Our Fallout: A Second Chance

Eight

Chapter 8:
Last Dance

"I know you'll be busy for the whole day tomorrow so is it okay if I take you on an adventure today?" tanong ko kay Ali ng pagbuksan ko siya ng pintuan sa kotse niya.

She texted Levi not to fetch her today so I wanna grab this opportunity to be with her. "You prepared something for me?" excited niyang tanong. I didn't expected that.

"You know since we're about to enter adulthood I just want us to revisit our happy place during childhood." I said trying to dudge the bullet. "Of course." masayang sagot niya.

It's the ocean park since I can't take her to a real beach because it's too far. Ali's so in love with the beach and ocean though I find it scary. She likes turtles, jellyfish and otters so much.

Pababa palang kami kitang kita ko na ang saya sa mukha niya. This place is like Disneyland for her and this is also where we first met each other.

We're eight years old at that time. I don't know the story about our parents' friendship but they drifted apart too.

Ang sabi nila Mama una kaming nagkita nung babies palang kami kaya hindi namin naalala hanggang sa nagkaaway sila ni Tita Kristine. They tried to fix their friendship again when we were eight years old.

"We've been here for how many times yet it still amazed me seeing you all giddy and excited at this place." sabi ko sakanya habang hinahatak niya sa mga gusto niyang puntahan.

"Being here everday is a different experience kahit parepareho ang nakikita at kaya nakakasawa ang ganda nito." napatawa na lang ako sa sinabi niya.

Mas maganda pala dito pag onti lang ang tao. It's quiet and you can appreciate the place more. Napatigil si Ali sa harap ng malaking aquarium. It's a bit dim here and we can only see the lights through the jellyfish.

"I remember seeing you here cry the first time we met." napatigil ako habang inaalala yon. Dito nga ba yon? Umiiyak ako noon pero hindi ko na maalala kung nasaan ako. "I can't believe you still remember that." sabi ko sakanya.

"I remember everything about you." rinig kong sabi niya. "There was a lot of ice cream on your face and you were crying because you got lost from your Mom and then I found you which is weirdly amazing yet magical that both of our parents knew each other... It's as if I was destined to find you so we can reconnect our Moms together." in those moments, it seemed like a normal day but it was special.

A magical day to our Moms.

"Do you miss Tita Kristine?" hindi ko maiwasang tanong sakanya. "I miss her everyday. You know it's funny how I see her as a happy memory when other people feel sad remembering their loved ones." lumapit ako sakanya para yakapin siya.

We were both hugging each other while we watching the jellyfish swim freely.

"And I'm so happy to have you and Tita Celestine at my side." yakap niya sa akin pabalik. "Curiousity strikes. Okay lang ba sayo kung magkaroon ulit ng bagong asawa ang Papa mo?" hindi ko maiwasang tanong.

"It's fine with me. I mean he has his own life too. His world doesn't only revolve around me and the twins but he must've loved my Mom so much that he doesn't feel any sparks, romance and love to anyone." she leaned her head on my shoulder.

Does my Mom still love my Dad then? Iyon lang naman ang rason na naiisip ko kung bakit ayaw niyang magkaroon ng bago?

"Do you think my Mom still loves my Dad? I mean I can understand your Dad's point of view. Their marriage didn't fail. They loved each other until the end but my Mom? I can't understand." hindi ko maiwasang tanungin.