Stonehearts 4: Diamond

Twenty Five

Hindi pumasok si papa sa trabaho kinabukasan. Nanggagalaiti pa rin siya sa galit tuwing nakikita niya ang pasa ko sa noo gawa nang pagkakauntog ko kagabi. I texted Ferris that I won't be able to join him today pero nagpumilit pa rin siyang pumunta para sunduin ako. Kaya ayun si papa, nakabantay mismo sa tapat ng pinto.

"Dante, huminahon ka nga muna at maupo." Tawag ni mama na hindi pinansin ni papa. Napabuntong hininga na lang ako bago tamad na sumandal sa sofa. "Hayaan mo siya ma, gusto niyang takutin si Ferris para 'di na ko lapitan edi sige. Tatanda na lang akong mag-isa at walang kasama, ganoon naman talaga." I said appealing to his pity. He slowly turned his head to look at me. The menace in his eyes weren't there anymore, it was replaced by comfort and defeat.

He sighed in debacle before he tread to where I was. He sat beside me before he gathered me in his arms. "Hindi naman 'yon ang gusto kong mangyari anak. Ang akin lang, mag-ingat sila sa mga aksyon nila. Katulad nito, paano kung hindi pa ako dumating kagabi baka pati ikaw napano na. Nag-aalala lang naman ako sa'yo." He said so soothingly while rubbing my arms. I looked at him ready to answer but his brows furrowed while looking directly at the door. I followed his gaze and I saw Ferris who's gingerly walking towards us. Papa clenched his jaw tight before he stood up and stopped Ferris on his tracks. He didn't even set foot inside the house.

"Pa!" I called but he raised his hand to silence me. He crossed his arms before he spoke in a low dangerous tone. "Mag-usap tayo sa labas Ferris." Tatayo pa lang ako para pigilan si papa pero bigla akong hinawakan ni mama sa balikat. I looked at her and she just shook her head telling me to let papa do what he wanted to do. Wala akong nagawa, gusto ko silang sundan pero pinigilan rin ako ni mama.

They were gone for a good 30 mins before I saw them walkong back to the house. Mabilis akong tumakbo sa pinto at sinalubong sila. I hugged Ferris tight which caught him off guard. But it didn't take him seconds to wrapped his arms around me. "'May ginawa ba si papa sa'yo?" I asked loud enough for papa to hear. He chuckled before he put me at arms length. "Nag-usap lang kami, like he said." He muttered with a shrug. I stared at him unconvinced. Saka ko napansin ang pasa niya sa gilid ng bibig pati ang namuong dugo sa kaliwang pisngi niya. I caressed his wounds, him flinching when I did it. Napasimangot ako, "Ikaw naman kasi, akala mo action star ka. Kainis!"

"Ako ba? 'Yong bestfriend mo kaya nauna." Iritableng sambit niya sabay irap. Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay pero si papa na naunang pumasok sa loob ang nanaway sa kanya. "Ferris, ang pinagusapan natin."

Ferris saluted him, "Yes po tito. Roger that." Tugon niya. Na-curious tuloy ako kung ano ang pinagusapan nila, matagal din kasi silang nawala kanina. Puno pa rin ako nang pagtataka hangga't sa naksakay na kami sa sasakyan ni Ferris. Nilingon niya ako at inabot ang kunit sa noo ko. "Straighten that will you sunshine. You're aging quite faster with it." He japed, I didn't react. He chuckled before taking something from the backseat. Inabutan niya ako ng tatlong Sunflowers, just like from last time. Hindi naman na siya nagsalita ulit, basta nakangisi lang niyang hawak ang kamay ko habang nagmamaneho. Natahimik kami muli bago ko naisipang tanungin ang pinag-usapan nila ni papa kaso mukhang matigas itong si Ferris dahil panay iling lang ang nakuha kong sagot hanggang sa nakarating na kami sa bahay nila.

Napakalaki no'n, parang 1/4 lang ata ng bahay nila ang bahay namin. Napasilip ako sa bintana ng sasakyan bago lumunok. I suddenly felt a pressuring tension building, I was even sweating profusely! "I-ilan kayong nakatira d-dito?" I asked. He was removing his seat belt when he answered. "Si Suzanna at dad lang. This is the Pedrialva ancestral house and dad was the one who inherited it. Kaya kapag umuuwi si lola galing US, dito nagge-get together."

Get together? So hindi lang lola niya ang makikilala ko. 

Napapunas ako sa malamig kong pawis at nanahimik. My breathing suddenly picking its pace, my heart pounding like crazy! Napalingon na lang ako kay Ferris nang bigla niyang hawakan ang kamay ko. There was a creased concern forming on his forehead while massaging my hand. "What is it? Are you not feeling well?"

Napailing ako habang sinusubukang kumalma. "Hi-ndi. K-kinakabahan lang." I whispered, breathy and full of air. Tinanggal niya ang seat belt ko bago ako inakap ng mahigpit. Narinig ko ang mahina niyang tawa habang humahagod sa likuran ko. "It's gonna be okay. They don't bite."

"P-aano kapag 'di nila ako gusto?" I said in a low, diffident, fainthearted tone. I heard him chuckled before constricting me closer to him. "Hindi ka naman mag-au-audition sa kanila." Pinalo ko siya sa braso saka sumimangot. I pulled away from the embrace and just stared at him. He planted a soft peck on my forehead before fixing my tangled hair. "They are going to like you. Stop stressing yourself out, it's not good for you sunshine." I sighed and nodded my head. He smiled at me sweetly before opening his side of the door. "So shall we?"

Sinalubong kami ng tatlong maids. They greeted Ferris before looking at me. Alangan silang bumati bago inabot ang bag ko. "H-hindi okay lang." Pagtatanggi ko na agad naman nilang sinunod. "Nasaan sila?" Ferris asked with authority. Biglang nagbago ang aura niya, from amiable Ferris to boy sungit Ferris real quick. Sumagot naman ang isa sa kanila, "Nasa garden po Sir." Hindi sumagot si Ferris at basta na lang namin silang iniwan. Lumingon ako pabalik sa tatlo nilang kasambahay at nagpahabol ng thank you.

Siniko ko si Ferris habang naglalakad kami papunta sa garden nila. Nagulat naman siya kaya napatigil siya at napalingon sa akin. "Bakit ang sungit mo?" Inis na tugon ko sabay irap sa kanya. He looked at me in disbelief, "Ha?" He muttered, bewildered. 

"Bakit ang sungit mo sa kanila? Inano ka ba?"

"Ikaw nga ang masungit diyan." Sagot niya pero nakangisi. Inakbayan niya ako sabay halik sa gilid ng ulo ko. "Parang 'di mo naman ako kilala. Normal ko 'yon sunshine."

I rolled my eyes as we start walking our way to the garden. "Right, I almost forgot. You fired me the first time I stepped inside your office."

"I didn't fire you, you quit." He corrected me with mirth. I can't help but to laugh too. Dati ilang beses kong sinasabi na bwisit siya sa buhay ko tapos ganito na kami ngayon. "Ferris, kung sila miss Suzanna at tito Mateo lang ang nakatira dito. Saan ka?"

Nilingon niya ako bago sumagot, "Sa bahay namin ni mommy. We have another house a few blocks away from here."

"We're here." He announced as we arrived infront of a big glass door. The wind was blowing the see through curtain as we hear laughter from outside. "Ready sunshine?" He asked. I can't do anything but to nod my head. But the truth is, I want to run away like a deranged person.

"Sorry, we're late." Ferris muttered nonchalantly. Halata mong hindi siya madalas makisalamuha sa kamag-anak niya. I counted inside my head and twenty two people turned their heads towards us, may mga bata ring tumatakbo, hindi ko naman akalain na ganito kalaki ang pamilya niya. "Aya, hija." Bati sa akin ni miss Suzanna. Ngumiti ako at pasimpleng sumiksik sa tagiliran ni Ferris. He cleared his throat and avoided his step-mom's gaze, "This is Diamond, Diamond this is my.....family."

Sabay-sabay silang bumati, 'yong iba kumaway pa nga. Saka kami lumapit sa matandang babaeng naka-wheelchair sa pinadulo ng mesa. "Grandma, this is Diamond. Sunshine this is my grandma Tessa." Ngumiti ako at nagmano sa matanda. She too smiled at me, "Diamonds are forever." Biro niya. Ngumiti rin ako saka ko naramdaman ang kamay ni Ferris sa magkabilang balikat ko bago nagsalita. "This Diamond is my forever."