Turn The Page

Chapter 47

The next day, June sat quietly in the dining room trying to get herself together before cooking breakfast. Page was still asleep upstairs, so she took her time sipping her coffee and listening to the rain. It has been raining quite more than it usually did, and June loved it. She loves listening to the sound of the rain pouring against the roof, against the windows, and against the pavement outside. She valued her quiet time even though the stillness and calmness brought memories of the past. About half an hour later, Page came down to join her. Her hair was still a mess. "Mama?" She said sleepily. "I'm here, sweetheart. Why did you wake up so early?" June asked. Then she moved to the side to make some room for her daughter who was already getting herself comfortable next to her. Page hugged June as the two of them sat by the kitchen sofa. "Nagising ako para umihi tapos wala ka na sa tabi ko," she said with her eyes closed as she rested her head on June's shoulder. "Oh, sorry. I wanted to warm up so I made coffee. It's raining too, so I thought I'd sit here for a bit and listen to the sound of it. Nakaka-relax kasi," June explained. Page looked up at her. "Okay ka na, ma?" She asked. June gave her a little smile. "Okay naman ako eh. 'Wag mo na isipin yun. It was just one of those days, I guess. I'm fine," she tried to reassure her daughter. "Hm, sure ka ha? Mamaya nag-tatago ka nanaman ng saloobin. Basta simula ngayon, ma, gamitin moko ha? Andito lang ako," Page reminded her. "Yes, sweetheart. Thank you," June said. Then the two of them sat quietly, wrapped in each other's arms as they listened to the rain.

Weeks have gone by, Page had finally enrolled for a semester. "Sweetheart, that's a a lot of classes. More than full-time na yang units mo ah. Kaya mo ba yan?" June asked, overwhelmed with the classes listed on Page's schedule. "Kaya yan, ma. Ako pa," Page replied confidently. June couldn't help but worry. This was the first time Page was ever enrolled in a school as a full-time student. "I just don't want you to underestimate yung classes, anak. It's harder than you think. It's not just reading. May assignments and projects, presentations, lahat na. Baka di mo kayanin. You should have tried a few classes, enough to get some units in. Di mo naman kelangan madaliin eh," June said. Page gave her a smile. "Ma, ayaw ko ma-bored. Gusto ko tuloy tuloy. Ayoko mag-sayang ng oras. Nasa school na rin ako, i-mamaximize ko na rin yung oras na andun ako," she reassured her mother. "Okay, but if hindi mo kaya, I won't be mad if you drop a class," June said. "Okay ma, pero isa sa mga kelangan mo malaman sakin: Hindi ako nagsisimula ng isang bagay na hindi ko kayang taposin," Page informed her. This made June smile. "Sigurado ka bang hindi talaga ako nag-luwal sayo?" She asked. "Naku, tapos ikaw pala nanay ko noh, ma? Hindi pala si mama Tina biological na nanay ko," Page joked while she grinned. "Oo nga, maybe I wasn't informed that I was pregnant for nine months and had you. Maybe I was in an alternate universe that's why I didn't know. Kasi parang kamukha kita eh," June joked as well which made the two of them laugh. "Kidding aside, you would pass as Summer's sister. I don't know if I just see Summer in you, pero may hawig kayo, sort of," June said with a smile. "Sana nga kayo na lang pamilya ko, ma. Sana sa simula pa lang ikaw na nag-luwal sakin. Sana kapatid ko na lang si ate Summer at papa ko na lang si papa Dez," Page said. June gave her a warm smile in return. Then she held her daughter's face. "We may not be blood relatives, sweetheart, but my heart is as connected to yours as it could ever be," June made sure her daughter knows. Page's heart melted. "Awww, sweet naman ng mama ko. At eto nanaman po kami, ma-drama, ang aga aga," she said which made the two of them burst into laughter.

A month later, school had finally started. "Hurry sweetheart, you're going to be late!" June called out to Page before she took the keys and hurried towards the car. "Page, come on!" She said for the last time before she exited the front door. Within a few minutes, Page took her time locking the door. June sighed impatiently as she watched her. "Girl, you are going to be late," she said the moment Page opened the car door. "Mama, yung school eh five to ten minutes lang dito. A las ocho pa pasok ko, five minutes after seven pa lang oh," Page informed her. "Yes, but you have to find your classes pa. Ang laki laki ng campus noh. Kala mo ang bilis lang lakarin nun? Minsan it takes ten minutes to go to class, magkakabilang dulo yung location ng mga classes," June explained. "Kaya ko yan, ma. Runner nga ako diba?" Page insisted while her eyebrows bobbed up and down. "Ay naku, just watch. Mag-rereklamo ka rin kung gano kalayo classes mo. And besides, I don't want you to hurry. Mamaya nyan madulas ka pa," June said. Her eyes never left the road while she talked. Page grabbed a banana from her backpack. "Hey, that's for your lunch," June said. "Eh parang gutom pako, ma," Page said casually. "What? What are you going to eat later then?" June asked. "Ma ang OA ha. Sa dami ng binaon mo sakin, kahit hanggang madaling araw yung class ko, hindi ako magugutom. Eh ang dami dami nitong prutas na pinabaon mo sakin mama o, pwede nako mag-fruit salad dito sa bag ko eh," Page replied. June sighed. "Eh ikaw kasi ang dami dami mong classes na tinake sa isang araw. Parang ayaw mo na umuwi sa bahay. Sawa ka na ata sakin eh," she teased. "Naman si mama. Hindi naman kasi ganun yun. Gusto ko kasi sulitin yung time ko sa school at taposin na lahat ng kelangan ko taposin. Tsaka walong oras pa din naman ako sa school ah, diba normal lang yun? Kaya uuwi pa din ako sa bahay," Page said. June quickly glanced at her daughter. "Page, mag-sabi ka pag hindi mo kaya, okay? Please lang. 'Wag mo tiisin," June pleaded. Page looked at her mother in return. "Mama talaga. Kaya ko, ma. Ako pa nga ba? Magsasabi ako pag hindi ko na kaya, sana ikaw din," she reminded her. "I will," June said. After a short while, June pulled to the curb. She put the car on park and stared at her daughter before she finally gave her a hug. "Are you sure you don't want me to walk you to your class?" June asked. She knew it was a stupid question. She thought her daughter probably didn't want the embarrassment. "Ikaw ma, gusto mo ba ako samahan?" Page asked. June's eyes softened. "You don't have to do that for me, Page," she said to her. "Sure ka, ma?" Page asked once again. "You don't need the embarrassment. It's your first day of school. You don't want na yung first impression ng mga kaklase mo sayo eh mama's girl ka," June claimed, but Page only shook her head. "Ano ngayon kung isipin nila sakin na mama's girl ako? Eh totoo naman ah," Page said. June exhaled. Then she gave Page a smile while she held her cheek. "As much as I want to walk you to your class, big girl ka na. Di ka na kindergarten para ihatid ko pa. I trust you. You can handle this. You don't need me," June said with a smile. "I'll always need you, ma," Page replied. June smiled even bigger. "And I'm always here for you. Nasa bahay lang ako, I'm just a phone call away," she reminded her daughter. Page nodded in return. "At ikaw naman ma, balikan mo na yung mga dati mong hobbies. Magpaka-busy ka din. Gumawa ka ng mga bagay na ika-eenjoy mo. Makipag-date ka kung gusto mo mag-date basta sa matino ha," Page advised. June giggled. Then someone knocked at the window of their car. June and Page stared at the man that was bent down by the window. June lowered the car window a little. "Sorry ma'am, but you can't park here. This is for drop off only," the campus security informed them. "Oh okay. So sorry. Go ahead, anak," June said to Page who immediately unfastened her seat belt. "Oh wait. Here," June said while she reached for her purse. Then she took money out from her wallet and gave it to her daughter. "Ma, para san toh?" Page asked, confused. "Money just in case magutom ka pa and maubos mo na baon mo," June said. "Ha? Ma, di ko na kelangan toh. Marami na yung binaon mo," Page said, but June insisted. "Keep it. Go. I can't park here any longer," June said while she nodded towards the door. "Okay, ma. Thank you. I love you. See you later," Page said while she leaned forward to give her mother a kiss on the cheek. Then off she went. "I love you too!" June called out to her as she waved at her. She wanted to stay and watch her daughter walk away towards class, but the campus security kept asking her to leave.