Napalunok si Sam nang makarating sila sa isang napakalaking mausoleum na nasa kanang bahagi ng bahay nina Osmond. They entered through a remote-controlled gate of the mausoleum, and entered through another door that led them inside. Namangha siya sa nakita. It was spacious. It was as if it was made only for the person buried there. She wondered kung sinong pumanaw na mahal sa buhay ni Osmond ang nandu'n.
One thing that caught her attention was a guitar that was hung on the left side of that building. She smiled.
Tahimik lang silang naglalakad patungo sa isang hugis-rectangle na tiles na nasa gitna. In it, she saw many flowers: chrysanthemum, baby's breath, and white roses – all fresh. At the bottom of it was an inscription, saying: "There is nothing greater and wonderful than the woman lying here."
At that time, she directly looked at Osmond. Nagulat siya. Nawala na ang dating 'aura' sa pagmumukha nito. His face that says he's cold-blooded, stiff and mean – from before - were now all gone. Tila wala sa sariling nakatingin lang din ito sa inscription, na waring hindi siya nito kasama. Napakurap siya sapagkat iyon talaga ang unang pagkakataong nakita niya ang 'malumanay' na pagmumukha ng lalake. She cleared her throat.
"Y-Your mom, right?" di-mapigilang tanong ni Sam. Nakita niyang tumango lang si Osmond.
"B-Bakit mo 'ko dinala dito?"
"I don't know."
Naguguluhang tumingin ulit si Sam sa lalake. "Huh?"
Tahimik na umupo ang lalake sa sahig. Nanatili naman siyang nakatayo.
"I see," nakangiting saad ni Sam. "You often come here whenever you're, sabihin nalang nating, kapag malungkot ka or you come here because you find peace. It makes you calm knowing that you had your mom with you."
Kumunot ang noo ng lalake saka tumingin sa kanya na waring nagsasabing, "You're talking nonsense again."
Ngumiti siya.
"Let me guess again, kaya ba nahihirapan ka sa pagpili between your brother's 'orders' and your band, because of your mom?"
Iritadong tumingin ulit sa kanya ang lalake. "Bakit ba ang dami mong nalalaman? Napakaingay mo."
Tumaas ang kilay ni Sam.
"Eh, ayaw mo 'kong kausapin! Tch. Itong rosas na lang kakausapin ko, malay natin, sumagot!" sarkastikong turan ni Sam saka akmang lalapit sa pumpon ng mga rosas.
"Tss," ani Osmond. Masama ang tingin nito sa kanya. Umirap si Sam. Akala ba niya ay paninindigan na talaga ng lalake'ng 'to 'yong mala-anghel nito na pagmumukha kanina!
Katahimikan.
"You were just the same. Both of you. My mom, she's... she's hard-headed," humina ang boses ni Osmond.
Hindi malaman ni Sam kung matutuwa o malulungkot sa sinabi ng lalake. She might be happy kasi ikinompara siya nito sa mama nito, pero ang makita ang nostalgic na pagmumukha nito na tila nalulungkot sa pagkakaalala sa ina, hindi niya mapigilang malungkot din tulad nito. Napakaaga nang mamatay ang papa niya kaya hindi niya masyadong iniinda ang sakit sapagkat hindi na niya ito nakita mula nang magkamalay siya sa mundo. Her mom told her that her dad died when she was only 8 months old sa isang car accident. All that was left was her knowledge about her dad, but she didn't really get the feeling of being in pain just because she missed him. Unlike Osmond.
Sam sighed saka tumabi kay Osmond. Awtomatikong dumistansya naman ang lalake. Tila nagulat ito sa biglaan niyang paglapit. Natawa siya.
"Hey," tawag niya.
BINABASA MO ANG
PENTA BROTHERS SERIES II - The Broken Strings (OSMOND)
RomanceBOOK II: Osmond's resolution! He suddenly quit his band to everybody's surprise. No one knows. Not even his P5nta Brothers friends. Nobody would want to ask him because of his (VERY) cold personality. He's an anti-social, they say. He speaks less...
