After the Twilight (Iska Series #1)

Prologue

"Thank you for flying with us. Welcome to the Philippines." 

I nod my head at the flight attendant who saw us out of the plane, sending a small smile of gratitude towards her way. "Thank you," saad ko.  Agad siyang napangiti, at dinungaw na rin ang mga katabi ko. 

"Ang tagal mo ring hindi nakalanghap ng hanging Pilipinas noh?" Bumaling ang atensyon ko kay Ada, ang aking best friend. Tumango at agad na tumawa ako. 

"Oo, five years rin." 

I've been living in Texas for five years now since I graduated college. I work at the Texas headquarters of NASA in Houston. Yes, NASA. Halos lahat ng nakakasalamuha ko talagang napapa-"wow" nalang every time na sinasabi ko kung saan ako nagtatrabaho. Pero I don't blame them, talaga namang napaka cool ng dating tuwing nagpapakilala ako bilang astrophysicist from NASA. 

"Kung hindi pa talaga kita sinundo, hindi ka talaga makakauwi dito," sambit ni Ada, giving me a knowing look which I only roll my eyes at. 

"Uuwi naman talaga ako, noh. Napa aga lang dahil atat ka."

"Oo naman," she proudly says, "talagang nag volunteer ako na ako mismo sumundo sayo. Ang swerte mo kaya masyado."

I chuckle, playfully hitting her arm. "Sus, excited ka lang makatrabaho ako."

"Of course! Who wouldn't want to work with Celeste Talia Alvarez, the famous Filipino scientist who helped launch a satellite into space. Iba ka na talaga," she links her arm around mine, "I always knew you'd do well." 

I smile at her. Kahit noon pa man, Ada has always been such a huge supporter. Lagi niyang sinasabi sa akin noon how she sees nothing but success every time she looks at me. Minsan pakiramdam ko, binobola na niya ako, but you can really see it in her how she's nothing but genuine. Kaya naman grabe rin yung lunkgot ko when I failed the people around me, because it included her. 

"Thank you," I mutter, leaning my head towards hers. "Hindi ka pa rin nagbabago. Fan na fan pa rin kita."

Agad siyang tumawa and tumango-tango. "Oo naman noh! Lalo na ngayon."

I shake my head, smiling. "Fan mo rin kaya ako," sambit ko. As much as she's proud of me, I am also extremely proud of her. She's a head researcher now at the Philippine Space Agency, na pangarap lang namin noon. Kaya nga ako nandito, to help her with the project that they are launching. After five years, kahit na I vowed to stay away from here, yung maliit na request lang talaga ng best friend ko ang nagpauwi sa akin. 

Na miss ko rin naman ang Pilipinas. I miss the sense of home that it offers. Kahit sobrang tagal kong nawala, iba pa rin ang simoy ng hangin. It brings back the memories, and some sort of warmth and familiarity. 

If not for the lingering memory of my heartbreak, umuuwi sana ako ng mas madalas. 

"Aba dapat lang," saad ni Ada that only made the both of us laugh. 

"Mommy," naputol ang tawanan namin ng kalabitin ng anak ko ang kamay ko. I look down at her, smiling at her round hazel eyes as she looks up at me. Natawa ako sa ayos nya. Tulog kasi siya halos buong kalahati ng flight at nagising lang noong nag land ang eroplano. She still had sleep marks on her face at medyo magulo pa ang buhok. 

I run my fingers through her brown hair that she got from me, and pin a few strands behind her ear. "What is it, darling? Do you want me to carry you?"

She shakes her head. 

"I need to pee," she mutters, pouting her naturally red lips. 

Napangisi nalang ako. My daughter is so beautiful. And I'm not saying that because she's my child. Halos hindi ko nga kamukha. Nagiging kamukha ko lang kapag tulog. Most of her features, mula kilay, ilong, and especially her deep hazel eyes are from her father. 

"Ako nalang sasama," Ada offers as she hold Ciela's hand, "ihing ihi na rin kasi ako."

I chuckle. "Yan kasi, kakainom mo sa plane," I say. 

"Okay, I'll get nalang our bags from baggage claim. Doon ko nalang kayo hihintayin."

I bend to run a hand over her head. "Baby, you go with Tita Ada, okay? Don't go anywhere else without her."

Ciela nods, wrapping her fingers around Ada's hand tighter. "Yes, Mommy," she says. 

"Lagi talaga akong napapasubok sa englishan dito sa inaanak ko," sambit ni Ada habang papalakad na sila palayo. Napatawa nalang ako, shaking my head. Englishera nga naman talaga yung anak ko. Kinakausap ko naman ng tagalog, pero talagang dala na rin halos lahat ng nakasalamuha niya sa America eh puro nag-eEnglish. 

"Kaya mo yan," I mutter. 

I proceeded to baggage claim. Medyo marami yung dala naming bagahe kaya natagalan ako. Tapos parang mas mabigat pa yung dala ni Ada kaysa sa amin ni Ciela. Daig nya pa ako na ako nga itong pansamantalang nag relocate. 

Nang maiayos ko na ang mga dala namin, nagtaka ako dahil natapos ko ng makuha lahat eh hindi pa nakakabalik yung dalawa. Akma ko na sanang tatawagan si Ada ng nakita ko itong tumatakbo palapit sa akin na may kasamang dalawang airport police. 

Agad na bumilis and tibok ng puso ko, lalo na ng nakita kong hindi niya kasama ang anak ko.  

"What's wrong? Where is Ciela?"

"Celeste," halos mangiyak-ngiyak na sambit ni Ada, "nawala ko eh, patawarin mo 'ko."

"Ha?!" Halos napabulyaw ako, "anong nawala? paano?"

"Pabalik na kami eh, tapos bigla nalang niyang kinalas ang kamay niya tapos tumakbo. May makita yata."

I let out a heavy breath, running my hand over my hair as I try to stop myself from panicking. Hindi naman bigla biglang tumatakbo yung anak ko unless may nakikita talaga siyang gusto niya. 

"Ma'am we've alerted the security team na po. Kasalukuyan na po silang naghahanap ng batang pasok sa description ni Ma'am," ani ng police at itinuro si Ada. 

Agad naman lumapit si Ada sa akin, taking hold of my hands. I can see the guilt and fear in her face, at kahit na nag-aalab na ang mga emosyon ko ay hindi ko talagang magawang magalit sa kanya. I just nodded my head and squeezed her hand. 

"It's okay," I almost say in a whisper, "we'll find her," I say, but more to myself than to her. 

"Nahanap na? Na kay Cap?"

Napalingon ako sa officer na kaharap ko habang may kausap siya. Nahanap na?

"Ma'am, we have her na po. Buti nalang at nakita ni Cap."

Cap? 

"Ayan na pala ma'am," sabi ng isang officer sabay turo.

I followed the direction of the officer's hand and almost immediately I felt my heart stop. The world stopped turning, and I suddenly feel cold from head to toe.

When my heart starts beating again, I feel it ram against my chest, daring to break through my ribs and pierce through my skin.

Hindi pa ako nag-iisang araw dito sa Pilipinas, nahanap ko na agad ang rason kung bakit ako umalis.

I find myself staring at my daughter being carried by a man in his dashing pilot uniform.

Nakita ko ang anak ko, tinuturo ako, walang kamalay-malay na kinakarga na siya ng tatay niyang si Lorenzo Alexander Prieto.