Chapter TWENTY-TWO
[Francine]
I kept on looking at my wall clock. Anong petsa na, wala parin si Ezra. May balak pa bang pumasok yun? Wag mo sabihing ako nanaman ang sasalo ng mga trabaho niya ngayon!
I decided to go to her house.
Bigla nalang siyang nawala noong isang araw, without a trace. Nag-aalala ako, hindi kaya na-kidnap na yun ng mga kaaway ng Marcos!? Naman kasi eh, kekerengkeng nalang sa sikat pa! Baka naman sinalvage na yun ng mga fans ni Sandro! Ang sakit niya sa ulo!!!!
I rode a taxi and reached her house after 40 minutes of travel including traffic.
I rang the door bell, but she's not responding.
Wala din akong nakikitang movements sa loob.Don't tell me hindi pa yun nakakauwi?? Ano na bang nangyayari don!!
Nagawi ang mata ko sa katabing mansion. Somebody's watering the palnts kaya minabuti kong doon nalang magtanong.
I saw a chubby guy holding a hose."pssssst!" I called for his attention. Lumingon naman siya agad.
"totoy, hardinero ka ba ng mga Marcos??"
He smirked.
"no, I'm..."
"okay sige it doesn't matter, kilala mo ba yung may-ari ng bahay sa tabi niyo??" I asked.
"ito??" he said while pointing at Ezra's house.
"ikaw kung may nakikita ka pang ibang bahay sa tabi nyo??" I sarcastically said, obvious na nga eh magtatanong pa!
Nakamot niya ang ulo,
"si Ate Ezra ba??" he said
"yon! BINGO! Napansin mo ba kung naka-uwi na siya? Bigla kasi siyang nawala nong isang araw at hindi ko pa siya nakaka-usap until now. Alam mo ba kung nasan siya?" I said.
"I can't tell you where she is, but she's with my kuya" he said.
"ah... eh nasan kuya mo??" I asked.
"nasa Barrio Masugid" he said.
Laftrip to ah! He can't tell me where she is pala ha!?
"ah... so nasa Barrio Masugid din si Ezra??"
Kumunot ang noo niya.
"how did you know??" gulat na gulat niyang tanong!
Ewan ko sayo totoy! Sakit mo sa bangs!
"sige ha? Thanks!" I said. I was about to turn my back nang isang malakas at mahabang busina ang nakapagpa-atras at magpabagsak saakin.
I almost got hit by a car! Ilang inches nalang nasa langit na ako!
"MARUNONG KA BANG MAG-DRIVE GAGO!!!!" Hindi ko napigilang mapasigaw nang maalis ang pagkagulat ko sabay ng isang malakas na sipa sa gulong niyang nasa harapan ko.
The window slowly rolled down.
"Simon!" I heard the gardener shouted.
Si?? mon??
Nag-angat ako ng tingin.
"sorry. Paharang-harang ka kasi sa daan eh" I saw the guy on the driver's seat.
My eyes grew wide.
I can't hide my shock.
Maya maya, bumaba siya ng sasakyan, and before I knew it, nasa harapan ko na siya. He offered his hand to me to help me stand. Hindi na ako nag-atubiling tanggapin iyon.
He pulled me up and because of the force, napalakas ang pwersa ng pagtayo ko dahilan para madambahan ko siya, mabuti nalang at napasandal siya sa hood ng sasakyan niya at hindi kami tuluyang natumba.
"sorry, are you okay??" he asked. I'm supposed to be the one asking him if he's alright! Nadaganan ko kaya siya!
"I'm fi---aww" I was about to make a step when I felt a sudden pain on my ankle.
I must've twisted it badly.
Mali ata ang pagkabagsak ko kanina.
"what's wrong??" he looked so worried at inalalayan akong makatayo ng maayos.
I tried twisting it at, shet! Sakit ha! Tanga tanga kasi eh, bat ba ako nagheels!
"can you walk??"
"I can" I responded and attempted to make a step but the pain is unbearable.
Nagulat nalang ako nang bigla niya akong buhatin na para bang bago kaming kasal.
"Vinny, open the gate" utos niya habang karga karga parin ako. Sumunod naman yung hardinero at binuksan ang gate.
"hey, put me down, I'm fine!" I said. Nakakahiya eh, lumamon pamandin ako ng wagas kagabi! For sure ang bigat bigat ko ngayon, wapoise!
Nagulat nalang ako nang ipasok niya ako sa bahay nila.
Nananaginip ba ako!!!??
I saw a beautiful lady heading towards us.
"what's wrong? sinong kasama mo Simon??" he said and it seems that she's worried.
"mom I almost hit her, napilayan ata"
"what? Oh dear God, put her down!" she said at tend to me right away.
Hinawakan niya ang paa ko dahilan para mapasigaw ako ng bahagya.
"Vinny, call doctor Ram" utos niya sa hardinero.
Mabilis namang sumagot ito.
"how many times do I have to tell you to be careful while driving!!!" he scolded Simon na noon ay tatawa tawa lang habang pakamot kamot ng ulo. Ano? patay ka ngayon!
[Sandro]
I woke up feeling warm. Hindi ko rin magalaw ang kaliwang braso ko.
I opened my eyes and saw a beautiful lady sleeping next to me. Tirik na rin ang araw.
But wait...
Why am I seeing Ezra sleeping next to me??
Don't tell me..
nagkapalitan na ulit kami ng katawan??
Hinawakan ko ang bandang ulo ko,
I'm back!
I gently rubbed her left arm. Naka-unan kasi siya sa kaliwang braso ko at nakayakap saakin
"wake up... Ezra??"
I felt her move.
She rubbed her eyes.
"we're back" masaya kong binalita as soon as she opened her eyes.
Napabalikwas siya sa gulat sa sinabi ko.
Her eyes grew wide as she was cupping my face. She carefully roamed her hand around my face at halos mangiyakiyak siya habang ginagawa ito.
"it's true! Nakabalik na tayo! NORMAL NA TAYO!!!"
I stiffened when she suddenly pulled me close to her and gave me a warm and tight hug.
Halos hindi ako nakagalaw sa pagkabigla.
"how did it happen? pano tayo nakabalik sa dati??" she said as soon as we parted.
Halos hindi ako makapagsalita.
Hindi ko rin alam kung bakit ganito ang nararamdaman ko. I can even hear my heartbeat. What's wrong with me? What's this feeling?
[Ezra]
We found our way home after almost an hour of continuous searching.
Hindi parin ako makapaniwalang nakabalik na kami sa dati!
Habang papalapit kami sa kubo, pabigat ng pabigat ang nararamdaman ko and I don't even know why.
While we were slowly approaching the door, we saw a familiar built sitting beside Erin, it's as if they were having a meal.
I felt Sandro clenching his fist.
That's why I held it. I shook my head to tell him not to.
I have a bad feeling with this.
Pakiramdam ko may hindi magandang mangyayari.