Reckless Abandon

Chapter Ten

Enrico's POV

"Welcome, Eureka. I'd like you to meet my wife, Bistro. Bistro, this is Eureka."

I heard her giggle in the dark as we went inside the place. With the light coming from the garden outside, I saw her figure from the shadow wander around the room. She smelled insanely of wild flowers and something sweet that I couldn't fathom. All I know that from this moment on, I am gonna remember her with this scent.

"Wow, this is impressive." she muttered under her breath while gazing at the display of our vinyl records.

"Daddy ko mahilig mag collect ng mga yan. I grew up listening to them, actually. I decided to put some here, kasi gusto kong may element ng family ko dito in every corner."

"Anong ibig mong sabihin?"

"Umm, take a look at this," sabi ko at pumasok sa mini bar. "Mom ko mahilig kasi sa ornament plants. Isa sa mga favorite niya itong mini Bonsai tree." pagpapaliwanag ko at nilagay sa harap niya ang halaman. "Hence the reason why, bawat sulok ng lugar na 'to may green plants." Nilibot niya ang kanyang paningin at tumango-tango. "At yung nakikita mong vintage piano katabi ng vinyl records? That's my brother's first ever piano. Come here, I'll show you something," sumunod siya sa akin at tinuro ko sa kanya ang isang dingding na puno ng mga litrato ng mga paborito kong sports car. "These are from my great grand fathers, to my dad's cars, and especialy, itong race car na binili para sa akin ni Dad nung nag eighteen ako. It's a race car that he imported from Japan."

She was quietly listening and looking at the framed photos on the wall. "Ikaw ba 'to?" turo niya sa isang baby picture.

Aah, here goes the sad part. "No, unfortunately that's not me."

The photo was ripped in half, crumpled, and was basically flaking on its edges. It was a yellowish brown old photo that looked nothing special at first glance, but is actually a prized possession in our family.

"That's Nathaniel, our eldest brother. This was the last photograph they have of him before he disappeared. The same day they took that photo was the last day my parents saw him."

"Oh... Hale. I'm-- I'm sorry."

Pinilit kong ngumiti. "Okay lang. I've never met him. Ang weird lang isipin na meron akong kapatid na hindi ko pa nakikita, at hanggang ngayon hindi namin alam kung buhay pa ba. Simula nung nawala siya, my parents spent most of their time looking for him. Sabi pa ni Dad, maubos na lahat ng pera at ari-arian niya, mahanap lang si Nathaniel. Pero thirty years later, hindi pa rin namin siya mahagilap."

"How did he disappear?" tanong ni Eureka sakin.

"Ang kwento nila, my parents threw a party for a celebration of whatever that was. Mahilig kasi magpa-party ang mga magulang ko noon. Nathaniel was with his nanny, pero nalingat ito at bigla na lang raw nawala ang bata sa paningin niya.

And the worst thing was, nung na-realize niyang nawawala yung bata hindi muna siya humingi ng tulong at hinanap niya ito sa bawat sulok ng bahay nang mag-isa sa sobrang takot niyang baka kung anong gawin sa kanya ni Dad. She only told my parents later that midnight pagkatapos na nung party at wala ng tao."

"Oh god... that's teriible. Pero... imposible namang nawala na lang siya ng parang bula, 'di ba?"

"Yeah, my parents have listened to every angles or motives that could have been the reason kung bakit siya bigla na lang naglaho. They looked into kidnapping and investigated every single people that was there in our house at that time of the party, but to no avail.

Yung lumang bahay namin was cut open and uprooted kasi baka mahanap nila ang katawan niya doon. Baka aksidente siyang nahulog sa septic tank, o baka may mga wala lang talagang puso na inilibing siya ng buhay, pero wala. Wala ring konkretong leads kung nasaan siya. Wala ring ebidensya na maaring makakapagturo kung anong nangyari sa kanya at kung bakit naman siya kikidnapin. And believe me, lumaki ako na may tumatawag sa bahay at nagpapakilalang nawawalang kapatid ko and some are asking for ransom pero ganun pa rin..."

"I'm sorry, Enrico."

Absentmindedly, I held her hand that was resting on her sides and gently squeezed it. It was soft and warm. "You don't have to be sorry. My mom has this strong gut feeling that says he is still alive. Right now, we're just waiting for something... like, maybe one day he will show up. Dead or alive, as long as we will have the closure that we deserve."

Nanatili kaming nakatayo doon at tinitingnan ang picture. Makaraan ng ilang minuto, bigla niyang na-realize na hawak niya na rin pala ang kamay ko. Parang napaso naman niya itong binawi at naglakad papunta sa may bar.

"I'm sorry, Eureka. Parang mas lumungkot ka pa ata."

"No! I'm not sad. I'm just... yeah, I am sad."

"Palagi naman." I noted. "Pero huwag ka nang malungkot. My parents didn't change just because they lost a son. Years later they had two. The fussiest, most annoying, messy boys at that. Sabi pa ng mom ko, kaya siguro kinuha sa amin si Nathan kasi kung may tatlo siyang anak na lalake sa iisang bahay, baka nakalbo na siya sa sobrang hirap naming palakihin ng sabay-sabay."

She smiled her usual sad, sly smile. "I can only imagine kung gaano kahirap yon."

Binuksan ko ang sliding glass door kung saan may mini garden sa labas. I switched the yellow hanging bulbs and showed her the place.

"Wow, ang cute naman dito!"

For the first time since I met her, I saw Eureka smiled genuinely. I saw it earlier today too when she received the flowers I gave her by her staff. Her unexpecting, beautiful face split into a rare glorious smile. And for the second time today, when she saw the pads of dahlia flower beds in this tiny garden built by my own mother, I feel lucky and accomplished that I saw it again.

I felt my heart skipped a beat.

"Oh Hale, this is so pretty!"

Nabalik lang ako sa realidad nung narinig ko ulit ang boses niya.

"Thanks. My mom built it."

She smiled again. "Ang galing naman ng Mom mo."

"She is the most awesome Mom in the world." sabi ko. I lighted the candles on the table and opened the bottle of wine. "Please have a seat."

Patuloy siyang tumitingin-tingin sa paligid habang nakaupo.

"You are so pretty when you smile." I blurted out. Oh shit, prepare for another cock-blocking.

And as expected, she rolled her eyes heavenwards. "Shut up. Gutom ka lang eh."

"No, Eureka. I really meant it." I insisted gently, never breaking a stare at her eyes. "Is that why you are hiding it? Kasi isa lamang akong hamak na mortal na hindi karapat-dapat sa mga ngiti mo?"

"Ewww!" she made a face and laughed. "Ang baduy baduy mo!"

"Nagustuhan mo naman."

She took a loose petal from the table and thew it right across my seat. "Mukha mo."

"Just admit it! Alam ko nakyu-kyutan ka rin sakin."

"Arrrgh! Can we just eat aleady?"

"Would you rather, umm, eat me instead?"

"Enrico Hale!!!"

"Okay!" I burst into laughing. Her face was burning red. "Okay, I'm gonna stop now. You big, hungry dinosaur."

"Whatever."

Aaah, I would do anything to make this girl smile again.