To The Man I Love (LF Series #1)

Kabanata 10 | Okay

'Good Morning, Jam.' Text sa akin ni Mason pagka-umaga. I stretched and look at the sight of my room. Una kong nakita ang regalo niya. Nasa table ko pa rin ito kasama ang sticky note. Tumayo na ako at kinuha ang laman dito. Inilabas ko at ipinatong sa mesa ang bracelet. Naligo na ako at nagbihis. Isinuot ko ito sa aking kaliqang kamay. Kinuha ko na ang gamit at bumaba na.

"Wala ka bang napanaginipan, Jam?" Tanong ni Ate Mina nang makababa ako. Umiling naman agad ako. Kumuha na lang ng sandwich sa mesa at lumabas na. Sinabihan akong mag-ingat. Bumungad sa akin angmga naglalarong bata at ang iilang madre sa garden ng ampunan. Pagkalabas ko ng gate. May isang nakaabang na pamilyar na kotse. The car horned. Bumaba kaagad ang may-ari.

"Morning." Bati niya at kinuha ang dala kong gamit. Pumasok kaagad siya sa kanyang kotse at sumunod na ako. Naka-uniform na rin ito katulad ko. Pagkapasok ko sa kotse, narinig kong tumutunog ang bagong album ni Taylor Swift. Tumingin naman kaagad ako sa kaniya at binigyan niya ako ng mayabang na ngiti. Nasa pangatlong track na ito. I hummed the lyrics and I looked at him still smiling. He looked at me and saw my hand. Hinawakan niya ito.

"You're wearing it." Aniya. I just blushed and look away. Nang tingnan ko ulit siya, he was smirking.

"Sa malapit na mall mo na lang ako ibaba. Maglalakad na lang ako doon." Nang makalagpas kami sa tulay papasok sa siyudad.

"No."

"Please, Joe. Baka makita ka nila na kasama ako." I pleaded.

"I don't care."

"Please."

Humigpit ang hawak niya sa steering wheel. Hindi siya nanalo sa akin at ibinaba ako sa tabi ng mall. Lumabas kaagad ako nang mag-park siya. Naglakad na ako at nabigla nang magkasabay kami. Iniwan niya ang kotse niya. I said to myself.

"Baka may makakita sa akin. I know you don't want that." I said to him. He just looked at me. Masungit niya akong iniwasan ng tingin. Napangiti naman ako sa ginawa. Kinuha niya ang dalawang librong hawak ko sa aking kamay at nauna siyang maglakad. What a fast walker.

Hinatid niya ako sa building ko at kinuha ko na ang dalawang libro. Wala pang masyadong tao rito. Pumasok na ako at tumunog ulit ang phone ko. Text ito galing kay Kuya. Sinabi niya na pagkatapos ng klase ko, ipapasundo ako.

"I'll text you later." Sabi niya at dumiretso na sa kanilang building.

I am meeting my stranger dad. Hindi ako nagtanong about sa mama namin but I have a feeling na I saw her without me knowing who was really her.

'I'll pick you up after your class.'

Pumasok na ako sa classroom. As usual, konti palang ang tao. Dumating ang prof namin sa major para mag-announce about sa kanyang meeting kaya hindi siya makaka-attend ng klase. Nagsaya naman kami.

"Ano? Sine tayo?" Tanong ni Ara nang makalabas kami.

"May lakad ako ngayon."

"Naku! Saan naman? Wala ka namang jowa ah!" Hindi ko pa sinasabi ang nangyayari sa buhay ko dahil sabi ni Kuya na huwag muna at ang tungkol kay Jose, hindi niya rin alam at ayaw ko munang ipagsabi iyon.

"Gurl, umuwi ka na ng dorm niyo. Uwian muna asawa mo dun." Loko sa kanya dahil gusto siya noong nagbabantay sa dorm nila. She raised her middle finger and I did too.

"Is that your friend?" Tanong ni Kuya nang masundo ako.

"Oo."

"She is the daughter of the Rick Perez, right?"

"Oo, kuya."

"We know her family. Kaibigan ni Dad ang Dad niya." Then we went to the hospital. Pumasok kami sa isang pribadong room doon. Somehow, this hospital looked familiar. Sa 10th floor pa ang VIP kaya matagal ding umakyat dito.

I saw the man. Nakahiga siya. Natutulog at may nakahawak na may edad na babae sa kamay niya.

"Jam, this is Dad." Turo ni Kuya. I just stood there and sat after looking the old man's face for like 50 times.

Tumingin ang babae sa akin. She smiled at me. Is she my mom?

"Jam, this is tita Hannah." Si Kuya.

"She is our step-mom." Dagdag niya. I want to ask kung nasaan ang mama namin but the old man woke up.

"Dad-" Ani Kuya.

"Here's Jam." Muwestra niya sa akin. Tumayo ako at lumapit sa bed. He reached my hand and I let him hold it. Then, he cried.

After that, he sat up and told stories. I can hear the tiredness of his voice. He had lost hair. He has stage 3 lung cancer. Hindi na raw maagapan sabi ng doctor.

"You look like your mother. I miss her." The old man looked at me. He touched my face and I smiled.

"That smile. Parehong-pareho kayo ng mama mo. I am so happy to see that again." I let the tears fall and so my father.

"I love you. I am sorry if I did not visit you for years." He said. Kaya pala nawala ang mga events sa orphanage, I said to myself.

"You met your Tita Hannah?" He asked me.

"Opo."

"She was here all the time. She made me happy again after your mother's passing." He looked peaceful saying that.

He held my hands again. And looked into my eyes.

"Jam, always remember that I love you. And your mother always loved you. When we meet I'll tell her that you became the person she dreamed of you. She always believed that you will always create revolutionary things in our family. And you did. Thank you for being who you are, son." I nodded and cried.

"Thank you, Dad." Then, he cried again and opened his arms for an embrace.

That was the last memory I have with my father. He was wilthing. And I didn't know. After 2 weeks of visit, he died. Exam week namin and I didn't know how to cope with that. I can't tell my friends. Kuya said he will help me study. Jay also participated helping me. The funeral lasted for 4 days. After ng libing niya sa umaga, I still have the exam for my major. Hinatid nila ako sa school.

"Jam, you can do this."

"Oo, nga. Kuya, kaya mo yan." They both smiled. My two brothers. Though, I can still see the glint of sadness in their eyes so I just smiled back to assure that I am okay.

"How was your exam?" Tanong ni Jose nang hintayin ako sa labas.

"Okay lang." I said coldly.

"Are you okay?"

I just looked at him. Wala ng tao ngayon sa building na ito. Nasa entrance kami ng building at kami na lang dalawa rito. Nahuli kasi akong natapos. Nauna nang umuwi sina Ara.

"Hey," He touched both my arms.

"O-okay lang ako."

"Not to me, Jam. You don't look okay." Then, I cried in his arms. He embraced me and patted my back.