Keep Me Closer

38th: Worth Fighting

"I'VE ARRIVED, Avie..." I whispered softly, grasping my phone near my ear.

Pinuno ko ng hangin ang didbib nang matitigan uli ang pamilyar na airpot nang marating sa Manila. It was a long flight straight from Michigan but not too long compared to the night I had to endure crying and feeling pity for myself. I boarded the plane in the morning after an entire night of crying. Nakarating ako sa sumunod na araw matapos ang 19 hours na flight.

I also spent the entire night trying to call Eustace. Hanggang sa natanggap ko na ang email ni Avie. She sent me money to add to what I currently have in the bank, then I booked a ticket to the Philippines. Umiiyak pa rin ako nang mag-empake. Kinabukasan, my decision was already absolute. I was going home.

Hindi na umuwi pa si Eustace. And I couldn't contact him too. Hiyang-hiya ako matapos magpakita sa Dad niya na ipinamukhang tama nga siguro ang hinala niyang dumikit ako kay Eustace dahil gusto kong magpabuntis.

He had known about my family background too—ang nakaraan ni Dad when was engulfed with hatred and grief with his brother's betrayal along with my mother.

Madilim ang nakaraang iyon. My mother had an affair. At sa kapatid pa ni Dad. It was hell for me to deal with the chaos that my mother had caused our family. I thought my parent's love for each other was true because I grew up too sheltered. When I started to rebel against them and broke the rules they had set on me growing up... my mother lost sense of who she was.

She fell out of love for my father and did the worse. I still loath her for that mistake. But as a daughter, I still wanna show some humanity. Kaya ako ang nasa tabi niya noong tinalikuran na siya ng lahat. She had a son from that affair, but Arwin died after battling with a fatal disease sense birth. Ako ang nag-alaga sa kanya at kay Mama... maayos pa kami ni Dad.

Noong namatay si Mama, parang napagtanto niyang hindi niya ako magawang harapin ulit kagaya ng dati. Perhaps, because of what I have become. Siguro inisip niya na he lost his daughter too—for a long time already.

I didn't have to wait too long. Tulak-tulak ko ang nag-iisang luggage na dala. Natatakpan ng sunglasses ang mugtong mga mata. Sa unahan ay nakita ko ang pagtaas ng kamay ni Avie, beside her was Heiro who gave me a nod and a smile.

Nagmadali akong lumapit sa pinsan ko.

"Avie!"

"Lienna!"

Yumakap kami sa isa't-isa at nakita ko ang pagkuha ni Heiro sa maleta ko at siya na mismo ang nagtulak. "Thank you, Heiro," saad ko at ngumiti na rin sa kanya.

"Don't mention it."

Tumalon-talon pa nang kaunti si Avie tapos ay sumandal sa balikat ko. I grasp on her arm at nagsimula na kaming maglakad palabas ng airport. 

"Uuwi ka ba sa Mindoro?"

Umiling-iling ako.

"Great then, you'll be staying with us!" ani Avie. "Oh, if you're wondering... Heiro and I still don't leave together. Kasama ko si Mama sa bahay. Though I visit him constantly at madalas umaga na umuuwi." 

Avie gazed at Heiro lovingly. Heiro returned her a smile.

Avie has always had the drive and energy to go through things. I am glad things truly worked out in her favor.

"How long are you gonna be staying here?"

"For good."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Avie. "I will look for an apartment that I could rent until I could purchase a condo, Avie."

"Whoa, those are major life decisions. What made you think of that, Lienna?"

Natahimik muna ako. Saktong nakalabas na nga kami ng airport at iginiya sa parking lot. It took several minutes bago kami nakarating sa parking ng sasakyan nila.