Even After Everything (After #1) (COMPLETED)

34: Marco

Makakasagot din ba ako kaagad?

***

My heart is still heavy.

"Hijo, wala ka dapat ipag-alala." an elderly woman said behind me. I guess they had bought foods already. Kanina pa raw sila nagugutom.

"Hindi naman ho."

"Really?" She sent me a warm smile. "Kitang-kita ko na mula pa sa elevator ang lukot sa mukha mo, eh."

Napailing na lang ako. "Nasaan ho si Tito?"

Siya lamang ang nasa likuran ko kahit na dalawa silang umalis kanina pagkarating ko para bantayan na si Bill. But she's alone now with her coffee and biscuits.

"May nakilala sa baba kaya rumoon muna." tumango ako at kinagat ang labi. "Maupo muna tayo, Marco, hijo."

Kanina pa ako umaga naka-upo kaya akala ko okay lang sa akin na nakatayo at nakatanaw kay Bill mula sa bintana but I was thankful for her asking me to come with her. "Dapat nagpabili ka na rin sa akin ng makakain. Parang hindi maganda na ako lang ang may pagkain sa kamay."

Bill's mother offered me her foods but I politely declined. "Kumain na rin ho ako bago tumulak dito."

"Maganda ka talagang lalaki, 'no, hijo? Hindi talaga nagbibiro si Bill noong pinapakilala ka niya sa amin." Tawa nito.

I became conscious and touched my face. I haven't stared at my face since we've learned Bill's been confined. Who knows I look like shit? Wala naman kaming schedule for shows. Though mayroon, we're rejecting them as of the moment.

"Bill's aura is much mysterious, Tita. If you're always with us during our gigs, you'll know our fans are begging us to put him in front."

She laughs. "Oo nga, 'no? His position were always behind Keith! But yeah... yeah... I guess so. But that doesn't take away the fact you're a pretty man, hijo."

Napangisi na lamang ako.

I let her partake her foods and... What should I do? Then it hits me. Almost instantly. They've been looking out for their child for days now. Nagsimula sila noong nagkaroon ng intervention sa office namin and what happened next is... history. However, this was the first time I've seen them after months or years, I think.

They live somewhere far kaya hindi sila laging pumupunta sa gig namin. But they make sure that their form of support still gets to us. And now...

I haven't asked them about how they feel. About what happened. Nor apologized about...

"Too much stress is dangerous, hijo." She broke the silence. "What's bugging your head?"

It took me a while to construct and link my wires together. "This... Hindi lang ho siguro ito ang nakita kong mangyayari this year. Right after our successful come back."

"Oh." she then proceeds to caress my back. "Don't feel woebegone about it, hijo. Our future has always been unclear since day one. It's just up to us how we'd deal with it once it arrives."

"Kaya nga po, eh... But still," Fuck. I leam closer and swallow my face with both my face. "Tita... I'm really sorry if I wasn't able to look out for them this whole time."

"Now, why would you say that?"

"I'm the oldest one in the group, Tita. " though Johann and I were the same age now but I'm still months older.

"And so?"

"It's my responsibility, still, Tita."

Afraid of seeing her upset and finally dawning about what I did, I still looked up on her. Instead of finding out what I expected to project on her face, I calmed down a little when there's no animosity in every lines of her face. Fuck. Time's really going fast.