Begin Again

Challenge # 03

In shock 

CLPH is huge. This is my first time here and I should be happy and excited – parang si Cindy na nakalabas pa ang ulo sa bintana ng kotse, para siyang aso – but I couldn't get myself to enjoy this trip. Si Red ang naghatid sa amin. Si Daddy ay naiwan sa bahay kasama sina Alonso at Tita Yella. Si Crimson ay nasa bahay nina Papay Azul. Everything is well-planned, hindi lang nakasama sa well-planned plan na iyon ang pagkakakita ko sa Bubut na iyon.

Oh, it hurt so bad.

"Kanina ka pa tahimik, Samsam, are you alright?" tanong ni Mommy sa akin. I shrugged. Hinawakan niya ang noo ko. "Hindi ka naman nilalagnat. How do you feel, anak?"

"Wala, Mom, I'm just tired."

"Bakit, Ate, ano ba'ng ginagawa mo sa gabi? Palagi kang pagod. Ako, nag-aaral akong Mabuti," sumabat na naman si Cindy sa usapan namin ni Mommy.

I just stared at her. Mommy caressed my forehead again. Tinititigan niya akong maigi. I hope she doesn't notice my swollen eyes.

"Puyat na puyat ka, Samsam. Tell me what's wrong?" she asked again.

Belle and Aurora were looking at me. Hindi na ako nagsalita. I don't wanna bore them with details. I shook my head.

"I just finished reading a colleague's paper, Mom. It took me all night kaya ganito iyong mata ko and I'm just really sleepy," sabi ko na lang.

Mom bought it. Belle smiled at me. Maybe she knew that I was lying but I don't really care. Kapag sinabi ko naman kasi ang nangyari sa coffee shop, baka mamaya, hindi na naman sila tumigil sa pag-uusap tungkol kay Bubut and at this point, I'm just tired.

Aurora and Belle talked about their babies. Mas matanda ng two years si Alonso kay Crimson and they are comparing notes. Whenever I hear Red talk about his baby, para bang si Iron Man ang pinag-uusapan nila. Dondon, however, always talks about how handsome his children are. Hindi naman na bago iyon.

Red parked the car in front of a cabin. Napakaganda niyon. I guess it was designed to looked like a cabin in the middle of the woods. May porch area at doon ay mayroong dalawang wood chairs. I smiled. I could see Red and Aurora sitting there, growing old and gray together. Bagay na bagay.

"Ate, okay ka talaga?" Belle was the one who asked me.

"Yeah. I'm good. Bakit?"

"Wala . . . I mean . . . expert ako sa tahimik na pag-iyak, you know, keeping it all inside . . . it's just that if you're in pain, know that I'm here for you, just like how you stayed with me before . . ." Pinisil ni Belle ang kamay ko.

Niyakap ko siya. My sister had been through a lot and she managed to come back through all that kaya kung kaya ni Belle na maging malakas, alam kong kakayanin ko rin.

"You're a strong girl, Belle and I am always proud of you."

"Thank you, Ate. Malaki ang naitulong sa akin ni Eli saka siyempre ng family natin. Sana, Ate, makahanap ka na ulit ng katulad ni Eli."

Not much of a katulad ni Eli. Ayoko kasi kay Eli ay iyong parang sobrang hilong talilong niya kapag nasa palagid si Daddy. Para bang hindi siya mapakali.

I sighed. Magkasabay kami ni Belle na pumasok sa loob. This is a huge house. I saw Cindy sitting on the big couch, already watching a Netflix series, si Mommy ay nagdiretso sa kitchen. May dalawang helpers na roon. Red was talking to them, siguro ay nagbibilin.

"I call dibs on the biggest room!" sigaw ni Cindy.

Napailing na lang ako. I chose the first room near the staircase. Hindi ganoon kalaki pero maganda ang view. I can see the other cabins from here. Sobrang prominent noong cabin na red and black iyong kulay. Iyon lang kasi ang naiiba ang hitsura sa lahat. I love the view. I can also see the three towers of the main building – Red said that it represents his grandfather's – Sancho, Lukas, and Adam Consunji.