Destinesia
| Epilogue |
Lea
"Pa--patay na si..Sof-fia?" Krystel asked softly after calming herself.
I didn't mind her question as I took a deep breathe.
"Sa lahat ng ginawa mo sa pamilya ko, gustong-gusto kitang sigawan, saktan, murahin at kung pwede nga lang, papatayin kita pero alam mo? Instead of being mad at you, I want to thank you for giving us all those trials in life that we have conquered. Sa bawat pagsubok, napatunayan lang kung gaano kahigpit ang kapit namin sa isa't-isa. What hurts us make us even stronger. 'Di mo man sabihin pero.. pinapatawad na kita, Krystel." I said while smiling. Parang gumaan naman ang puso ko dahil doon, natanggal ng tuluyan ang lahat ng poot at galit na kinikimkim ko.
Krystel laughed bitterly upon hearing my words, "Pinapatawad mo ako? Lea, I didn't even apologize 'tas pinapatawad mo ako? I... don't deserve your forgiveness. I don't." wika nito at umiwas ng tingin.
"I'm doing this para naman kahit papaano, mabawasan ang dinadala ko dito oh." sambit ko at mistulan pang itinuro ang puso ko.
Krystel maybe wicked but somehow, I understand her. Gaya ng sinabi niya, nagmahal lang naman siya but in her case, nasobrahan nga lang. Obsession is not love, it's a fetish for someone you want to name as yours.
"You're.. unbelievable." 'di makapaniwalang sambit nito. Am I? Ayaw kong tumandang may dinadalang poot sa puso't isip ko, I want to forgive and forget everything from the past and start a new one.
"I have nothing to say, mauna na ako.." paalam ko as I stood up and grab my bag, hindi pa ako nakakalayo when Krsytel spoke, making me smile even more.
"I'm... sorry, sa lahat ng ginawa ko sa inyo, humihingi ako ng tawad. I'm sorry, Lea. Now, I'm ready to face the consequences of my actions, 'di ko na maibabalik pa ang dati pero I'm really, really sorry." aniya with voice full of sincerity. Now she's sorry, 'di nga ako nagkamali na patawarin siya.
I looked back at her direction sabay sabi ng, "You're forgiven and by the way, Sofia's alive and she told me earlier na kahit daw gaano pa kalaki ang kasalanan na nagawa mo, she still loves you because you're her Mom." and by that, tuluyan na akong lumabas ng silid na iyon ng may kurba ng ngiti sa labi ko.
In our case, forgiveness is the best answer.
—
"How was it?" bungad na tanong ni Aga when I arrived inside his hospital room and yes, he's alive kahit na muntik nang mailagay ang buhay niya sa alanganin. He fulfilled his promise na gigising siya, and he actually did!
"It went well. She said her apologies and of course, I forgive her." sagot ko at umupo sa upuan katabi ng kama niya.
Ngumisi naman siya, "Naks. Mabait ka pala babes?" he teasingly asked. I immediately shot him a glare because of that.
"I did that sa ikakatahimik ng kaluluwa ko." wika ko, "And by the way, madaming reporters sa labas. They're after you and they also want me to have an interview with them to clarify things. Should I then?" tanong ko sa kanya, Aga immediately shook his head.
"Huwag babes, tsk, hayaan mo sila. Mai-stress ka niyan eh, baka mapano ka pa!" sambit niya, mahina naman akong natawa dahil dun as I moved a little and pinched his pointed nose.
"Arte mo. It's not like tatakbo ako ng ilang kilometro, uupo lang naman ako 'tas magpapa-interview eh." I told him pero still, umiling pa rin siya.
"Nope, you won't. Kapag gumaling na ako, I'll be the one to answer their questions." he assured, "For now, relax ka lang d'yan babes." he added. I rolled my eyes in defeat.
"Like yeah, whatever." wika ko as I stood up at pinatong ko ang bag ko sa mesa na naka-pwesto sa gilid ng kama niya.
"I'll go visit Sofia, I'll be back." paalam ko without waiting for his response at diretso lang akong lumabas ng silid niya, besides, Sofia's room is just next to Aga's kaya 'di ko na kailangan pang maglakad ng malayo.
I knocked twice before opening the door and I was surprise upon seeing Cae inside who's sitting at the edge of Sofia's bed and the both of them are talking, agad din naman silang napatingin sa gawi ko nang mapansin nilang bumukas ang pintuan.
"Caeleah? You're here." sabi ko, closing the door behind me. Lumapit ako sa direction nila as I kiss Cae's forehead and she hugged me really tight na para bang, ilang araw kaming hindi nagkita.
"Early dismissal kami Ma kaya I'm here to visit Dad and Sof." she answered after breaking our hug. Tumango lang ako, kaya naman pala..
Cae and Sofia are now in good terms, I can say pa nga na they are best of friends by now eh.
"How are you doing, Sof? Masakit pa ba ang mga stitches mo?" baling ko kay Sofia. She smiled at me at agad din namang umiling.
"Kumikirot pa rin po but compare to yesterday, I think it's getting better naman po, Ms. Lea." she answered making me frown. She kept on calling me 'Ms.' kahit na ilang beses ko na siyang sabihan na I preferred 'Tita' than that.
"Tita na lang Sof, para ka namang iba eh." I chuckled, she smiled at me exposing her dimples. She looks more like Aga than Krystel to me.
"Nga pala, your Mom said her apologies earlier and our talk went well." sambit ko.
"Really? Salamat po, Tita Lea." aniya sa malumanay na bosses. Nginitian ko siya as I caressed her hair using my fingers, she can be with us, if she wants too.
"Are you staying with us?" tanong ko. I'm ready to welcome her, gaya nga ng sinabi ko, 'di na siya iba samin.
"I would like too pero.. uuwi po si Grandma mamaya dito sa Pinas, she will take me with her dun sa States at ayon sa kanya..I'll be staying there permanently with them." she answered.
"Aalis ka Sof?!" Cae asked in disbelief, agad namang tumango si Sofia.
"Yes, sa oras na gumaling ako, aalis kami agad but of course, bibisita pa rin naman ako dito!" pambawi niya.
"We will miss you, Sofia." wika ko as I hugged her, Cae also joined our yakapan session.
—
5 months later..
"Ada, stop moving or else your hair will turn out into a huge disaster!" suway ko kay Ada na kanina pa galaw ng galaw while I'm braiding her hair, she smiled at me as she raised her fingers, indicating a peace sign.
"Oo na po, Mommy. Kumakati kasi ang balat ko eh and I can't help not to rub it!" reklamo niya, napatingin naman ako sa kaliwang kamay niya na ngayo'y namumula.
"Huwag mo kasing kalmutin, madadagdagan lang iyan." I said, Ada nodded as I continued what I'm doing.
"Mommy, kambal! 'Di pa kayo tapos d'yan?" Ara asked as she went inside our cottage at dala-dala pa ang surfboard niya. I also braided Ara and Cae's hair kaya the three of them have matching hairstyles, fishtail braid lang naman.
"Sandali na lang 'to." I answered, I took a rubber band and tied Ada's remaining hair and now, it's finally done!
I was about to stand up ngunit agad rin akong napa-upo ulit as I flinched a little when I felt someone kicking my stomach from the inside, whenever my unborn child do this, nakikiliti ako na naiihi na ewan. But of course, I'm happy that it's kicking kasi it's a proof na okay lang ito sa sinasapunan ko.
"I felt that one, Ma!" Ada happily exclaimed as she put her hands on my bulging stomach at pinakiramdaman ang pag-sisipa ng nakakabatang kapatid. Nakaupo kasi siya sa harap ko while I'm braiding her hair at nakasandal ang ulo niya sa tiyan ko kaya niya naramdaman ang pag-sisipa nito.
"Hala, sumipa ulit?" Ara asked in disbelief at lumapit rin sa amin sabay lagay rin ng kamay niya sa tiyan ko.
"Ang cute Mommy! Ang sarap sa pakiramdaman!" Ada said while smiling, pati ako, napangiti na rin.
"Oo nga po! I'm so excited to see our baby sibling na tuloy! Ba't ba kasi ang tagal mo mag-labor Ma?" pumaymewang pa si Ara sa harap ko while asking me that.
Natawa naman ako dahil 'dun, "Silly. 6 months pa lang, Ate Ara. Don't be that excited, giving birth isn't easy you know.."
"Nagugutom ako!" napatingin kaming tatlo sa kakarating lang na si Aga, magkasama sila ni Cae and just like Ara, may kanya-kanyang surfboards din silang dala.
"What's new, Dad? Palagi ka namang gutom!" Cae commented making Aga frowned.
"Burn Daddy burn!" wika ni Ada at nakipag-appir pa sa kapatid niya.
"Pinag-iisahan niyo naman ako eh! Babes, ikaw na lang ang kakampi ko, mga anak mo o!" aniya as he went to my direction at umupo sa tabi ko. He rested his head at my shoulders as he constantly rub my tummy.
"Stop it babes, para ka namang bata eh." natatawa kong suway sa kanya tsaka ginulo ang basa niyang buhok. He's soaking wet 'tas didikit siya sa'kin? God.
"Pag lumabas ang baby boy ko, may kakampi na ako HAHAHA!" he exclaimed, tumawa lang ang tatlo at sabay-sabay na nagtakbuhan palabas ng cottage namin para magtampisaw sa dagat.
"Thank you for giving them to me.." mahina kong bulong kay Aga habang pinaglalaruan ko ang mga daliri niya.
"Iyan ka na naman babes, nagpapasalamat ka na naman. Ako nga dapat ang mag-pasalamat sa'yo eh. Salamat kasi binigyan mo ako ng pangalawang pagkakataon." he answered, caressing my hair.
"You deserved that second chance anyway, tignan mo tuloy, masaya tayo ngayon." I said, umangat ako ng tingin and smiled at him.
"I love you." wika niya as he plant a soft kiss at my forehead.
"I love you too." sagot ko making him smile, even more.
Dati, naging tanga ako for making decisions without even thinking. I'm way too impulsive to let him go. Iniisip ko lang ang sarili ko na ako lang, ako lang ang nasasaktan kahit pati siya, nasasaktan na rin. I never thought about his feelings. I became selfish na pati ang mga anak namin, nadamay.
But now, I will never do the same mistakes I did before. Never will.
END.