Ceaseless (COMPLETED)

Chapter Eighteen

"Of course, son. I have powers. Nakakalakad ako kapag wala ka."

"Psh. Kayo talaga." He said to his mom's joke.

Josh's mom's really lovely. Pati ako na-starstruck. Nagka-crush pa yata ako kay Tita Joana.

"By the way, Calvarie. Kumakain ka ba ng carbonara?" Tita Joana asked me.

"Yes po. That's my favorite." I shared.

"Pareho pala kayo ni Josh..."

I nodded and smile.

Nagka-kwentuhan pa kami habang kumakain. Josh's mom's an amazing woman. How can he grew Josh like an awsome man with her condition?

She honestly narrated her story infront of us. That Josh was only 10 that time when his husband was ambushed while traveling to Cavite. Tita Joana was in the car, too. But because Mr. Albert, Josh's dad is the target... which is the present Governor that time, he was dead on arrival when they tried to send him to the hospital.

Luckily, Tita Joana just got shot four bullets on her knees and thighs. I mean... she's not really lucky with those four bullets but she's lucky because she ended up alive. Who's Josh now if she didn't survived?

"It's been 10 years since the last time I walked. Josh's 21 already. He's studying while running the corporation that his father left to us. It was really hard. Pati tuloy ako na walang alam sa business... napapasubo sa mga meetings. Dagdag pa ng kundisyon ko... ang hirap kumilos."

"But still you contributed alot in our company, mom. Wag ka sana ma-depress ulit dahil di ko kayang patakbuhin 'tong kumpanya na 'to ng mag-isa." He laughed but that doesn't seem a joke.

"Ikaw ba hija? Share your stories to us. You already knew us. I think we should know you, too." Tita Joana suggested.

"Ah– I'm a grade 12-STEM student at St. Anne's. I have an elder brother which is a 4th year college-nursing student. Well, I really want to be a nurse but my dad says... Iba na lang daw. So I'm shifting up to pharmacy."

"That's good, Calvy." Josh uttered.

"Thanks. I'm also a pianist in our church, a Catholic church. My dad's a doctor at AZ's and my mom owns a flower shop outside Mc Kinley."

"Flower shop? I want to visit your mom's shop some other time. I like flowers in my house. At dito sa condo ni Josh, naglalagay ako kadalasan kapag dinadala nya ako dito."

"I like flowers, too Tita. Kaya po nag-flower shop si Mama dahil sa akin."

"Nice. Sa Mc Kinley kayo nakatira?"

"Opo."

"We have a lot of business partners there." She shared. I just smiled.

"Mom. Tama na nga ang usapang business. Naririndi na ako. Pati dito sa bahay." Josh said with irritation.

Tita Joana laughed. She really loves to laugh. I admired her really. Ang galing-galing n'ya para sa akin. I was really inspired. Na...kung dumating man yung panahon na magka-anak ako, I liked to be Tita Joana. Although I liked to be my mom also. Walang bakas ng pagod at parang batang-bata pa. How to be her?

After we ate carbonara, I played with Josh's dogs. They're all cute. Their names are Paprika, Shovel and Pail. I asked why is that then Tita Joana answered for him.

"He really likes the children show "Blues Clues". So he named his dogs from the name of the talking things there."

"Mom!" Josh yelled.