Our Promised Land (The Valdirrama's Series #1)

Chapter 30.

Light

If the sun doesn't seem to shine, find your own light that will make your darkest side bright. Hindi palaging magliliwanag ang araw, hindi palagi na siya ang magbibigay ng liwanag. Sometimes, the brightest light that could lighten up someone's life is being with their one true love. No matter how dark your life is, no matter how hard your life is, when you're with the one you love, life becomes brighter.

Wala namang perpekto, eh. Kahit tao na may isip hindi pwedeng maging perpekto. And that imperfections makes our lives more beautiful and more challenging, really!

If I were given a chance to live my life again in the past and change it, I will never change anything. Everything that happened from the past is a beautiful part of me. Yes, sometimes I failed, but that failures makes me a better person now. Lahat nang nangayari sa aking nakaraan ang dahilan kung bakit mas lalo akong lumakas at naging matapang upang kayaning harapin ang bawat pagsubok sa buhay. At kahit ano pa man ang pagsubok na dumating, i'll make sure I will never be defeated. I know, I won't be defeated because Ien is always there for me.

"I'm so sorry for hurting her, years ago, tito. I'm sorry if I'd let her go, living alone with our son." he spoke in front of my dad's tombstone.

Hinaplos ko ang kaniyang bisig dahilan upang sumulyap siya sa akin. He smiled and kissed me on my forehead. Kinausap niya si daddy na parang buhay siya, na parang nandito siya. He's sorry for everything that happened, but I know he's already forgiven by my father.

Dumilim ang kalangitan at lumakas ang ihip ng hangin, kasunod ay ang lakas ng tunog ng isang kulog. Napasulyap sakin si Ien.

"He's not mad, right? Pinatawad naman na niya ako hindi ba?" he talked like a baby. Kinurot ko ang pisngi niya at hinalikan siya.

"Hindi, mahal ko. It was just a sign na pinapatawad ka na niya." I assured him.

"You're right, my queen. And obviously, it's going to rain. And that means, he's giving me his blessing."

Nagsalubong ang dalawang kilay ko.

"W-what do you mean-"

He then kneeled in front of me slowly.
May kinuha siya sa kaniyang bulsa at tsaka unti-unting inilahad sa aking harapan ang isang maliit na box. It's a small royal blue box with a small ribbon.

Napatakip ako sa aking bibig at tsaka nag-init ang mga mata.

"If I had done this when your father was still alive, siguradong sobrang saya n'ya. Hindi naman sa pagmamayabang, pero gustong gusto n'ya ako para sa'yo." humalakhak siya ng mahina.

Yes, I know. He's really fond of you, and it's obvious that you got him.

Ibinababa ko mula sa aking bibig patungo sa aking dibdib ang mga nanginginig na kamay. I don't expect this day to come. Yes, I wanted to marry him, pero hindi ko akalaing dito, sa harapan ng daddy 'ko.

"Tito, I know you can here me. You probably watching us right now. Kasama si tita at ang mga magulang ko. Gusto ko lang malaman n'yo na sobrang saya ko na binigay n'yo sakin ang babaeng 'to. Ang babaeng bumuo sa buhay ko..." marami pa syang sinabi. Para nanga siyang nag speech, eh.

And while saying those words, sa'kin lamang nakatitig ang kaniyang mapupungay na mga mata. Titig na titig lamang siya sa akin hanggang sa matapos siya.

"..kaya ngayon, hayaan n'yo akong alagaan at ingatan ang babaeng 'to." he opened the box slowly and a diamond ring was showed up.

Wala akong masabi. I was too speechless, pumatak na rin ang luha ng saya mula sa aking mga mata. Kung hindi lamang dahil sa napaka lambing niyang mga sinabi, mananatili pa rin akong tulala sa aking pwesto.