Soledad

Kabanata 2

Four months after.

"FOR the love of sleep! Turn the damn thing off!" Iritableng saad ni Saniah kasabay ang pagyugyog sa kanya nang kapatid. Solea forgot to set her work alarm off. Inaantok na kinapa niya ang nag-iingay na phone na inilapag niya sa side table bago matulog.

It was six in the morning and a Monday. She slept for three hours. Madilim ang paligid dahil sa makapal na kurtina sa bintana.

Madaling araw na nang lumapag ang eroplanong lulan siya sa NAIA. Thank God that Saniah was in the Philippines and came to fetch her.

Dalawang linggo lamang ang vacation leave niya kaya naman imbis na magliwaliw kung saan sa Amerika ay pinili na lamang niyang umuwi at mabisita ang tiyahin na palagi daw siyang binabanggit. Hindi na-aprubahan ang kanyang vacation leave nang nakaraang taon. Naiintindihan rin naman niya dahil kasagsagan noon nang kanilang pagpeprepara para sa spring/summer collection na ilalabas pa lamang sa susunod na linggo.

Kaya medyo relax na ngayon sa kumpanya at isa siya sa na-aprubahan ang vacation leave.

Anyway, even when she wanted to go back to sleep she could not. She had a weird dream about her Aunt Edith. Maraming beses na napapanaginipan niya ito magmula nang maospital pero kakaiba ngayon.

She was standing at a long corridor that she deemed was that of a hospital. Her Aunt Edith was standing at the middle of the corridor looking at her and was holding a red purse.

"Aunt Edith, bakit lumabas po kayo? Shouldn't you be on your bed?" Takang tanong niya dahil sa pagkakaalam niya ay hindi na ito makaupo man lang nang mag-isa, lalo pa ang tumayo na walang tulong mula sa iba.

"Sa'yo na ito, Solea." Wika nito sa kanya na hindi pinansin ang tanong niya. Inilahad nito ang kamay na may hawak nang pulang purse na sa pagkakaalam niya ay paborito nito sa lahat nang gamit. It was from that famous interlocked CC monogram logo luxury brand.

"Sa inyo po iyan."

"Sa iyo na ito ngayon, Solea. Dalian mo at kunin mo na."

"If you insist." Ang suko niyang sagot. Mahirap na at baka magalit pa ito. That was the last thing she wants to deal with.

"Just don't be like me, Solea. Live your life well."

Then her sister shook her back to life because of her noisy alarm.

Talk about the perfect timing!

Isa pa ay ramdam niyang tinatawag siya nang kalikasan. She had no choice but to get up and head straight to the toilet and bath inside Saniah's room.

The place they are currently staying at was a luxurious two bedroom with balcony condominium unit at Makati that Saniah bought two years ago. Nitong taon lang daw na-turn over sa kapatid ang nasabing unit. Ito marahil ang dahilan nang pag-stay nang kapatid sa Pilipinas sa unang buwan nang taon para ipaayos ang interior design nang unit. To top it all, she did not know about this until now. Ito ang surpresa na sinasabi sa kanya nang bunsong kapatid.

Just how much was the pay of a Youtuber? Ang na-curious na tanong niya sa sarili. She never did asked Saniah about it, they were privy when money was the topic.

Nang matapos sa kanyang naging pakay sa banyo ay lumabas na siya roon at gamit ang liwanag na mula sa kanyang phone ay tinalunton niya ang direksyon nang pinto palabas.

Medyo madilim pa ang paligid. Nakatulong ang isa pang condominium building upang maharang ang sikat nang araw. Saniah chose the side facing the pool area. She went to the balcony to inspect the place. Tahimik pa at walang katao-tao sa pool area. The sky was clear and no traces of clouds, just disappointed that she could not see the sunrise.