Avenues Of Espana (Manila Avenue Series #2)

35

"Mom!"

Someone giggled behind me, niyakap niya ako mula sa likod. Humarap ako at yumuko para mahalikan siya sa pisngi. Ngumiti siya.

"Good morning, baby!" I greeted her.

"Morning, Mommy! Are you going out?" she asked softly.

"I have work today baby, ikaw ba?" inalalayan ko siyang maupo sa tabi ko.

"School. As usual." she shrugged before she get her backpack. "Mommy, I saw this in the storage room of Kuya Brent."

Nilapag ni Ava ang hindi kalakihang red box galing sa bag niya, maalikabok na ito at medyo kumupas na ang kulay nitong pula. Napalunok ako ng mapatitig ako sa box.

Anong ginagawa ni Ava sa storage room? And why did she find this?

"I help Kuya Brent to clean some stuffs." she stated. "We also put some old stuffs in the storage room well coincindentally, I saw a red box. I think It was yours? Mom?" she asked curiously.

Hindi ako nakaimik bago nag-sink in sa akin ang lahat. Naalala ko ang box na 'yon, nilagay ko sa storage room noon dahil kapag nakikita ko 'yon ay maaalala ko lang ang lahat.

Let's just say that things are past memories. Dapat inaalala pero dapat ibaon na din ang lahat sa limot. It should be the right thing to moved on and letting go the pain then start again.

"Can I open this, Mom?" she asked me.

"S-Sure..." I smiled sadly.

Ngumiti siya sa akin bago niya binuksan ang box, nag-iwas ako ng tingin ng una niyang kinuha ang maliit na red velvet box. Naalala ko pa ang lahat noon, It was my birthday when he gave me a box of necklace. Ibabalik ko na sana 'yon kaso umalis na naman siya eh.

"Wow. M-Mom, look." tinaas niya ang necklace na binitbit niya.

Hindi ako nakaimik ng makita ang necklace na binigay sa akin ni Josh noon, binigay niya 'yon noong 18th birthday ko. Hindi ko lang nasauli dahil sa nahospital siya noon and that fact na pinapalayo ako at itinaboy ako ng Mama at girlfriend niya ng paulit-ulit.

"Binigay 'yan sa akin ng Dad mo..." mahinang sabi ko.

"What is his name?" she asked with bit curiousity.

I smiled at her and shook in disbelieve. Not this time, hindi niya dapat malaman muna ngayon. Ayokong hanapin niya pa at baka mas masaktan na siya ng sobra.

"This necklace is Briolette diamond knowned as "China Star" diamond necklace. The necklace was bid and sold in $11.1 Million. Chief craftsman William Goldberg spend six months cutting 160.5 carats of rough into the largest and most perfect brioche diamond ever made." Ava stated. "Equivalent to Philippine money, Mom... It causes 499,500,000."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "G-Ganon kalaki? G-Ganon s-sila kayaman?"

"Indeed, Mommy. This is the most finest and one of the most expensive jewelry in the world." she giggled. "Seems he's so rich, Mommy."

"H-Ha?"

"This is your friend, Mommy?" she showed me a picture with me and Josh.

Napalunok ako at hindi na makapagsalita pero pinilit ko ang sarili ko na tumango at baka mahuli pa ako ni Avery sa akto, napakatalino pa naman din ng anak ko.

"Y-Yes..." I trailed off.

"Can I wear this then? Don't worry, I'll take care of this." she convinced me.