The Nightwatch

UNINTENTIONAL PECK

18

4 pm na ng umahon kami at lahat ng labi namin ay namumuti na sa matagal na pagka-babad sa tubig.

Wade and Tristan are preparing to grill meat beside the pool with their towels hanging on their neck. Tumutulong din sakanila si Nay Matilda.

Beverly and I are just sitting at one of the lounges at pumapapak ng Pringles.
"Mga iha, umakyat na muna kayo at magbihis ng tuyong damit para makakain tayo"

Agad din naman kaming sumunod ni Beverly at umakyat sa kanya-kanya naming kwarto. Ngayon ko lang na-realize na hindi pa pala ako nakaka-ligo dahil diretso ako nagpalit Ng damit kaninang umaga.

Kaya pumasok ako sa banyo at naligo. Pagtapos ko ay binalot ko nang tuwalya ang aking buhok at nahiga sa kama. Malamig sa pakiramdam at para ako nitong hinehele. Kaya napag-desisyunan ko na manatili na lang muna dito.

Naghahanda pa naman sila ng pagkain at mamaya pa nila matatapos ihawin ang karne. Papikit na anh mata ko nang bumukas ang pinto at pumasok mula rito si Beverly.

"Natutulog ka?" tanong niya. Lumundag siya sa kama at tumabi sa akin. Parehas kaming nakahiga sa loob ng malamig na kwarto.
"Nakaka-antok ang lamig. Napagod din ako sa pool"

"I'm so glad,Bree" naangat ko ang tingin ko sakanya at nagtama ang paningin namin. Payak din siyang nakangiti sa akin.
"You just don't know but we're all looking out for you the whole time we were at pool. You look so happy. I'm glad we're bringing you smiles and laughter"

Napaisip ako sa sinabi niya. She's right. Simula kanina ay wala akong ginawa kundi humalakhak at ngumiti dahil sakanila. For a while they made me forget all the bad things that happened to me. They helped me escape for awhile.

"I'm beyond thankful to meet all of you, Beverly. You're all helping me a lot." makahulugan kong saad sakanya. For awhile ay natahimik na kami pero may namumuong tanong sa isipan ko nang naalala ko si Tristan kagabi.

"Bev"

"Hmm?" she sounded sleepy.

"Do you ever miss your parents?"

Hindi siya agad sumagot pero alam ko na narinig niya ang tanong ko. It just took her a moment to answer.
"Of course I do."

"But I'm not drowning myself into negative thoughts. I'm more on positive and healing. Kahit wala ang mga magulang namin ay alam kong binabantayan nila kami ni Tristan."

How I wish I could do that too. I would give anything to stop this pain inside me. But I know it would just guilt me. My family were all good people and they deserve to be remembered. Someday I wanna remember them without all this pain.

"Unlike my brother, Tristan is having a hard time dealing with our loss. Kahit ngayon na malalaki na kami at maraming taon na ang nakalipas. I know he's still enduring the pain inside him."

Sa nakita ko kay Tristan kagabi ay masasabi ko na kilala nga ni Beverly ang kapatid niya. Tristan is a jolly person outside, ganon ang pagkakakilala ko sakanya.

He always teases me and jokes around a lot. Para siyang bata kung kumilos madalas. But little do we know that he's doing that to mask all the broken him inside. Mas naintindihan ko si Tristan ngayon.

"So as her sister, I need to be there for him. I need to be strong to be able to support him. It wasn't all easy, watching my brother living a miserable life. But Tristan grew strong and he learned how to keep to himself the pain he's feeling without making everyone around him worried. Kaya kahit ganon yung kumag na yon, please understand him lalo na kapag inaasar ka niya. It's his way to survive with the pain"