Brave Hearts (Published Under LIB)

Kabanata 13

Kabanata 13

"NAY, may tanong ako," tawag ko sa pansin niya habang nagluluto siya.

"Hmm?" she hummed and glanced at me, ang mga gulay na ini-slice ko ay inilagay ko sa plato.

"Have you ever been in love?" tanong ko.

Nanlaki ang mata niya at isinara ang kaldero.

"Hmm, bakit mo naman natanong, Lia?" she asked, quite shock but curious.

"I was just curious, Nay. Si ano kasi..." Napatikhim ako. "Si Heart? 'Yong kaibigan ko, ano kasi...brokenhearted, first love niya kasi sana but it failed," I lied.

"Oh, may boyfriend pala si Heart?" she asked. Tumango ako.

"Well, I've been in love." She smiled a bit at me. "Dati, he was my high school love, young love, Amalia."

I got curious, pumahalumbaba ako at nagtanong, "Talaga po? What happened then? In any case...is it my father?"

I saw how a lone expression left her eyes. She sighed again and stood, shaking her head. "Before I met your father, I met him first," aniya. "He's just so amazing, magical, lovely, lahat ng hinahanap ng mga babae ay nasa kanya, Lia."

She opened the casserole and checked the food. "We were in love, akala ko nga kami na but then we were young and foolish."

"What happened?" I asked, nararamdaman kasi ang lungkot sa boses niya.

"Ayaw ako ng pamilya niya because of my status," she muttered.

"Because of it lang, Nay? Dahil...wala tayong pera?" tanong ko.

"Anak, dati kahit papaano may masasabi naman ang pamilya natin. Your lola came from a rich family, we came from a rich one." Lumapit siya sa akin at kinuha ang mga gulay na ini-slice ko. "Ang mga magulang ni lola mo, they wanted to marry her off to a rich family but she didn't like it because she loves your lolo so much."

That made me smile. "She fought for him?"

"Yes," ngiti niya bago naupo sa harapan ko. "Pero ang kapalit n'on, itinakwil ang lola mo kaya nagsama sila ng lolo mo rito sa Cagayan. May naipundar kahit papaano, pero hindi na kagaya ng dati ang ngayon. Nagmamahal ang mga bagay kaya mahirap kumita at muling umasenso. Pero alam mo, kahit gano'n ang naging buhay nila, they were happy because they got the love they wanted."

"That's too ideal, sana lahat ng tao kaya makakuha ng pagmamahal na pang-matagalan, Nay, ano?" I said wistfully. I saw the lone expression in her eyes.

"Well, iyong tinutukoy kong first love ko, Lia, hindi niya ako naipaglaban. Hindi namin napaglaban ang isa't isa. We were still young that time so we broke apart. Naghiwalay kami and I met your father."

I stopped, ngayon niya lang bubuksan ang usaping ito kaya sumulyap ako sa kanya at nakitang nakangiti siya.

"Your father's like a ball of sunshine, mabait, responsable at palagi akong pinapasaya, I thought finally there was someone who could love me for who I was and you were made, kaso nga lang. Noong pinagbubuntis kita, he vanished...nalaman ko na lang na may ibang pamilya na."

I froze, hindi ko alam kung anong dapat sabihin. Natulala lang ako at si nanay ay ngumiti at hinaplos ang pisngi ko.

"Amalia, you see, my baby, young love tends to fade away quickly because your heart's still young, indecisive and uncertain." She smiled. I nodded, understanding her.

"Young love does not tend to stay forever—but not everything, may mga pagmamahal na nagtatagal, like your lolo and lola, not just...hindi sa lahat ng tao," she said. "It's okay to love but above all else, love yourself first. Bata ka pa, marami ka pang magagawa. Love will come to you if it's meant for you, no matter what happens."