AVERY
I slowly opened my eyes when I heard some voices. Lumingon ako sa kinaroroonan ng mga boses na naririnig ko at nagtaka ako nang mapansin ang tensyon sa paligid. Mom is crying silently while glaring at Tito Griffin. I can't see dad, where is he? Kinalabit ko si Gran na nakaupo sa tabi ng kama ko.
"Ate!" gulat na aniya nang makitang gising na ako
Mukhang hindi nila napansin na gising na ako dahil sobrang seryoso pa rin lahat ng mukha nila. Kahit ang mga kapatid kong namumugto ang mata ay seryoso ang ekspresyon.
"What's happening—" hindi ko na natapos ang tanong ko ng basagin ni Tito Griffin ang katahimikan
"I'm sorry, Hill." it was almost a whisper but I heard it loud and clear
Nanlaki ang mata ko nang malakas na sinampal ni mom si Tito Griffin. Walang sinuman ang sumaway o pumigil kay mommy na gawin iyon. Even Lola Selena and Lolo Landon are just quietly observing.
"What did I do wrong?! Ano bang kasalanan ko sa mundo para mawalan ulit ng anak?! And now, I can't even see my son's body?! Griffin, I don't need ashes! I need my son's body! Hindi ako maniniwalang patay na si Kairro hangga't hindi ko nakikita ang katawan niya!" mom is almost hysterical while crying her heart out
"Cali, where is Grayson? Call him here right now!" mabilis na dinaluhan Tita Gianna si mom
Naninikip ang dibdib ko habang nakikita ang nangyayari at nakumpirma ko nga na totoo ang nasa balita. It wasn't a nightmare, it was reality. But I have no idea what's going on. What does mom mean that we can't see Kuya's body?
"Kuya, where's Kuya Kai?" Lay asked Gran while crying
Rayne started crying too, niyakap kaming tatlo ni Gran at nagsimula ding manginig ang balikat niya. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko sila i-cocomfort kung hindi ko maasikaso ang sarili ko.
"Mga apo, it's alright. Lola is here." Lola Selena hugged us and I know she's trying to hold back her tears
Tumingin kaming lahat sa pinto nang bumukas iyon at pumasok si dad. I am relieved to see him but there's something different from him. I loudly gasped when dad suddenly threw a punch on Tito Griffin. He looks so mad, no, mad is an understatement. Dad is livid, his body is shaking and I can see how tensed his body is. I've never seen those murderous eyes from dad until today.
"Grayson!" Lolo Landon and Tito Cali tried to stop him from throwing another punch
"What the fuck, Griffin?! What the fuck did you do?! Kairro is my son! He is my son! Where the hell did you get the authority to cremate my son's body?! Sumagot kang gago ka!" dad's angry voice roared inside the room
Lahat kaming magkakapatid ay magkayakap sa isang sulok kasama si Lola Selena. She's trying to calm us down too. We're getting scared. We've never seen dad like this. Namumula ang mukha niya sa galit at parang gusto mo na lang manginig sa takot dahil sa awtoridad sa boses niya na pumapailanlang sa buong kwarto.
What does dad mean? Anong kinalaman ni Tito Griffin? And what cremation? Did he cremate Kuya Kairro's body without us knowing? Everyone is talking about my Kuya's body.
"You're scaring the children, Gray!" Tita Gianna tried to interfere
"Stop it! Nasa hospital tayo!" saway din ni Lola Selena
But no one listened. Tito Griffin scoffed and looked away, "His car exploded and he is beyond recognition. I don't want you to see him like that."
Tito Griffin's expression is usually unreadable but I can clearly see the regret and sadness in his eyes. But I don't get why he is acting like doesn't care. He looks so different when he apologised to mom. But did her really cremated my brother's remains?
How big was the accident that his car exploded? Oh god, please wake me up from this nightmare. I don't think I can live without Kuya Kairro.
"Dad!"
"Grayson!"
Sabay-sabay kaming napasigaw nang biglang bumunot ng baril si daddy at tinutok kay Tito Griffin. What's happening? Why is this happening? Hindi ko mapigilan ang umiyak. I feel so helpless. Why is everyone fighting against each other? We just lost a family, we lost my Kuya.
"Are you trying to kill your brother?!" galit na sigaw ni Lolo Landon
"I'm not trying because I will really kill this bastard!" dad looks like he lost all his sanity while saying those words
"Dude, don't let your children see this kind of scene. Your family needs you." Tito Cali said calmly
"Stop it, Gray. Please. Just stop right now." mom plead while weeping
Parang nawalan ng lakas ang mga kamay ni dad nang marinig niya si mommy. Nabitawan niya ang baril na agad kinuha ni Tito Cali. Agad na dinaluhan ni Gran si dad nang maupo siya sa sahig at nagsimulang lumuha ng tahimik. He looks so weak right now, he's so different from before who was livid.
"Even if he lost all his limbs, I don't care. I still want to see his body, Griffin. Even if he's beyond recognition, I will still look at him. That's my son, my eldest son, one of my sons who I love so dear. How can you do this to me? How can you betray me like this? Pinagkait mo sa akin na makita siya sa huling pagkakataon." pahina ng pahina ang boses ni dad
I didn't know that dad will break down like this.
I ran to him with my other brothers and mom too. We all hugged dad and cried together. Parang bumalik kaming lahat sa pagkabata dahil pilit kaming sumisiksik sa bisig ni daddy. I cried my heart out while clutching on dad's clothes. They tried to calm down when I started wheezing.
My throat is starting to hurt and it's hard to breathe again.
"Avery, calm down, baby." my dad said softly in a hoarse voice
Dad carried me to the bed. They gave me my nebulizer and helped me put the mask on. I tried to calm down but I can't help myself from crying. Patuloy pa rin ako sa pag-iyak habang nakasuot sa akin ang mask na nakakonekta sa nebulizer ko. Rayne and Lay is still crying too while sitting on my bed. Yakap-yakap sila ni Gran habang yakap naman ni daddy si mommy na patuloy din sa pag-iyak.
Lola Selena held my hand and hugged me. Mukhang lumabas kanina si Tito Griffin, Tito Cali, Tita Gianna at Lolo Landon dahil wala na sila sa kwarto.
"Apo, you have to calm down." Lola Selena said softly at me while caressing my hair
"L-Lola, what should I do? Kuya is—" hindi ko matuloy ang gusto kong sabihin dahil sa patuloy na pag-iyak ko
I clutch on my chest while trying to catch my breathe. I shouldn't have said those words to Kuya Kairoo, I shouldn't have blame him for leaving us to go to Mexico. Sobrang pagsisisi ang nararamdaman ko habang inaalala na inaway ko si Kuya sa huling sandali na magkasama kami.
I don't know what to do, I feel like something is missing in my life and I won't be able to function properly without it.
"I'm sorry, anak. I'm sorry." Dad hugged me so tight and I can hear him crying
He must be blaming himself, we never left the house without any bodyguards. We might can't see them but we know they're just hanging around us. Dad probably felt that he failed to protect Kuya Kairro.
The door opened and Tatay Darnell and Sunny walked inside the room. He's one of my dad's best friends and we call him Tatay. Out of all us siblings, he's closest to Kuya Kairro. Namumula ang mata nilang pareho na halatang galing sa pag-iyak. Sunny ran to me and burst out in tears. She's our childhood friend and my best friend.
"Gray, was that news true?" Tatay asked and there was hope in his eyes
He's probably hoping that it was a fake news like the rest of us. But how can anyone deny it? We're just all in-denial but we all know that it was true. Dad silently nodded his head.
"Woah, this news— ha!" parang nauupos na kandilang naupo si Tatay at tahimik din na umiyak
IT has been a week since the funeral, the house was very gloomy. Kahit ang mga kasambahay, hardinero, driver, guard at ang bahay-ampunan ay sobrang nalulungkot sa nangyari. Kuya Kai is a cold person outside but he's actually warm and caring. Our home feels so different without him in it. A lot of things change within that short span of time. I feel like all my brothers became mature and they all stopped getting into different kind of troubles.
Gran started acting like an older brother to us. When Kuya Kai was around, we're all like little kids to him. He loves us dearly and spoils us. Mom is unusually calm during the funeral, I thought she's gonna be hysterical again. It was hard for us but it must have been harder for her to lose Kuya Kai. She didn't give birth to him but we all know that mom loves him so much. But dad, I haven't seen him around that much. Hindi namin alam kung saan siya nagpunta.
"Ate, where are you going?" tanong sa akin ni Gran nang makita ko siya sa garahe
He's cleaning Kuya Kairro's car. We found out that Kuya was using Tito Griffin's car when the accident happened, it was to escape from all of his bodyguards. Sasakyan pa lang ni Kuya Kai ang naasikaso namin pero hindi ang condo niya kaya pupunta ako doon para linisin iyon. We want to leave it as it is and just clean it regularly, that's my mom's wish. We should leave it clean like we're always waiting for its owner.
"Sa condo. Is that still not here?"
Umiling siya, "I called the firm but he hasn't gone to work."
Nagsisimula na kaming mag-alala kay dad dahil hindi namin siya mahanap. Even mom doesn't know where to find him or where he went.
"Where did he go?" mahinang tanong ko sa sarili ko
Sumilip si Gran sa akin mula sa bintana ng sasakyan.
"Hey ate, I just notice that Kuya's car is full of your stuff." aniya sa akin
Lumapit ako sa kanya at sumilip sa loob ng sasakyan. Tinuro niya sa akin ang isang box kung saan niya nilalagay ang ilang laman ng sasakyan. There are sanitary pads, puffers, travel pillows, plush blanket, some of my vitamins, first aid kit, my favorite chocolate and snacks, extra clothes for me, and slippers. Oh, now that I remember, Kuya almost has everything that I need in his car. Palagi niya kasi akong hinahatid-sundo sa school.
"I'll put all these in my car."
"Huh, why? I'll take it if it's my stuff."
Gran sighed, "Ate, Kuya put it on his car because these are what you usually need. I'll put it in my car, I'll continue what he has been doing. And this time, I'll be the one who's gonna take care of you."
He patted my head like a little girl. I'm older than him but he's really tall like Kuya Kairro. All of my brothers are sweet to me and overprotective. Minsan parang sila pa ang mas matanda sa akin lalo na si Gran na parang nahawaan ni Kuya Kairro.
"You don't have to. I can take care of myself and I can drive myself too." matipid akong ngumiti sa kanya
I actually want to be alone while going to his condo. I don't want to wallow in sorrow but I want to be in the place where I last interacted with him. Hanggang ngayon ay ayoko pa ring tanggapin ang nangyari.
"Ate—" I raised my palm to stop him from trying to convince me more
The accident is under investigation again because my family think it was weird and there might be a foul play with his accident. We found a CCTV footage in the place of the accident and saw that someone is chasing Kuya Kai at that time. There were four people tailing him and riding a motorcycle.
We took a break from school at the moment to make sure that everything is safe before going back. Kaya ayaw rin akong payagan ni Gran na lumabas mag-isa pero ayos lang ako at alam kong hindi ako pababayaan ng mga tauhan ni dad.
"Sa condo lang ako ni Kuya Kai pupunta, so don't worry about me."
Wala itong nagawa kundi ang tahimik na tumango sa akin. Sinabi ko naman sa kanya na alam kong may nakabantay na mga tauhan si dad sa akin kaya napanatag din siya. I hopped inside my yellow Maserati and drive towards his condo. Nakarating naman ako agad dahil hindi ko naabutan ang rush hour at hindi pa ganoon ang traffic.
A staff hurriedly greeted me when he saw my car approaching. This building is one of Tito Cali's condominium buildings, he's one of dad's bestfriends and my Tita Gianna's husband. My brother probably notified that I am coming.
"Hello, Miss Avery. Iwan niyo na lang sa amin ang susi, kami na po ang bahala sa kotse." he called a valet so I gave him my key
"Thank you, I'll just go up to my brother's unit." paalam ko sa kanya
"Ah! Miss Avery!" mabilis na pigil niya sa akin
I looked at him suspiciously when his eyes started to wander. Malikot ang mga mata niya na parang naghahanap ng sasabihin. I shot up one eyebrow at him.
"Mister, I need to go." paalam ko sa kanya
Nagulat ako nang sumunod ito sa akin sa loob ng elevator. Tahimik lang ito pero nagsalita ito kaagad ng sumara ang elevator, "Nasa taas po kasi ang daddy niyo at ayaw ipaalam sa inyo na nandito siya. Hindi pa siya bumababa simula noong unang araw na dumating siya. Nag-aalala nga po kami kung nakakakain ba siya ng maayos kaya dinadalhan namin si Sir ng pagkain sa taas. Pero pinabalik niya lahat ng pagkain at puro alak ang pinapadala." may pag-aalangan at pangamba sa boses niya
Mabilis akong bumaling sa kanya dahil sa sinabi niya. All this time ay nandito lang pala si dad. Kaya pala hindi namin siya mahanap at hindi rin namin naisip na baka nandito siya.
"Kailan pa siya nandito?" gulat na tanong ko
Bumuntong-hininga siya kasabay ng pagbukas ng pinto ng elevator, "Noong gabi po ng libing ni Sir Kairro."
I bit my lower lip. I need to see dad quickly!
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Waaaaaaaah! Hindi ko mapigilan iyak ko habang ginagawa 'tong chapter na 'to.
Enjoy crying, I mean reading!
Love you guys!
- L a d y C o d e 🤍