Stonehearts 6: Alexandrite

Nineteen

"Clyde!" narinig namin ang matinis na sigaw ng anak ni Q sa 'di kalayuan. Sabay-sabay kaming napalingon.

He was walking alongside of what I think is a pony while a man tread behind him. Even from afar, his big, toothy smile can be seen. My son mirrored the smile Brix's had before he jumped off my lap and made his way to his playmate.

They hugged each other tight which earned a loud 'aww' from us before Brix animatedly introduced my son to his pony. Tuwang-tuwa naman si Brix habang pinapakita kung paano at kung saan pwedeng hawakan ang maliit na kabayo at mukhang enjoy na enjoy naman ang anak kong makinig sa kanya.

"So, anong meron sa inyo ng pinsan ko?" napalingon ako nang narinig ko ang tanong ni Q.

Feeling ko nga nabulunan ako sa sarili kong laway dahil parang biglang may nakabara sa lalamunan ko.

"Ah..eh..." I stuttered while I watch their faces lit up with amusement. Kung bakit? I have yet to find out. "Magkaibigan lang kami?" even to my own ears, it sounded like a question.

A soft giggle bubbled from Ate Amy's throat while Q and Gie shook their heads simultaneously. Aya just stared at me with a smile on her lips.

"No friends kiss like that, dear." Ate Amy said.

Tahimik lang ako nang narinig ko ang sinabi ni Ate Amy. Hindi ko alam kung alin ba ang una kong mararamdaman. Hiya ba? Pagkalito?

"Sabagay, lahat naman ata tayo dumaan sa stage na 'yan. When Chance and I were just exploring the attraction between us, I kept insisting to myself that he was just a client. Pero tulad nga nang sinasabi nila, the more you hate, the more you will love. Kasi kita mo naman, I married the man and we had a child together. Ngayon, nagpla-plano na kami kung kailan namin susundan si Chandler." Ate Amy told all of that with a euphoric smile on her face.

Nanatili akong tahimik habang nagdadasal na sana bumalik na lang si Clyde at Brix sa pwesto namin para may iba kaming pag-usapan. I really don't like getting grilled with regards to my relationship with Gio. Natatakot kasi akong masira ang kung ano mang mayroon kami kapag pinangunahan ko. I know he's been very clear about what he wants with me and Clyde pero babae lang din ako, gusto ko sana sasabihan niya na ako ng diretso.

"You know, whenever I think about how Levi and I started, I still can't believe that we'll end up here. Nothing about our relationship was conventional. We met because of my father and got married because of a contract. Everything started to go down like a domino after that. But, the part I love most about it was him asking me to spend my eternity with him. May pagka-baliw, iyakin, at possessive ang asawa ko, pero hindi ko siya ipagpapalit kahit kanino." Gie adding her two cents into the conversation.

I stared at her and saw how her eyes reflect nothing but love while she looks at her twins. Patuloy na kumakabog ng mabilis at malakas ang puso ko. Hindi ko alam kung bakit nila sinasabi sa akin ang mga ito.

"Well, hindi naman sikreto kung anong nangyari sa amin ni Brinx. Ang pakay ko lang naman talaga nang una ay pagbayarin sila sa ginawa nilang pananakit sa akin. But, life really has a funny way of breaking and then mending a person. Because I found the cure to my aching soul on the person who broke me in the first place. And now were here, I'm pregnant and about to marry the only person whom I love all my life. Balak pa nga niya ako anakan ng marami at pupunuin raw namin ng bata ang mansion. Jusko, hindi ko alam kung kaya ba ng matres ko ang sinasabi niya."

Sandali kaming natawa sa sinabi ni Q. Pero hindi nakatakas sa mga mata ko ang kasiyahan sa mukha niya habang humihimas sa tiyan niya.

"You can't keep your feelings bottled up forever. Sooner or later, sasabog 'yan." Gie uttered when the laughter died.