“Clarquin, tinatawag ka na ni Grant. Pumunta ka na daw sa tree house,” my Mom said as she stood outside the door of my bedroom.
“Sige po Mommy,” I simply replied.
I went out of our house and straight to the tree house where Grant is already waiting.
“Ang tagal mo naman dumating,” he said.
“Sorry naman may ginagawa pa akong assignment eh.”
“Assignment? Saturday ngayon. Bakit ka gumagawa ng assignment?”
“Palibhasa hindi ka gumagawa ng assignment. Ano na naman ba ang plano mong gawin ngayon?” I asked him.
“Bike tayo!”
“Bike? Ang init-init pa sa labas para magbike. Buti pa kunin mo na lang ‘yung assignments mo tapos tutulungan kitang gumawa dito.”
“Ang boring mo naman Poopie,” he replied.
Oo, Poopie ang tawag n’ya sa akin. Actually that’s what we call each other. It started when he stepped on a dog poop when we were younger. I teased him so hard that he had to chase me to make me stop. But because I was laughing so hard, I didn’t notice another dog poop and stepped on it. Bakit ba naman kasi nagkalat ang aso at ang mga dumi nila sa subdivision namin? If you think about it medyo mabaho ang dating ng pet name namin but it kinda grew on us. At first we were just teasing each other about it but we got used to referring to the other as ‘Poopie’ that’s why we have been calling each other that ever since.
My mom and Ninang Vida, Grant’s mom, are bestfriends since their college days. They treat each other like sisters. That was the reason why when they both had their own families, they decided to buy a house right next to each other’s. And if that wasn’t enough, they had the wall separating our houses torn down so there would be no division. After the renovations, it appeared like we were sharing a huge garage and a big garden at the back of the house. Ninong Ramon even had a tree house built for us on the big tree sitting on our side of the property. This tree house became our hideout, our sanctuary.
Grant and I have been friends for as long as I can remember. At dahil pareho naman kaming only child, wala talaga kaming choice kundi maging magkaibigan. Although he was a year older than me, we were still the best of friends. When we were about 6 and 7 years old, he’d bring me with him to the other street to play with the other kids. And since I was a girl, his boy playmates didn’t want to let me join their games but he defended me and in the end he got his way. I think this was the reason why I grew up somewhat a tomboy. Don’t get me wrong, I played with dolls and tea party sets, too but because I spend a lot of time with Grant, I had no choice but play the games he played. Pero ako, I never got to make him play tea party with me. He said it was for sissies. Okay, fine.
In the tree house, we didn’t really play. Yes, some of our toys were there but when we were there all we did was talk. Talk about what happened to us that day, talk about what we wanna be when we grow up (which I remember was different each day… ang dami yata naming pangarap sa buhay), talk about school and eventually we talked about falling in love… but never about falling in love with each other.
You see our relationship was purely platonic. He is my big brother and I his baby sister. He protected me like what a kuya would do. And this made me feel so secure.
When my dad got sick s’ya ang una kong tinakbuhan. I never cried in front of my mom or any of my cousins and relatives. Sa kanya lang. He knew how to comfort me. He didn’t talk much but his presence alone and those loving eyes were enough to keep me going. So when my dad left us s’ya pa rin ang naging takbuhan ko. Not my mom but him.
When we got home after the funeral, he took my hand and pulled me to the tree house. I don’t remember crying habang ibinababa ang kabaong ni Daddy sa lupa. Siguro nakatulala lang ako. Kaya siguro ako kinuha ni Grant – para maglabas ng luha. When we were inside the tree house, sitting face to face, he just looked at me. And just like that lahat ng luha ko ay nag-unahang lumabas. He pulled me to him at niyakap. I cried in his arms. Ibinuhos ko lahat ng hindi ko mailabas noong una. S’ya lang ang nakakagawa sa akin ng ganun.
“Ssssshhhh…. tama na Poopie,” he said as he lightly rubbed my back.
“Wala na akong daddy,” I sobbed.
“I know but you still have me. Nandyan din si Dad. You know we are always going to be here for you and Ninang Dianne. Hindi namin kayo pababayaan. Please stop crying.”
“I can’t help it.”
“You know what, I promised Ninong kanina that I will take care of you no matter what kaya I’m sure matatahimik na s’ya sa langit. Sabi ko sa kanya multuhin n’ya ako kung pinabayaan kita.”
Medyo natawa ako dito. “Poopie naman eh,” I said then lightly hit him on the arm.
“’Wag na masyadong malungkot. Ako na ang bahala sa ‘yo from now on.”
It seemed like a juvenile promise, ‘yung tipong sinabi mo lang ngayon kasi hinihingi ng pagkakataon pero malamang ay makalimutan mo din sa paglipas ng mga araw. At a young age, sino ba naman ang mag-aakalang paninindigan n’ya ‘yun. But I know he will. Matatakot ‘yan na multuhin s’ya ni Daddy.
