Plethora: ABUNDANCE

chapter four.

i loved you,
until you became
words and stories,
Poetries and dreams;
immortal in every
Book and
every sunrise.

-(d.j)

CHAPTER FOUR

With a sleepy eyes, pinagmasdan ko ang abalang paghahakot ng mga gamit ng aming mga housemaids papuntang garahe, they were luggages. I yawned and went downstairs to check the commotion happening.

"whose luggages are those, Na?" tanong ko.

"sa iyong hermana" maikling saad nito.

Kunot-noo kong pinagmasdan silang lahat, the atmosphere seemed heavy. Tumungo na ako papuntang dining area kung saan ay nandoon ang Abuela, reading her morning novels with a cup of her asian tea.

"buen dia, abuella" bati ko at hinagkan ang pisngi niya.

"buenos dias, feli, sit down and eat your breakfast,"

"anong nangyayari abuella? why are they moving hermana Dia's luggages?" tanong ko.

She did not bother to glance at me, "your hermana will be going back to Iloilo, for now"

"why? Is she sick again?"

Ipinatong niya ang hawak na libro at sumimsim sa kanyang tsaa, her pale white wrinkled hands firmly held the tea cup.

"eat now, there are things that cannot be discussed during meals, termina tu comida" (finish your food) she dismissed.

My Abuella was never firm nor strict to me, she's always soft-spoken, malambing, as the Ilongga that she is. But today, I know something is happening, at alam kung may kinalaman ito tungkol sa dinner na tinutukoy ni Ivo kagabi.

"feli, haven't seen you for so long"

"yo también, (me too), Callisto"

"hindi ka man lang nagpalit ng school uniform, feli" sita ni Kuya Fonso.

I rolled my eyes at him, "you fetched me in school, i only have clothes in my car and Kuya Igo's"

"let feli be, fonso" tawa ni Callisto.

The two were inseparable amigos, just as Olivia and I, half of our lives, the de Marcos and Ignacios has been with us. Even before we were born, the two family clan have always had the strongest pact, it was brought down by our Abuellos and Abuellas, now to us.

"Phoenix is not looking so good for almost a month now, kailangan ko na ding bumalik ng Iloilo, lalo na't nakabalik na si Dia" paliwanag ng Kuya Fonso.

Callisto nodded, "i'll be around in the Casa for a few more days, papatingin ko si Phoenix and I'll make diagnosis"

Callisto Ignacio is a vet, he loves the Casa too much he fell inlove with animals, while my Kuya Fonso and Kuya Igo enjoys the agriculture more.

"siya nga pala, I know Dia's having a tough time, but I think it's good for her to stay in Iloilo, for now"

for now...

"you know about it too, Callisto?" i asked.

Mukhang nag panic 'ata si Callisto sa tanong ko at may tinawag na kung sinong trabahador sa gilid, "mang Hener, pakihanda naman ng gazebo" utos nito, completely shrugging off my question.

Nagtungo kami sa gazebo, the two now discussing the situation of Phoenix, tahimik akong nakasunod sa kanilang dalawa at iniisip kung bakit parang isang napaka hirap na diskusyon ang tungkol sa pag-alis ng aking hermana.

"knowing that Phoenix has been with you for so long, natural lang na nagiging mahina na siya, ngunit kailangan pa rin natin siyang e isolate sa iba niyo pang mga kabayo at may sakit rin siya" paliwanag ni Callisto.

I took a sip on my piña colada, pinagmasdan ang kalawakan ng lupain ng mga Ignacio, I could never trade this life to a city life, presko ang hangin, the subtle smell of the sea, the fresh and clean environment.

"si theo ang titingin sa kanya kapag babalik ako ng Iloilo"

Napatingin ako kay Callisto sa kanyang sinabi, marami pa siyang sinabi ngunit hindi ko alam kung bakit sa pag bangit ng pangalan ni Theo ay napatingin ako, interested to what he is going to say next.

"theo is an aspiring vet, kahit na nakapagtapos na ito ng Economics major niya..." paliwanag niya, assuring my Kuya Fonso that his horse will be in good hands upon Callisto's absence for the next few days.

"kung ganoon, I will have Feli check on Phoenix regularly" kuya Fonso, nodded and glanced at me.

"what? Why me?"

"because I say so? At tsaka isa pa, hindi ka naman busy, kakaumpisa pa lang naman ng pasukan, plus you get to visit Olivia everyday..."

Ngunit, hindi iyon nangyari, I did not get to see Olivia everyday,

"uh, nagdala ako ng paella valenciana, i helped Nana with the cooking" saad ko at inabot sa kanya ang isang tupperware.

I got to see Theo Ignacio, everyday.

Isang linggo na ang nakalipas simula nang namamalagi na ako sa Casa Ignacio, I would visit after classes are over, Phoenix is getting okay, well, a bit okay.

And me, in the past few days I have been participating in the Culinary Club, cooking things out of my comfort zone. Wala akong talent that I can name of, atleast alam kong na a-aral ang pagluto. Livi really persistently shooing me off Arts club led me to the Culinary Club.

At eto ako, presenting a dish I learned yesterday at the club, trying to make an effort na nagpatulong pa talaga ako kay Nana para malaman kung tama at masarap ang luto ko.

Am I trying to impress Theo? I do not know either.

"Salamat, lagay mo jan" maikling anas nito.

I set the tupperware on the kitchen counter of the cabin near the stables. I meet Theo here everyday, at anong ginagawa ko?

I have nothing to do to help on the situation of Phoenix, i know i have to check on him regularly, ngunit ayokong pa ulit ulit, Theo updates me whenever there's changes in Phoenix's condition, ngunit kung wala ay wala.

I am just here in the cabin, lowkey willing to share a deadpan silence with Theo, minsan ay nagdadala ako ng libro na mababasa, o di kaya mga assignment sa school, kahit na ang iba ay due one week pa ay natatapos ko na, just to find alibis or a distraction, not wanting an awkward interaction with this very intimidating man.

"why don't you eat na?" i asked.

Iniangat niya ang tingin mula sa laptop na nakapatong sa binti niya, he then glanced at the tupperware beside me.

Without a word, he got up and went towards where I was sitting, hindi ko alam kung ano ang nangyari dahil napapikit ako sa biglang pagliit ng pagitan naming dalawa.

With my eyes shut close, i squeeled silently, as his manly cologne engulfed my nostrils, at napalakas ata nga pag amoy ko sa pabango niya, it took me a moment, that when I opened my eyes, I am now looking straight back at his.