[ITNOL #3] The Promise of Forever (COMPLETED)

Chapter 32

#TPOFTheGoldenRose

A/N: Hellooo! Omg, sorry ngayon lang. Had to make habol before ASAP will come out on TV, so eto na! Sorry for the grammatical errors and misspelled words. Thank you, enjoy reading!

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"You can't blame your husband for falling in love with someone else."

Yeah, right. I shouldn't be.

"Mommy, can you peel these shrimps for me? I don't know how." my son pleaded. My thoughts were disturbed while I was eating also. I gladly redeemed my son's request and peeled some shrimps for him to munch down.

"Kain ka pa ng marami apo, marami pang pagkain." his Lola offered him to do so. My son gave his sweetest smile to her and continued eating eagerly. Ewan ko, pero para lang akong ibong tinitipid ang pagkain ko rito. I could use Nate as an excuse because I was watching him eat...but I can do both actually.

"La, can I ask you...a few questions?" nahihiyang sabi ng anak ko. I secretly chuckled in my mind because he was so respectful to his Lola who just smashed some truths on my face. And it hurts.

"Sure." Mama dropped her eating utensils, closed her hands to each other, ready to listen to what would my son will ask him. Ako naman ay patuloy pa rin sa pagkain, alangan naman maki-chika rin ako? Hahahaha. I have ears to listen to what conversation they would have.

"Bakit ngayon lang po kita nakita?" he adorably queued.

"Ah, kasi apo, nagpatayo ako ng maliit na negosyo sa Canada. Well, lumago siya so I decided to put my whole effort on the buisness. I wasn't planning to go back here but because of some amigas who were wanting to see me and of course may aasikasuhin din ako dito, so I'm back for the meantime." she briefly explained.

"So, you'll be back to Canada soon? You won't stay here anymore? For like, the rest of your life?" Nate rebutted.

"Uh, I think so. Andun na ang buhay ko e." she said.

"What about Daddy? Magkasama po ba kayo? Where is he?" dagdag na tanong pa niya. "I mean, yes, I'm well informed that we already had been forgotten by Dad...but I just want to know how he's doing right now."

"Do...you want to see him?" her Lola softly spoke.

"Who wouldn't?" my son gave her a fake laugh. "But if he doesn't want to and may even don't know me at all...then okay. I'm contented with Mom, and I know how to handle things like on those cliché moments that I would likely to be bullied because I don't have a father and some family drama stuff."

Nate, you're only six.

The moment I finished my food, I faked a cough. That was the time that I remembered something. Siguro...oras na para hanapin yun. Sakaling bumalik siya sa bansa, siguro maalala niya ako pag nakita niya yun. I could tell that majorly, I won't be doing this for our reconciliation but for myself, but to fully complete my whole identity because it is utterly hard to feel incomplete all these years.

Nagtinginan naman ang dalawa sa akin. I swiftly switched my attention to my son. "Nate, stay here with Lola. Okay?"

Tumayo na ako sa aking inuupuan at tinanong ako ng anak ko. "San ka po pupunta?"

"Just...somewhere around the area. I'll be back." I kissed his forehead. "Accompany your Lola, anak. Catch up with her and talk to her about things.

"But-"

"Nate."

He sighed in defeat. "Fine, Mom. Ingat."

I gave him a sweet smile and kissed his forehead once again. I just stared at Mama, giving her an 'i'll-be-back-later' look. Naglakad ako papunta ng sala at kinuha ang bag ko. I walked myself out of the mansion, thinking about what direction I should take to go to where I grew up into. Gusto kong puntahan ang bahay kung saan ako lumaki at kung saan ko nakilala si Ogie, sa anyong si Chona. I never thought I would reminisce these thoughts...all by myself.

Akala ko ay maglalakad ako sa madamong lugar at masukal na kagubatan, well I was wrong. There was a small cemented pathway there at doon ako naglakad. I looked at the mansion, at pilit na inaalala kung yun ba yung veranda na pinuntahan namin ni Ogie nung gabing iyon. I could tell that it was but take note, I am still not sure. I'm left with no choice but to continue walking. I think I'm walking at the right path naman. Pero hindi pa rin mawala sa'kin yung kaba kasi baka kung anong malaman ko. I feel nauseous.

Eventually, after minutes of walking and surveying around these healthy trees I'm surrounded into, nakarating ako sa isang lumang bahay na nasa harap ko na ngayon. I took a deep breath before going into the house. It was purely abandoned at halos wala ka nang mahahagilap na gamit dahil sa kapal ng alikabok na nakapatong sa mga ito. For almost 20 years of abandonment, who would think that this would still be the same arrangement and cleanliness diba?

I remembered something...well it isn't that much pero naalala ko yung sarili kong naglalaro dito sa sala. I remembered my mother's face and my father's office table na lagi kong kinukulit kasi gusto kong makipaglaro sa kanya. I remembered also nung time na kumakain kami dito sa mesa tapos tatawa-tawa ako kasi dahon ng saging yung ginagawa naming plato. For no reason, I found myself sniffing and my tears were falling down bit by bit.

I looked upon the drawers, opening it one by one. Nakita ko yung mga libro kong maliliit dati, mga sinulid at karayom because as far as I could remember, I do cross-stitching. And I found a small notebook na parang kinakain na ng mga anay dahil butas butas na ang mga pahina. I chose not to open the pages but instead slid it inside my bag. Inikot ko ang mga mata ko sa paligid at dahil hindi ko na masyadong kinaya ang mga alikabok at mga lumilipad na insekto sa lugar na iyon kaya't naisipan ko nalang na lumabas.

I was walking back when I saw something along the road. It was shining along with the sunshine, kaya't kitang kita ito dito. Nilapitan ko ito, it was covered with dry leaves actually. I stared at it, nanghuhula ako sa loob ng isipan ko. Is it a ring? Or a bracelet? Or...baka yung totoong gold talaga? What could that be...? When my senses got back, I grabbed it with my right hand and I was shocked about what is it.

Flashbacks automatically came right in.

It was the golden rose necklace.