Turn The Page

Chapter 38

"Ikaw talaga, June, tinatakot mo naman yung anak namin. Take it easy on him," Sandy joked with a wink and a smile. "Aba syempre. I am both the mother and the father of Page. I don't have a Ben like you that could guard my daughter's heart. I have to do everything on my own," June said. Page looked at her mother and gave her a gentle smile. She appreciated her for being a single parent. She placed one of her hands on her mother's lap. June immediately glanced over at her. Then Page gave her a smile. "Ikaw lang ma, sapat na," she said. June's heart melted. She took her daughter's hand from her lap and gave it a kiss. "Thank you, my sweet girl," she said to her. Page smiled even bigger. "Don't worry, my boy's up for the challenge, right Keeper?" Ben said. Keeper rolled his eyes in response. "Baka po parehas kami ng gusto," Page said in return. Keeper shook his head. "What do you mean?" Sandy asked. "Ay wala po," Page answered then she giggled. June shook her head and giggled as well. "We're embarrassing the kids too much. Ano toh? Fixed marriage? They haven't even had the chance to get to know each other yet. Pinapangunahan na natin eh," she claimed. "Oo nga naman. Let them get to know each other and decide for themselves if they want to pursue a relationship," Sandy agreed. Keeper sighed. "Sorry, my parents are pushing me to find someone already. They think they'll be too old when I find that special girl I want to marry. They said they want to be able to play with their grand kids," he explained then he shook his head again. "Grabe naman. Bata pa naman sila ah," Page replied. "Yeah, OA yan sila masyado," Keeper said without looking at her. Page smiled when June glanced over at the two of them.

As the night ended, the Santiagos were preparing to say goodbye. Page was in the living room with Keeper fixing the pillows on the couch. "Such a sweet kid, Juney. You're lucky," Sandy said. "Seems like Keeper is a sweet kid too," June replied. "Yes he is now, but he wasn't always like that. Laging closed off," Sandy told her. June nodded as she stared at the two teenagers at the living room. "Yeah, my Page wasn't always like that either. I had my ups and downs with her too, but it was all worth it," she said to her. "Pag talaga nabigyan ng chance yung mga batang katulad nila and are given the understanding, the patience, the love and the care that they deserve, they tend to prosper ano?" Ben added. June smiled. "Yes, they do," she said to them. "We're fostering kids paminsan minsan. Huminto lang kami now because we wanted to focus on Keeper, pero we're thinking of fostering again. Are you open to doing that?" Sandy asked. June stared at Page then she looked at the couple. "To be honest, kahit na I've had Page for more than a year, I just can't get enough of her yet. Alam mo yun? Parang ganito yata ako nung kay Summer kaya hindi ko nasundan yung anak kong yun eh. Lagi ko sinasabi na gusto ko sulitin muna yung time ko kay Summer before ko pa sya sundan. Year after year parang I still couldn't get enough of my daughter kaya ayun, hindi nasundan. Pero I'm glad, kasi mawawala din naman pala sya sakin after sixteen years. I'm glad nasulit ko yung time ko kasama sya. It feels that way with Page. Parang I can't get enough of her pa eh. Gusto ko yung attention ko nasa kanya lang. Ayoko ng may kaagaw sya sa attention ko for now," June explained. The couple smiled at her. "Baka masakal yung bata kasi yung attention mo puro nasa kanya," Ben said half-jokingly, but June shook her head in response. "I don't think so. It's different with Page. Ramdam ko kung gano din sya kasabik sa pagmamahal ng isang nanay. She was deprived of that for so many years. I think she can't get enough of me just as much as I can't get enough of her," she explained again. Sandy smiled even bigger. She and her husband were genuinely happy for their friend. "Then you guys are a match made in heaven," she said as she gave June a goodbye hug.

When the Santiagos left, June made sure all the doors were locked. "Sweetheart," she called out to her daughter. "Hm?" Page answered. "Una ka na upstairs, I'm going to make sure everything is good down here tapos susunod na rin ako," June said. "Eh hintayin na kita, ma," Page replied. "Kitang kita ko sa eyes mo na you're tired, anak. Jet-lag ka pa ata eh. I know you haven't had the sleep you need kaya go ahead and get ready for bed, susunod ako," June instructed. Page stood up from the couch and went over to hug June. "Bango mo," June said as she held her daughter in her arms and swayed with her. "Ikaw din kaya, hindi amoy nanay," Page said. "Excuse me," June replied. "Feeling ko I should be offended for all the mothers out there ha. May amoy ba ang mga nanay?" She asked. Page laughed. "Ewan ko, kala ko noon meron kasi yung isang pamilya na napuntahan ko, yung nanay amoy sibuyas parati," she explained. June laughed even more. "You're bad," she said to her daughter. "Baka nagluluto kasi parati," she added. Page laughed as well. "Malay ko sa kanya. Sya yung nanay na kinukulong ako eh," she said. June swallowed. Then she let go of her daughter. Page immediately noticed that June had sadness in her eyes. "Ano naiisip mo, ma?" She asked. "Wala naman," June answered. "Yang lungkot sa mga mata mo, hindi yan basta basta na lang magpapakita kung 'wala naman' lang yun," Page said. "I can never get away, can't I?" June replied. Page took her mother's hand. "Palagay ko, nalulungkot ka nanaman dahil naalala mo nanaman mga napagdaanan ko sa mga pamilyang napuntahan ko. Mama, wala na yun," she reassured her as she held her mother's face with both of her hands. "I can't help but feel hurt sometimes, anak. As a mother, ayaw mo na pinagdadaanan ng anak mo yung mga ganung karanasan sa buhay. You were so young, so innocent, and it drives me nuts na sa murang edad, you've been through so much. You didn't deserve that," June said as she swallowed. Page looked at both their hands as she held on to them. "Ma, siguro pinagdadaanan natin yung mga masasakit at mahihirap na mga nangyari satin para mas ma-appreciate natin kung ano yung mga blessings na dumadating satin ngayon. Kung hindi ko naranasan lahat ng pinagdaanan ko kasama yung mga pamilyang hindi ako inalagaan gaya ng pag-aalaga mo, siguro hindi ko masyadong ma-aappreciate yung presence mo sa buhay ko ngayon. Ang importante yung ngayon, ma. Eto na tayo. Kasama moko at kasama kita. There's no place I'd rather be. Tama ba yun? Tama ba yung English ko?" Page asked. Then the two of them started laughing. Page smiled. "Mama ko talaga. Ang laki laki ng puso, nagkasya si tabachoy na Page oh," she said as she wiped her mother's tears away. "Oh babe, you have more than enough space in my heart, I tell you that. You own a mansion. No, a castle, dito sa puso ko," June said with a little smile, though her heart was still aching for her daughter. "Kita mo na? Yan ba kinakaawaan mo, ma? Si Page na may malaking castle dyan sa puso ng isang mama Junjun? Aba, napaka-swerte kaya ng Page mo," Page said. Then she went in for a hug. "'Wag ka ng malungkooot, Oh praise the Lord," she sang. "Alam mo minsan feeling ko baliw na ako dahil sayo eh," June said as she hugged her daughter. "Bakit naman?" Page asked, her eyes were closed as her mother swayed her. "Kasi pinapaiyak moko tapos pinapatawa tapos pinapaiyak, baka hindi na kayanin ng puso ko toh anak ha. Hinay hinay naman," June explained. Page smiled. "Eh para balanse diba? Pinapaiyak kita tapos pinapatawa tapos iyak ulit tapos tawa ulit. Ganun lang yun. Circle of life," Page claimed. Her little remarks always made June laugh. "Hay anak, you have no idea how much joy you bring me sa totoo lang. I'm kind of scared because what if I lose you somewhere down the road? That would be the death of me, anak," June said, trying to eliminate the thought in her head. Page took a deep breath. Then she took her mother by the hands and looked at her before she started singing.