***
We arrived at the house a little before one in the afternoon. Kinailangan kong bumaba ng kotse para buksan ang tarangkahan at makapasok ang kotse ni Harry.
The Fuenterico's house in Quezon is a fifteen to twenty minute walk by the sea. Ancestral house iyon ng mga Fuenterico—Spanish-style, may dalawang palapag na may left at right wing, at gawa sa kahoy. Doon unang tumira sina Mommy at Daddy nang ikasal sila. Naka-landscape ang bakuran sa damo at halaman, at sa likuran ng bahay ay may museleo.
"Welcome to the house," sabi ko kay Harry nang bumaba siya ng kotse.
Tiningala niya ang bahay. "Huge."
Tumango ako at ngumiti. "It is. Tara sa loob."
We took our bags and the boxes of packed food inside the house. Idineposito muna namin lahat sa living room. Panay ang linga ni Harry sa paligid.
"Matagal kang tumira rito?" he asked.
"Yeah. I've spent most of my childhood here. No'ng inampon ako, nandito na 'ko. Dito kami nag-aral ni Neah hanggang grade four," kwento ko habang iginagala rin ang mata sa bahay. The house used to feel really large and empty before. Pero dahil kasama ko ngayon si Harry, it's like I'm seeing it again for the first time. "Sa bakuran kami naglalaro dati ni Neah. Remember, 'yung kinuwento ko sa'yo na lagi siyang nakasunod sa'kin? May swing dati sa labas at maiksing rope course. Tinanggal no'ng napilayan si Neah sa kalalaro namin."
Harry's eyes glittered while still wandering through the house. "You've been in every corner of this house? Ga'no karami ang binago rito since then?"
Napalinga uli ako sa kabahayan. Kumpleto ang mga antigong gamit. Makikintab kahit gawa sa kahoy. Magaling mag-alaga ang caretaker.
"Nothing much. Recently lang nagka-repair no'ng nasira ng bagyo 'yung right wing. Pinahaluan ko na ng concrete 'yung sahig at 'yung ceiling. This is a really old house and Dad wanted to preserve the memory of his family by keeping it unchanged. Why?"
Harry looked around with a smile. "Wala naman. You've been here so I'm interested. Nandito 'yung maliit na Jianna na hindi ko nakita."
I know what he must be feeling. Pinigilan ko lang ang sarili kong maging overly curious kahapon no'ng nasa bahay ako ng mga Lastimosa. But I really wanted to take a pic of Harry's framed pictures and hear all the childhood stories about him. It was exciting to be in the same house he grew up in.
Lumapit si Harry sa patungan sa salas kung nasaan ang mga naka-frame na pictures namin. Mga family pictures namin 'yun nina Daddy at Mommy. May mga pictures na kasama sina Auntie at Uncle. May ilan din na kaming dalawa lang ni Neah.
Inabot ni Harry ang isang frame kung saan magkasama kami ni Neah.
"You're really together," sabi niya.
Lumapit ako sa tabi niya at tumingin sa picture. Limang taon lang kami ro'n. Naka-bathing suit kami ni Neah sa picture. Pink sa kanya at green ang sa akin. Nakaupo kami sa buhangin, building a sandcastle. Madikit ang buhangin sa katawan at mukha namin.
"Yeah. We're always together."
"Even here, Neah looked sick," he said.
"She did. But she's smiling brightly here."
"Mas malaki ang ngiti mo," pansin ni Harry. "Mukhang makulit ka na dati pa."
"Hindi lang makulit. Malikot din daw ako. Palatanong din."
"Pareho tayo," he laughed softly. "I hope it's a recessive gene or the teachers of the little you will suffer."
"You wish. It's likely dominant so codominance. We'll produce a pureblooded scientist."
He kissed my temple while laughing. Hinawakan ang kamay ko.
Nang ibaba niya ang frame ay dumampot siya ng isa pa. Family picture namin nina Mommy at Daddy iyon taken sa living room ng bahay. Eight na 'ko sa picture. I was wearing a blue dress.
"You looked happy here."
"I was. I had the best parents and I was loved. Healthy pa tingnan dito si Mommy," sabi ko. Mahaba pa ang buhok ni Mommy sa picture. Naka-muted orange dress siya, katabi si Daddy na naka-white linen shirt lang. "She was pretty, right?"
"Yeah. Magkahawig kayo."
Tumingala ako sa kanya. "Thank you. She'd love to hear that."
Ibinaba ni Harry ang frame at pinisil ang kamay ko. "Shall we prepare the food for your parents? Baka magalit sila. Dapat bumati agad tayo pagdating. Ayokong ma-bad shot."
Mahina lang akong tumawa at hinila siya sa mesa kung nasaan ang pabaong pagkain ng mga Lastimosa. They packed us food to last until dinner. May panghain na rin doon para kina Mommy at Daddy.
"Let's prep their food para makilala ka na nila."
He nodded.
***
Inayos ko ang bulaklak sa loob ng museleo. Nando'n ang labi ni Daddy. Last year, dinala ko naman ang mga abo ni Mommy sa urn.
May hain kami ng pagkain sa foldable table kasama ng kandila, insenso, at kamangyan.
"I'm a day late, Mommy. Sorry po. Nakay Neah po ako kahapon," simula ko. "Saka ano po... may kasama po ako ngayon." Humigpit ang hawak ko sa kamay ni Harry. "Si Harry po pala. Boyfriend ko po."
"Fiancè," pagtatama niya. He bowed at the tombs. "Good afternoon po. Pakakasalan ko po ang unica hija n'yo. I hope you approve of it po."
Napangiti ako. Kasal talaga agad ang opening niya. And he talked to them as if they were still alive.
Sandali kaming natahimik sa museleo. I was thinking about what to tell my parents. I have a lot that I wanted to say pero hindi ko alam kung paanong sasabihin lalo na kung naririnig ni Harry.
"Aling Jia? Are you okay?" untag ni Harry sa'kin.
"Yes. Just... nawawala 'yung words ko."
"Ako muna'ng makipag-usap?"
I nodded.
Huminga muna nang malalim si Harry bago magsalita. Bawat salitang binibitawan niya, humihigpit ang hawak niya sa kamay ko.
"Thank you po for taking good care of Jianna. She must have been quite a handful because she has too many curiosities.
I'm still discovering about her everyday but I can already tell that she grew up well. You've taught her well. She's brave, smart, and beautiful. She's pure and honest. She suits me well, too.
With your guidance, I want to take care of her for as long as time will allow me to."
I secretly bit my lower lip and swallowed the pain in my throat.
"I'm grateful to you and to Neah for letting me meet Jianna in this life. Without her, this life isn't worth anything."
"Harry..."
Hinigit ako ni Harry sa tabi niya at tinitigan. "You know that it's true. I'll be worthy as a brain but not as a person. I'd been a living brain for two years before you."
"Then, is it okay to brag about it?" biro ko kahit nagsisikip ang dibdib ko.
"Why not? Mabuting balita 'yan, dapat ipalaganap."
When we turned towards the tomb again, I found my voice.
"Mommy, Daddy... I'll marry this man and live well. I'll see you after this life."
I felt Harry smiled by my side.
We prayed after.
***
We took an afternoon nap and woke up a little before five. Na-curious si Harry sa malapit na dagat kaya naglakad kami papunta ro'n.
On our way, panay ang bati at tango ko sa mga dating kapitbahay at mga kakilala na nakakasalubong namin ni Harry. They got curious since I took a vacation last year, but alone. Ngayong bumalik ako, may lalaking hawak-hawak ang kamay ko. I introduced Harry as my fiancè, dahil lagi rin niyang kino-correct kapag boyfriend lang ang nasasabi ko. Bagay raw kami sabi no'ng mga kapitbahay.
Pababa na ang araw nang dumating kami sa dagat. There were fishing boats and locals at the shore. May mga nagde-date din.
Harry's eyes softened when he saw the setting sun.
"Maganda palang manood ng sunset dito," sabi niya.
"Maganda rin ang sunrise dito. Do'n naman sa part ng plaza pinapanood 'yun. Pwede lang ding lakarin mula rito. When we were young, tumatakbo kami ni Neah papunta sa plaza tuwing umaga. Sa hapon, tumatakbo naman kami rito to play and to watch the sunset," kwento ko. "Gusto mong magbangka? Mas magandang manood ng sunset kapag nasa dagat tayo."
"Pwede?" he asked a little wide-eyed.
"Dati pwede, eh. Magtanong tayo sa mga may bangka kung pwedeng mag-rent."
Hinila ko si Harry palapit sa mga mangingisda at nagtanong. Pagkatapos kaming mapagpasahan, isa sa kanila ang nakakilala kina Mommy at Daddy kaya pumayag na isakay kami. Nasa isang dulo kami ng bangka ni Harry; nasa kabilang dulo naman si Manong. Napapagitnaan kami ng malaking motor ng sasakyan.
Malapad ang ngisi ni Harry babe nang pumarada ang bangka sa malalim na parte ng dagat.
"Dito na lang tayo," malumanay na sabi ni Manong na nagsakay sa amin.
"Here is good po," sagot ko at ngumiti rito bago bumaling kay Harry. "Right?"
"Yes."
Harry and I looked and took in the uninterrupted view of the sunset.
The sky's of red and orange hues, as if the sun fell in love and burst. The sea glittered with golden rays. The air was a little cold. And by my side, I have Harry.
The dusk was a beautiful calm.
Pagbaling ko kay Harry, nakatitig na siya sa'kin.
"This view is a perfect canvas for you," sabi niya at hinuli ang mga hibla ng buhok ko na inililipad ng hangin. Inilagay niya 'yun sa likod ng tainga ko.
"We're here for the sunset," sabi ko.
"I can watch it in your face." Hinaplos niya ang pisngi ko. "You should realize how beautiful you look right now, Jianna."
I sighed.
No. He should realize how beautiful he looked right now. Golden rays and muted shadows played on his face. It highlighted the gentleness of his face—his soft eyes, his kind smile—while the air was playing his hair. He is art with the sea and the sunset around us. He filled my heart with so much love, I was about to cry.
We held eyes and watched the colors of the sunset in each other's face.
"You're beautiful," I whispered. "I love you."
Napalunok siya at pinisil ang kamay ko. Then, I held my breath when a tear escaped from his eyes.
"Harry..."
He smiled a gentle smile and played the strays of my hair. "I was scared of this before: that you'll be too perfectly suited for me. That you'll be all I need to live. But you are.
"I also worried that you won't get to really believe it when I finally tell you I love you. But I risk telling you.
"This fate has been very kind to me. I already told you a lot of things but everytime I look at you, there's always something more to say."
Inilapat ni Harry ang palad niya sa pisngi ko at hinaplos ng hinlalaki niya ang balat ko.
"The constant truth of it all is that I love you. And that this love for you alone overwhelms me."
Ipinatong ko ang kamay ko sa kamay niya bago abutin din ang pisngi niya.
"I love you, Jianna," he whispered.
I sighed. "I love you, too."
We held eyes and let our lips meet between the dusk and the sea.
When we looked at the sunset together, pareho kaming pasimpleng nagpahid ng luha. We let out a sigh.
"I love views like this," sabi ni Harry at iginiya akong humilig sa balikat niya.
"Me, too."
I really love sunsets. But I particularly love this sunset with him. #0343ma / 03092017