The Mayor's Girl

chapter 15

Nagligpit na ng kinainan namin si Vico at tsaka naupo nalang ako sa sofa at nagphone. Nag-aaya na naman sina Angel na uminom. Gusto ko sana sumama pero magagalit rin tong boss ko eh.

*pic

"Huy, di mo ba  talaga ako papansinin?" Sabi ni Vico, snapping out of my thoughts. "Sorry, V. Nag-aaya na naman sila Angel ng inom." Napalingon siya sa sinabi ko habang tinutuyo niya ang mga hinugasan niya. 

"Hindi ka sasama." Ito naman, hindi na nga ako pupunta, inunudnod pa sa mukha ko. Bwisit rin to minsan eh. Pasalamat to cute siya at gwapo kasi kung hindi kanina ko pa to inaway.

Akala ko tatabihan niya ako at kakausapin dahil tinulogan niya lang ako buong hapon pero siya pa tong lumabas at hindi nagpaalam. Hindi lang to bwisit, isip bata din. Kagigil, sarap patulan ng away.

Lumabas nalang ako sa terrace at tininingnan ang langit. Nakakamiss rin ang Bantayan. Miss ko na high school friends ko, si Lola, Dadad, Ate at oo, lalo na si Mama. Naluha ako kakaisip niyan. Miss ko naman talaga siya kahit binabalewala ko lang dahil ayokong banggitin yan kay Dadad. Alam kong mas miss naman niya si Mama.

Saan na kaya si Mama? Kung nasaan man siya, sana happy siya at worth it yung pag-iwan niya samin ni Dadad. Masakit kasi para samin yun, sobra. She owes us her happiness because what we went through wouldn't be worth it kung miserable pa rin siya.

"Oh, ba't ka umiiyak?" I heard Vico's voice resonate. I thought he was out? Tsaka ako? Umiiyak? Di ko yun napansin ah. "Saan ka ba galing?" I asked him and wiped my tears. May luha nga.

"Bumili ako ng alak. Sabi ko naman ayokong sumama ka sa kanila pero di naman kita binawalan na uminom. Pwede pa rin, ako lang kasama mo." He smiled while opening two Smirnoffs. I smiled back at him. He exerts so much effort for me, nahihiya na ako. Kinuha niya ang comforter sa loob ng cabinet at linapag niya ito sa balcony. 

He signalled me to come nearer and while he laid down sa comforter, looking up at the stars. Tinabihan ko naman siya at dinala ko rin ang binuksan niyang Smirnoff. 

"So, bakit ka nga umiiyak?" He asked me, his eyes still on the sky. "Wala lang, naalala ko lang si Mama. What is she doing? Masaya ba siya? Kumakain ba siya regularly?" Napabuntong hininga ako sa sinabi ko. Namimiss ko talaga siya eh. Sinong anak ang hindi hinahanap hanap ang kanyang ina?

Nakita ko ang curious na mukha ni Vico. Alam kong may gusto siyang itanong pero natatakot siya. Natatakot siyang baka maiyak ako pero okay lang naman. Matagal-tagal ko na ring iniiwasang isipin si Mama. Hindi naman healthy na hindi ko ilalabas ang mga ito.

"Iniwan niya kami ni Dadad, fifth grade ako non. I told you she was a hopeless romantic diba? She was a beauty queen visiting Bantayan for some fiesta but then she fell in love with a small-time island boy, my Dadad." I smiled at the thought of my young Dadad and Mama on the shore, staring at the stars. Just like what Vico and I are doing right now.

Vico just nodded and I continued talking. "Maganda, ambisyosa pero ayun, nabulag sa pag-ibig. She got pregnant early and my Dadad was just a college boy. Hindi siya nakuntento sa buhay naming simple sa isla. Gusto niya ng marangyang buhay at ang kanyang sariling Noah." Vico smiled at the reference of The Notebook. Our first actual date. 

"She wasn't the best mom. Di siya marunong magtrabaho sa bahay, palagi niya akong napapagalitan pero alam mo, nakakamiss rin siya. Kahit yung mga mistakes niya." I sobbed at the thought of my Mama overcooking our dinner, breaking the plates. She doesn't even know how to sweep the floor.

I didn't notice I was already crying. Vico shifted his position. He was now facing me and his arm on my tummy. He looked at me with so much concern.

"Ano ka ba! Okay lang ako." Natatawa kong sabi sa kanya habang pinapahiran ang mga luha ko. He then sat up and took a sip of his Smirnoff. I sat up din at ininom ang alak. I felt the heat it brought to my throat. It kind of resembled the anger I had at myself way back.

"Mahirap din kasi pag di talaga buo pamilya niyo. Alam ko yun." He looked at the sky and I couldn't help but imagine Vico, a clueless little boy wondering why his parents were not under one roof like everyone else's parents. I cried at the thought because I saw myself too. I saw a little Yanne, crying herself to sleep because she blamed herself for her mother's disappearance.

I brought the bottle to my lips again. I felt Vico's arms embrace me and I couldn't help but cry more. I chugged the alcohol down my throat but the ache in my heart was still there. That hollow part of my heart is still there. It will never be filled up because it was my own mother who broke my heart. Before any boy could break my heart, she broke it first.

"Shhh, wag ka nang umiyak." He rubbed his hands on my arms, in an attempt to comfort me. I leaned on him. This would've been hard if I was alone but thank God, I have Vico.

"Kung tayo man ang para sa isa't isa, hindi natin hahayaan mangyari ito sa mga anak natin." He kissed my temple and suddenly, the world is back to being okay. He made it all okay.