Eurydice Mariano
I was busy staring at my phone's wallpaper. It's a picture of me, Babe and Orpheus. Kuha ito noong pauwi na kami mula sa camping namin. Babe and I were smiling but Orpheus wasn't. She looked troubled after she took the call. Gusto ko sana siyang tanungin tungkol doon but I chose not to, naisip kong baka family problem.
"Looking good today," Circe complemented. Tinago ko muna ang phone sa bulsa ko. "Anyway, it's ready for testing."
"Okay." tumayo na ako at isinuot ang lab coat ko. We're making a cure for a deadly poison. Ilang taon ko na itong pinag-aaralan pero hindi lang makumpleto dahil hindi nagma-match ang mga compounds na hinahanap ko. "Let's go."
Laglag ang mga balikat ko habang pinapanuod ang sample na unti-unting nawawalan ng buhay. I turned around and walked back to my office. It pains me to watch someone die.
"I'm sorry, Yuri..." I just nodded at Penelope. She and Circe are my partners in this project. We've been working for years but it always fail. And it's frustrating me so damn much. "We'll definitely try again."
I massaged my temple. "It will fail again unless we find the first sample. Have you contacted Caribbean Valiente? I need to talk to her."
"She's on vacation according to her secretary." She stayed for a couple of minutes be for she left me. Kailangan pa daw niyang mag-formulate ng panibagong solution.
I decided to go back at Calle Dyosa. I need to check on something at baka may nakaligtaan akong tingnan. I have to be sure or else, failure na naman ang kalalabasan.
"Oh, kailan ka nakabalik?"
I shortly raised my head towards Arriv. Kakapasok pa lang niya. "Kanina lang. You look chaotic."
"Do I?" I slightly shrugged my shoulder. I'm not in the mood to interview her about her whereabouts last night. "Serrin got turned on yesterday. Na turn on ang gaga when I defended her."
"I see."
Lumapit siya sa kinauupan ko at dumukwang, "still looking for it? Why don't you just go there and find it."
I shook my head. I will never set foot on that island again. Isipin ko pa lang ay bumabalik ang lahat ng alaala nang araw na 'yon. And it still haunts me in my sleep. "I've heard you tick the hell out of Alaska. Nagpapansin ka ba sa kaniya?" As much as possible, I don't want to talk about it. Kaya, kahit maaari ay iibahin ko ang usapan.
"Am I that obvious?" I shrugged again. Kung anong gusto niya, bahala siya. I don't meddle with other people's affair. "I used to have a crush on her, kaso torpe lang. You know that I prefer aggressive girls."
I just nodded my head as a reply. Nagpaalam muna siya sandali para maligo. I was about to flip another page when something fell. Kinuha ko ito at pinakatitigan ng mabuti.
I traced her face with my index finger. It's been a long time. I inhaled deeply and stood. Bibisitahin ko siya.
Nakita ko si Louisse na karga-karga ang anak nila ni Nemo. I greeted her. "Is Nemo around?" kinuha ko sa kaniya si Dory and kissef her cheek.
"Oo, nasa mauseleo siya. Tara, pasok." sumunod ako sa kaniya habang buhat si Dory. She's getting heavier. "Alam mo naman, nami-miss niya lagi si Emang. Kanina nga, bumisita si Miah kasama ang kambal."
"Hindi sumama si Nike?"
Umiling siya, "pinagpahinga ng doktor dahil maselan daw pagbubuntis niya. Siyanga pala, buti at napadalaw ka dito."
"Hindi ako nakadalaw last death anniversary niya. Baka magtampo na siya sa akin." We both chuckled. We continued walking towards the backyard. "I got so busy na so I decided to drop by."
