Blooming Rose in the Dusky Night

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty

Love

"You stay here for a while, anak."

I remembered my Mama as a devotee of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I recalled her saying to me to make the Wednesday devotion a habit so that I would find myself a good wife.

I never understand that at first.

Matagal na panahon pa ang lumipas bago ko naintindihan na kaya kami nagpupunta sa simbahan tuwing Miyerkules noon ay dahil may hinihiling si Mama na isang bagay na imposible. It would take a miracle for her wish to happen.

Simula nang magkamulat, alam ko ng pamilya kami ng Papa sa labas. My father was married to another woman, so, that would make my Mama as a mistress.

I was already aloof from my father before the realization hit me. Malayo ang loob ko kay Papa siguro dahil sa katotohanan na wala siya sa tabi ko simula nang magkamalay. It had always been my Mama. My Mama and there hadn't been him. Even after the death of my Mama, he was still unreachable.

Tuwing linggo lang kami nagkikita. Hindi sapat para kunin ang loob ko at mapalapit ang sarili sa kanya.

"Where are you going?"

"I will talk to the priest for a while."

I nodded. "Okay."

Papa ruffled my hair tenderly. "I'll be back. Please behave."

I was always the most behave. Kung saan ako iniwan, doon rin ako babalikan. Isa sa mga maraming bagay na hindi alam ni Papa tungkol sa akin.

Tinanaw ko si Papa hindi kalayuan sa kung saan ako nakatayo habang kausap ang pari. They frequently stole glances on me. It must be a serious conversation because I wasn't allowed to hear. Well, it's not something new. They loved keeping secrets from me.

"Ouch!

From Papa, I had my glance drifted to someone. May batang babae na nadapa sa harapan ko. Hindi ko alam kung saan siya galing. Basta na lang siyang sumulpot at nadapa wala naman sanang tumulak sa kanya.

She appeared to be younger than I was. Hair braided sideways. Her smile was dry, but her eyes twinkled with mirth. Ang buong akala ko iiyak pero nagkamali ako. She didn't cry. Hindi na rin naghintay na matulungan ko dahil kusa na tumayo at pinagpagan ang mga tuhod na nakita kong may mga sugat at galos.

Then she looked at me as if taken aback by my presence. The wide-eyed innocence and full lips reminded me of a fairytale princess. That was the first time I'd seen someone so beautiful and strong at the same time.

"Nakita mo ako?"

When I heard her speak, I blinked. I don't know, but something about her voice quickened my pulse.

"Oy," she called my attention again. "Nakita mo na nadapa ako?"

I nodded quietly as my gaze moved to her knees. "May sugat ang mga tuhod mo."

Yumuko siya at tinignan ang sariling mga tuhod. "Galos lang ito." she smiled something that staggered me again. "Sabi ni Mommy malayo sa bituka."

Alam kong malayo sa bituka pero sigurado akong mahapdi. In fact, she kept on biting her lips as if trying to suppress herself from feeling the pain.

"Ano nga pala ang ginagawa mo rito?" Then, she enthusiastically changed the topic. "Taga-rito ka ba?" she walked closer.

The way she looked into my eyes that time, I knew I had already lost myself to her.

I was stuck. So stuck, but I don't want an escape.

"H-hindi." No. I didn't stutter. Masyado lang talagang malapit ang mukha niya. "Taga-ibang bayan kami."