Isang napakalaking mansion ang bumungad sa amin. Ito na ata ang pinakamalaking mansion na nakita ko. Hindi ko nga alam kung mansion ba ang itatawag ko dito. This house could even pass for a subdivision. Sobrang laki nito.
"This is your lolo and lola's house. Iba pa ang sa mga tiyuhin at tiyahin mo." Napaharap naman ako kay mama.
" Talaga po?" She smiled at my reaction and nodded. Shet! Gaano ba kami kayaman?
Tumigil kami sa isang malaking gate. The gate was painted with a golden color o baka gold talaga?
It had a cursive writing in between.
Success is earned, not given.
Napangiti naman ako. Kung gantong sulat ba naman ang sasalubong sayo, matatauhan ka talaga.
The gates automatically opened at pumasok kami. As we passed through, napansin ko na halos may mga statue kaming nadadaanan. May bata, meron namang matanda. And every statue were aligned. At ng mapansin ni mama na may tinititigan ako, she smiled and caressed my hair.
"Statue yan ng bawat membro ng pamilya. I have mine there, too. Pati narin sa papa mo and specially you." I smiled.
"Talaga po?" She nodded.
Tumigil kami sa pinakagitnang bahay. The door was shaped like an arc double door. Tinulak iyon ni mom and dad at agad sumalubong sa amin ang napakaengrandeng salas.
I can see gold everywhere. Kahit saan ka lumingon ay may gold na nakasabit. But what was more attention seeking was the grand staircase infront of me. It had a red carpet. At kahit nasa malayo ka pa ay alam mong may mga pangalan na naka burda sa carpet na iyon. The thread might be, gold too. Natawa pa ako sa inisip ko.
Dumiretso kami sa may dulo at muling binuksan ni mama ang isang pinto at sinalubong kami ng harden.
It was a very large garden. Kita ko ang mga nagkakalat na upuan with a round table with them. At sa bawat lamesa ay may nakalagay na tila ba mga succulent. It gave me the aesthetic feel i wanted.
Dahan-dahan kaming lumakad hanggang sinalubong kami ng dalawang mag-asawa. And no thought, they're bryan's parents.
When Tita Francine opened her arms ay parang bata na tumakbo si Bryan dito. The moment he felt his mothers embrace for the second time he broke down. And seeing him like this was new to me.
"Mom, I'm so tired. Im so so tired." He said while crying in his mothers arms. Hinaplos naman ni Tita ang mukha nito.
"Bricks, tapos na. You did a great job, anak." Ani ni tita.
Bryan hugged his mom tight. Pati kami ay naiiyak na. This is my third or maybe fourth time seeing him breakdown and it pains me.
Nilingon ako ni tita, when bryan letted her go she faced me and gave me a tight embrace.
"Finally, we met again. Napakalaki mo na. Dalagang-dalaga ka na talaga." She said while she was holding both my cheeks in her palms.
I smiled and nodded.
"It's nice to finally meet you too, tita." She smiled and kissed my cheeks. Saka naman lumitaw sa harapan ko ang isang lalake.
He was way more taller than i am. He had those dark eyes that his son seem to inherit. But despite his cold features alam kong mabait siya.
"Hija." He said. He signalled me for a hug at yumakap naman ako.
"Welcome to the family, hija." I smiled and nodded.
"Thankyou, tito." Ani ko. The couple laughed. Nilapitan pa ako ni Tita.
"Hija, wag ng tito at tita. You should probably call us Mama and Papa." Aniya.
Tumawa naman ako.
"Okay po, mama." When she heard what i calld her ay magiliw na lumapit siya kay mommy at niyakap ito.
"Finally, nagkatuluyan din sila sa huli." Natawa naman si Dad at si Papa.
I enjoyed looking at our parents being joyful. Then i felt a set of arms snaking its way around my waist, giving me a hug. I smiled and touched his hand.
"Baby, it's almost over." Tumango naman ako. He kissed my temple and then my cheeks.
"Yeah, it's almost over. Malapit-lapit na talaga." Ani ko. I smiled and so did he.
Nang minsang malingon kami ng pamilya namin ay parang mga bata na kinikilig pa sila. Even mama.
Dinala nila kami sa pinakadulo. I saw a big green house. And when i say big, i really mean it.
Habang papalapit kami i saw another couple. But unlike these couple beside us, those couple had white hair.
Nang maramdaman nila na may papalapit ay nilingon nila kami. Then with smiling faces they went close to us. And with the familiar features on their faces ay nakilala ko sila.Lolo and lola.
I was amazed on how elegantly my grandmother walked. Despite her oldness, she just looked like my mother with gray hair. She also had that elegant body. Aakalain mo lang nasa 50 lang siya o ano.
Then beside her was my grandpapa who seemed to be so inlove with granny. He was just looking at her as she walked towards us. Sino bang hindi?
Her long green silk fell from her waist up to the ground. The long dress gave more power to her as she walked. She looked like she was a princess from an old american fairytale. And beside her was her prince charming.
"Mi amore." She hugged mom and kissed her.
"Bonjour, mama." Mom said. Lola smiled and dad gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"You must be, my hermosa." She cupped my face then she looked at me with teary eyes.
"Sorry, mi hermosa. Sorry, if i gave you so much pain.If not for what i did. You and your mama would have been together." Hinawakan ko ang kamay ni lola and i smiled.
"Lola, it's okay. I am happy now. At yun po ang importante. Masaya na po ako ngayon." She noddedn and wiped the tears on her cheeks. Binigyan naman siya ni mama ng panyo.
Lola elegantly wiped her tears. Hindi pahid kundi pa dab dab lang. And lolo laughed at what she did.
Niyakag na nila kami papasok. I went with bryan. Pulang-pula pa ang mukha niya galing sa kakaiyak. He looks cute.
He held my waist at sabay kami na pumasok.
We sat at the sofa. He let me lean on him. I smiled and he also did.
He kissed my temple and pinched my nose.
"I love you." He mouthed.J
I smiled and kiss him too.
"I love you much much more."
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"Road to 100k reads na tayo."
