Best Part of Me

16

He drove really fast away from that resort. He was dead silent the whole ride so I didn't bother to speak.

He looked very mad, and worried. Is it something to do with Jewell? Is she in trouble? Why is he reacting this way? Sobrang dami kong gusto itanong pero hindi ko alam kung dapat ko pa bang sabihin yun. I'll better keep my mouth shut.

Ang kaninang isang oras na byahe namin ay parang 30 minutes lang ngayon sa sobrang bilis niya magpatakbo at pakiramdam ko ay nakalimutan niyang nandito ako. If this he was acting like this because of Jewell, hindi ko alam ang mararamdaman ko.

Pamilyar ang daang tinatahak namin, patungo ito sa bahay nila. Nang makarating kami ay agad siyang bumaba, I guess nakalimutan na niya talagang kasama niya ako. Bumaba ako at sumunod sa kanya. Tumakbo siya papasok sa loob ng bahay kaya't humabol ako.

"Nasaan si Joseph?!" Napatigil ako sa pagtakbo ng makarinig ng isang malakas na sigaw. Napatakip rin ako sa bibig ko ng makita ang mga basag na vase sa sahig, mga nagkalat na gamit at mga bagay na nasira.

"Tita calm down please." Narinig ko ang boses ni Jewell. Sumunod ako sa pinanggalingan ng boses.

I saw Ash just standing there and staring at the lady who was being hysterical. Nakaupo ito sa sahig at may mga basag na bote ng alak.

"Ako na bahala Jewell." Napatingin si Jewell, I saw the shock in her eyes when she saw me behind Ash.

"Y-yeah, I should go. May meeting pa ako." Paalam ni Jewell. Tumango si Ash at lumapit sa babaeng nagwawala.

Jewell stared at me before walking away. Muli akong tumingin kay Ash, he was standing in front of the crying lady.

"Nasaan si Joseph!" Sigaw muli ng babae.

"Ma." I bit my lip to stop myself from crying. Is that his mom? He looked very mad and sad at the same time.

Tumingin sa kanya ang ina niya at tumayo ito.

"Ma wala na si papa, ano nanaman ba to?" He said. Mas lalo lamang humagulgol ang ina niya, this is so fucking heartbreaking. I heard his father died, and I just can't imagine the pain of losing someone to the point that you lost your sanity.

"Si Joseph! Nasaan si Joseph!" His mother kept on asking.

Lumuhod si Ash upang mapantayan ang kanyang ina, he took the bottle of wine that his mother was holding and wiped her tears.

"I told you to stop skipping your meds." Tumigil sa pag-iyak ang ina niya at tumitig sa kanya.

"Ashton." Tawag ng ina niya sa kanya. Hinawakan niya ang pisngi ni Ash na tila ngayon lang niya naramdaman ang presensya nito.

"Ma, please." Pain is evident in his voice but he wasn't crying, like he was used to this kind of scene.

"Ashton hindi magnanakaw ang papa mo. Hindi kriminal ang papa mo. Hahanap tayo ng magaling na abogado, ilalabas natin siya sa kulungan." Ash suddenly stood up and brushed his hair frustratedly.

"Ma, patay na nga si papa!" He shouted at her.

"He was a criminal and you just have to fucking accept the truth!" He shouted. His mom cried even more.

Sobrang sakit sa puso.

I don't know what to do but I decided to walk towards his mom. I kneeled infront of her and brushed her hair.

"Shh, it's okay. It's fine. Ilalabas natin sa kulungan si Joseph." I said trying to calm her down. She looked at me and cried.

"T-talaga? Abogado ka ba?" Umiiyak na tanong niya.

"No, but my mom is a good lawyer. We'll help you." I assured her. Sometimes, you just need to lie to lessen the pain. She wiped her tears and held my hand.

"Salamat. Maraming salamat."

"It's fine. But for now, I want you to rest okay? Let's go to your room now." She nodded, I helped her stood up and she walked towards her room so I followed her. Humiga siya sa kama niya kaya't umupo ako sa tabi niya.

"She needs to take meds." Mahinang sabi ni Ash. Inabot niya sa akin ang gamot kaya't inalalayan ko ang kanyang ina na inumin iyon. I brushed her hair, until she fell asleep.

I sighed and covered her body with blanket, I wiped her tears and fixed her sleeping position.

I looked at Ash who was just staring at me, I walked towards him and pulled him outside the room.

"Are you alright?" I asked worriedly.

"It's a daily struggle, I'm used to it." I chuckled and crossed my arms.

"I don't think you're used to it. You even shouted at her! Goodness, that's not how you're supposed to deal with it." He just rolled his eyes and pulled me downstairs.

"I don't want to give her false hopes." Sagot niya. Umupo siya sa bar counter at nagsimulang magsalin ng whiskey sa baso niya. Oh, his undying love for whiskey.

I sat beside him and accepted the glass he gave me. Sinalinan niya iyon ng wine. I just raised my brow at him.

"I like whiskey." Reklamo ko ngunit nilayo niya iyon sa akin.

"Wine would be fine." He said.

I just stared at him while he was drinking. It's not that difficult to know that he was devastated, in pain and lost. I think I understand now where his hate is coming from.

"It's been 5 years, she still can't go over the fact that my dad was convicted as corrupt and abuser, and that he died on his cell." He said suddenly. I sipped on my wine and just stared at him.

"That's love." I said.

"Love is when you believe in him even if no one else does. It is when you fight for it even you're going against everyone. I think I'll be crazy too if you died." I joked at him and chuckled but he didn't even laugh. Mukhang natigilan siya sa sinabi ko.

I saw him clench his jaw and avoided my eyes.

"Huy joke lang!" Natatawang sabi ko.

"I'll take you home." Tumango ako at tumayo na.

"By the way, group mate na tayo sa feasibility." I said while we were walking.

"Pumayag na ba ako?" Tanong niya.

"No, pero pinipili na kita as group member." Napailing na lamang siya at sumakay na kami sa kotse.

"Are you sure we can leave her alone?" Nag-aalalang tanong ko.

"Yeah, the meds she took was sleeping pills. Di naman ako magtatagal." I just nodded.

Just like what he did before, I typed my address at his waze app.

So much has happened today. It was a very emotional day, but I can say this was the best. I've got the chance to walk one step closer into his life.