Second Chance

Chapter 35

M

It was a lazy Saturday afternoon. I was in the garden with Bea and reading a magazine I bought the other day while she plays with her phone. Tahimik lang kaming dalawa as I read about an article about how to succeed in life when she starts poking me.

" Babe...." sabi niya

" Hm?" I answered her but continue to read

" Lovie, look at me." sabi niya

" Maya na wait lang." sabi ko and went on reading the article. She pokes me again and I ignored her . alam kong kukuhaan lang ako ng picture nito eh. Mahilig to sa ganun eh.

" Baby.... Babe.... Lovie.... Yooohoooo!" she called. I looked at her and she just smiled and took another picture of me.

" Bea naman eh kanina ka pa ha!" saway ko but she just laughed.

" Hahahahah. Eh kasi naman po kanina ka pa nakatingin dyan sa magazine mo. Paano naman ako?" sabi niya sabay nguso pa sakin. Napairap na lang ako at nagpigil ng tawa. Parang tanga talaga to. She calls me payb (five yun maarte lang talaga to) pero siya tong kung mangulit eh parang bata. I went back to reading the magazine when I heard another click.

" If you take one more shot ayoko na De Leon" I warned her.

" Fine. Sabi ko nga mananahimik na lang ako dito sa tabi mo eh." sagot niya saka na nilapag yung phone niya sa table. Hinayaan ko na siya and went back to finishing my magazine.

" Oh. Hindi ka pa rin pinapansin?" I heard Sachi asked her.

" Nope, apparently she's still stuck in her own world." she replied

" Hahahaha. The typical Maddie the nerdy" my cousin said.

" Shut up, Sachi." sabi ko naman and heard her laughing

" Whatever, Mawwiezilla" she replied. I stuck my tongue out and she just laughed at me.

" Bea, there's food in the kitchen. If you ever get hungry, kuha ka na lang dun. 100% sure akong gugutumin ka sa tagal ng pinsan ko magbabad sa binabasa niya."

" Hahahaha. Sige lang salamat. I like watching her read naman eh. Saka hintayin ko na lang din siya matapos para sabay na kami."

" Suit yourself " kibit-balikat niya saka na siya nagtungo sa gazebo

Sachi and Therese arrived a few weeks after Charm's birthday. Dito na daw muna sila to spend more time with Lolo. Finally, after almost 10 long years ay nabuo rin kaming magpipinsan. And what made things better is that they all love Bea. Lalo na si Anton. Sobrang kasundo si Bea when it comes to basketball aside from playing volleyball kase marunong din si Bea ng basketball. Minsan nga napapaisip na lang ako kung sino ba talaga sa amin ang pinsan nila. Ako ba o si Bea? Pero tatawanan ko na lang kasi ibig sabihin lang nun eh mahal nila si Bea like a family. And that's good enough for me.

I glanced at her and saw her fiddling with the hem of her shirt. Napangiti ako saka na sinara ang magazine na binabasa ko.

" Sinong mas mukhang five sating dalawa ngayon?" I teased her. She looked up and stopped playing with her shirt saka tumingin sa akin. I raised an eyebrow and she just chuckled.

" Lovie it's not Five, it's Payb" she corrected me. Inirapan ko na lang siya saka na tumayo . Sachi was watching us by the Gazebo at hinayaan ko lang si Bea na sumunod.

" Saan ka punta baby?" tanong niya sabay hawak sa kamay ko.

" Puntahan ko si Lolo sa kwarto" sagot ko naman

" Okay. Sama ko." sabi niya tinanguan ko siya and we walked to Lolo's room

It's been months since his hospitalization and a few days from now ay magbibirthday na siya. I looked at him and felt a huge lump in my throat. Lolo looked so weak and fragile. Prang isang maling galaw mababasag siya. His eyes were open and he looked at me as if he recognized me. Lumapit ako sa kanya and held his hand as I sit at the edge of his bed.