?"

"Yes. Do you have any wishes?"

She stared at him with a dreamy look in her eyes.

"Baby, what's your wish?" he asked her again.

"Are you happy?" she asked in return.

"I've never been happier in my life."

She smiled. "Then my wish just came true. Your happiness is the fulfillment of my wish," wika nito. Then she pulled him close and kissed him.

JELAINE ALBERT

•••WAKAS•••