Forgive or Forget

Chapter 16

Kinabukasan ay maaga akong nag-handa at nag-ayos. Maaga 'yung presentation namin ngayon kaya kailangan ko talagang magmadali.

Kagabi lang ata ako nakatulog ng maayos kumpara sa mga nagdaang araw. Marahil ay nakahinga talaga ako ng maluwag sa sinabi ni kuya Phil kahit papaano. Bigla kong naisip kung gaano katapang at katatag ang kapatid ko. Kahit dati nang mga bata pa lamang kami ay siya rin ang naging sandalan ko. Pero hindi ko rin maiaalis sa akin na nag-aalala pa rin ako sa kaniya, kahit alam kong malalagpasan niya rin ito.

Dahil minsan, hindi lahat ng taong akala mo matatag at walang problema ay gano'n talaga. Madalas ay sila pa ang mas maraming pinagdaraanan at kailangan ng masasandalan.

How I wish everything will back to normal again. I hope...

Bubuksan ko na sana ang pinto ng biglang mag-ring ang phone ko. Agad ko itong kinuha mula sa bag kong suot. Napakunot ang noo ko ng makitang unregistered number ito.

"Hello?" sagot ko rito.

"Jeenah..." Napaawang ang labi ko at bahagyang nanlaki ang mata ng marinig ang boses na iyon.

"Shit! Kuya? Is that you?! Are you okay? Where are you? Bakit hindi mo sinasagot ang mga tawag ko?" sunod-sunod kong tanong. Shit. I really miss him!

I heared him chuckled, "Chill, Jen, I'm okay..."

Napahinga ako ng maluwag, "Thank, God, you called! I'm so worried about you, kuya!"

"I'm doing fine, Jen. Don't worry about me, okay? I can do this alone, trust me. Anyway, I have work now. It's not like my work in our company, but it's okay." kinain kami ng katahimikan matapos niyon. "I'm thinking about you. How are you? How's mom?" maya-maya ay sabi niya.

"I'm okay. I'd just been really worried about you. Why aren't you answering my calls? You're killing me, kuya!"

He laughed, "Sorry, sorry... I just need space that time so I didn't accept any calls. But it's fine now."

"Where are you staying now?"

"I'm not going to tell you 'cause I don't want you to lie to dad if ever he ask you about me."

Napayuko na lang ako. Bakit ba ang bait ng kapatid kong 'to? At masaya ako na napapalibutan ako ng katulad niya—nila Jiu. Never pa talaga siyang sumuway sa parents namin. Ngayon lang...

"Okay... but you're in a safe place right now, aren't you?"

"Of course, I am." sana lang talaga. Sana hindi mo pinagtatakpan ang totoong lagay mo, kuya. Sana ay hindi ka nagsisinungaling sa'kin, katulad ng palagi mong ginagawa. Pero bakit iba ang kutob ko?

"Is it really true, kuya?"

I heared him laughed again. Those laughs, I hope it's genuine. "Of course, baby..."

"Mom's so worried about you, kuya. Can't you just go home? We'll talk to dad."

"No, Jen, you don't have to. I'll fix this on my own without dragging you on my problem. Just tell mom... that I love her."

Napangiti ako. Sa totoo lang ay hindi sila close ni mommy. Parang sa kanila lang ni daddy. Close sila ni daddy at kami naman ni mommy. Minsan din ay nakakalimutan na ni mommy si kuya ng dahil sa akin. Lalo na noong bata pa lang kami. He's always with dad, while I'm with mom. It looks like there's an invisible barrier between us. Between our family, but we don't know. And we don't wanted to know.

"Kuya, do you know that mom talked to me? And she wants me to look over you," I don't want him to have issues with mom. Ayokong lumayo ang loob niya sa kay mommy.