Aya's Confusion[Book 2] (GXG)

Chapter 1. The Beginning of Another(SPG ALERT)

"I SAW her get inside a car, Mama. May cars din ba ang mga ghost?"

For a moment, Aya couldn't answer her daughter. The question was almost funny, pero hindi niya magawang matawa.

"Mama... Are you okay?" untag ni Alexis nang hindi makasagot ang ina.

"O-Of course. Of course, I'm okay."

"You looked scared. Are you scared of ghosts, Mama?"

Aya chuckled despite herself. She was still taken aback by what Alexis said she saw. "I can't be scared of ghosts, sweetie. Ako ang tagapagtanggol mo, remember?"

Alexis pouted her lips in thought. Nakahalukipkip pa ito.

'She looked exactly like Alexa,' looking at her daughter, Aya thought painfully. Alexis really looked like a miniature Alexa with her slightly ruffled and now pixie cut hair.

Napalingon si Aya nang biglang umingit pabukas ang pintuan ng bookstore. Iniluwa noon si Yuna na may bitbit nang isang paper bag ng libro. A slight panic rose in her chest.

"Hey guys... find something you like? I already had mine."

Bago pa man mapigilan ni Aya si Alexis ay naunahan na siya nito.

"Mommy, I saw Mommy Alexa's ghost!"

Aya secretly face-palmed. Yuna looked at her with a frown. Agad siyang lumapit sa asawa at ikinawit ang isang kamay sa braso nito. Inagapan na niya ang maaaring sabihin pa ng anak. "Honey, maybe she was really upset about her grandparents not visiting, kaya kung anu-anong nakikita niya."

"Oh..." Yuna uttered with a skeptical look on her face.

"But it looked real..." Alexis reasoned with a pout.

Bumitaw si Aya sa pagkakahawak kay Yuna at muling niluhod ang anak. "Don't worry, tatawagan na lang ulit natin ang Lolo't Lola. Gusto mo ba pagkatapos nito mag-ice-cream tayo?" Aya was eager to divert her daughter's attention. Ayaw na niyang magtanong pa si Yuna.

Nagliwanag naman ang mukha ni Alexis pagkarinig ng ice-cream. "Yes. I'd love to, Mama!"

Aya smiled, feeling relieved. "Okay. Then, let's pick our books so we can go our way."

Mabilis namang tumalima si Alexis. Tumakbo na ito sa stacks ng libro at naghalungkat doon. Pinanood ito ng mag-asawa.

Yuna slipped a hand in the pocket of her shorts. "Alexa's ghost?" she asked dumbfoundingly.

"Must be her imagination. You know how she is," pagrarason ni Aya. She didn't know why she was being defensive. "Siguro nagtatampo na talaga kina Tita Dani ang batang 'yan."

"Mm-hm," Yuna trailed off. "Are they still in Europe?"

"That's what they said the last time we talked." Aya continued watching her daughter. Nagulat pa siya nang maramdaman ang isang kamay ni Yuna sa baywang niya.

"Aren't you going to buy books too?"

"Oh. Right." Aya joined their daughter and picked the books she had chosen earlier.

Pagkatapos sa book fair ay dumeretso na sila sa malapit na ice-cream parlor. Ipinasyal din nila sa amusement park ang anak at sa labas na rin nag-dinner.

Hanggang makauwi ay hindi na naalis sa isip ni Aya ang tungkol sa multo ni Alexa.

"Are you okay?"

Aya was instantly pulled from her reverie. She turned to look at her wife. Yuna looked divinely at her silk robe in deep purple. The long shiny black hair was falling freely on her wife's slender shoulders. Hindi na nito muling kinulayan ang buhok. Yuna's grudge on her mother was the only reason she dyed her hair red, at ngayong maayos na ang relasyon ng dalawa ay hinayaan na rin nito ang natural na kulay ng buhok. "Of course. What made you ask?"