Ears and Rhymes

Kabanata 8

Kabanata 8: Letters

"Crux, ano 'tong mga 'to?" Aniya habang nagtataka sa kung anong laman sa nakita niyang kahon.

"A box? Obvious naman 'di ba?" Mapilosopo kong sagot.

"Tss. Of course, I know this is a box. Pero why do you have this one? What is this for? And may laman pa..." Nagtataka at pagtututsadang tanong. Sounded a bit angry.

"Ang aga-aga, naghahanap ka kaagad ng mapag-aawayan." Pag-iiwas ko sa kanyang pag-uusisa.

"Tinatanong lang kita!" Sinigawan niya ako. Kinabahan pero nanatili akong kalma.

"Please... lower your voice. I don't understand, mahal. Ba't ka ba nagagalit?" Ang pangit niyang umaga ay sinabayan pa ng malakas na ulan, pagkulog at pagkidlat. I still can't figure what she was trying to tell me. Hindi ko alam kung saan nanggagaling ang pagkainis niya.

"Hindi nga ako galit! Sagutin mo ang tanong, Crux. Ano ba ang mga 'to at para kanino ba 'tong mga 'to ha?"

Hindi ko na siya sinagot at niyakap ko siya sa likod nang talikuran niya ako. I noticed her wiping tears from her eyes next. "Ano bang problema?" I gently asked with my arms wrapped around her.

"I was at our room. I was about to fix the whole room when I found that box. The box is labeled too, "To: Mema". Are you sure you didn't knew about this?"

"Inside those boxes are my old letters for her. But don't worry about those. Ididispose ko naman ang mga 'yan, tinatamad lang ako." Sabi ko nang akalain kong makakalusot na ako.

"Are you sure? Should've done that earlier. Hmmm." And she gazed at me like I did something worse.

Niyakap ko na lamang siya at hinaplos-haplos ang ang kanyang ulo. "I know what you're thinking. She's only a part of my past now but naiintindihan ko kung naiinsecure ka pa rin sa kanya."

Hindi ito umimik. Tinalikuran niya ako at pumunta sa sala at doon nanood ng palabas sa TV.

"Are you already hungry? Come sit down here. Magluluto ako for us, ano ba gusto mo?" I asked her just that I thought it could change her mood. She remained silent until she finally sat down on the chair.

"Uhm, I want pancakes! Pancakes lang wala nang iba!" Pasigaw nitong sagot sa akin." Paunti-unti siyang lumapit sa'kin at niyakap niya ako, resting her head to my chest. "I love you..."

"I love you too, mahal. Okay lang 'yun, you don't have to say sorry sa pinakita mo sa'kin kanina. I understand you." I replied to make her feel better.

"Pero why did you kept those letters na sana binigay mo sa kanya?"

"Kung gusto mo talaga malaman. Fine, hindi ko 'yan naibigay sa kanya lahat it's because I never had enough courage para ipabasa ko sa kanya 'yon." Napabuntong-hininga kong sagot. "Magluluto na 'ko, please wait here, okay?" 

Nakatayo ako nang hawakan niya ang kamay ko, tumayo din siya at hinalikan ako sa pisngi. "I want some coffee, too."

I blushed, and stuttered a bit, " Of course... ipagtitimpla kita." Nakahawak siya sa braso ko and that gave me a warm feeling inside. "Sige na, mamaya na muna ha? Magluluto na talaga ako."

I started putting the mixture I made in the pan while having a conversation with her, together with a twist na bigla ko lang naisip gawin. "Uhm, can you just timpla nalang for me? Ako na here sa niluluto mo." Aniya.

"Ikaw bahala, mahal. Pero, alam mo namang mas gusto kong pinagsisilbihan ka." I said so as she insisted to do.

"As much as I can, ayokong maging pabigat lang sa'yo. I want to help you in building your future kaya habang ngayon pa lang, hayaan mo akong pagsilbihan ka rin just like what you are doing to me."