I've decided na ipa-cremate ang labi ni Lola. In that way, I can still feel her presence beside me. Some of her ashes were filled in a jar and some of it ay inilagay ko sa maliit na jar na pendant sa kwintas ko.
Manang Yolly and her company suggested na itabi ang jar, kung saan naroon ang ashes ni Lola, sa puntod ni Mama at ni Lolo. Kaya rin ako nag-iwan ng ashes para ilagay sa pendant ng kwintas ko, 'cause still I want to feel that my grandmother never leave me behind.
Now, I was here in a cemetery upang ihatid sa huling hantungan ang kaawa-awa kong Lola. Together with some of our household workers and my friends na sina Julia kasama sina Dylan. At least for now, I didn't feel that I was all alone.
Hanggang ngayon hindi ko pa rin lubos na matanggap ang nangyari. Parang kahapon lang ay
"What a joke!" I whispered.Agad akong bumaba sa tinutuntungan kong bleachers at hinayaan sina Julia at Delancy na maki-chismis doon. Akala ko naman kung sinong celebrity ang naroon, 'yong dalawa lang pala na ayokong-ayoko nang makita.Pinipilit ko sa sarili ko na isipin na hindi ako bitter. What's the reason para magpaka-bitter ako, 'di ba? It's not my loss if Eli chose that bitch over me. I shouldn't feel this way but --- yeah, medyo masakit para sa akin na makita silang magkasama. And worse... marinig ang balitang sila na ulit.Just like how I see both of them no'ng libing ng Lola ko, bagay na bagay silang dalawa. Hindi ko naman mapigilan 'yong sarili ko na mag-isip ng ganitong bagay at kainggitan na naman ang Trisha na 'yon.How m
Gustuhin ko man na iiwas ang tingin ko kay Eli ay hindi ko magawa. Gustuhin ko man na takasan ang mga tanong niya ngunit para akong na-estatwa sa aking kinatatayuan.I can't find the right word to say. What's clear in my mind is that I was startled when Eli totally found out about that confidential secret I used to hide from him.But the question is, how did he know?"I won't get any answer from you kung tititigan mo lang ako. Magi, I want the truth!" He raised his voice at me as a sign that he's slowly being irritated.I let out a heavy sigh. "All of that was true. Na-diagnosed si Lola na mayroong Alzheimer's disease at totoo rin na si Dylan ang kinikilala niyang apo.That'
"Best wishes sa kanila!" I faked a laugh, trying hard myself to sound normal. "No lies, they are perfectly matched for each other, 'di ba?"I bit my lower lip to prevent myself from crying. I was damn exhausted from crying, at sawang-sawa na ko.I pledged myself to not cry again from the same person but here I was, 'yong mga pesteng luha sa mata ko ay nagbabadya na namang tumulo."Mukha ngang totoo na proposal 'yon at karamihan talaga sa amin ay naniwalang totoo 'yon!"I came back to my senses when she told us that. What does she mean?"Taping lang daw 'yon, parte ng movie na ginagawa nila. Akala tuloy ng marami, e proposal na. Acting lang pala ang lahat." Natatawang sambit nito.
I didn't even know kung bakit ko nga ba ginawa 'yon but I felt my heart was satisfied because of that.As I moved away from him after that embarrassing moment, his eyes were full of blithe while smiling at me from ear-to-ear."Why did you do that?" He asked me as his smile still doesn't fade on his face.Agad akong napaiwas ng tingin ngunit ang sumalubong naman sa akin ay sina Warren at Delancy na nakangiti nang nakakaasar habang nakatingin sa aming dalawa ni Dylan."W-Why are you looking like that? Could you please close that fucking judgemental eyes of yours?!"Naupo ako sa damuhan malayo sa kanila para sana iwasan na tuksuhin nilang dalawa, but knowing both of them, 'di talaga sil
"As in ngayon mo lang naalala lahat?"I just nodded as an answer. Nandito ako ngayon sa loob ng unit niya after ko ilabas 'yong talent ko sa kadramahan.There's one thing I've noticed in his unit, at iyon ay ang disenyo nito. Ang bright lang kasi ng aura ng design ng furnitures niya. Plain lang pero hindi mukhang plain na plain."Pero ikaw, matagal mo nang alam na ako 'yong hinahanap mo?" I asked."Ni minsan naman, hindi kita nakalimutan. Ilang years man ang lumipas at malaki man ang pinagbago mo mula sa dati, my heart still recognized who you are."Siguro isang dahilan din ang bagay na 'yon kung bakit mabilis akong nahulog kay Dylan.
"Walanghiya ka! Pinagkatiwalaan ka namin nang buo tapos ito pa ang malalaman namin? Ikaw pala ang matagal na naming hinahanap!" Tita Ellen stood up from her seat. "You should be ashamed of yourself!"I let my tears fall down on my cheeks while I keep avoiding her solemn stares on me. Ramdam ko ang paghigpit ng hawak ni Dylan sa kamay ko, but it wasn't enough for me to calm myself down."Ma, sumosobra ka naman na. Hindi naman sinasadya ni Magi 'yon!" Dylan tried to defend me."Ano'ng hindi sinasadya?" Tiningnan ako ni Tita Ellen sa mata. "Malakas ang pagtulak sa iyo ng babaeng ito kaya ano'ng hindi sinasadya? Pwede bang 'wag niyo akong gawing tanga!""Kaya pala ang weird no'ng sinabi niyo sa amin na nag-d-date na pala kayong dalawa.
"Ano kamo? Hindi lang basta aksidente ang nangyari kundi may pumatay sa Lola mo?"I just nodded at Delancy as a response. I was about to grab a taxi when suddenly, nakasalubong ko si Delancy habang papalabas ako ng police station."That's what the lawyer said," I replied.Once I finally catch who the culprit was, pagbabayarin ko siya ng todo. That person don't deserve a freedom --- kailangan niyang managot sa batas at bigyan ng hustisya ang pagkamatay ni Lola."What's your plan now?"I sip a cup of coffee before I mumble. "You know how much I hate reading mystery thrillers. Bukod sa nakakainis, nakakabobo pa.But for the sake of my
My eyes went wide. "A-Ano kamo?" I asked Trisha.The smirk planted on her face still doesn't fade which add-up the annoyment I'm feeling right now.Hindi ba talaga siya titigil sa kakangisi nang gano'n? Baka punitin ko na talaga ang labi niya para hindi na talaga niya maulit 'yan!She steps forward and leans her face closer to me. "Kilala ko kung sino ang pumatay sa Lola mo.""S-Sino?" At this moment, parang biglang nanghina ang mga tuhod ko sa narinig.Hindi man ako sure kung totoo ang sinasabi niya o pina-prank niya lang ako, e wala na akong pakialam. This time, I'm dying-hard to know the truth."Seek for yourself," 'yon