_______________________
《Past Life》
November 1997
Wednesday | 4:55pm
________________________
Ilang linggo na ang lumipas simula nang malaman ni Lorenzo ang sakit ni Annys.
At sa loob ng mga linggong iyon, everything changed.
Mas naging maingat siya. Mas naging present. Halos araw-araw na siyang nasa tabi ni Annys, hatid, sundo, bantay. As if staying close could somehow protect her from something he couldn't fight.
Tulad ngayon.
"Sigurado ka bang kaya mo?" tanong ni Lorenzo, his voice laced with worry.
Lumingon si Annys sa kanya at nanghihinang ngumiti.
"Kaya ko."
She said it simply, as if strength was something she could still command.
Tumango si Lorenzo, though hesitation lingered in his eyes. He stepped out, opened the car door for her, and carefully guided her inside like she was made of glass.
As soon as she sat down, her chest suddenly tightened. She coughed. Once. Twice. Then harder.
Mabilis niyang kinuha ang panyo sa bulsa at itinakip sa bibig niya. A few seconds passed before the coughing stopped.
Dahan-dahan niyang ibinaba ang panyo. At nanlaki ang mata niya.
Dugo.
Her fingers tightened around the cloth.
Not again...
Biglang bumukas ang kabilang pinto ng sasakyan kaya mabilis niyang itinago ang panyo sa bulsa bago pa makapasok si Lorenzo.
He smiled at her like nothing was wrong.
"Let's go?"
He was about to start the engine when she grabbed his arms kaya napatingin siya rito.
"P-pwede bang... huwag na muna tayong pumasok ngayon?"
His brows furrowed.
"Why?"
Tipid siyang ngumiti.
"I just want to spend this day with you."
For a moment, Lorenzo just stared at her. As if trying to understand what she wasn't saying.
Then he looked away, exhaling slowly.
"Where do you want to go, my love?"
Huminto ang sasakyan sa tapat ng isang restaurant. Napatitig si Lorenzo sa karatula.
Granny's Restaurant.
"Dito?" tanong niya, slightly confused. "Kadalasan... matatanda lang ang kumakain dito, ah?"
Ngumiti si Annys at tumingin kay Lorenzo.
"Gusto ko lang."
BINABASA MO ANG
The Life That Echoes
FantasySome love don't end. They linger-soft, distant, and aching like echoes that refuse to fade. Lorenzo once had a love that felt like forever. Annys was his home, his future, his everything. Until death took her too soon, leaving behind a silence he n...
