Arctic Heart [#Wattys2018 Winner]

Chapter 21

Chapter 21
Idea

"Jace, help me set up the barbeque stand," Tito Josh asked for Jace's help.

Jace was hesitating to leave me behind, but I assured him that it was okay. And so, with that, he left me at the hammock and went to his dad.

I actually can't that we're still going to have a barbeque party even though we just ate our dinner. But I guess his family loves eating as much I do. I'm not even gonna complain if we're still going to eat desserts after this.

"Chocolate parfait?"

I looked up to Tita Lyrae who brought some dessert for me. Well... Just as I was thinking.

I nodded and smiled. "Thank you po," I thanked her when she gave me the parfait.

"May I sit beside you as well?" she asked. "I'll keep you company while my son's busy with his father over there."

"Oo naman po," sabi ko at agad na umusog para mabigyan siya ng pwesto.

She sat beside me at the hammock, and we both stared at the man we love.

"Sana ay okay lang sa'yo ang gabihin,"  sabi ni Tita Lyrae.

"Okay lang naman po. My parents don't mind. Nagpaalam din po ako," sabi ko naman.

Tumango naman siya at saka ngumiti. "That's good," sabi niya. "Kung ako nga lang ang masusunod, gusto kong dito ka na magpalipas ng gabi. We have a spare room upstairs, but Jace said that it's not a good idea. Iuuwi ka raw niya sa inyo kahit ano'ng mangyari."

"I don't think my dad will also like the idea of it as well," I joked and chuckled.

Tita Lyrae laughed. "I understand," she said in agreement. "But my dad's worse than your dad though. You don't have your curfew while I did. I can still remember how Josh tripped because of my dad's words."

"Siguro po ay masaya rin ang relasyon ninyo noon ni Tito Josh..." sabi ko naman.

She looked at me and pursed her lips before she smiled. "It was... but not everything was fun," she told me. "Sa isang relasyon, imposible ang puro saya lang. You two will encounter obstacles along the way that can break your bond. Nasa sa inyong dalawa kung hahayaan ninyong masira ng problemang 'yon ang relasyon na mayroon kayo. Josh and I had a very tough relationship. It came to the point that we even broke up and parted ways. We tried to love someone else apart from each other."

"Pero nagkabalikan pa rin po kayong dalawa..." Hindi ko maiwasan ang mamangha sa kanilang dalawa ni Tito Josh.

"I love him so much, Zarina..." she whispered so sincerely. "I love my husband so much. The love we have for each other that almost ruined us, it was also the love which made us whole again."

I stared at the parfait I was holding. I can't help but to envy them.

Not everyone can experience that kind of journey with someone you love. Iyong tipong kahit marami kayong pinagdaanan na hindi maganda ay sa huli, kayo pa ring dalawa.

"When Jace opened up about his feelings, do you know how happy I was?" she suddenly asked me.

Napatingin naman ako kay Tita Lyrae na nakatingin pa rin sa kanyang mag-ama.

"I guess you know how quiet my son is. Pati kami ay nahihirapang kausapin siya minsan. Hindi rin siya nakikipag-usap sa'min patungkol sa mga nararamdaman niya. He always likes to keep it all to himself," kwento niya. "Kaya noong sinabi niyang hindi niya maintindihan ang sarili niya. Nagagalit siya sa'yo dahil umalis ka noon. Ayaw ka niyang bumalik pero masaya siyang nandito ka ulit. Sobrang nakahinga ako ng maluwag dahil sa wakas, nakahanap na siya ng babaeng mamahalin."