Malia POV:
1 week later
Right now, I awoke early. To celebrate the fact that today is my birthday na pala.
I checked my phone and it's 8:30 am. I mentally prepare for today. Then a slew of notifications began to appear on my phone. Particularly in our group chat, which is comprised of me and my cousins.
JOLOGS
"Happy birthday prinsesa namin. Huwag munang mag boyfriend ha, kundi mag-ingat siya sa amin. Just kidding! Enjoy your day, I love you"- Kuya Alfonso.
"Happy birthday, our dear bunso. Words can't begin to describe how deep and meaningful you are to our lives. You mean the absolute world to us"- Kuya Luis.
"Uyy 17 na siya oh, sana ay hindi ka pa kunin ni Lord and please don't change. Happy birthday makulit na Malia"- Kuya Sandro.
Happy Birthday our little Malia! Stay blessed. Many happy returns of the day!- Kuya Matt
"Happy Birthday Lia! May God Bless you- From your kuya Borgy and Michael
"Happy birthday to the amazing cousin in the world. May you have a joyous celebration of this day!"- Kuya Simon
"It feels good to see you getting more mature and beautiful every year. You are growing up like a princess. Happy birthday Malia!"- Kuya Vincent
Nireplyan ko naman sila kaagad.
"I appreciate everyone's birthday wishes. Hearing from you alleviated some of my angst over turning a year older, d joke lang salamat mga kuya!"
Madami pang bumati sa akin na pinasalamatan ko naman silang lahat.
Maya-maya ay bumaba na ako to meet mom and dad. Pero mukhang wala sila ah, ang tahimik ng bahay. Nang may nagsalita sa likuran ko.
"Goodmorning po ma'am, happy birthday po!" it was manang pala.
"Salamat po manang!, saan po sila mommy?"
"Maagang umalis po, sa companya niyo po ata sila pumunta. Nakapang pormal na damit eh mukhang may meeting daw sila sa ngayon" sagot naman ni manang na bigla akong pinanghinaan.
"Ah ganon po ba, sige po. Salamat"
Today, I imagined would be a unique and unforgettable day for me. Perhaps I was mistaken, as my own family was unaware that today is their daughter's birthday.
I just took my breakfast at mukhang I'm overthinking sa gitna ng pagkain ko.
"Stop it Lia, baka maaga pa namang makauwi sila mommy po. They will not forget your special day noh" I whispered to myself.
After I finished breakfast and sat in the garden reading, Mama Imee abruptly called me.
"Hello anak! We wish our sweet Malia a very happy birthday. May the sun shine brightly on your extremely important day, and may you always be aware of your true worth. You are a courageous and lovely individual. I wish you the most joyous of birthdays and an amazing year!" mga salitang bumungad sa akin ng sagutin ko ang tawag ni mama.
"T-thank you mama!"
"Welcome anak! Happy birthday din daw sabi ni pops mo" she said.
"Oh, thank you pops!"
"We wish we could be with you. We have a senate hearing, and then your pops and I will travel to Nueve Ecija pagkatapos nito for an emergency meeting with the mayor. I am very sorry honey." mama remarked.
"It's okay mama! Don't worry. Maraming araw pa naman ang natitira for we can bond"
"Pero sa mga araw na yun ay hindi mo na birthday. So sorry again for our meeting is going to start na anak. Enjoy your day! I love you!" giit ni mama.
"I love you too mama" then she already hung up the phone.
This is the first birthday that I've had that seems uncomplicated. Pero there's mom and dad pa naman. Malamang ay uuwi din ang mga yun ng maaga.I didn't phone them since I didn't want to bother them while they were in a meeting.
As a result, I redirected my attention to reading my pocket book. Then my phone rang once more. It's from unknown number na nga lang. Pero baka sila mommy lang or some of my friends.
"Hello?" I said in the other line.
"Oh pak! ang expensive talaga ng boses. Jessan to, nakigamit lang ako kay Keirt ng cellphone kasi wala akong load. Happy happy happy birthday Malia! sana ay huwag mo munang makita ang manok ni San Pedro ha. Kahit may pagka slow ka ay kaibigan at mahal pa rin kita. Sayang hindi kita maipapasyal sa ngayon, alam ko ay yun ang gusto mo. Nasa probinsya kasi kami nila nanay at tatay sinama na rin namin si Keirt" it's Jessan pala.
"Hi! Thank you so much Jessan. You mean a lot to me. Okay lang, mag-ingat kayo jan ha"
"Ito naman! huwag mo muna akong babaan ng telepono teh, kakamustahin pa kita, baka kasi ano na ang mga pinag gagawa mo jan. Kaibigan mo ako kaya may concern ako sayo noh" sabi nito.
"N-no! It's not like that, akala ko kasi nagmamadali ka. I'm okay naman. How about you?"
"Nako okay na okay teh, namimiss ka nila nanay at tatay pati na ang makulit kong kapatid" banggit nito.
"Nako, I miss them naman"
"Teh pasensya na at mukhang malolobat na tong cellphone ni Keirt, happy birthday din pala sabi niya"
"Sige sige, pakisabi na thank you. Baka ma patayan ka pa ng cellphone, thanks for calling me ha" I stated and Jessan would have spoken, but the call was abruptly disconnected, most likely because Keirt's phone was already lowbat.
Kaya kaagad ko na lang tinuon ang attensyon ko ulit sa pagbabasa. I waited a few minutes longer in the hope that someone would call me back, but nothing occurred.
I just spend my entire time reading, hanggang sa hindi ko namalayan na hapon na pala, bakit hindi pa rin nakakauwi sila mommy?
Kaya napagdesisyunan ko na tawagan na lang silang dalawa ni daddy. But they weren't answering, kahit tinext ko pa ito ay walang respond.
"Ma'am maghapunan na po kayo, mag gagabi na po. Hindi rin po kasi kayo kanina nakapag tanghalian baka ako'y pagalitan nila ma'am at sir" manang came and told me.
"Ah, ganon po ba. Anong oras na po pala manang?"
"6:30 na po ma'am" sagot naman nito.
"Sige po, busog pa naman po kasi ako at nakapag meryenda naman po ako kanina lang"
"Segurado ka po ba ma'am? Baka kasi manghina kayo" sabi ni manang.
" Nako opo, I am no longer in pain in my body. Kayo rin po pahinga na po kayo, mukhang andaming niyong ginawa ngayong araw at pagod kayo"
"Sige po ma'am napakabait niyo talaga, kapag may kailangan po kayo ay tawagin niyo lang po ako" manang said at tumungo na sa kwarto nito.
Ako naman ay nandito pa rin sa garden at tinapos lang ang binabasa ko.
Ilang minuto? oras? I think I came here so I decided to go inside the house and it's already 9pm. Perhaps I will skip dinner because I am no longer hungry.
Pero wala pa rin sila mommy. As a result, I returned to my room and remained there until I fell asleep.
Minutes later, as I emerged from the cr and prepared to sleep, I heard a voice outside my room.
"She's just the boss of the company that we're going to collaborate with. Matagal na yun at wala na kami" it was dad's voice.
"Greggy! Are you out of your mind? Wala naman akong sinabi na ganon-"
"Then why are you acting like you're jealous?" dad remarked.
"How many times I should tell you na I'm not jealous nga"
"Then why are you avoiding me pagkatapos nating mag meeting with Eva. She's a good person Irene-"
"I know" mom cut dad.
"Then what's the problem hon?"
"We forgot" mom spoke.
"Forgot what?"
"Greggy, as well as you, did you forget your only daughter's birthday?" sagot naman ni mommy.
"About that, damn it! We both forgot"
"It's also midnight. Hindi manlang natin siya nabati kanina bago tayo nakaalis" mom spoke.
"I missed a lot of calls from Malia"
"Me too" mom utter.
I'm standing at the door, listening to what they're talking to one another, and it's as if they awoke manang when mom asked if I was already sleeping.
"Baka po ma'am, kanina pa po kayo hinihintay ni Lia at nagbabakasali na makauwi kayo ng maaga. Nagabihan na nga pong magbasa sa garden kanina" sagot naman ni manang.
"Talaga po ba? Pasensya na kayo manang kung pati kayo ay nagising namin" dad spoke.
"Ayos lang po, nakakain na po ba kayo?"
"Opo, magpahinga na po kayo" mom said.
"Let's just visit her in her room" kaagad na banggit ni mommy.
I hurriedly went to bed, covering my entire body and feigning sleep.
Then I already hear the door's creaking.
I can sense that mom sit beside me at kinuha ang kumot na nakatakip sa ulo ko.
"Were so sorry anak, mommy and daddy forgot your birthday. Babawi kami promise" mom said at hinalikan ako sa noo pati na si daddy.
"Baka magising pa natin siya hon" dagdag pa ni daddy.
"Ay oo nga, happy birthday our dear Malia"last words mommy left and kissed my hand.
I quickly opened my eyes and couldn't stop crying as they left my room.
"Pati na pala birthday ko they both forget" I said to myself and began to cry in response to how I feel now.
Suddenly I saw the cupcake in my nighstand that's supposed to be my midnight snack. I grabbed it up and reached into my drawer for a candle and a lighter.
Fortunately, another candle remained in my drawer, and I lighted it instantly and placed it on the cupcake's icing.
"Malia you're so strong remember that" I spoke to myself while I'm sobbing.
I took a deep breath and sang a happy birthday to myself. However, while I sang, I couldn't help but cry.
"H-Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birthday Dear Malia
Happy Birthday to You"
Then I close my eyes to make a wish.
"That was a terrific year of knowing myself. Cheers to a new year in my life! nice birthday wishes to me" I note to myself then blow the candle.
I simply ate the cupcake, rested for a few minutes, and then chose to sleep until my cellphone notified me.
It's Oliver who message me.
"Hello I know your birthday is already done. But I wish you a happy birthday and stay kind. If you need someone to talk with, I'm always available and just one chat away. As you ring in your personal new year, I pray that your special day is full of joy"
I immediately respond and say thank you to him.
To Oliver:
Thank you so much Oliver! It's okay if you message me late, however my day not went well pero okay lang. Goodnight!
Hindi ko inaakalang mag rerespond pa ito.
From Oliver:
"Go to your window"
I quickly asked as to what was going on and became concerned, but I misunderstood what he replied and messaged him again.
To Oliver:
"What? Why?"
From Oliver:
"Hahaha don't be scared. Naiinip na sila rito"
Hindi ko alam kung ano ang tinutukoy nito at tumungo na lang sa may bintana.
I was shocked of what I saw.
For it's Jessan, Keirt and Oliver are across the street and Jessan's holding a cake and signaled me na bumaba.
A/N: Happy reading!❤️ Heheheh bawi ako this week, baka kasi hindi ako maka update next week na..