Ideal Love

Chapter XVIII

Nasa SLEX na siya by 12:00 noon. Sa mga drive thru na lang siya bibili ng makakain. Gustong gusto niya paliparin ang sasakyan para makarating agad sa bahay ni Kristoff. Kaya lang, hindi naman siya wreckless driver. Hintayin mo ako Kristoff, nausal niya.  

Alas-kwatro ng hapon ng makarating siya sa ibinigay sa kaniyang address ng parents ni Kristoff. Sabi ng mga ito, may malaki daw pine tree sa bakuran ng bahay. Pero nakalock ang gate. Paano kaya siya makakapasok.

Magdo-doorbell sana siya ng biglang bumukas ang gate. Isang matandang lalaki ang nakita niya.

“Good afternoon po, dito po ba nakatira si Kristoff?” bating tanong niya. Kumunot ang mukha ng matanda na wari’y nag-iisip habang titig na titig sa kaniya.

“Parang nakita na kita hIja, si sir Arhel ba ang tinutukoy mo?”

“Opo, kayo po ba si Mang Samuel?”

“Ako nga hija. Naku, siguro ikaw si Aiah. Tama, nakita na nga kita.  Andiyan siya sa loob. Tamang tama at pauwi na ako, ikaw na ang bahala kay sir,” nakangiting sagot ng matanda.

“Saan nyo po ako nakita?”

“Pumasok ka sa loob at malalaman mo, sige na hija at baka gabihin ako. Eto pala ang susi ng maindoor.” Iniabot sa kaniya ng matanda ang susi.

“Thank you po Mang Samuel.,” umalis na ang matanda kaya pumasok na siya sa gate. Namangha siya habang pinagmamasdan niya ang labas ng bahay. Hindi kasi ito nakikita sa labas ng gate dahil sa taas ng bakod at sa dami ng mga punong kahoy na nakapalibot dito. It is a two-storey house with edges. Newly painted ito ng beige at ang mga edges ay chocolate brown. Malalaki rin ang tinted glass sliding windows at door sa may veranda.

Pagkatapos ilibot ang mga mata ay binuksan niya ang maindoor. She was surprised to see her pictures sa sala ng bahay nito. From her infancy up to her college graduation ay my picture siya doon. Nakaframe din sa sala ang picture nila ng new year’s eve, ang last picture nila together. Nakacharcoal ito in painting size. Pinagmasdan niyang manuti ang larawan. Kuhang kuha nito ang detalye ng picture nila. She knows dahil iyon ang picture nilang araw araw niya yatang tinitingnan at ilang beses ng kumupas kaya nakailang reprint na rin siya noon.

“Kristoff,” she decided to call him. No answer. Umakyat siya sa second floor. The house has three bedrooms. Nasaan kaya si Arhel. Kumatok siya sa master’s bedroom bago ipinihit ang seradura. Then she saw him lying and sleeping soundly on his bed. Malago na ang balbas at bigote nito. Mukhang hindi na talaga ito nag-ayos ng sarili since then.

Maraming bote ng beer ang nasa paligid ng kwarto. Napailing siya. He should have not done that. Ang laki ng ipinayat ng katawan nito.  Nilapitan niya ito and started to trace his face with her fingers. Then gently, she kissed him in the cheek. She misses this man so much. Dahan-dahan siyang lumabas ng kwarto at dumiretso sa kusina. Binuksan niya ang ref at naghanap ng maaring lutuin. Habang hinihintay maluto ang pagkain, she started to clean the house. Binuksan rin niya ang radyo nito. She was humming while sweeping the floor and checking on their food.

Its always been a mystery to me,

How two hearts can come together,

And love can last forever.

But now that I have found you I believe,

That a miracle has come when God sends the perfect one.

So gone are all my questions about why,

And i've never been so sure of anything in my life

Oh I wonder what God was thinking,when He created you.

I wonder if He knew everything I would need,

Because he made all my dreams come true.

When God made you, He must have been thinking about me.

I promise that wherever you may go, wherever life may lead you,

With all my heart I'll be there too.

And from this moment on I want you to know,

I'll let nothing come between us, and I will love the ones you love.

So gone are all my questions about why

“Aiah,” she stood stunned in silence. Bigla siyang niyakap nito ng nakatalikod.  Automatic na naman ang luha niya. Humarap siya rito and hugged him back.

“I miss you so much,” he cried. His hug is telling him he would no longer let her go. It was so tight. He cupped her face, dried her tears and kissed her gently then hugger her again.

“Miss na miss na din kita. Ano ba kasing ginagawa mo sa sarili mo?” with her words para itong napasong binitiwan siya.

“Ano palang ginagawa mo dito? Paano mo nalaman kung nasaan ako?” lumayo ito sa kaniya.

“Your mom called me. Sinabi nila sa akin ng daddy mo what happened to you,”

“You’re here because of them?” there’s sadness in his voice. Umiling siya and looked straight in his eyes.

“No, but they did tell me to see you and teach me how to go here,”

“You’re here because of guilt?” he said in his low voice. Lalong lumamlam ang  mga mata nito, pitying himself even more.

“Hindi rin. Andito ako ngayon dahil ‘yon ang gusto kong gawin. Actually hindi ako ang nagdesisyong pumunta rito. But my heart did,”

“Your heart did?” he clarified.

“Yup. It’s as if it has a life and a brain of its own. I need to see you because I can no longer breathe easily knowing the other half of me is here, with you,”

“You cannot use your words just to make me feel okay Anaiah. I know your mad and I truly deserve that because of the things that I’d caused you,”

“Lying was never my expertise Kristoff. I am telling the truth,”

“You care for me?”

“I do,”

“It’s not just mere pity or even guilt?”

“No, I’m here because you’re here. And I think I belong here.” Mabilis siyang niyakap nilapitan nito at niyakap muli ng mahigpit. Matagal. Trying to get back all the times that he had lost.

“Sorry, kung maliligo ako ng fifteen minutes paglabas ko andito ka pa di ba? Mag-uusap tayo, hintayin mo ako ha?” para na naman itong bata as he held her hands.