Shipwrecked Hearts

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Even though Aurelius and I already confronted each other, there is still this gut feeling inside me which tells me to watch out for whatever he was doing. I tried acting normal whenever he was around and at the same time, I tried to make sure I knew whatever he was doing.

What can it possibly be which he is hiding from me?

Kasalukuyan kaming kumakain ngayon. I decided to cook breakfast for my babies and it so happened that he paid a visit, kaya naman sumabay na rin siya dahil sa aking alok. Mamaya na rin ay papasok na ang mga bata sa paaralan.

"Tito Aurelius, do you like Mum?" We all stopped eating when Maximo finally said a word, breaking the cold silence and tension that lingered in the wind.

Lahat kami ay napatingin sa kanya. He smiled and shrugged, "hindi naman mahirap magustuhan ang mommy ninyo."

How many years has it been since we knew each other? Mas matagal na panahon din ang aming samahan kompara kay Maximo... pero kahit ganoon, mas memorable pa rin ang mga alaala namin ni Maximo. Our voyage was fun and thrilling. On the other hand, my time with Aurelius was peaceful and serene.

"Ano ang nagustuhan ninyo sa kanya, Tito?" This time, Ethereal asked.

My kids are already grown up. I smiled at that thought. I am so glad I raised them to be such good kids. Kung andito sana si Maximo, ano kaya ang mararamdaman niya? Would he also feel proud for I gave birth to such wonderful angels?

"Everything." Aurelius looked at me, kasabay nito ay ang pamumula ng kanyang pisngi. Pagkatapos ay tinuon na niya ang kanyang mga mata sa kanyang plato. Malinaw na umiwas na siya sa aking mga tingin.

"Mum, do you like Tito Aurelius?" Alexander asked out of the blue.

Natigilan naman ako sa aking kinakain. Do I like him? Now that I think of it, I never thought of it. I may have considered it before, but I never actually took that consideration seriously. Ngayong tinatanong na ako, wala akong masabi. I was stuck in my thought.

"I like him, but not in a romantic way." Ngumiti ako. "I like Aurelius because he's been here during my darkest hours. Without him, we wouldn't have secured a future for ourselves."

I looked at Aurelius. Hindi ko mabasa ang kanyang ekspresyon, kaya naman wala sa sarili kong ginamit ang aking pang-amoy para malaman kung ano ang nasa isip niya. Instead, I got a sniff of his emotions—sadness, happiness, longingness, wonder, and a hideous secret. His emotion was a whirlpool of things. It was hard to understand.

"Mum, kung saan ka masaya, doon kami." Life smiled at me, as if encouraging me. "May nabasa kaming quote, ang sabi—when you want something, the universe conspires to give it to you."

Nangilid ng luha sa aking mga mata. "I love you, my angels."

"We love you too, Mum!" They said in unison.

~~~

When I was finished doing my job at my office, lumabas na ako para magpahangin. My employees greeted me and bowed their heads whenever they see my shadow. Mataas din ang tingin sa akin ng mga tao dahil binigyan ko sila ng pangkabuhayan. Well, this wouldn't have come to fulfillment if it wasn't for Aurelius.

Speaking of Aurelius, iniisip ko pa rin ang mga sinabi ni Stark. Hindi ko alam bakit masyado akong naapektuhan. Ano ba ang tinatago niya sa akin?

Well, there is only a way to find out what he is hiding from me—find it yourself.

Kaya naman napagdesisyunan ko na bantayan ang bawat galaw ni Aurelius. I've asked one of my few trusted men to keep an eye on him and report to me whenever Aurelius makes any weird move.

My phone rang. I fished for it in my pocket and answered the call.

"Hello, Ma'am."

"Yes?"

"Si Sir Aurelius po, lumabas. Nailagay ko po ang tracker na binigay ninyo sa kanyang damit nang nag-usap kami kanina." Saad ng lalake sa akin.

"Salamat, Manong. Ibibigay ko po sa inyo mamaya ang inyong bonus."

"Wah, maraming salamat, Ma'am!"

And with that, the call was dropped. Agad akong dumiretso sa GPS tracker ng aking telepono kung saan may pulang tuldok ang nagpakita sa mapa. It was moving, a clear indication that Aurelius was going somewhere.

Kung saan man siya pupunta, amoy na ng aking ilong na magugulat ako.

I took my car key and hopped into a ride. Sinundan ko kung saan man tumutungo ang tuldok sa mapa. Isang oras matapos iyon at nasa lugar na ako kung saan mismo nagtungo si Aurelius.

Tiningnan kong maigi ang paligid. I don't see him anywhere. Kaya naman pinikit ko ang aking mga mata. I used my smell to track where he was, I caught a faint scent of Aurelius and of a familiar one, it was inside the restaurant across the street.

I parked my car and wore my mask, para hindi agad ako mahalata.

I followed the scent. Habang palapit ako ay mas lalong lumalakas ang amoy niya. But there is something that is bugging me, this familiar scent—it smelled like the ocean, it was calming and soothing. It also smelled like vanilla, mint, and something great and ineffable. Only one person can have this kind of smell.

Bumilis ang pintig ng aking puso. Tila nanghina ang aking mga tuhod habang ako ay humahakbang palapit sa restaurant.

Are my senses playing tricks on me again?

Humugot ako ng malalim na hininga at pumasok na sa restaurant. I scanned the entire place. Walang masyadong mga tao, siguro dahil maaga pa.

Pinasadahan ko ng tingin ang paligid. May isang waitress naman ang lumapit sa akin, "may reservations po ba kayo, Ma'am?"

Umiling ako. "I'm looking for someone who just came."

"Ah, si Sir Aurelius po ba?"

I nodded. "Nasa dulong parte po sila." Sabay turo sa parte kung nasaan siya.

"Thank you." I smiled at the waitress, even though that was futile since I wore a mask. Naglakad na ako papunta sa dako kung nasaan man siya. Hindi ko alam pero tila mabibigat ang bawat hakbang ko palapit doon. My heart was in a disarray, I knew whatever Aurelius was hiding, I'd be able to uncover it now.

Muli kong naamoy ang pamilyar na amoy na iyon. I cannot be mistaken, it is Maximo's. Bakit ko siya naaamoy?

Every human has a unique smell... and of all the smell I've had, his was my favorite.

Habang palapit ako sa dulo, nakita ko ang isang pamilyar na likod ng lalake. Nakaupo siya sa isang wheelchair, sa tabi nito ay isang babae naman—si Saavedra. Sa harap naman nila ay si Aurelius na tila nagkukwento. Hindi pa nila napansin ang aking presensiya, but when I was already a few blocks away, tumingin sa akin si Aurelius.

Kasabay nito ay ang pagtanggal ko sa maskara na aking suot. Nanlaki ang kanyang mga mata. His jaw dropped.

Tila nagtaka naman ang lalakeng nasa harap niya at si Saavedra na nakatalikod sa akin dahil sa naging reaksyon ni Aurelius. Sabay din silang tumingin sa aking gawi. Saavedra's eyes widened, she looked shocked... my eyes went to the guy beside her.

I blinked several times and rubbed my eyes, as if I was only seeing a phantom of his face. But it was vivid and clear. It's him.

Tears started to roll out of my eyes and cascade my cheeks. Nanghina ang aking mga tuhod kaya naman napahawak ako sa tabing mesa upang suporta. Nakatitig pa rin ako ngayon sa kanya. Katulad ko, halata rin ang pagkagulat sa kanyang mga mata.

"Y-You're alive..." Nanginginig na sabi ko. Hindi ko alam kung ano ba ang dapat kong maramdaman sa mga oras na ito... if he was alive, why? Bakit hindi siya nagpakita o nagparamdam sa akin? Naguguluhan ako... pero kahit ganoon, nangibabaw pa rin ang saya sa aking puso, he's right in front of my eyes, the man I loved all these years, the man who brought me to a world I never thought would be possible, "Maximo..."