Finding Querencia

Chapter Three

CHAPTER THREE

WE ARE WALKING around our botanical garden along with the tourists as for the moment; as we are surrounded by the gift of nature with some green houses scattered everywhere wherein they almost look like a modern house made of glass in which tourists can come in and chill among the plants inside since all of the green houses have benches and small tables; also, some nippa huts for resting. And as of now, medyo nasa dulong parte na rin kami at halos walang tao maliban sa hindi kalayuan.

His coat was now plunging on his forearm dahil nainitan yata ang ating butihing lingkod and now he was left with his black longsleeves and white bow-tie. Sobrang na-emphasize tuloy biceps and triceps niya dahil fit ang long sleeves nito sakan'ya. Hoo. Ang init nga ng panahon ngayon.

"When did your family garden started this?" Tanong nito habang pinagmamasdan ang dinadaanan namin.

"Ang kwento ng Mom ko, they bought the land little by little right after they got married then my mom has this fascination with plants and flowers kasi hanggang sa ayon, tanim-tanim lang siya at dumami tapos napapansin na ng mga dumadaan dito." I shrugged before I spot one of the nippa huts around the garden.

"Doon muna tayo sa kubo, sobrang pawis mo na oh. Baka tuyuan ka ng pawis sa likod." I said as I looked up at him na tagaktak na ng pawis.

But I suddenly felt shy when he looked down at me and realized that I almost sound like a concerned wife. Umiwas ako ng tingin at naunang naglakad patungo sa kubo.

"Hindi ka sanay sa init 'no?" Pag-iiba ko ng usapan habang papaakyat na sa hagdan ng kubo and I can just feel his presence at my back.

Hanggang sa makapasok kami at umupo. At nakaramdam nga ako ng kapreskuhan dahil sa malalamyos na hangin.

"Yeah. Sa office lang naman ako lagi." He answered casually and sat beside me with a half meter distance.

I looked at him at ako talaga naiinitan sakan'ya dahil sa pawis niya but he looks unbothered somehow kaya napangiwi ako.

"May panyo ka ba? Wipe your sweat." Hindi ko na napigilang sabihin sakan'ya.

He glimpse at me before sitting straight and took a handkerchief from his pant's pocket and really did wipe his face kaya napangiti ako pero mabilis din akong nagseryoso— bakit naman ako ngingiti, my goodness.

"I would commend, your place here is just so serene and calming." He said as he looks out and he can see from here our vast garden dancing with different colors under the bright sun and some tall and sturdy trees.

"Well, sinasabi naman kasi talaga na nakakatanggal daw ng stress ang mga halaman even some scented flowers. They can give you a sense of peace and contentment." Sagot ko naman at napapasulyap sa likod niya.

"Hindi ba basa likod mo?" I asked dahil hindi ko talaga mapigilan. Ano ba naman 'yan. I mean concern citizen lang naman ako— baka kasalanan ko pa kapag nagka- pneumonia siya bigla.

"I think just a little." Sagot naman nito and turn at his back and tried to look at it— as if makikita niya.

I cannot distinguish din dahil itim nga ang longsleeves nito at hindi gaanong kita kung basa ba ito oh ano. So, I have decided to grip his shirt and I almost panic dahil sobrang basa na nito and I think— literal na naligo s'ya sa pawis.