Over Each Ruins (Virago Series #2)

with her epiphany

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CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
with her epiphany
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The only colorful one I see is you, Solace.

Shit. I muttered in my mind, my heart is racing with the silent seep of the grandfather clock moving back and forth. Its beats were found and lost, ticking between one then never again.

Even when we went home para salubungin sina Dahlia nitong hapon ay tila wala ako sa sarili. Punong-puno man ng tao ang bahay ko ay para rin akong mag-isa. And the fact that it all rooted from Novan's words is making me insane!

Doesn't he know that his words are impactful? It might not mean to some but it means something to me! At nakakainis kasi sa simpleng salita niya ay natataranta at nap-praning ako!

"Are all of you invited to Vitre's party? Sa pagkakaalam ko ay Masquerade ang theme ng party! White-themed!" Dahlia exclaimed cheerfully while all of us around the sofa just listened to her.

Sakanya rin tuloy nabaling ang tingin ko dahil inimbita rin ako ni Tita Selene ro'n.

"Uuwi siguro si Papa," ani Nigel na tahimik na bumuntong-hininga, "Once a year lang naman 'to, imposibleng wala siya."

Yves sighed, "Tito will attend. My dad gave me a heads up."

Pansin kong sumulyap sila saglit kay Novan na walang karea-reaksyon sa pinag-uusapan nila. Hindi tulad kanina na umaapaw ang emosyon sa mata niya nang kasama niya ako ay wala siyang kahit na anong pinapakita sakanila ngayon.

I wonder if his Father is terror. Hindi ko pa kailanman nakita ang ama nila pero base sa kwento ni Tita Selene kung sa'n hinayaan siya nitong huwag dalhin ang apelyido niya't pakasalan siya ay mukhang maaalalahin naman 'yung ama nila't may konsiderasyon. He did it out of respect for Tita Selene's hardwork. Gusto niya 'atang apelyido mismo ni Tita Selene ang mapaglalagyan ng pinaghirapan nito at hindi ang apelyido niya.

If that's the case in this country, Tita Selene's sons can carry their father's surname, but they're still his illegitimate children. 'Yun kaya ang dahilan bakit parang hindi maayos ang dalawa?

"Are you ready to face him, Nov?" Quade asked directly, earning a questionable glare from Dahlia.

"Huwag ka ngang insensitive, Quade!" She scolded him.

Sumulyap ulit ako kay Novan na tahimik lang. Mula sa reaksyon nitong mga alaska niyang kaibigan at pinsan ay mukhang may hindi sila magandang relasyon ng ama niya.

"It's fine," Novan suddenly spoke, "It's been a long time. All of us have to move forward."

"That's new to hear." Dahlia was the first to speak, a ghost of surprise elicited in her face.

"Let's not dwell with the past." He looked at me, then to my lap, "Do you want to eat more, Solace?"

"Ha?" Napakurap-kurap ako bago tinignan ang plato kong nasa kandungan ko. Wala ng laman 'yun gawa ng pagmamadali kong pasakan ang tiyan ko ng kahit ano kasi kanina pa siya parang kinikiliti.

"Do you want to eat more? I'll get you some." Ulit niya sabay tingin sa plato kong wala ng laman.

"Ah! Oo!" I gave him my plate, "Sige! Salamat..."

He nodded silently, earning a deafening silence from everyone, too. As he stood up, took my plate, and left, agad na napatingin sa'kin si Nigel. Tapos sa gulat ko ay tinignan na nila akong lahat, mula kay Dahlia at Logan na naglalaro ang tingin sa'kin, hanggang kay Yves at Quade na tahimik lang pero nasa'kin din ang tingin.