He's My Cousin!

[Ch.60] My Once Upon a Time

"Of course," I said and gave him a peck in the lips. "It's a good start."

He gave me another kiss and he put me down. "I bought something," sabi niya habang ginigiya ako paupo sa upuan sa tapat ng mesa. I watched as he prepared the table. Bumili pala siya ng ulam along the way.

"Say 'ahhhh,'" sabi niya habang naka-antay sa harap ng bibig ko iyong kutsara na may ulam at kanin. I was shaking my head, laughing. It was too cheesy.

"Ako na kasi!"

"Dali na, isa lang! Aaaah," he insisted.

I gave in. Natawa rin siya sa ginawa niya.

He smiled, "I love you."

"And I love you too."

Months passed, unti-unting nakumpleto iyong mga gamit sa bahay. Paolo wanted me to enroll in the community college nearby for my last semester, but I declined. Alam ko namang nahihirapan siya. Isa pa, I would need to go back to JMU to process that. Ayaw ko, I didn't want to put everything we had work together at stake. Hindi ko kayang isugal ang lahat ng pinaghirapan ni Paolo. Isa pa, ayaw kong madagdagan ang pasanin niya. Alam ko namang pinagkakasya lang niya iyong kinikita niya sa mga gastusin sa bahay. I couldn't even help because I was freaking jobless.

"Paolo, may opening sa Bayan na bantay sa computer shop-"

"No way, Aya," ang sagot niya, hindi ko pa man nasasabi nang buo ang gusto kong sabihin.

"Paolo naman, I can't just be stuck here."

"You aren't stuck. Just wait, nag-iipon lang ako then you'd finish your studies. Okay?"

"Hindi ba mas mabilis tayong makaka-ipon at mas mabilis akong makakabalik sa pag-aaral kung parehas tayong nagtatrabaho?"

"To teach.... That's your dream, right? Hindi ang magbantay sa computer shop. Let me work, you finish your studies and then work all you want, teaching." He cupped my face gently. "I might have taken you away from so many opportunities, but I want you to accomplish your dreams at least."

Napatango na lang ako. Talking about dreams had become satirical for me. Teaching was not really my dream, Paolo, putting up a school of my own was. But I already threw that away when I decided to come with you. I have accepted that there were things I needed to give up for you and it was okay. Because I have you, anyway.

Nang sumunod na linggo ay dumating 'yung billing ng kuryente at tubig. Halos malaglag ang panga ko sa nakita ko. Kakaunti lang naman ang appliances sa bahay pero bakit... bakit ganito?

"Paolo," sabi ko habang tinatapik siya para gisingin. Alam kong Sabado ngayon at puyat siya dahil sa trabaho, pero kailangan talaga naming mag-usap.

Nagtimpla siya ng kape at nag-usap kami. I showed him the billings.

Napakamot siya ng ulo, "Pasensya na, naiiwan ko kasing laging bukas 'yung laptop 'pag inuuwi ko 'yung trabaho. Nakakatulugan ko. Pwede naman sigurong bumawas tayo ng kaunti sa ipon, 'di ba? That wouldn't hurt much?"

"This just shows I need to work, too."

"Aya, tapos na tayo sa usapang 'to," he said and took a sip from his coffee.

"Paolo, hindi naman pwedeng pride mo na lang lagi ang iisipin mo. You should acknowledge that we need it. We need it, Paolo!"

He deliberately shook his head, "I promised myself you wouldn't suffer if I take you away, but I failed on that. But please, Aya, pride is the only thing I have. If our family kno-"

"You have me."

"I know, but please..."

Time fleeted briskly. We were thriving. These past months, laging may nangyayaring kailangang gastusan... sirang tubo ng tubig, pasko, birthday ni Paolo... hindi na halos nadadagdagan ang ipon namin. I wanted to beg him to let me work, but I knew we would just fight over it so I kept myself from doing so.