The Antiquity of Us (La Fortuna Series #2)

Kabanata 47

Kabanata 47

Antiques

After attaching my mother's antique mirror on the wall, I took a step back and stared at it. Nasa tabi ko siya at nakatitig din doon. Pagilid niya akong niyakap sa bewang kaya inakbayan ko naman siya.

The mirror was framed with what looked like golden leaves from a weeping willow. At the top of the mirror, also in gold, was a cherubic face I guessed was meant to be an angel. Sa itaas ng ulo ng anghel ay isang koronang matutulis ang dulo. The mirror itself was tarnished, perhaps it had been polished a few times or maybe that's just what happened with age.

"Ba't ang hilig mo sa mga antigong bagay, Ma?" tanong ko na.

Totoong kuryoso ako. Paano ba nama'y kalahati yata ng bank account namin ay ginasta niya para sa mga antigong bagay na kung tutuusi'y puro dead assets naman.

"Las, they're not just antiques," she clarified. "All of them are masterpieces from centuries ago."

"Magagalit si Papa kapag nalaman niyang may binili ka na namang ganito..."

She sighed. "You men will never understand. But hijo, antiques are like forbidden things. Mas matagal pa silang nanatili rito sa mundo kaysa sa atin. They carry burdens of the past that no human being could ever do so. Alam mo ba kung bakit ang mamahal nila?"

"Because they're old?" I wasn't sure. I just answered because she asked.

"Yes, but specifically, because they're consistent. Sa panahon ngayon, maraming bagay at taong dadaan lang sa buhay natin pero hindi magtatagal. Everything is temporary. But antiques? They had proven themselves enough to cost a fortune. Consistency is expensive, hijo."

Tipid akong napatango. My mother's wisdom always served as my refuge. Kaya naman bata palang ako ay malapit na ang loob ko sa kaniya. She just knew what to say and when to say it. And I loved her so much that I wanted the girl I would marry to be like her.

At no'ng nakilala ko si Yona, napagtanto kong sa lahat ng babaeng nakasalamuha ko'y siya ang pinakamalapit sa ugali ni Mama. She knew what she wanted and how to get it. She didn't settle for gray areas and was always opinionated on things.

I said before that I wanted my girl to be cute, but when she came into my life, I realized I wanted my girl to be her. Matalino, matapang, maganda. Pero higit sa lahat, mabuti ang kalooban. She always sacrificed herself for the people she loved. Kahit na halatang nahihirapan na siya'y tinitiis niya lamang ang sakit. Itutulog at aasang kinabukasa'y wala na ang hapdi.

It was her strength, but it was her weakness, too.

"Are you having a hard time at school?" I asked her.

And fuck me for sounding like a father to his daughter. Pero noong nakita ko siyang umiiyak dahil napagalitan siya ni General ay hindi ko na naiwasang mag-alala para sa kaniya.

"I'm surviving. Medyo hindi lang pumasa sa standards ni Dad ang mga nakuha kong grado kaya ganoon."

"Don't anchor your life in other people's standards, princess. Society's arbitrary expectations are fleeting... and will always change. Just do as you like. As long as you're not hurting anyone, you're good."

"Easy for you to say, Mr. Perfect," she teased.

Right there and then, I knew that she thought of me as someone high and mighty. Kinuyom ko ang panga ko dahil bahagya akong napressure dahil do'n. Kung bakit tingin ng lahat ay perpekto ako'y labas na sa 'kin. Wala akong espesyal na katangian. Sa katunayan, ilang beses akong muntik nang umalis sa kampo dahil sa tindi ng training dagdagan pa ng responsibilidad ko sa YSI.