One Promise (Celestial Series #1)

Promise 6

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Chapter 6

My sweet Naomi,

Happy 18th birthday, my little one! Kumusta ka na, Anak? I'm sure ngayon, ang laki-laki mo na! You're a young lady now! I presume, you're probably in your last year of senior high. But I can still vividly imagine na mahilig ka pa ring magbasa ng pocketbooks, o sumulat ng poems o kaya ng kanta, o gumawa ng design regarding interior designing . . . tulad ng paborito mong hobby noon. Have you tried other sports? I know you're curious to some sports way back, and there are certain sports na gusto mong subukan . . . or perhaps you've moved on from your passion? Have you fallen in love, Anak? Naku, surely, marami ka nang manliligaw niyan! I know deep down that you would've grown into a strong independent lady. But I suggest, as of now, huwag munang mag-boyfriend, a! Not until you're in your in college years. I'm sorry, I can't be there to give you advice about that from now on, but I'm sure, na kung sino man ang piliin mo, he'd be a wonderful person. That he'll love you, cherish you, and protect you just like how I love you, my little one. That you'll both grow together to God, and your future offsprings.

How's your dad? Is he still the same? Throughout the years, I've always pray for him to change too, Anak. I hope he hasn't hurt you as the years passed by. Alagaan mo ang Daddy mo, ha! Love him and his imperfections, Naomi. Kasi kahit baliktarin mo ang mundo, he's still your dad, and nothing . . . as in nothing . . . will ever come close to his heart except you.

I love you, my sweet Naomi. I'm sorry I left you a burden that wasn't suppose to be carried alone.

Paalam,

Mommy.

I wiped away my tears as I reread Mom's 7th letter for me this year. This is what I occasionally do everytime nami-miss ko si Mommy.

I still hated her for her selfish acts, but despite the hate, my longing for her has overpowered my hatred.

Pagkatapos kong mabasa yung huling letter ni Mommy noong namatay siya, agad akong tumayo at hinalungkat ang cabinet ko para makita ang mga tinutukoy ni Mommy sa sulat.

I was surprised when I saw a big box hidden in the furthest corner of the cabinet. Sobrang tago niya to the point na hindi mo mapapansin na isang box pala iyon kung hindi mo hahalungkatin mabuti yung cabinet.

Hinatak ko palabas yung box. Sumabog ang laman niyon dahil nasira ang box pagkahatak ko. I was surprised to see so many white envelopes scattered on the floor. May big brown envelopes, too.

Kinuha ko ang isang puting envelope na kumalat malapit sa akin.

In the envelope, may date na nakasulat sa labas. Inikot ko ang sobre at masuring tiningnan iyon.

The date is set on my birthday but on a different year. I looked at the other envelopes and pare-parehas nakasulat sa labas na may iba't ibang taon, and sa rami nito, siguro aabutin na ako ng thirty or fifty years old kung naka-set to every birthday ko.

Did Mom wrote this all? When did she had the time to write letters? Akala ko, she's too busy from work and house duties that she couldn't even help me with my homeworks anymore. Did she forecasted all of this? Matagal na ba akong gustong iwan ni Mommy?

My tears started falling again. Ang sakit-sakit makita si Mommy sa loob ng kabaong na iyon. Mommy was my safe haven. She was my protector, but she didn't love me enough to persevere this lifetime. Mom didn't trust God that much. She left me while I was eleven. I was struggling that time too, but she didn't care.

Since then, every birthday ko binabasa ko yung letter na ginawa ni Mommy for me on that year. Halos same contents, but highlighted doon ang paulit-ulit na paalala ni Mommy about kay Daddy. Maraming letters iyon. Since I was twelve years old, and now I'm eighteen, and up until my future years, for sure aabot ang sulat ni Mommy.