"May hagdan po ma'am, dahan dahan po kayong umakyat." Mabilis kung sinunod ang utos ni Mang Karding ng maramdaman sa paa ang hindi kataasang hagdan.
Suminghot singhot ako ng maka-amoy ng mabangong bagay.Para iyong bulaklak sa garden sa bahay.
"Umupo po kayo ma'am"Narinig ko ang paghugot ng upuan kaya umupo na ako sa tulong ni Mang Karding.
"Dito na po ba?"
"Opo ma'am."
"Pwede ko na ho bang tanggalin?" Tukoy ko sa panyong nasa mata.
"Si Sir Lucas na po ang bahala diyan ma'am" Nakarinig ako ng yapak, baka umalis na si Mang Karding.
Napasinghap ako ng may biglang humalik sa aking labi. Basi sa amoy ay si Lucas iyon.
Napanguso ako." Ano na namang pakulo to Lucas?"
I heard him chuckled and untie the handkerchief. Kinurap ko ang mata, bumungasa akin ang mga rosas na nagkalat sa sahig, nasa ibabaw kami ng yacht, at ang ganda ng dagat. Hindi iyon umaandar at nakada-ong lang.
Nakaupo ako sa lamesang may sapin na kulay ginto, pati ang mga kutsara't tinidor ay ganoon din. Bigla akong natakam ng makita ang pancake sa lamesa, Nakakatakam!.
"We'll eat later Wife." Ani Lucas, siguro ay alam na kakainin ko ang pancake na nasa lamesa. Hindi lamang pancake ang nakahanda kundi iba't ibang klase ng pagkain.
Napanguso ako. " Pero natatakam ako Lucas." Nakabusangot kung ani.
Mahina muli siyang natawa. " Just one Wife." Mabilis akong kumuha ng pancake at nilagyan iyon ng chocolate syrup na nakapatong din sa lamesa.
"Stay here." Tumago lamang ako at pinagpatuloy ang pagkain.
Napasinghap ako ng gumalaw ang yate. Mahigpit akong kumapit sa lamesa na para bang malaglag ako. Huminto iyon sa gitna ng dagat, sakto namang tapos na akong kumain ng bumalik si Lucas. Umupo siya sa tapat ko, bakas sa mukha niya ang hindi maipaliwanag na kaba.
"Ayos ka lang?" Tanong ko.
Ngumiti siya." Not really"
"Bakit?"
"Uhm, just continue eating while I'm telling you a story." Agad naman akong tumalima.
"I'm just a nine year old kid when I met this cute girl. She's too young but I can't help but to admire her beauty." Napatigil ako sa pagkain, may hindi maipaliwanag na sakit ang naramdaman ko sa aking dibdib. " She's crying because someone stole her toy, I don't know why I feel so mad to the one who make her cry, Kapag alas tres ng hapon ay palagi ko siyang nakikita sa parke. I'm make friends with her, I'm always protecting her when Someone want to harm her." Lucas' is smiling while telling those things. Para bang kahapon lang naganap ang istoryang kanyang sinasabi.
" We became friends for almost a month, in that month, I can feel that I'm starting to like her, I like the way she laugh, chuckle, do some cute things. I can't forget that day when I told her that I like her, but did you know what she replied?" Lucas' looked at me with his happy smile.
Hindi ako sumagot at tumingin lamang sa kanya. Tumawa siya na parang baliw. " She told me that I'm not her type, she said I'm ugly and too old. Gusto niya daw yung nakikita niya sa T.V na may mga abs. Did you know what I did after she tell me those things?. I went home and told my dad to buy me some things that can make me muscular, so she can like me too."
I wish I'm that girl. Napahawak ako sa dibdib ng kumirot iyon. I can see that Lucas is really happy while remembering his past.
Lumungkot ang mukha ni Lucas na para bang may nangyaring hindi maganda. " I'm preparing that time to went at the park when dad barged in my room. He... he told me that she had an accident. I'm so panicked that time, agad kaming pumunta sa hospital. I saw her lying on the bed while having a bandage on her head. But when the doctor said that she's okay, nakahinga ako ng maluwag. I was with her in the hospital when my mom called and she told me that we need to go at my grandfather in America."
Hindi ko alam ang mararamdaman. Hindi ko alam kung bakit may parte sa akin ang naiiyak dahil naaalala ko na naman ang pagkamatay ni mommy. Pinigilan ko ang sarili sa pag-iyak.
"Wala na akong nagawa dahil inatake sa puso si Lolo, but I told manang Tacing to tell me what is Happening to the girl. My grandfather died pagkarating namin doon. Nasabi rin ni Manang na namantay ang Mommy ng bata. I want to go back to help her ease the pain. Pero may problema din ako."
Hindi ko na napigilan ang pagtakas ng luha sa mata ko. Lucas' immediately wipe it away before continuing.
"I lived in America, but I still know what is happening to her. I was in my last year in College and managing our company when I get the news that he had a boyfried. I was so mad that time dahil makauna sa akin. I want to ber her first boyfriend, someone also sended me the photo of her and her man kissing in public. I was so livid that time but I still manage to calm down."
"I went back in the Philippines after college but her and that man are still in a relationship. I'm watching from a far before going to work, I started to make my own company, naisip ko pa noon na kapag wala na sila ng boyfriend niya ay hindi ko na siya papakawalan pa."
Lucas' gritted his teeth and tightened hia jaw.
"My wish came true. Nag break sila, I was so mad when I know the reason. Her boyfriend cheated on her, hindi ko na napigilan pa ang mabugbog ang lalaking yun. I almost killed him, mabuti na lamang at inawat ako nina Luke. I went at her dad and told him that I want to get married with her when she finish her study and had a stable job."
Lucas' smiled broadly and Looked at me.
"And now...... I'm her husband." Lucas' happily said na siyang ikinalaki ng mata ko.
"Y-you mean?" Naguguluhang tanong ko.
Tumango siya at ngumiti ng malapad." It's you wife, The doctor said that you forgot the memory that had. Nagtatampo nga ako eh, bakit yung memories pa natin yung natanggal?" Nakangusong aniya.
Napahikbi ako sa nalaman, wala akong malala sa ikinuwento ni Lucas noong bata pa kami pero may parte sa akin ang nagsasabi na totoo iyon.
