Forlorner: Fill The Space #Wattys2019

Chapter 3

Ikatlong Kabanata

Sandalwood

"Maeve, if a man has crew haircut, dump him immediately!" Juli frantically exclaimed.

"Shut your mouth, Julianna." I replied.

Lumipad ang dalawang palad niya sa magkabilang gilid ng kaniyang ulo. Tila hindi niya alam ang gagawin. I breathed. Here goes overreacting Julianna again.

"Maeve, trust me! I have more experience than you got." She insisted.

"I am not dating a crew haircut man, Juli! Calm down!" Giit ko pabalik.

Nasa van na kami at papunta na sa Saint Augustine Metropolitan Church. We still have half of the day to seize before we go back to our job and write reports from the trip.

Hindi mapalagay si Julianna sa tabi ko nang magkuwento ako tungkol sa lalakeng nakita ko sa loob ng museum. I didn't even get to ask for his name! Sakit ang hatid niya sa ulo ko! Hindi ko pa nga siya kilala ay pinasasakit na niya ang ulo namin ng kaibigan ko.

"Good, I don't want you crying over soldiers who can't go home because of a war, Maeve." She muttered under her breath.

"I heard that." Sagot ko. "And I'll pretend that I didn't."

"Well, thank you, Miss Maeve." She sarcastically said.

"Julianna," I called. "Why don't you tell me how this crew hair cut man gets under your skin?" I tried to somewhat forced her into telling her story.

Akala ko ay hindi na niya ako sasagutin nang marinig ko ang buntong-hininga niya. "We really tried to work things out between us, Maeve." Regret is evident in her voice. "He tried to go home at least once a month. I tried seizing our time together. We gave into each other's queries so we can be satisfied with each other..."

Nakagat ko ang ibabang labi ko at nilingon siya. She looked away, facing the car's window. "We just didn't work, Maeve. A soldier and a flight attendant."

I slowly nodded, understanding what she is trying to say. "Okay," I whispered. "I got it, Juli. Thanks."

She smiled. "I'm sure you won't see each other again."

I know, Juli. I wanted to say.

Malabo talaga na magkita pa ulit kami ng lalakeng sundalo na iyon. We are in Cagayan de Oro. Napadpad ako rito dahil sa trabaho ko. I am living in Manila, while that man... I don't know.

Maybe today is just a coincidence. Maybe what happened today is a His way of telling me that I can never dislike a man for eternity. Not all men are the same, who will cheat on their woman.

Mabilis na nagbabaan ang mga kasamahan naming sa sasakyan nang makaparada ito sa tapat ng simbahan. Marami kaming kasabayan sa pagsimba ngayong hapon. There are family, couples, and singles who attend the church today.

Lumapit sa amin si Ryle na galing sa loob ng simbahan. Mukhang inalam niya ang oras ng misa rito.

"The mass started half an hour ago. Two, forty-five is the next mass." He informed us.

"I'm starving. Let's eat, Sir!" Pagyaya ni Wesley.

Sa kagustuhan ng lahat ay naghanap muna kami ng puwedeng pagkainan malapit sa simbahan. May mga nadaanan kaming nagtitinda ng mga souvenirs at mga holy objects sa labas ng Saint Augustine. There are even small children running around, their parents are just behind them.

The Metropolitan Cathedral looks like it was gothic-inspired and was designed long time ago, even before Cagayan de Oro's city name was formed. The way it looks from the outside makes me want to go and look inside. Sa tayog ng simbahan ay hindi maipagkakaila ang laki at lawak nito sa loob.