Storm became very busy because he missed tons of work at the office during the last days of Tita Thalia. Sometimes, he would come home late at night. Tuwing Sabado at Linggo na lang kami nagkakasama nang matagal.
"Pack your things," he said while we were having breakfast together.
"Huh?"
"Mag-empake ka," he commanded.
"Bakit?"
"Pupunta tayo ng sementeryo."
Sementeryo? Tapos mag-eempake pa?
"Anong gagawin natin doon?"
"Doon tayo titira."
"Eh?" I frowned.
He chuckled and said, "I'm just kidding. Just do what I said."
"Fine," I said, rolling my eyes.
Afterward, Storm placed our things in the car's compartment. Then, we left.
Hindi ko alam kung bakit pupunta kami ng sementeryo nang ganito kaaga, samantalang bukas pa naman ang All Saints' Day. Perhaps he didn't want to go there with so much crowd.
We bought a flower and a candle and placed them on Tita Thalia's tomb.
The cemetery wasn't quiet as it used to be because there were already some people there like us who visited their loved ones.
"You miss her, don't you?" I told him while we were both staring at Tita Thalia's tomb.
"So much..." he said softly and then heaved a sigh. "Let's go," he suddenly said.
Huh?
"Are you not going to pray for your mom?" nagtatakang tanong ko. Gano'n kasi ang alam kong ritwal kapag dumadalaw sa patay.
Mahinang napatawa siya at umiling. "Hindi naman dapat pinananalangin ang patay kasi patay na. Ang mga buhay dapat ang pinapanalangin."
"Bakit 'yong iba?"
"Don't mind them."
We got in the car again. I was confused when we went straight to the airport. Storm called somebody to pick up his car from the airport and afterward, we carried our luggage.
"Storm, saan ba talaga tayo pupunta?" I questioned.
"To your mom's grave," nakangiting sabi niya.
My mom's grave? In Las Vegas, Nevada? I thought with eyes widened.
"Really?" I said in disbelief.
He nodded his head and smiled at me.
"Thank you!" I exclaimed and hugged him with so much joy.
***
I was so mesmerized to see again the place where I grew up. Nakaka-miss din pala ang Nevada. It was already noon when we arrived and took a cab to my house. I directed the driver until I saw the modern steel gate of our house, and Storm paid for our fare.
I pressed the doorbell button of our house.
"That house is Kirby's, right?" Storm asked, so I turned my head to him. He was pointing at the house across the road.
I nodded. "Yeah."
The guard opened the gate for us and let us come in. We were on the doorstep when I saw Kuya Tyler walking towards us.
BINABASA MO ANG
Loving a Believer
Spiritual(EDITING) She's... Alone. Distant. Unloved. Fara Oxford once lived a life wishing that there was a God who can light up her world and save her from despair in just a blink of an eye. Only to find herself still stuck in hopelessness and misery that...
