Territorial Men 3: Brooke Montero (Published Under LIB BARE)

30 ~ Mother

CHAPTER THIRTY

"KINAKABAHAN ka?" Tanong sa kanya ni Gelicah nang makalabas sila sa elevator.

Brooke looked down at her. She's beside him, hugging his one arm. Honestly, he has a sleepless night. The thought of seeing his mother and talk to her kept him awake all night.

"I'm not nervous." He said, caressing her hands on his arm. "Do I look like one?"

"Hindi naman, pero tahimik ka. Ano ang iniisip mo?"

Lumiko sila sa dulo ng hallway kung saan ang bagong silid ng ina. May iilang nurse na nasalubong at bumati sa kanila.

"Marami. Don't mind me, I'm fine."

"Ako ang kinakabahan sa magiging reaksyon nila kapag nalaman na mag asawa tayo."

"Well, they have to deal with it. We are married and there's nothing wrong with it."

"Right." Icah agreed and stopped from walking when they reached his mother's room. "Ready ka na ba?"

Brooke shrug his shoulder and nodded his head. "Yeah, I'm ready." Then he slowly open the door.

Sa pagbukas ng pinto ay kaagad na lumipat sa kanila ang mga pares na mata sa loob ng silid.

His heart boomed inside his chest when a familiar gaze went on him. A familiar beautiful pair of eyes that same as his.

Ang matinding emosyon sa dibdib niya ay unti-unti nang bumabangon. Ang mga hiling at dasal noong bata pa siya na hindi natupad ay parang isang punyal ngayon na sumasaksak sa kanyang puso.

Those lone tears at night, those silent cries, those wishes and prayers that never came true and the longing to have a mother when he was a kid until now, suddenly flashes his mind.

Ang lahat ng lungkot at sakit na itinago niya sa dibdib ay walang pakundangan na lumabas at bumuhos. Habang nakatayo do'n at nakikipagtitigan sa ina.

"B-Brooke?" Brianna's voice cracked and her tears roll down her cheeks. "I-Ikaw na ba 'yan? I-Ikaw na—oh my—" then she cover her face with her palms and cry her heart out.

Yumuyugyog ang balikat nito. Bettina and Gelicah were stunned. While he's standing there with his emotionless facial expression.

Sa likod ng matigas na awra niya ay nagtatago ang duguang puso. Nagtatago ang isang batang lalaki na labis na nangungulila sa pagmamahal at pag-aaruga ng isang ina.

"Let's leave them alone." Bettina held his wife's hand.

Tinignan siya ni Gelicah ngunit hindi niya ito tinapunan kahit na sulyap. Natatakot na lumabas ang emosyon niya kapag nakita itong nasasaktan din katulad niya.

Ilan sandali pa ay lumabas na ang dalawa, iniwan silang mag-ina. Patuloy ito sa pag-iyak, saka niya lang naalala na hindi pwede na gano'n ang sitwasyon nito. She's still weak. Crying hard won't help her.

Mabibigat ngunit mabibilis ang hakbang niya na binagtas ang pagitan nilang dalawa. Niyakap niya ito, niyakap niya lang. Yakap na ang tagal tagal niya ng gustong gawin sa ina.

"B-Brooke, I know it's y-you." Garalgal ang boses nito, napapikit siya, dinama ang ganting yakap ng ina sa nanginginig na mga braso. "I'm sorry...I'm...I'm v-very sorry."

"It's okay...it's okay." He said, almost calming his mother with his soft husky tone.

He's very worried that she might break down, that he's almost forget the pain on his chest. Worried that he might lose her again! Damn, he's willing to forget all the pain if that makes his mother be okay, if that makes her stop from crying!