Taking Chances

Three

"Sa'n tayo punta?," she asks as she looks at his car, a sleek black McLaren 650s, "Gandara ng kotse, o!"

"Gusto mo ba? I have this in blue, silver, and red. Balak ko sa - "

"Ba't di mo na lang kumpletuhin ang colors of the rainbow? ROYGBIV, ganun. Yabang neto."

He couldn't help but laugh upon seeing her reaction.

"Joke lang naman kasi. Pinapasaya ka lang."

She pinches his cheek - hard.

"Aray ko naman, Menggay."

"Huwag mo 'ko ma Menggay-Menggay, Richard ha."

"Bakit? Narinig ko yan ang tawag ni Nanay sa'yo."

"Ah, nakiki-Nanay ka na rin. Magkapatid tayo?"

"You know what, you're rude. Balak pa naman kita ipag-shopping."

"Weh? Hindi nga?," she covers her mouth with her right hand, feigning excitement, and then rolls her eyes at him, "Do I look like the type of girl who will fall in love with a guy who'd take me out shopping? Please lang ha."

"O, ayaw mo? Di sige, bahala ka wala kang maisusuot. Diretso na tayo ng airport."

"Ay, tangina. Ba't may airport? Saan mo 'ko dadalhin? Hindi ako nakapagpa-"

"Kalma, Maine. Pumayag na parents mo."

She slumps back at the passenger seat.

"Eh saan nga tayo pupunta?"

"Coron."

"CORON? AS IN CORON, PALAWAN?"

"Susmaryosep," he says, covering his ears, "Sandali nga! Huwag ka naman sumigaw, magkatabi lang tayo, o!"

"EH TANGINA MATAGAL KO NANG GUSTONG PUMUNTA DUN!"

He starts the car.

"Sabi ko dati sa parents ko, pupunta ako dun one day, mag-iipon lang ako. May naipon na rin naman ako ngayon kaso mas kelangan ko yatang mag-save pambili ng kabaong ko. Priorities, alam mo na. Pero anyways, I remember gumawa pa'ko ng scrapbook about it. Yung places I'd want to see pag andun na'ko sa Palawan tapos yung mga activities na pwede kong gawin. Andun pa yata sa ilalim ng bed ko eh, di ko lang alam kung niligpit na ni nanay. And, shit! Nakita mo ba yung tubig sa mga pictures sa internet? Jusko lang, sobrang clear, as in. Hindi ko alam kung nirereflect ng tubig ang color ng sky, or yung sky mismo sinusunod yung kulay ng tubig. Yung naghahalong blue and green? Blue-green! Muntanga lang. Parang ang sarap siguro humiga sa raft dun sa parang lagoon tapos wala lang, drift away lang, ganern. Tsaka d ko alam kung kakayanin ng lungs ko mag hiking dun sa taas ng something something pero subukan pa rin natin ha? Gawin natin. Kasi baka hindi na 'ko makabalik dun. Teka lang wait, hiningal ako sa litanya ko. Wait."

He hands her a bottled water.

"Thank you, (gulp), bakit naman kasi (gulp), hinayaan mo lang ako na magsalita ng magsalita."

He takes the bottle from her and hands her a tissue. She wipes her mouth with it.

"Okay lang yan, magkwento ka lang. One of these days, hindi natin alam kung kelan, you will lose your ability to speak. Kaya sige, tell me stories. Kahit ano, magsalita ka lang. Makikinig lang ako."

She looks at him gratefully then turns her head to look outside the window to hide the single tear that fell from her eye. What she did not know is that he saw it but he chose to keep quiet. They drove in silence after that.

An hour later, Richard pulls into an empty parking space outside a high-end boutique. He asks her to come down.

"Baba ka na, kuha tayo ng mga gamit mo. Wala kang dala kahit ni isang pirasong panty."

"Uy meron naman akong suot ngayon."

"So ano? Yan lang gagamitin mo? Side A, side B?"

She hurriedly climbs out of the car.

"Chard, para sa mga yayamanin lang 'tong boutique na 'to."

"Eh mayaman nga ako, bakit ba," he says with a wink.

"Hala! Ikaw ba magbabayad?"

"Siyempre, ako nagdala sa'yo dito. Kapatid ko may-ari nito kaya she opened early for us."

"Tangina, alam ng kapatid mo na sugar daddy ka?"

He laughs so hard tears started to fall from his eyes. He couldn't stop laughing even if they were inside the store already. This earned him a weird look from his sister who, they haven't noticed, were already beside them.

"Hi, Maine," she says, hugging her, "I'm Rizza. Ngayon ko lang nakitang tumawa ng ganyan ang kapatid ko."

She smiles in response.

"Halika na dito," Rizza says, pulling her toward the fitting room, "I have prepared everything that you will need. Let's see lang if which size will fit you."

She started to take off her clothes and try on the different clothes Rizza had chosen for her. There were several pairs of bikini, rompers, shorts, tank tops, and dresses. As soon as they were done, Rizza held her hands and told her, "Maine, sabi kasi ni kuya he's doing this because he wants to make you happy. Pero the way I see it, it's you who's making him happy. So thank you. Kasi medyo matagal na rin na hindi ko nakita na ganyan kasaya ang kapatid ko."

The two ladies hug and said their goodbyes. Maine and Richard exit the store with several paper bags in hand. As soon as they are back in the car, Richard turns on the engine. Maine places her hand on top of his.

"Chard, one day makakalimutan ko ang mga ginagawa mo para sa'kin. One day, this disease will erase my memories of how special you made me feel. So I'm saying thank you now. Pero Chard, makalimutan man ng utak ko, please know that my heart will never forget. NEVER."

*****