State of Grace

3

Chiara don't know what to feel after her foot reached the land of the place that she's not familiar with. Her dad told her before na dito s'ya pinanganak but she doesn't feel it as she grew up in Japan and lived there for ten years.

She was one, turning two, when her mommy died. When she turned five her grandparents, from her mother's side took her kaya naman lumaki sya na hindi kasama ang papa nya. It was a mutual understanding with the both parties kaya wala naman problema. Kasama din sa usapan nila ang pag-uwi nya sa puder ng papa nya ngayong 22 yearsold na sya.

"Sweetie!" Chiara smiled widely when she saw her dad on the sea of people. Akala nya aabutin nito ang mga gamit nya but she was shocked when he hugged her instead. "I missed you!"

"You just saw me last christmas" she teased her dad. "That was i don't know months ago na" Chiara laughed at her teased dad.

"Yeah. I missed you too, papa" naramdaman nya ang pagpatak nang magaan na halik sa tuktok ng ulo nya. "Carry my things na po, pagod na ako sobra sa byahe" even though her dad doesn't want to let go of the hug yet ay wala itong nagawa kaya naman agad din silang nagtungo sa sasakyan para makauwi na.

Their place was three hours away from the airport kaya naman natulog muna si Chiara sa byahe at hinayaan naman ito ng papa nya.

"Ate!" matinis na boses ang sumalubong kay Chiara pagkababa pa lamang nito ng sasakyan. She smiled widely even though she's still tired and embraced her younger sister.

"Solana, I missed you" pagkatapos kumalas sa yakap ay hinawakan nya ito sa balikat nya. "Wow, you grew up so much na" komento nito dito.

"I am taking vitamins well, ate" Chiara laughed and pinched her cheeks. "That's good then. Where's your twin?" Solana carried the bag that she's holding bago sila nag diretso sa paglalakad papasok sa bahay.

"Hay, hindi talaga ako pinansin oh" they both laughed on their dad when they heard him mumurmed. Halata naman na pinarinig sa kanila.

"Omygod! Achiara" her tita exclaimed once they reached the kitchen.

"Tita Avery, kamusta po?" they hugged each other tightly. "I am fine. Kamusta ang byahe?"

"Ayos lang po. I slept well" they both chuckled. "Hi Shiloh" he hugged her brother as well.

"Ate Chiara! I thought they are just kidding when they told me na uuwi ka na"

"May trust issues talaga 'yan ate" she heard Solana commented. "Hay nako don't start your fight again, your ate have to rest muna" wika ng Tita Avery nito pagkatapos salubungin ang asawa ng yakap.

"Ihahatid ko muna si Chiara sa kwarto nya. Shiloh, yung niluluto ah" isinukbit nito ang kamay sa braso ni Chiara bago ito sinenyasan na sumunod sa kanya.

It was the first time after ten years that she visited her papa's house. Maraming narenovate at nag-iba. Lumaki din ito at nag-iba ang kulay. She really feels so unfamiliar kahit hindi naman nya first time dito. With that feelings, she can't stop but to feel intimidated with the place and the people.

"Ah, halika Chiara, nadala na din nila manong ang gamit mo dito sa loob" binuksan ng Tita nya ang pintuan at sabay silang pumasok.

"Inayos ko nga pala ang kwarto mo, sana magustuhan mo. Your dad designed it though, sobrang excited nya when you decided na uuwi ka na dito" Chiara smiled at her tita.

She looked around her room. Its theme were white and wood. Maliwanag at maaliwalas, minimalist lang kasi ang desensyo, sakto lang sa personality nya, kaya naman gustong-gusto nya. May kama, desk, dresser, malaking salamin, walk-in-closet, at banyo na sa loob ng kwarto. She even saw her pictures hangging on the wall. On one of the shelves, may family picture pa sila noong seventh birthday nya na ginanap sa Japan, on the bedside table naman nakita nya ang picture nya at picture ng mommy nya.

"Oh, I just thought that you'll love to see her around.. kaya ko nilagay" the sound of her tita's voice was kind of worried noong mapansin siguro na napatitig sya roon. "I love my room tita, thank you po for this" I gave her a small hug from her side.

"I am glad! I asked your dad and based on his story sobrang simple mo lang naman na tao kaya ginawa ko na lamang minimalist, magpahinga ka na okay?" binigyan sya nito ng isang tango.

"Sige na, bumaba ka na lang if you're hungry okay?" Chiara smiled again and watched her tita walked away from her room.

She slumped herself on the sofa on the hangout side of her room. That girl, her tita, growing up... she badly want to hate that girl pero wala syang makita na kahit anong ikagagalit nya sa babaeng iyon.

Her Tita Avery Cein Jeon's the wife of her dad. Anak nila ang kambal n'yang mga kapatid na si Solana at Shiloh. They are 3 years younger than her. When her mama Akira and Papa Sun had her, hindi naman sila nagpakasal. Basta her papa told her na it was her mama's choice. When she turned one and after her mama died, her papa mourned and after two years, her papa had the reason to love again and marry her Tita Avery and they had Solana and Shiloh.

Growing up, Chiara thought that her dad forgot her mom and her after letting her go alone on Japan. But, kahit anong isip din n'yang ganoon wala din syang makitang rason para magalit sa papa nya dahil he's really doing his best to show how much he loves her despite the distance they had.

Wala din syang makitang mali sa pamilya because actually, her tita avery, and the twins let her feel what complete family feels and looks like. She's grateful for having them on her and her papa's life.

Yet, staring at the picture of her mom felt something is missing. There's this part of her that still feels so empty.

What's wrong with me?