*Gab’s POV*
Pagbaba namin ni Ice, pinagtitinginan kami ng barkada. As usual, she was oblivious of it.
“Uh Ice, hindi pa pala sila tapos mag-ihaw eh. Uh, maglakad-lakad muna tayo?” I offered. The truth is, ayoko lang macorner ng barkada. Fine! Aaminin ko na! Gusto ko rin syang masolo. I miss her more than she’ll ever know. I realized na tama pala si Brylle. Kaya ako naguguluhan kasi pinipilit kong pigilan tong nararamdaman ko. But you can’t blame me. What I’m feeling is not right. May pamilya na sya. Kahit sabihin pa nating I still love her, Fine! I still love her. But love is never enough. Wala nang patutunguhan tong nararamdaman ko. Kaya siguro, sapat na muna na maging kaibigan nya lang ako. Total, dyan din naman kami nagsimula di ba? Siguro hanggang dyan lang talaga kami. Maybe that’s reality. Maybe there is nothing I can do but to accept it.
She shrugged. “Okay...”
“So tell me, balak mo bang pagurin ako?” She joked. Halos isang minuto pa lang naman kaming naglalakad nang hindi nag-uusap. I can’t think of a single topic, which is awkward considering na ako yung nagyaya sa kanya na maglakad-lakad.
I smiled. “Galing mo talagang manghula.”
“Ah ganun? Sige, babalik na lang ako dun.” And we both laughed.
Awkward silence...
“Kumusta ka na Ice?”
This made her look at me. I wasn’t looking at her though. But still, I can see her through my peripheral vision. She looked away and shrugged.
“Okay lang naman. Tumigil na sa work si Dad. Which is the reason kung ba’t wala pa sila dito ni Mom.” She smiled. “Daddy loves his work so much. Kahit na hindi na sya dapat magtrabaho, he still makes sure that everything’s gonna be alright if he leaves. Well, that or sadyang sigurista lang sya.” She laughed. That small laugh of hers that makes me want to wrap her with my arms for no reason.
“Eh ikaw?”
“We bought an airline. Fotunately, it turned out na medyo swerte pala ako pagdating sa business.”
“Yeah. That’s what Marie told me. Congrats.” She grinned.
“How did you meet him?” I said out of nowhere.
“Him?”
“You know, that guy with very small eyes...”
She giggled. “You’re a racist, did you know that?”
“I do. Thanks to you.”
She shook her head. “You mean Liam... I met him there. Almost six years ago na rin. Pareho kami ng school na pinasukan. Naging classmates kami sa ilang subjects. Tas isa pa sya sa mga Asian na dun nag-aaral. So, yeah. Naging magkaibigan agad kami. He’s so easy to be with.” She smiled. Ouch. Tinanong ko pa kasi eh. Pero at least masaya sya. Tsk. Ano ba yan. Ang baduy ko. “I mean, when I’m with him, parang feeling ko wala akong problema. Like I have nothing to worry about. And I love him for that. Lalo na kasi hindi naging madali yung first few months ko dun. We all know that. But he was there and I really am so grateful, up until now.”
She looked at me. “Eh ikaw, how did you meet her?”
“Her?” I frowned. Hindi ko matandaan kung may ibang ‘her’ ba akong nameet after nyang umalis. Well, if you count my employees and our clients, then I’ve met a lot of HERs.
“I mean, your wife or your partner, in case you aren’t married yet.” She said as she eyed my finger and noticed na walang ni isang singsing dito.
“What made you think that I have one?”
“You can’t fool me Gab.” She grinned. “I saw you and your son when we arrived. Just so you know, nakita kita sa airport.”
“My s-?” An image flashed in my mind. “You mean Miggy?” I laughed.
She rolled her eyes. “Oh for Pete’s sake. Pano ko naman malalaman ang pangalan nya, aber?”
“And how would you know na anak ko sya? Porket magkasama kami?” I am loving this conversation.
“Well, he called you Dah.” She said matter-of-factly.
“He’s not my son.” I said simply.
“Really Gab. You don’t have to lie about having a son. It’s not like I’ll get jealous and mourn over the fact. Duh?!”
“Well, I did not say that.” I grinned as she blushed. Some things never really change.
“Whatever. Jerk.” But some things do.
I laughed. “Melbourne has really influenced you a lot huh?” When she did not answer, I said, “He’s not my son. He’s Selena’s youngest.”
Bigla syang napahinto sa paglalakad. “Aaron died a few years ago. Kaya ako na ang tinuring na ama nung bata.” I said sabay harap sa kanya.
“Oh. I’m sorry.” She said slowly.
“Are you sorry because of accusing me of something?” I flashed my evil grin.
“Shut up. I’m sorry for your loss. Tsk. Besides, I’m not accusing you noh.”
“Well, not literally. Anyway. I like your son. Manang-mana sa’yo. Buti nga lang hindi sya nagmana dun sa Tatay nyang singkit noh?” I joked. But she did not laugh. She looked like a grade schooler na nahuling nangongopya.
“Ice? Are you okay? If it’s because of what I said, forget it. I was just kidding. Uh, I think Liam is a good guy. Although I haven’t really had the chance to know him better.” Thankfully, I thought.
“No. It’s not that.” She smiled. Pero kilala ko sya. I know that that smile is just for show. “Maybe I’m just hungry. Let’s eat?”
“If you say so.” I said as we went back to the group in silence.
