𝗜𝗺𝗲𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗼𝘀
Its already 6:00 in the evening and I just get home from senate. When I entered the house a silent atmosphere meet me. This isn't the usual feeling that I felt whenever I go home because everytime I go home I have this very special happiness in my heart but today seems so different.
Nasaan kaya si Irene?
"Manang..." I called, pumunta ako sa kusina para tanungin yung mga kasambahay kung asan yung mga tao dito at bakit tahimik.
"Ma'am?" Manang Esther replied.
"Asan yung mga tao dito? Bakit ang tahimik? Si Irene?" I asked as I roamed my eyes around.
"Ah si Ma'am Irene po, umalis, ihahatid daw po ata niya si Isabelle yun po yung narinig ko." Manang Esther replied, I was shocked, tinutoo talaga ni Isabelle yung sinabi niya kagabi. Nakakatampo hindi manlang niya ako hinintay. I was about to reply to manang Esther when I heard the door opened. I gaze to the direction. It was Irene and Matthew.
Nung nagtama ang mata ko at ni Irene, para siyang pinagbagsakan ng langit at lupa na parang pasan-pasan niya ang lahat ng problema sa buong mundo.
Alam kong nasaktan siya sa pag-alis ni Isabelle dahil kitang-kita ko na parang anak na niya kung ituring si Isabelle. I didn't speak yet instead I went near to her and hugged her tightly letting her feel my sympathy and comfort, I know she needs someone to cry on right now and I want her to feel that she has an ate. I gesture Matt to get a water for Irene as I guided the way to the living room so we could sit.
"Ading, breath." I said, napapaluha narin ako dahil sa pag-iyak niya.
"Umuwi na siya?" I asked softly, she nodded and bowed her head.
"She already left me, Manang." She replied, I can hear the hurt from her voice but yet she managed to smile lightly so I respond a smile and signaled her to lean on my shoulder.
"Ading, hindi siya mawawala sayo, dahil jan sa puso mo palagi mo siyang kasama at palagi mo siyang maaalala at ganyan din yung mararamdaman ni Isabelle." I tried to console her, I gently rub her back for comfort.
"Don't ever think that way again, ading. I know you were hurt dahil sa ginawa niya but you need to be strong for yourself, for us and for our Celestine."
"Ading, I think its time to investigate Isabelle's identity? What if she's Celestine?" I uttered, hoping that she'll agree.
"Manang, she told me na hinding-hindi magiging siya si Celestine." She replied bitterly, I immediately shook my head for disagreement.
"Pero okay lang naman kung subukan natin diba? Let's take the risk ading." I consulted her, she didn't respond to me so I told her to just rest muna.
𝘐𝘧 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘈𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨.
"I know you're tired, Ading. Take a rest muna."
Tumango siya at inihatid ko siya sa kwarto niya.
"I'll call you when the dinner is ready, okay?" I told her, she smiled lightly as she nodded at me.
"Okay manang, thank you.." She replied softly, this woman, this sister of mine is the very soft-hearted one.
"I love you ading." I said sweetly, I love this woman so much, she knows that I am after her welfare every minute, hour & day.
"I love you too manang, thank you for everything." Irene replied as she suddenly approach me for a hug, I hug her back as I kissed her cheeks.
"Manang will always be here for you my Ading." I assured her, she tightens the hug as I decided to withdraw and leave her so she could rest.
"How's tita Irene, mom?" He asked, worriedly.
"Ayon, pinagpahinga ko muna." I replied in my low voice, I sat beside him as I breathed-out.
"You'll pity her if you just saw her crying in the car kanina mom, she really looks so devastated." Matthew trailed on, I looked at him and smile weakly.
Of all people na masasama, bakit yung kapatid ko pa yung pinapahirapan ng ganito knowing that she's so kind to everyone.
"Itinuring na niyang anak si Isabelle, naging parte na ng buhay niya at naging importante na sakanya." I told him, he nodded.
"Para silang mag-ina kanina mom, they bid their goodbye emotionally." Matthew said, I sighed.
"Stay here for today, bukas ka nalang umuwi ng Ilocos." I reprimands, I just nodded at him and I head my way to the kitchen to see what they'll cook for dinner.
- 𝗜𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗼𝘀-𝗔𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗮
I rest for awhile not long after I woke up, I stood up and I head my way to my mini walk-in closet. I'm hoping na meron pang damit na naiwan si Isabelle, so I can have a remembrance of her scent but sadly wala.
When I get out of the walk-in closet I was going to lay down when I saw a fold paper. I went near to it and I saw my name on it.
When I opened the paper it was a letter and it was from the girl whom I want to see and hugged at the moment.
𝑻𝒊𝒕𝒂 𝑰𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒆,
𝒀𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒐𝒇𝒕 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝑰'𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰'𝒎 𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝒊𝒇 𝑰 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒏𝒂𝒅𝒂𝒍𝒂 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒐 𝒂𝒌𝒐 𝒔𝒂 𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒚𝒐𝒏 𝒌𝒐. 𝑳𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒕𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝑰'𝒎 𝒔𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒑𝒐 𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒐. 𝑵𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒎𝒅𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒌𝒐 𝒑𝒐 𝒌𝒖𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒂𝒂𝒏𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒌𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒏 𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚𝒂 𝒔𝒂 𝒌𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒉𝒐𝒏 𝒏𝒂 𝒕𝒖𝒎𝒊𝒓𝒂 𝒑𝒐 𝒂𝒌𝒐 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒚𝒐. 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒑𝒐 𝒔𝒂 𝒑𝒂𝒈𝒃𝒊𝒈𝒂𝒚 𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒔𝒂𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏 𝒏𝒂 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒂𝒑𝒂𝒈-𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒂 𝑷𝒀𝑺𝑩. 𝑯𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈-𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊 𝒑𝒐 𝒌𝒊𝒕𝒂 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒂𝒌𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒎𝒖𝒕𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒂. 𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝑰 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒚 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒑𝒕 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒑𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒊𝒛𝒆. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒂. 𝑨𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌 𝒕𝒐𝒐 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉, 𝒃𝒂𝒌𝒂 𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒌𝒂𝒔𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒕 𝒑𝒐 𝒌𝒂𝒚𝒐 𝒖𝒍𝒊𝒕. 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒅𝒊𝒏 𝒑𝒐 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒂𝒏 𝒐𝒌𝒂𝒚? 𝑰'𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒅𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒍𝒔𝒐 𝑪𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒆. 𝑰'𝒍𝒍 𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒕𝒂 𝒏𝒊𝒚𝒐 𝒏𝒂 𝒑𝒐 𝒖𝒍𝒊𝒕 𝒔𝒊𝒚𝒂, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒔𝒐 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒕. 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒂. 𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒃𝒚𝒆.
𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆,
𝑰𝒔𝒂𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆
I read it and I cried again. I knew from the very first that she just did that so I could have a courage to let her go. Kilala ko siya, she'll never disrespect me.
I will always love you my precious Isabelle. I miss you so much. I hope to see again the soonest.
- 𝗜𝗺𝗲𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗼𝘀
Ready na yung pagkaing kakainin namin ngayong dinner, dumating narin si Borgy. Matt and Borgy are in the living room.
"Kuya? Matt?" I called my kids so they could call Irene and mommy.
"Mom?" They replied, half-shouted.
"Call your mama Meldy and your tita Irene, tell them the dinner is ready." I reprimand them, they immediately obliged.
"Okay!"
- 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘄 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗰
"Kuya, ako na tatawag kay tita Irene ikaw na kay Mama Meldy." I told kuya Borgy, he nodded and we take the opposite paths.
I knocked on tita Irene's door a couple of times but she didn't respond so I got worried. I twisted the door knob and decided to enter her room.
When I entered, tita Irene's clothes changed into pajamas already, nanggaling siya sa bathroom, kaya ata hindi niya narinig yung pagkatok ko.
"Tita..." I mutters softly, walking towards her.
"Oh Matt, do you need anything?" She replied and smiled lightly.
"How are you feeling tita?" I asked, I know that she'll say she's okay, it's always her answer.
"You'll get through this tita, you're one of the strong women I know." I said and smiled at her, I hugged her tightly as I planted a kiss on her forehead.
I heard that she sobbed, tita Irene is really a soft-hearted woman but she's strong at the same time. She's an appreciative person, she appreciate anything even a small things. She forgives and get attached right away.
"Oh you're crying ulit, stop crying na tita." I said, I wiped her tears.
"Let's go, the dinner is ready already, hinihintay na nila tayo." I added, she wiped her tears totally and nodded.
Pumunta na kami sa baba at pumunta agad sa kusina, nandoon na sila at kami nalang ang hinihintay. Tita Irene kissed Mama Meldy's cheek. I also kissed Mama Meldy's cheeks. We ate dinner and would talk about some unpopular topic but tita Irene was silent the whole dinner.
𝗜𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲
Hannah, Alliah, Josh and I are in the garden. They were asking me how was it to live with tita Irene and the Marcos's.
"Ba't pala napaaga yung uwi mo teh? Hindi pa naman nag two weeks ah!" Alliah asked curiously, they were asking me the same questions since earlier.
"Kasi namiss ko kayo" I replied so they won't ask some more questions, kasi wala talaga akong gana makipag-usap sa ngayon.
"Ew! Ang sweet pero ang cringe ha! Hindi bagay!" Josh exclaimed, with a jokingly expression of being in a gross situation.
"Edi wow!" I yelled.
"Joke lang pero namiss karin namin teh!" Josh said and hugged me, they all did.
"Close na kayo ng mga Marcos?" Josh asked, alam ko na kung saan papunta 'to.
"Baka maging Marcos kana din teh!" Hannah said, I raised my eyebrows.
"Bakit naman ako magiging isang Marcos?" I asked, hoping that I'll get a decent answer from these people.
"Malay mo maikasal ka sa isa sa mga apo ni dating First Lady." Josh said, I raised my brow and smirked.
"Shut up Josh! Parang mga kuya ko narin yung mga yun! Gaga!" I shouted at him.
"Oh malay mo ampunin ka ni Ms. Irene." Hannah aforementioned, I sarcastically chuckled.
"You know hindi pwede." I replied.
"Oh paano kung ikaw si Celestine? Yung anak ni Ms. Irene? Yung nawawala ba?" Alliah exclaimed, that made my eyes widened.
The hell? Pati sila? Are these people serious? What are they thinking?
"Oo nga teh, dito sa Ilocos nawala yung anak ni Ms. Irene, sa Paoay mismo teh!" Hannah said, I started to wonder pero malabo namang mangyari yun diba?
"Teh kung sakali mang ikaw yung anak ni Ms. Irene, wag mo kaming kakalimutan ha, ireto mo kami sa mga pinsan mo." Josh said, I glared at him and raised my left eyebrow that made him quiet.
"Don't you ever think na ako si Celestine." I said irritatedly.
"Pero te, diba Celestine ka din." Alliah said, I breathed-out.
Not because we have the same second names, it doesn't totally mean that I'm part of them or I am that Samantha.
"Magkapareho lang kami ng pangalan pero hindi ako siya. Magkaiba kami ng kwento and please stop that topic." I told them, it's making me uncomfortable.
"Edi okay." They said.
Pumasok na kami dahil lumalamig na, pumunta ako sa kwarto ko, I started to wonder kung kumusta na si tita Irene pati sila tita Imee, Mama Meldy, tito Greggy tsaka yung mga kuya ko dun.
To be continue..
Sorry for the wrong grammars and misspelled words.