Meeting Halfway (Under Revisions)

ROAD TWENTY-EIGHT

FLASHBACK

ELMO's POV

"Nandito ka lang pala" rinig kong wika ni Ate Max.

Nilingon ko siya sa gawing likuran ko na may bitbit na dalawang tasa na nahihinuha kong kape.

"Good morning ate", bati ko sa kanya pagkaupo niya sa tabi ko.

Nagising ako ng maaga at napagdesisyunang tumambay sa garden para lumanghap ng sariwang hangin.

"Ganyan ba talaga kayong mga businessman, maagang gumigising kahit walang trabaho?" nakangiti niyang tanong habang iniabot sakin ang tasa ng kape.

Inabot ko naman yun at humigop agad. "Hindi naman, morning person lang talaga ako."

Hindi na umimik si ate sa gilid ko kaya nagpatuloy ako sa paghigop sa mainit na kape.

"Moe?"

Biglang rinig ko sa boses ni ate.

"Yep?" wika ko habang nilingon ko siya.Seryoso ang mukha niyang nakatingin sa namukadkad na rosas sa hardin nila sa bukid.

"Can I ask you about something?"

"Of course ate, ano yun?" nakangiti kong sagot sa kanya.

She faced me with a serious look.

"Are you happy?", diretso niyang tanong sa'kin.

Natigilan naman ako sa tanong nay un at iniwas ang tingin.

Wala akong makuhang sagot sa isip ko.

"Oo naman" maikli kong sagot.

"I really hope you do Moe", wika ni ate habang seryosong nakatingin sa'kin.

Hindi na ako kumibo at nagpatuloy sa pag-inom ng kape.

This is her first time asking me questions like this since she got outed by my father from our family the time she married kuya Rob.

Papa was so against with her relationship with Rob dahil tulad sa'kin, ate was supposed to marry the heir of another known company.

Pero pinaglaban ni ate ang relasyon niya kay kuya Rob and secretly marry him one week ago from her supposed wedding to her fiancé.

Mama supported ate Max pero sa pamilya namin si Papa ang may last say sa lahat ng bagay.

"You know what Moe, I was really glad that you were there for Mom and Dad, I feel less guilty for going against Dad 5 years ago."

"Did you regret it? Did you regret choosing kuya Rob over Dad?"curious kong tanong kay ate Max.

Sa limang taon, ako at si Mama lang ang nakakausap ni ate, hanggang ngayon ayaw pa rin tanggapin ni Papa si ate at si Kuya Rob.

She looked at me intently for a second then a genuine smile appeared on her face.

She doesn't need to tell me; I could see how happy she was and I am happy for her.

But ate Max answered me nevertheless. "Nope, not even a second."

"I'm sorry Moe that you had to fill-up the responsibility that was supposed to be mine.", tumigil ng bahagya si ate bago nagpatuloy. Ginagap niya ang kamay ko at tiningnan sa mata. "Moe, you should not let Dad control your life and manipulate your happiness. Moe kahit di mo sabihin sa'kin, alam kong ayaw mong ma engage sa babaeng yun and I know that the only reason that you agreed to it was because of Dad. Si Janella..."