Mirror of Spade

The Mirror. 3

What so good about mirrors?

Ngumuso ako at inilapit ang mukha sa salamin.

That boy seriously asked that.

Why can't he see the beauty of the mirrors? Why they think I am some creeps because I love everything about mirrors?

Nameywang ako sa harap ng salamin at inayos ang aking tayo, hanggang ngayon ay dumadaan saaking tanglaw ang nangyari kanina sa hapag. After I touch that boy's face, Daddy carry me and took me away from him. Parehong nagulat si Mommy at ang Ginang kaya hindi kaagad sila nakahuma.

And is there something wrong with touching that boy's face? Hindi naman nagalit si Mommy o si Daddy, even the lady just smiled at me.

"Baka gusto lang makipaglaro." That's the only words that the lady says after that, we ate again, in a peaceful way, hindi na ulit nagsalita si Mommy o maski isa sakanila. And I never look at the boy again. But before Mommy and I go upstairs he told me those words.

"What so good about mirrors?" Now I realize, maybe I am the only one who can appreaciate the beauty of mirrors. Maybe I am the one who is destined to love them, because people only wanted them to see their beauty, not the beauty of the mirror itself.

Maybe they don't know that mirrors can do wonders, that you can be friend with a mirror.

"Why can't they see what I see?" Itinaas ko ang kaliwang kamay at marahang inilapit ang aking daliri dito, unti-unti akong napangiti ng lumabas ang isang kamay dito at pinatama ang kaniyang hintuturo saakin.

"Maybe because you have different set of eyes, and they are not born to see the beauty beneath the mirror." Napangiti ako dito at saka tumango.

That is right! The mirror is always right!!

Kaagad akong natigilan ng bahagyang bumaha ang liwanag sa paligid, mabilis na nawala ang kamay mula sa salamin habang ako naman ay napalingon na saaking likuran.

"Baby?" It's Mommy.

Napakurap ako ng buksan nito ang ilaw sa paligid saka siya nakangiting lumakad palapit saakin.

"It's time to sleep, halika na. I'll read you a story about mirrors." Napangiti ako saka lumapit sakaniya, binuhat ako nito at inilagay sa kama, hinila ni Mommy ang kumot hanggang sa aking leeg saka ako hinalikan sa noo.

"Now, I'll read you a story." Tumango ako dito, hindi ko maalis ang tingin sa pabalat ng libro. It has a weird cover, a brown with the sparkling little mirrors, maliliit lamang iyon at nagkalat sa iba't-ibang parte ng libro.

"Mommy, where did you buy that book?" Ngumiti lamang ito saakin, inilapit niya ang kaniyang mukha saakin at pinisil ang aking baba.

"I bought this book along with the mirror in the shop." Shop?

"Anyway, after I read this to you, you'll going to sleep, okay?" Tumango ako dito.

Ngumiti ito saakin at inayos ang kaniyang pagkaka-upo sa aking tabi. Itinuon niya ang kaniyang paningin sa libro saka ito marahang binuklat.

"Mommy, what shop did you bought the mirror and that book?" Bahagya itong natigilan at kaagad na naisara ang libro, pinilit nitong ibalik ang nawalang ngiti sa labi, maligalig ang kaniyang mga mata. Tila hindi malaman kung saan itutuon ang kaniyang paningin.

"Sa malayong shop, anak." Hinaplos nito ang aking buhok.

"Mommy, you didn't brush my hair tonight." Natigilan ito sa paghaplos saakin at mabilis na naialis ang kaniyang kamay.

"Oh, Mommy forgot." Makailang ulit akong napakurap sa narinig, kailanman ay hindi nakalimutan ni Mommy ang palagian naming routine bago ako matulog.