One Lost Summer (Brave Series #2)

Chapter 45: Grale

Ashton Grale Buenavista

Dahan-dahang binuksan ni Grale ang mga mata nang magising siya. He instantly noticed the cold space beside him that was occupied by his girl last night. Nauna na naman itong nagising sa kanya. It's their third day at the resort now and it's been almost three months since Majarlika was hospitalized. At sa tuwing bumabalik sa isip niya ang pangyayaring 'yon it couldn't help but draw a different kind of hollowness in his chest, it's horrible and scary. He doesn't even know if he can still stay sane if it happens again. Dahil sa totoo lang, hindi na rin niya alam kung saan pa siya humuhugot ng lakas para manatiling kalmado.

"She will have another attack, that's for sure. And the only thing that you can do is to stay alert, Grale." Tita Eva said one night when he stayed over at their mansion.

Nagising siya isang gabi at nagpasyang lumabas ng kwarto at bumaba. Nakita niya ang ina ng nobya sa kusina na may hawak na baso na may lamang wine. Mukhang hindi rin ito makatulog.

He nodded. "I will be, Tita."

The lady in her late thirties wore such a trained expression. Her cold eyes remind him so much of Majarlika's pair of eyes. Their resemblance was uncanny. Hindi maitatanggi na maganda ito noong kadalagahan pa lamang because despite the age, she still has that kind of beauty that can make everyone stare.

She took a sip on the wineglass. "I have seen this before, but I'm afraid the ending will be different this time..."

"What do you mean, Tita Eva?" He swallowed, fear clogging his throat.

Binitiwan nito ang baso sa marmol na lababo pagkatapos ay sumandal. Nanatiling nakatungo ang ulo nito at mukhang nakatitig lamang sa kawalan. The dim lights in the kitchen added to the hollow feeling that began to swirl his chest.

"My daughter... Ito ang unang pagkakataon na nakita ko siyang mag matigas," her side lip rose up. "I don't know if I should be proud or... be worried. You see," umangat ang tingin nito sa kanya. "I raised that girl to be polite, obedient, and modess. But I also raised her to stand her ground, proud, and brave..."

"And she's all of that," he murmured.

She smiled and it actually crept him out a bit. "But she's never stubborn, Grale. Never."

Grale swallowed but remained quiet.

"Back then it only took me three minutes to convince her to agree with the transplant, but now I don't even know anymore," she said, the last words coming out almost a whisper.

"What can I do, Tita?" Hopelessness in his thick voice. "What can I do to convince Majarlika? What did you do to convince her back then? Because hell, I'm willing to do everything. Give everything. Kahit ano po gagawin ko."

Mariin lamang itong tumitig sa kanya habang lumilipas ang mga segundo at binabalot na sila ng katahimikan. Sa tuwing naiisip ni Grale ang posibilidad na malagay ulit sa alanganin ang buhay ng nobya para siyang masisiraan ng bait. Para siyang isang malaking pader na dahan-dahang nawawasak.

"Hindi ko alam kung nabanggit na ba sayo ito ng anak ko, but I was raped, Grale," she confessed.

He stiffened. Umawang ang bibig sa hindi inaasahang sinabi ng ina ng nobya. Alam niya ang tungkol rito dahil si Majarlika mismo ang nagsabi nito sa kanya. Ngunit hindi niya inaasahang sasabihin ito ng ginang sa kanya. She must have trusted him that much.

Pero... ang alam ni Grale ay walang ideya ang mga magulang nito na matanggal nang alam ng nobya ang katotohanan tungkol sa pagkatao niya.

"Yes, I knew," she uttered as if reading his mind. "Majarlika is my creature, iho. Bawat kurap ng mga mata, pilantik ng mga daliri, at ngiti sa mga labi niya kabisado ko. Alam ko ang ibig sabihin."