Every Ending (COMPLETED)

Kabanata 38

Kabanata 38

Cold

It was my mother.

The woman who called me the other day? Hindi ako pwedeng magkamali. Nanay ko 'yon. Natulala pa ako ng ilang saglit matapos kong marinig ang boses niya at tinawag akong... anak. Parang tinakasan ako ng kaluluwa ko ng mga sandaling 'yon. Hindi ako makapagsalita dahil sa halo-halong nararamdaman.

The woman who left me when I'm just a little kid. The woman who abandoned me. My mother, my mother called me.

At that moment, I'm stunned for a couple of minutes while hearing my mother's deep breaths. Nag-umpisa din akong kabahan sa hindi maipaliwanag na rason. She's waiting for me to say something which is not gonna happen.

Parang binuhusan ako ng malamig na tubig nang marinig ko ulit siyang magsalita.

"Amaia-"

I didn't let her speak again, without a second thought, I ended the call using my shaking hands. Tila tumayo lahat ng balahibo ko habang nagsisink in sa utak ko ang nangyari.

Noong isang araw pa 'yon nangyari pero hanggang ngayon, sariwang-sariwa pa din sa isip ko. There's no time that I didn't think about that. Halos 'yon na lang ata ang laman ng isip ko palagi.

Ang mahinhin at matamlay na boses ng ina ko. Ang hininga niya at ang pagtawag niya sa akin ng anak.

Pagkatapos ng insidenteng 'yon ay pinatay ko ang phone ko sa takot na baka tawagan ulit ako ng nanay ko. I didn't open my phone until now because I'm still scared as I'm scared that day. Meaning... I didn't have any updates about Genesis, but I think it's perfectly fine since I know that he's busy with his job. The only thing that I'm doing now is I'm helping my grandmother with her farm, lalo na't ngayong linggo ang anihan ng kanyang tanim na palay. I didn't want to just sit here in our house, doing nothing while thinking about that incident, but that was actually what I'm doing now.

I took a deep breath.

I'm alone here at the house since Lola went somewhere... I don't know where maybe on the market? I'm just sitting on the couch here on the terrace. Magbabasa sana ako pero ang nangyari ay nakatambay na lang ako ngayon sa harap ng bahay, nakahalukipkip at pinagmamasdan ang mga batang naglalaro sa labas. I am looking at them but my mind is on something else.

Hindi ko magawang hindi maisip ang insidenteng 'yon. There are many things going on in my head. Mga tanong tulad ng...

Bakit?

Why did she called me?

I told myself that maybe it's not her and someone is just making fun of me. But I didn't want to lie to myself because I am very sure that it was her.

Isang busina ng motor ang nagpagising sa akin sa mga iniisip. Napalingon tuloy ako sa pinanggalingan no'n at nakita si Justin na nakasakay sa motor niya.

A smile flashed in his lips when he saw me looking at him. Ngumiti lang ako sa kanya at biglang napatayo nang makita si Lolang papalabas sa kanyang motor, may mga dala itong plastic bag na malamang ay pinamili niya.

I started walking and went there to help her carry those things. The old woman looks exhausted and tired as she carried different plastic bags in her both hand. I was about to take it pero naunahan na ako ni Justin.

Justin smiled. "Ako na,"

Tumango ako sa kanya at sinulyapan ang pinanggalingan ni Lola. Meroon pa sa motor kaya iyon na lang ang binuhat ko.

Nauna ng pumasok si Lola at si Justin sa bahay na sinundan ko naman para mailagay na ang mga pinamili niya.

"Hay, nakakapagod."