Always and Forever

Chapter 2: Comfort

Present day

"Where are you headed?" the person beside me asked.

"To the Philippines" I smiled, and I sat as I wait for my flight.

I've been staying in New york for 2 years and now, I'm going home.

I went into a coffee shop to get something to eat before my flight back to the Philippines. There was a kid in the table next to mine, he looked like he's 10 or 11. Then, I remembered Adi and memories started to flash before me.

It was his 10th birthday, it was the 2 year after my mom's death. We were in 4th grade. He hosted a party at their house, all of the kids in our class was invited.

His mom cooked all the foods and even prepared prizes for the games, then me and Adi helped set the tables and chairs.

"Oh, ready na ba kayo? maya-maya andito na mga bisita mo Adi"

"Excited na ko! Gusto ko na kainin yung cake, Ma!" Adi said. He was throwing his hand in the air and was jumping enthusiastically.

"Me too! Gusto ko na maglaro para makakuha ako ng prices" I said while jumping with him.

But, as the hour passes, nobody is coming.

We continued to wait, but no one came.

I can see that Adi's mom was getting sad and confused to why no one came. She started calling everybody and the parents. 

I can see the pain in her eyes and I hate to see how sad Adi was. We thought that the address in the invitations were wrong or the time was wrong. Then, his mom came up to him.

"Ma, bakit wala pa sila?" Adi said patiently.

" Adi, 'di sila makakpunta ngayon kasi..." I can see her tears were about to fall and Adi saw that she was about to cry, he suddenly stood up and ran away from her. She tried to follow him but he ran too fast and too far. 

I ran and followed him. 

As I expected, he's in the abandoned park, and he was sitting by the lake. There was a park near our village, but nobody comes here anymore because it was abandoned years ago, the government stop funding for it's maintenance, but Adi loves to go here. Aside from the abandoned bridges and cottages the water was clean and we'd often swim here. It's like our little hidden place amidst all the things that are happening around us. We felt like Alice in the wonder land whenever we go here. It's our window from the reality that we are facing.

There was a wooden platform over the lake, there were tall grass surrounding the lake. 

And there was Adi.

I sat next to him and dipped my feet into the water next to his. I can see him crying. Adi's hair was black and long, it was wavy. He was skinny and he was wearing his favorite polo, he always told me that he saved it for this day, so he'd look extra special. 

"Are you okay?" I snaked my arm around his shoulder. He looked down and watched his feet sway around in the water. 

"Alam ko kung bakit hindi sila pumunta" He said, still looking down at his feet.

"bakit?" I asked.

"Sabi sakin kahapon ni Jake, ayaw na niya akong kalaro kasi kabit daw si mama" He said while holdin back his tears.

Jake is the other kid in our class, I've always hated him. He always jokes about my mom. Adi's dad left when he was born, the responsibility that came with being a dad scared him. Since then it was just Adi and his mom. 

"Alam mo naman yun si Jake eh, mahilig mang asar. For sure, hindi 'yun totoo" I assured him.

"Pero, totoo 'yun eh" He said, and the tears started to fall from his eyes.

"Pano mo naman nasabi?" I asked.

"Kahapon, late na umuwi si mama. Nakita ko yung naghatid sakanya" He started wiping the tears from his cheeks.

"Baka naman kaibigan lang niya 'yon, malay mo grab driver 'yun" I said.

"Si Mr. Olinas"

Mr. Olinas was the wife of Mrs. Olinas that owns a pastry shop near the school. Adi's mother was working for them.

"Huh? Baka nag deliver lang ng cake mo 'yun" I said

"May nagdedeliver ba ng cake na may kasamang kiss?" He said sarcastically.

"Seryoso?" I could not believe what he said. His mom was the kindest person I know next to my mom, she looked like an angel and has a porcelain skin. She even has the softest voice.

I didn't know what to say to him. I have no words. I just hugged him tight as he cried in my shoulders. He felt disgusted and betrayed. The image of her mother has been tainted.

"Adi" I pulled away from the hug.

Then, he looked at me, waiting for what I'm about to say.

"Here's my gift" I said as I pulled out the gift out my pocket.

I hand him the bracelet I made out of bids spelled out as our name. I gave him my name and I wore the one with his name. "This means, kahit saan ka pa mapunta or kahit anong pagdaanan mo or kung ano ano pa man, you'll never be alone. Lagi parin natin kasama ang isa't isa"

I don't want Adi to feel the same way I did, to feel alone.

"Thank you, Belle" He hugged me and said "always and forever" .

"Always and forever" I echoed.

I held both of his shoulder and told him "You should go talk to her, for sure meron siyang dahilan. Buti ka nga may mommy na nakakausap mo eh, so 'wag ka na magalit sa mommy mo at kausapin mo na, okay?" 

"Okay. Ikaw? Okay kalang ba?" he asked.

"I miss her" I whispered. He hugged me again and we both lied down in the wooden platform with both our feet dipped in the water. We just lied there and in that silence and in each other's company, we found comfort.

The following day, Adi's mom explained that what Adi saw wasn't what he thought it was. Adi's mom was harassed by Mr. Olinas , and Mrs. Olinas used Adi's mom to cover up for his husband. She spread rumors about Adi's mom being a home wrecker to protect his husband's wrong doings. Although, soon after the truth was unraveled, Mr. Olinas was sent to jail. Turns out that Adi's mom wasn't the first person heharassed, there were many other women who testified against Mr. Olinas. 

That day, I knew that me and Adi will never be alone, because we have each other. 

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xoxo, pb