MY JOURNEY OF LOVE START WITH A DEAL - NO ORDINARY LOVE

NOL - Chapter 28

"Oh please, Laarni. Don't start" inirapan siya ni Ate Ren at lumapit sa maliit na cabinet at may kung anong kinuha.

"And you, bunso" she smiles at me sweetly. "I miss you a lot" then hugged me so tight.

"I miss you too, Ate Lala"

Nang maghiwalay kami ay hinawakan niya ng dalawa niyang kamay ang mukha ko. "You look good naman pala. I thought payatot kitang madadatnan. Hiyang ka sa Barangkal a" then she smiles again.

I rolled my eyes at her.

"Compliment yun a, Riri"

"Kelan ka pa natutong mang compliment?" I asked.

"Hmmm...secret" she said and silently laugh. Umakbay din siya sa akin.

"Naks. May pasecret secret ka na a" I smirked.

"Enough with that. So, nagpaprepare ako ng lunch at home for us, so get your things and let's go home" aya ni Mommy.

"Iiwan natin si Dad?" Ate Lala asked.

"Definitely, Ate Lala" mahina kong sabi and she elbowed me to the side. I cringed.

"We should still have a mini celebration for both of you" Mom pointed Ate Lala and me. "You're back!" Mom smiles. Sabay naming tiningnan si Ate Ren. Waiting for her objection or whatever side comments from her but she just raised an eyebrow at us. We secretly laugh.

Thirty minutes before ay narating na namin ang bahay. Ate Lala is busy chatting with all the maids. She is the friendly one on the family kaya nung umalis siya to go abroad ay halos lahay ng maid ay nalungkot.

Nakasandal ako sa pintuan ng kitchen habang nakikipagkamustahan si Ate Lala sa mga maids. Pinanonood ko sila. Nasa room ata si Mommy kasama si Ate Ren.

"I miss you all po mga Manangs! Naku po! Ang luto niyo po ay walang kapantay!"

"Namiss din ho namin kayo senyorita. Masaya po at nagbalik na po kayo"  sabi ng isa naming kasambahay.

"Let's hope for Dad's fast recovery po para makapagstay ako dito sa Mansyon" sabi niya at lumapit na sa akin.

"You'll be staying here na for good?" I asked her. Hinawakan niya ako sa balikat to turn me around at naglakad papuntang kwarto.

"Nah" umiling siya. "Not for good, Ri" Sabi niya as we walk papuntang kwarto niya.
Nalungkot ako bigla. I want her here.

Nang marating namin ang tapat ng kwarto ay binuksan niya ito at nagmamadaling humiga sa kama. She taps the space beside her at humiga rin ako. Pareho kaming nakatuon sa kisame.

"Why not?" I asked.

"I have a life in New York, Ri. My job is there too. Hindi naman sa ayaw ko sa Milagros pero iba din yung hindi ka nakadepende sa pamilya mo. Gets?" She said and held my hand.

"Hindi ko rin ba yan pwedeng maging dahilan para magstay ako sa Manila?" I asked.

"Hmmm?"

"I mean, hindi ba pwedeng 'I too have a life aside from here?"

Seriously. Nakakaramdam ako ng konting inggit kay Ate Lala.

"You want to go back in Barangkal?"

"Yeah"

"You never had a life in there, Riri. You changed your name right? You are hiding in there. So where's  life in that?" She sighed.

"Kasi nga pinapahanap ako ni Daddy"

"Sa tingin mo ako hindi niya pinahanap noon? He makes my first year in New York complicated. Graduate ako sa magandang school. I have a degree but I accepted all domestic jobs that are available just to feed myself" may halong lungkot ang tono niya.