#Finding 1#
Letter
"Condolences, Em"
As numerous people went to Lina's wake, I try to give my best smile to them as response. Mahirap ngumiti kapag may halong lungkot.
"Em, thank you for helping us para sa lamay ni Lina. I know that my daughter loves you very much as her bestfriend."
"Walang anuman po. Nakakalungkot kasi hindi na ako hinintay ni Lina." I smile a bit facing Lina's mother.
Lina didn't survive to her stage 4 colon cancer. We're bestfriend since high school but we separated when we went to college. She stayed here in the Philippines while I, continue my college in California. We talked via skype pero hindi niya man lang nabanggit ang sakit niya, last month ko lang nalaman and It was too late when I came back. Hindi niya na ako hinintay.
"Emmanuelle, I have a favor" I can see in Tita Susan's eyes the sorrow because of what happened to her daughter.
"You have to help me." she hand me a piece of fold paper.
"I saw it in her room and I think that's the only thing that she couldn't attain until her last breath." I remain silent.
I open the fold paper.
"That was also the year when she stops sending letters." Tita added.
Lina loves to write and send letters to her many friends even if she only met them through online. Different places and different persons and faces.
I read the letter that Lina was not able to send.
October 12, 2016
To the One I love,
You are my wish, together with my hopes and plans. You are my favorite and you always be the one that closest to my heart.
Someday my heart will take me there to you, Florence I.
Love,
Lina
"May kakilala ka bang Florence I, Emman?" Tita Susan asked. Still, my mind is blank.
Walang nabanggit si Lina sa akin na Florence ang pangalan. Kahit sa kwento, wala. But Lina always told me the names of her friend online but walang Florence na nababanggit.
In her letter, it is very obvious that she really loves whoever the person behind in this letter.
Pagkatapos nang pag-uusap namin ni Tita Susan, I continue to serve in Lina's wake until 6 pm at nung matapos ay agad naman akong umuwi.
Dumiretso agad ako sa kwarto, nag shower at bumihis. Hindi parin ako makapaniwala na ang kaisa-isahang kaibigan ko ay hindi ko na ulit makakausap.
I read again the letter that Tita Susan gave to me, apparently it's Lina's letter. I'm trying to remember kung may nabanggit ba siya kahit saglit na Florence ang pangalan pero sa pagkakatanda ko ay wala talaga.
Lina wants to go where that person lives and she wants to meet that person according to her letter and based on my understanding.
I heard a knock on the door.
"Pasok po"
I saw Mommy heading towards me.
"Are you okay?" mom asked.
"A little bit sad mom."
"I understand you sweety. It is very hard to lose the one and only bestfriend you have."
"Are we staying here for good?"
"It depends on you. You have to give yourself a break." mom smiled to me.
"Thanks mom." then I hug her.
Kinabukasan ay nag serve naman ako sa lamay ni Lina at ganoon parin ang nangyayari, maraming tao parin ang dumadalaw. Bukas na ang huling araw nang lamay ni Lina kaya nilulubos ko na para kahit papaano ay may naitulong ako sa kanyang lamay.
Pagsapit ng gabi at bago umuwi may ibinigay sa akin si Tita Susan na maaring makatulog at may kinalaman sa sulat ni Lina.
Pagdating sa bahay ay agad ko itong binuksan. At halos puro pangalan ang nakasulat. Hindi ako nagkamali at ito yung mga taong nakilala ni Lina. I scan it hoping that I might find which one of her friends have an initial of FI but wala akong nakita kahit start with letter F na pangalan.
Napag desisyunan ko na itulog na lang ang gumugulo sa isip.
Ito na ang huling araw nang lamay ni Lina at ang araw na ihahatid na siya sa kaniyang hantungan. At first, I couldn't believe of what happened at matagal-tagal pa bago mag sink in ang nangyari but I have nothing to do with it. That's life after all.
"Emmanuelle" lumingon ako sa pinanggalingan ng boses.
"Tita, for the last time-"
"Em, remember the last time we talked?" I give her a nod.
"My last favor." I remembered it but she never told me the favor she wants.
"What's about it? Tita?" I politely said.
"You have to find where and who's Florence I."
And my adventure starts now.
BINABASA MO ANG
Finding Florence
Adventure"You have to find where and who's Florence I." -credits goes to the rightful owner of the photo that was used on the cover of my story-
