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Prologue
Mila Amaris Albarasin
Present Time:
Inalis ko na ang name tag ko at nagpalit na ng damit from scrub into jeans and white shirt. I looked at the clock dito sa locker room namin, it's past ten in the evening. I feel exhausted but satisfied because I get to bring a new life safely. Apat na bata ang pinanganak ngayong araw na ito and it was really magical, lalo na iyong unang pag-iyak nila.
"Doctor Laudencia, mauna na po ako." Tinanguan lang ako ni Doc tapos ay umalis na kasama ang isang nurse na katatawag lang sa kanya. Ilang co-nurse ko pa ang nakasalubong ko at nagpaalam bago ko narating ang parking lot. I click the alarm of my car and get in.
Kaunti na lang ang sasakyan na bumabyahe ang iilan pa sa nakakasabay ko ay mga jeep at tricycle, th sky was already dark and the only thing that gives light was the moon and the lighting, I guess it's about to rain. A loud thunder roar and few seconds after tiny raindrops fell on the windshield. Binagalan ko ang pagmamaneho ko at binuksan ang radio, a familiar tune played, I can't help but smile bitterly. Naalala ko noong unang araw ng Pebrero. Four years, six months and eleven days ago. What happened was so vivid that every time I close my eyes it feels like I can still see him; like I'm still with him.
I know that if we give this a little time
It'll only bring us closer to the love we want to find
It's never felt so real; no, it's never felt so right
I turn the volume up and sing along. Five years ago this song gave me so much – just like what they call it today – feels. A guy I met made me fall in love with this song and whenever I hear this, it makes me wonder on how he is now... if he still remembers me... if he knows that I looked and waited for him.
I turn off the radio and stop the car's engine. Bumaba na ako and get my things from the back of my car. When I was about to put the key in the keyhole something made me feel oddly familiar with this moment. Parang déjà vu. I shook the feeling off and enter my house, ang una kong ginawa ay i-on ang switch ng ilaw malapit sa pinto and when the whole room was filled with lights, nabitawan ko ang lahat ng gamit ko at napatakip ang kamay sa aking bibig because of shock... because of the person lying on the floor, swimming in his own blood.
"Oh my gosh!"
February 1, 2012:
"Mila, take care of yourself, okay?" Mom reminded me again. Three times na niya 'yang sinasabi sa akin habang pababa kami ng hagdan. Of course I'll take care of myself.
"Mom, ano pa bang pinag-aalala mo, Nanay Belen, she'll take care of me. Pati na rin si Simon and Charles. They'll both be here naman." Simon and Charles are my personal bodyguards. The house is full of alarms and seven CCTVs tapos ay may security guard pa kami – na bukod pa kila Simon – that's why it's kind of funny na nag-woworry pa si Mommy na maaaksidente ako. It's not like I'll be going out of this house.
"Pwede ka naman kasing sumama sa amin, France iyon."
It's not like I can go and see the Eiffel Tower, sa hotel lang din naman ako. "I'll work on my painting, Mom. So you can both go; I'll be fine."
"Amara, tama na 'yan, let go of your daughter, baka ma-late pa tayo sa flight." Mom let go of me and picks up her bag, lumapit naman sa akin si Daddy at hinalikan ako sa noo. I hugged him. "We'll be back in two weeks. I'll miss you, princess."
"I'll miss you, too, take care, huh? And don't forget my pasalubong. I love you both." I ran to my Mommy and hugged her tightly before I gave tiny kisses on her cheeks. "Love you, love you!"
Hindi ko na sila hinatid pa sa gate dahil bawal, umakyat na lang ako papunta sa kwarto ko at tinanaw sila mula sa bullet proof glass window sa kwarto ko. When I can't see their car anymore ay sinarado ko na ang kurtina at nahiga sa kama.
What shall I do today? Watch Grey's Anatomy? Wala pang new episode. Watch Supernatural? Katatapos ko lang panoorin ang latest episode. Paint? Play Piano? Shop?
Kinuha ko ang laptop ko at nag-eMail sa secretary ni Daddy ng mga gusto kong bilhin. She'll be the one buying those things for me dahil bawal naman akong pumunta ng mall. When I'm done on my list ay si-nend ko na ang eMail. That was fun... typing what you want is fun. Naka-receive ako kaagad ng response sa kanya, she told me that she can give me all those things on Monday, I said thanks and turn off the laptop.
Sumampa ako sa kama at pumikit. Inalala ko na lang ang daan papunta sa Baguio. Ang puno at ang bundok. The place look so fresh, parang maganda ang simoy ng hangin – I didn't know kung fresh air ba talaga sa Baguio because Mom didn't want the windows down, delikado raw. We're just driving lang naman, and I saw many cars do that naman pero delikado pa rin daw.
"Hayy. Makapagbasa na nga lang."
Pumunta ako sa library naming and pick a book from the "Fiction" section. May nakita akong book ni Sidney Sheldon doon na matagal nang gustong ipabasa ni Daddy sa akin, ang title niya is Windmills of the Gods. I sat on the couch and drown myself into reading. I'm not into this kind of stories but just as I expected form Sidney Sheldon, it was beautiful. The story is about a college professor na ginawang ambassador ng US president, then she moved to Romania kasama ang anak niya, but as she started working, the people around her also started conspiring against her kaya nalagay sa panganib ang pamilya niya, now she is the target of an assassin with an alias of Angel, so the story revolves on who she can trust and how she will survive.
Sa sobrang ganda ng libro ay nawalan na ako ng malay sa oras and as I close the book with the greatest twist of my life ay doon ko na lang napansin na madilim na pala sa labas at past eight o'clock na. Nanay Belen didn't disturb me dahil alam naman niya na kapag nagbabasa ako ay may sarili na akong mundo, na kahit gutom ay hindi ko na nararamdaman.
Bumaba na ako sa kusina para kumain dahil narinig ko na ang tummy ko na nag-kroo-kroo, I'm famished and just as I came to the kitchen I can smell my favorite adobo.
"Nanay!" I called her. She smiled at me then place the adobo in the bowl, kumuha na ako ng plato para sa limang tao because my bodyguards and the other kasambahay will join me. Iyong guards kasi sa labas ay hindi sila pwedeng umalis sa gate kaya dadalhan na lang sila ni Nanay.
"Si Simon at Charles po?" I asked, wala kasi sila Simon kanina sa labas ng library, eh, usually nasa may pinto lang iyon at binabantayan ako.
"Nag-yosi silang dalawa, pero pinatawag ko na kay Luisa para makakain na tayong lahat." Inayos na naming ang lamesa and pagkatapos ay dumating na ang iba. My two bodyguards arrived with ate Luisa.
"Haynako, what did I tell you two about smoking?" Nakapamewang na tanong ko sa kanilang dalawa. They both look at each other like they had done something horrible.
"Huli na po iyon, Señorita." I nod and laugh at them.
"That's what you told me three days ago. Naku, kayo. Paano niyo ako mababantayan niyan, paano kapag na-kidnap ako, paano niyo mahahabol ang kumuha sa akin, eh, hihingalin kaagad kayo." I joke. They smile at me then we all sat at the chair. Nanay Belen started the prayer and we all eat. Masaya silang kasamang kumain kasi parating nagjojoke si Charles na bentang benta naman kila Nanay at Luisa, while si Simon naman ay tahimik lang, he rarely smile, sayang at handsome pa naman siya.
We finished eating, I helped Nanay wash the dishes and put the left over in the fridge. After that ay nanood na kami nila Nanay ng paborito naming teleserye. Iyong teleserye na inspired sa libro na Wuthering Heights kung saan si Coco Martin at Julia Montes and bida.
"Ate Luisa, sila Daniel na!" I shouted then sat comfortably on the couch while eating pringles na sinasawsaw ko sa vanilla ice cream.
The episode tonight was exciting pero like the other nights, nakakabitin ang episode. I'm really excited on what will happen now since Katerina's dad already know about their relationship, and kung magkakausap na ba ng maayos ang character nila Dawn at Richard. I really love them as a couple. Super kilig. And what Coco Martin's character told to Katerina is really sweet.
"Hihintayin kita, kahit pumuti pa ang buhok ko, kahit ikamatay ko pa." I smiled and hug my pillow. Mag-isa na lang ako sa kwarto at feel na feel ko pa rin ang kilig sa linya ni Daniel. Kaya kaya talaga ng isang tao na maghintay ng ganon katagal? Can a person really love that long? "Mila, stop thinking about that because you will never know the answer naman, mafu-frustrate ka lang. You know you will never fall in love."
I sigh and just close my eyes. Itutulog ko na lang ito. Tomorrow is another day, I need to wake up early pa dahil kailangan ko pang mag-isip ng gagawin ko for that day – na hindi naman mahirap gawin because it's become a routine to me now.
Niyakap ko ang teddy bear na bigay sa akin ni Daddy at nag-start nang magbilang ng sheep. I'm already on forty-something when I heard something from the window. I didn't mind it because it cannot be broken, but when I heard something solid fell that's when I was alarmed. After that sound may mas mabigat na bagay pa ang nahulog and I felt scarier.
Dahan dahan akong bumangon at ni-reach ang switch ng lampshade sa tabi ng kama ko and was horrified to saw some man lying on the floor with blood all over him. Pinindot ko kaagad ang button para ma-signal sila Simon sa labas and after few seconds ay dumating na kaagad sila and when they saw the man ay agad na tinutukan ni Simon ng baril ang lalaki while Charles is about to get his phone from his pocket.
"Don't call my mom!" Sabi ko kaagad. Charles stopped dialing on his phone. They can't know that there's an intruder. Lalo lang nilang hihigpitan ang security and ayoko na ng ganon. "He came... I—I don't know how. Shou— should we help him? Oh my gosh! What a stupid question? Get the first aid kit."
**End of Chapter**