Falling Inevitably

38th Fall

38th Fall

Pinaghanda kami ng simpleng meryenda ng asawa ni Ate Amanda. Banana cue daw ang tawag duon. Nakakahiya naman tumanggi kaya kumain ako at masarap pala ito!

Ate's son, Xyruiz, or, Ruiz as they call him opened up to me. Kumalong pa nga ito sa akin at nakikipaglaro. Naalala ko tuloy si Theo. May kalaro na siya!

Napag alaman ko ng limang taong gulang na ito at napakabibo. He's just three years older than my son. Sobrang cute at pogi na bata. His features mostly came from his father. Ang tanging namana nito kay Ate ay ang kaputian at ang kulay dark brown na mga mata.

"Mahal, mamasyal muna kayo nila Rigo sa labas," Marahan na sabi ni Ate sa asawa nito. I was supposed to cringe at the tone of her voice even the endearment but it sounded really sweet to my ears. May ganitong side pala ang mataray na kapatid ko?

Tumango si Kuya Julius sa sinabi nito. Tumayo na si Ruiz mula sa kandungan ko at lumapit sa tatay nito. I eyed Rigo and he gently nod at me. I smiled.

Naramdaman ko ang mahinang paghampas ni Ate sa braso ko.

"Ang landi!" Pang aasar niya kaya tinaasan ko ng isang kilay.

"Ikaw din naman," Sagot ko kaya napatawa kaming dalawa. When our laughters died down we went silent. Inilibot ko ang tingin sa bahay nila. May dalawa itong kwarto sa kanang bahagi, isang maliit na banyo sa pagitan nito. The small living room is on the left connected with the kitchen and the dining.

This is really simple for her liking.

Bumalik ang tingin ko kay Ate Amanda. Naging seryoso ang kanyang mukha. It's time for us to really talk.

"Where should I start..." She muttered to herself. With a deep sigh, she started.

"I met Julius back in college. He's getting on my nerves for such reasons. He's poor, he works three part time job, he doesn't go silent when people are insulting him for being who he is." Ate paused and shook her head slightly. Bahagya pa siyang napatawa. "I fell for him for the same reason why I hate him. For the first time, someone broke my high walls. He saw me through my attitude and such,"

She looked at a certain direction. Sinundan ko ito. It was a picture of her with Kuya Julius, I assumed taken from the university.

"But I know our parents won't like him so I didn't pursue him, not until I saw him working in out hotel. Siguro iyon ang binigay na pangalawang pagkakataon para sa amin. We got married immediately. I then got pregnant with Ruiz, the main reason why I took my masterals in Europe. I gave birth to him there,"

I can't help but gasped. Parang parehas kami ng pinagdaanan. Tago rin sa mga magulang namin ang katotohanan na ito. We're both scared to disappoint them but we end up to do so.

"Papa got suspicious of me. Pinasundan niya ako. Buti na lamang at si Julius lang ang kinita ko nung araw na iyon na may sumusunod na sa akin. Galit na galit si Papa na pinatanggal pa niya si Julius sa trabaho nito sa hotel. Papa said that I am his heiress, I should be... cautious of whom I associate with and a mere commoner like him doesn't suit in my life."

Her voice broke. I suddenly felt her pain. Akala ko ay madali lang lahat para sa kanya. Now, I feel really bad for her. Mahirap pala maging tagapagmana. Mahirap maging Albrecht. Mahirap maging mayaman.

"I'm a coward. Sa takot ko ay nilayuan ko si Julius at iniwan sa kanya ang anak namin. Yet it didn't last, hindi ko kinaya na hindi sila makita. Naging maingat ako sa pagkakataong iyon. I have to regain Papa's trust but I want to be with them and I chose the later."