Forever Agape [FS#1]

CARICIA AÑORANZA

C h a p t e r  14

We are going north from Manila, unti unti na naming tinahak ang daan ng gitnang Luzon. Iniwan na namin ang gitna ng syudad kung saan kami nanggaling. Hell told me it would take one or one and a half hour before we arrived, but I think, he failed in calculations.

More than a hundred kilometers, I would say that. Habang lumalayo kami ay nag-iiba na rin ang tanawin sa labas, ang matatayog na inpratraktura ay unti unting napalitan ng berdeng kapaligiran. Malayo sa polyusyon, kakaunti na ang mga sasakyan. Malawak ang daan at walang traffic.

Inililipad ng mailiw na hangin ang maliliit na hibla ng aking buhok. I opened the window beside me earlier, knowing that we are far away from the city now.

"You should've told me it's not one or one and a half hour of travel," Bulong ko at agad na bumaling sa aking kasama.

"You wouldn't want to come if I told you it'll take three hours..." Umirap ako at ibinalik na lang ang tingin sa labas.

Hindi kalakihan ang mga bahay na nakikita ko, ang iba ay gawa sa kahoy at mukhang ang estilo ay noong panahon pa ng mga espanyol. Ang iba ay moderno, ngunit bilang lang ang mga iyon.

We've been in the middle of the road for two hours now, nakailang hikab na ako ngunit hindi pa rin tumitigil sa pagtakbo ang sasakyan. I didn't know the Laurettes have properties outside Manila, since Tito Paul works in the city, akala ko ay doon lang sila namamalagi.

"Tell me about the place, Hell..." Bulong ko, mabilis ang takbo ng sasakyan dahil hindi naman traffic. Sa labas nga ay may nakikita pa akong mga tricycle.

"It's a province, Hurricane. Going north from Manila, a province from the east of Bulacan. Mom's family has a Hacienda there, named after her..." Tipid ngiti ang iginawad nito sa akin.

His right hand is on the steering wheel while the other one is resting in the window. He is playing with his lips, and this sight is can kill a thousand ladies. Now, I should feel lucky for witnessing it all by myself.

"When I became rich, I'll probably build a home outside the city too. Perhaps, in a mountain..." I shared, kumunot ang noo nito at sandali pa akong tinignan bago ibalik ang tingin sa daan.

"You're already rich," I frowned after I heard that.

"It's my parents, Hell. Not me..." Kibit balikat kong sagot at ibinalik din ang tingin sa daan, malapit na ba kami? Gusto ko nang lumabas dito sa sasakyan, inip na inip na talaga ako.

"Now, I'm thrilled of what's really in there..." He laugh a little, in the side of my eyes, I saw how his laugh became a soft smile. God, that's beautiful. "Nandoon ang ibang kamag-anak mo?" Tanong ko, agad naman itong umiling.

"Mom is an only child, my grandparents stayed overseas a year after Mom died. They just went home sometimes to visit me."

Kahit na malumanay ang boses niya nang sabihin iyon ay nakita ko pa rin ang pagdaan ng lungkot sa kanyang mata. I just nodded, I am a bit scared to ask few more questions about his Mom and Dad now. It can ruin his mood and I don't want it when his mood got ruined.

Nang muli akong tumanaw sa labas ay may nakita akong arko, Caricia Añoranza.

"This is Mom's hometown, Hurricane. This is where I was raised too, as a child." Ngumiti ako, noong isang araw pa kumakalabog ang puso ko sa sabik na marating ito.

"Malapit na tayo?"

"Medyo malayo pa, bungad pa lang ito. This is Marilag, this is where you can see the vast ricefields, producer of natural grape wine, and sugarcanes."