My Goodbye Girl

Chapter 2

Ricky is an art geek. Mahilig siyang mangolekta ng mga paintings. Being a well-known architect, he was a staple to every art exhibit in the Philippines. He's been through every place because of art. Minsan pa nga ay dumadayo pa sya sa ibang bansa para lamang makabili ng magagandang paintings.

"Ricky! I'm glad you made it." Bati sa kanya ng kanyang kaibigan na si Gael. Apo ito ng national artist na si Miguel Masakay. Si Gael ang organizer ng nasabing art exhibit.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world, El. You know how much I love art."

"And I believe I have this painting na magugustuhan mo." Pahayag ni Gael. Matagal na silang magkakilala at alam na nito ang kanyang taste for paintings.

Binagtas nila ang hallway na punong puno ng mga magagandang larawan. Lahat ay maganda. Ricky feasted his eyes to each and every one of them. He views paintings as muses. He treats art as his wife. But there's this one painting that caught his attention. It was a family portrait. May kirot na sumikil sa puso niya, pero hindi niya ininda iyon. Whoever painted this must have a happy family. Muli ay nakaramdam sya ng inggit. Napatigil siya sa tapat ng larawan na iyon. Agad hinanap ng kanyang mata kung ano ang pangalan ng pintor. And there, at the bottom was a fine stroke of hand, a name. December.

"El, I want this."

"Yan nga ang sinasabi ko sayong painting, Ricky. Ang ganda no?" Nakangiting sabi ni Gael sa kanya.

"December. Is this painter a boy or a girl?" He eyed curiously, though he knew by the way that the name was written, December had to be a girl.

"Sorry, pare ayaw nya ipasabi ang gender nya e. The painter's very secretive." Umiiling na sagot ni Gael.

"C'mon, El. I want to meet December."

"Ay naku pare, I know you. Tsaka nagmamadali syang umalis. Sinabihan na lang nya ako na contact-in ko na lang s'ya pag may nakabili na ng painting nya."

"I'll buy this, then." Walang pag-a-alinlangang tugon ni Ricky.

He hung the painting in his room. Ang kanyang silid ay kanyang sanctuary. Maingat sya sa mga inilalagay nya sa kanyang silid, and yet he chose to place the painting there.

"There's something about you December. You hit my soft spot." Wika nya habang isinasabit ang larawan sa dingding ng kanyang silid. Hinaplos niya ang frame ng larawan. He gave it a good look afar, eyeing if the painting was hung as balanced as it could. Nang makontento ay nahiga na sya sa kanyang kama.

"Kung sino man ang gumuhit ng painting na iyon ay napakaswerte." Sabi ni Ricky sa sarili. All his life, he worked so hard to please his father. And it was so hard to keep up to his standards. His Father is Enrico Ambrosio, Sr. THE lawyer. Napakagaling na abogado ng kanyang Papa at ilang malalaking kaso na rin ang naipanalo nito. He gave him his name. Ricky is Enrico Ambrosio, Jr. Ipinagkatiwala ng kanyang Papa ang pangalan nito sa kanya kaya dapat lamang na hindi siya nito biguin.

Sa buong buhay niya, hindi nya naramdaman ang pagmamahal at pagkalinga ng kanyang Papa. Puro ito trabaho. At kung magkikita man sila nito ay puro naman ito pangaral sa kanya. His father is a lonely man. Ang huling beses na nakita nyang ngumiti ito ay noong buhay pa ang kanyang Mama.

The thought of his Mama made him smile. Sa pagkakaalala niya sa kanyang Mama, ito ay napakaganda. Her hair was black, her face was angelic and her hands were so smooth. Palagi siya nitong niyayakap. Hindi siya nakakatulog kung hindi siya kinakantahan nito. His Mama was an opera singer. Mala-anghel ang boses nito. He once found a photograph of his parents when they were not yet married and what he saw was far from his father now. Ang kanyang Mama ay nakangiti sa larawan, a smile he so missed. Samantalang ang kanya namang Papa ay buong pagmamahal na nakatingin sa kanyang Mama. He never saw his father look at anyone that way. Not even to him.

He was five years old when his parents got into a car accident. His father lived, but his mother did not make it. For Ricky, that night took both of his parents. His father has never been the same since then.

Bago pa siya mapaluha ay bumangon na siya. Ipinilig niya ang kanyang ulo upang mapawi ang kanyang mga naiisip na masamang alaala. Alas-otso na pala. Mahuhuli na sya sa kanyang sideline.