A Little Push And I'd Fall

Push 2

Push forward…5 years later…

“Maxine Isabelle Hernandez?”

Napalingon si Saab. It was a 6 feet tall guy with almond shaped eyes, bitbit ang sports bag nito wearing his faded jeans and grey shirt with comfy. “Keith Montes?”

“You got it. It’s Capt. Keith Montes,”

“Oh gosh! It’s you,” sinalubong niya ito ng yakap.

“Oh my, I missed you so bad, Max,” gumanti ito ng yakap.

Bumitaw siya dito. Napaisip siya bigla sa ginawa. “I’m sorry, I got carried away,” pagpaumanhin nito. “Kamusta na?”

“Heto,” sagot nito. “I’m on vacation,”

“I see,”

‘Attention passengers on Cathay Pacific flight CX873 to Hong Kong…” napatigil sila sa pag-usap.

“I have to go,” paalam ni Saab.

She’s on board. She sat on her place and started closing her peepers. She’ll going to have 18-hour trip. Iniisip pa lang niya ang byahe ay napapagod at inaantok na sya. She’s on a connecting flight.

After an hour, the attendant announced ‘Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Hong Kong International Airport. Local time is 6:10 a.m. and the temperature is 84°F. For your safety and comfort, please…’ she’s getting even more tired. Her next flight is 2 p.m. and it’s freaking great. Most of the flights we’re fully booked at ito lang ang pina ka convenient sa kanya. She’ll just need patience to wait.

Once the attendant announced their touchdown and the passengers have emptied the airbuss, she head straight to the lobby. Then it came to her, pitog oras pa ang kanyang hihintayin para sa flight nito pauwi ng Pilipinas. “Guess I’ll better sleep,” Kelangan niyang magpahinga. She got lots of stuff to do pagdating nya doon.

“Hey, babe. Looking good while sleeping,” that was a very sweet voice talking. It’s a guy’s voice.

She doesn’t mind. She’s tired. Nice to sleep.

“The weather is fine. I was just thinking if you want to go down for a minute?” it was a man’s voice. That woke her up. She can feel that someone’s staring at her. She opened her eyes.

“Let’s go, babe,” that man’s voice again. She looked at her left, a big glass window with view of airbuses on the runway and on her right, Keith Montes.

“What did you say?” she asked.

“Let’s take a little walk. This is a nice place to stroll. Sayang naman kung palalampasin mo lang,”

“I want to sleep,” she answered lazily.

“Not that attitude, Max,” sabay hila palabas.

They spent the afternoon strolling around. Pareho silang enjoy sa paggala. Saglit silang tumigil sa shop ng mga souvenirs.

“I want to spend time with you again,” wika ni Keith. May biglang nag-flash. Isang photo booth pala ang pinasok nila. Hinawakan niya ang kanang braso ni Saab at ipinulipot ang isang silver na bracelet na napapalamutian ng maliliit na charms. May hugis kabibe, isda, starfish, seashell, crab, seahorse, sea turtle at araw na nakasabit.

Napatingin si Saab kay Keith. “I’m sorry but –“

“It’s something to remind you that I want to spend time with you again, just like the old days,”

Nagkatinginan sila. He is holding her still. One final flash and a sheet of photo popped out of the machine. Kinuha ito ni Keith. Kuhang-kuha nito mula sa paghawak nito sa kanyang kamay pagkatapos ng paghila sa kanya papasok, hanggang sa paghawak nito sa kanyang braso, ang paglagay ng bracelet, ang pagbawi niya ng kamay hanggang sa pagtinginan nila.

“Keep the charms and I’ll keep this,” ngumiti ito. “Let’s go back to the airport. We’ll take the rest of the hour there to rest,”

Pagdatig nila ng airport ay agad niyang ipinikit ang kayang mga mata. She wants to sleep. Natatamad siyang atupagin si Keith. Ayaw na niyang makipaghalubilo dito. Nagmamadali na syang makarating ng Pilipinas.

“Darling, I missed you,” boses babae iyon. May kinakausap ang maingay na babae, Ayaw niyang idilat ang kanyang mga mata. Baka makaharap na naman niya si Keith.

Matapos ang ilang minuto ay gumising siya para mag-CR. She saw a woman clinging on Keith’s shoulder. Masyadong madikit at nakakasakit sa mata tingnan. She walked through and retouched. Ilang oras na lang at byahe pauwi ng Pilipinas na siya.

Nang bumalik siya sa upuan at nakita niyang pinupuno si Keith ng halik ng babae at mukhang gustong-gusto niya din naman ito. May pagka PDA ang dalawa. “Max,” nabigla si Keith sa kanyang pagdating na tila nahuli na may ginagawang kasalanan. “Uhm, Anne, this is Max Hernandez. Max, this is Anne Locsin,”

Tango lamang ang sagot niya dito. Ilang oras pa ng pagkaupo niya ay inanunsyo na ang flight nya. She went in not giving any attention to Keith. The flight was peaceful. No Keith Montes. Paglapag ng eroplano ay nauna siyang lumabas.

“Hey Max, sabay na tayong bumaba,” habol sa kanya ni Keith.

Uuwi ng Pilipinas pala ‘to? She thought. They are on the same flight. At wala yata ang keychain nito na sabit ng sabit. Di niya ito inimik. Dirediretso itong bumaba ng eroplano hanggang sa pagkuha ng mga bagahe puro ngiti at tingin lang ang isinasagot niya dito. Himala din naman at di talaga nakabuntot ang babaeng yun sa kanya hangang sa arrival area.

“Saab, talk to me please,” pagmamakaawa nito habang hinahabol ang bilis ng pagtulak ni Saab ng cart.

“Is there anything I can do for you?” sabat niya dito.

“Can we have dinner to-“

“Isabelle!” putol ng sigaw ng lalaki sa sinasabi ni Keith. Nakaantabay ito sa likod ng mga upuan. Maganda ang tindig, mga nasa tangkad na 6’1, maputi ang kutis at kitang alagang-alaga, mestiso Kastila ang anyo nito at matikas ang pangangatawan. Sa brown plaid shorts, plain white shirt at tsinelas nito ay umuumapaw pa rin ang kagwapuhan nito at tindig mayaman.

“Hey!” sabat nito sa tumawag ng pangalan niya sabay kaway at ngiti.

May sasabihin pa sana si Keith nang hapitin ni Anne ang kanyang braso.

Biglang may tumayo sa upuan sa tabi ng lalaki mukhang sundo ni Saab. “Mommy!” sigaw pa nito. Isang tatlong talampakang tangkad na batang babae ang nasusumigaw habang tumatakbo papalapit kay Saab. Paglapit niya dito ay yakap agad ang ginawad nito.

“What took you so long?” paos na boses na sabi ng bata.

“I’m just on time, little girl,” sagot nito.

“Reese, you’re quite heavy. Pagod pa ang Mommy galing sa byahe,” he consoles his child, Ramona Miranda Estella Aragon.

“No! I ate a little today so Mom won’t find me heavy,” pagpupumilit nito sa ama.

“Reese,” he said with warning look in his face.

“Mommy oh, Daddy is doing it again!” sumbong nito sa ina. “He always does that! He scaring me,”

“Thirj, wag mo na kasing paiyakin,” saway ni Saab.

“Sumbungera ka talangang bata ka. Di na kita papansinin,” sabi nito sa anak.

“Daddy naman eh. Sorry na!” pag-aalo nito sa ama. Thirj is a pediatrician specializes in cardiology. “Si Mommy kasi –“ putol na wika nito nang tingnan siya ng Mommy niya. “Daddy, carry me please,” sabay ngiti. Alam niyang naiinis na naman sa kadaldalan niya ang Mommy niya. At 5 she really is quite talkative, parang parrot kung dumaldal. Reese is a Daddy’s girl. Palagi kasing umaalis si Saab and it’s Thirj who keeps their child company.