Our first date was in a gutter, by the road, two cups of coffee and cigarettes lit.
It was a month since we both professed our love for each other. We both decided that I would still court her, dahil bagamat lesbian ako gusto ko pa ding pormal na ligawan ito. Denise was raised in a Western culture, she lived in the U.S. for most of her life. Only going to the Philippines tuwing summer vacation niya. Although raised in New York and most of her childhood exposed to liberated ideas and friends, her mother and father insists on an old fashioned courtship. Hindi ko pa sila nakikilala, pero mamaya sa mobilization they will be joining us. They'll drop by to support Denise on her speech. Nasa back stage na kami, maya-maya lang ay sasalang na si Denise. She smiled weakly at me as she started to inhale and exhale.
"Hey, are you alright?" I asked her as I held her hand.
"Just a little jittery." she squeezed my hand.
I squeezed it back gently to let her know she'll be just fine before smiling and hugging her. I felt her breathing on my neck. It tickles me, she lets me hug her and I said something intelligible to say.
"I will support you, Mahal ko. You're a great debater and a public speaker. I am sure you'll conquer everything." I said as I hugged her some more.
I heard her chuckle under her breath, trying to steady her nerves.
"You are too kind Maling. Kaya naman mahal na mahal kita." she says
Before I could respond the head organizer called her attention.
"Denise, ikaw na next pag-tapos ng opening prayers ha? Ready ka na ba?" Batchi asked her.
"Yes, Batch. More than ready." She smiled and answered Batchi.
"Great, pumwesto ka na malapit sa stage." Batchi said.
I let go of her hug and held her hand, I lightly squeezed it and said.
"Go, Denise! Make them feel your family's pain. Make them understand why we should never go back."
She nodded enthusiastically at me and went to take her place near the stage, umakyat na ito sa make shift stage namin. Inalalayan ito ng mga kasamahan namin na sumampa.
Matapos ang isang maikling prayer for peace and protection, the program continued. The Emcees were talking and my eyes are on Denise as she waits to be called by the Emcees.
"Ngayon mga kasama inaanyayahan namin si Denise Jopson, ng U.P. Diliman sa entablado!" The emcee said.
A round of applause could be heard at the EDSA Monument where thousands of students gathered for the Bonifacio Day Mobilization. Denise walked to the center of the stage.
The camera focused on her and I could see her smile to the crowd gathered. I watched her as she spoke.
"Magandang gabi sa inyo mga fellow students ko." She started.
She briefly looks at the thousands of youth littered along the street, waiting for her to speak.
"My name is Denise Jopson, anak ni Judge Ernesto Jopson at ni Atty. Virginia Jopson. I lost an Uncle back in the Martial Law era. Si Uncle Edwardo. He was the youngest out of Five Siblings. I never met him, my uncle was one of the Diliman 10 victims, a certain Col. Antonio Mendoza had taken them. The fate he had we would never know as a family, because 46 years later, we still haven't heard anything from him. He was 19, a journalism student at U.P. Diliman, some said he may have escaped or he may have died. It hurts for us, our family would always reserve a vacant spot at the table for him. I grew up hearing stories about him. From family, friends and his colleagues from the Kabataan Laban sa Diktatoryal. Ngayon, miyembro na din ako ng libo-libong kabataan na ayaw nang bumalik sa masalimuot na panahon na iyon. Masakit ang mamatayan, pero mas masakit ang mag-alala paulit-ulit habang nabubuhay ka para sa taong hindi mo alam kung makakabalik pa ba o hindi na. Ayaw kong maranasan ito ng susunod na henerasyon ang mawalan ng kaanak, ng tatay, nanay o ng mahal sa buhay. Kaya, andito ako upang manawagan, wag tayong papayag na magpa-dala sa takot. Mamamatay man tayo, pero hindi tayo mananahimik na lang. Now, more than ever, we need to protect each other from this reprobate dictator called President Duterte. Kapag naipasa na ang Federalism sa Pilipinas muli nang makakabalik sa puwersa ang anak ng demonyo. Wag kayong pumayag na mangyari ito. Dapat nang magbayad ang mga Marcos para sa libo-libong torture, pagpapalaho at pagpatay sa ating mga ninuno, hindi ko alam kung para kanino ka nagpunta sa pagtitipon nating ito, pero sana ay ipagtanggol mo ang inyong mga sarili laban sa unti-unting pagkaparalisa ng ating kalayaan. Nasa kulungan na ang ibang senador natin, kakaunti na lang sila. Kung hindi sila malaya, paano na sa susunod pang araw? Gising kabataan!" She said and bowed in front of the many people.
She alighted the stage, agad siyang sinalubong ng Daddy, Mommy at kapatid niyang si Nadine Jopson. Nag family hug sila. Sa harap ko. She pulled away from their hugs and reached for my hand.
"Mom, Dad and Ate. This is Humaling Cruz, anak po ni Tatay Ramon Cruz, kasamahan ni Uncle Edgar sa kilusan. Manliligaw ko po." Denise said and introduced me to them.
"Hello po, Tito Ernesto, Tita Virginia at Ate Nadine." I said as I extended my hand to each of them which they took and shook.
"Nice to finally meet you, Humaling." Tito Ernesto said.
"We heard a lot of stuff about you very recently." Pangeechos ng mommy ni Denise.
"Ma." Denise complained.
"Totoo naman bunso." Nadine chuckled at her.
"Ay, Maling na lang po ang itawag nyo sa akin." I smiled at them.
"O sya, Maling. I want to invite you tomorrow for Dinner sa bahay." Tita Virginia said.
"Pwede ko po bang ipagpaalam si Denise, baka po umagahin kami sa mobilization mamaya." I said to them.
"Basta ipangako mong makakauwi siya ng safe Hija." Tito Ernesto responded.
"Opo, Tito." I answered him.
"Siya sige, maiwan na namin kayo. May gagawin pa kami eh." Tita Virginia said.
"Sige po mom and dad and ate. I'll see you guys tomorrow." Denise hugged them.
I shook their hands and watched as they slipped out of the crowd. Leaving me and Denise standing. She smiled at me.
"Uy, someone got invited for their first family dinner." She teased me.
"Baka naman ganyan lang talaga ang parents mo, mabait kahit kaninong manliligaw mo." I chuckled at her.
"Nope. The last boyfriend I had, sobrang pinahirapan nila yun, he didn't get invited for a dinner right away until the 6th month. In fact if you think about it, ikaw pa lang ang unang manliligaw ko na ininvite nila for dinner right away."
"Okay, so swerte pala ako kung ganun. Kasi naimbitahan nila ako agad." I chuckled at her lightly.
"Yes, one lucky woman you are." She giggled at me.
"Hmm... Pwede ba kitang maayang magkape pagtapos kong masiguro na makakaraos ang mobilization natin?" I smiled at her.
"We could do that." She smiled at me.
Then my phone rang.
"Wait lang Mahal Ko, sasagutin ko lang ang tawag na ito." I said smiling at her. She could only nod.
"Hello. Sino po sila?" Tanong ko sa taong nasa kabilang linya.
"Ay okay po, sasabihan ko na lang sila Batchi, just proceed to the backstage area po. Dito po sa harap ng EDSA. See you po." I said.
"Who was that?" Denise asked me.
"Ay sila yung isang banda, nagconfirm lang na medyo malelate sila. Kailangan ko makausap muna si Batchi, I'll be back Mahal ko." I smiled at her.
I left her at the standby area kung saan kami naroroon. I aproached Batchi.
"Batchi. Medyo malelate daw yung bandang Totoy Machismo, pero darating daw sila. Paki-assist na lang please." I smiled at Batchi.
"Sige tsong, kompleto naman na ang line up natin, sasabihan ko na lang sila. Maraming salamat kapatid." Batchi said.
"Sige Batch, tawagan mo lang ako sa mobile phone ko if ever something happens." Bilin ko pa kay Batchi.
"Sige na tol, ako nang bahala dito. Magdate na muna kayo ni Binibining Jopson." Patuksong sabi ni Batchi.
"Sige tol, dyan lang kami sa tabi magkakape." I told Batchi.
"Geh, go na tsong!" She exclaimed and patted me on the shoulder before I left and got back to Denise's side.
"Mahal ko, tara na?" I said to Denise.
She nodded and stood up from the chair. We walked through the crowds, sa medyo likod ng venue namin, I bought two cups of coffee from a sidewalk vendor na nakapwesto sa bandang gitna ng venue. I handed the cup to Denise as we walked to the end of the venue. Nang wala na kaming masyado madinig na music coming from the sound system, naupo kami sa gutter ni Denise. Nauna pa itong naupo sa akin. She smiled at me as she sets her cup of coffee down on the gutter. She lights up her cigarette and I did too.
"Mahal ko, maraming salamat pala, kasi ipinakilala mo ako sa Kapatid, Mommy at Daddy mo." I started.
"Maling, ang pamilya ko mahalaga sa kanila ang kaligayahan ko, kaya very open and honest ako sa kanila." She smiled at me.
"Napansin ko nga. Ganun din si Nanay at Tatay sa akin, dahil ako ang nagiisang anak nila, yun nga lang nais pa din nila na magbago pa ako." I chuckled at her.
"Gets ko, kasi only daughter ka nila. Kaya dapat sana maayos ka. Kailangan mong magkaron ng mga anak." She chuckled at me.
"Pwede pa naman." I chuckled at her as I took a sip from my cup.
"How do you exactly plan to have kids? Lesbian ka kamo." She chuckled.
"I plan to conceive them naturally, yan ang initial plan ko, but I am 30 now. So, I guess I would have to get them scientifically." I said.
"Maling, alam mo naman na by now that how you feel matters diba? Wag kang magpadala sa pressure ng mga magulang mo." She said as she took a sip of coffee from her cup.
"I won't be pressured. Pero si Nanay malakas talaga sya mampressure. She kept on reminding me that she had me when she was only 20. Right after college." I said smiling at her.
"Mahal mo talaga ang nanay mo ano?" She said.
"Higit pa sa lahat, kaya nga iniwan ako ng ex ko, kasi ang sagot ko sa kanya sa tanong nya dati kung sasama daw ba ako sa kanya sa Riyadh ay hindi."
"Maling, I'm sorry to hear about your ex Patty Uy" She said.
"Wait, paano mo nalamang si Patty yun?" I said surprised.
"Si Patty lang naman ang nasa Riyadh na, imposible ding si Maxine Magalona, because I heard she took over her father's business in Palawan. So, sila lang naman ang kilala ko na naging ex mo." She said chuckling.
"I see. You really kept tabs on me ha?" I teased her lightly.
"I didn't keep tabs on you, I heard a lot of things over the years. Hindi naman din ako bingi. Isa pa, you're UP's Rock Goddess, a legend of some sorts. You know? It isn't hard to hear news about you." She laughed at me.
"Wow, I never really seen it that way. Rock Goddess talaga? Eh ikaw? You're Beautiful and Smart. Debate Goddess and the Journalism Goddess." I smiled back at her.
"Last mo na yan, Maling. Hahahahahahaha! Panget ng monicker mo sakin." she laughed as she took another drag from her cigarette.
"Hahahahaha! Goddess of the Universe." I laughed back at her.
As we sipped on our cups of coffee, looking up the starless night sky as we talked and talked anything under the sun. That is how your mother and I came to fall for each other. She was the Goddess of my Universe as she is up until this day and I was her Rock Goddess as she calls me.
A/N:
This chapter is dedicated to rastroheart, may you find what you want in life. I will support you no matter where you choose to be. Live.
This chapter is also dedicated to thefeign, thank you for trusting me with your secrets, your rants and other things happening, minsan naiisip ko am I that old that kids like you come to me for advice? Kailangan ko na bang magconsider ng bagong career? Instead of a BPO Career, maging counselor na lang ako? LOL. Please know that you are one of my motivating critics, the very first RaStroverse Story I wrote was the first you criticized me for, I will never forget that. So, here I am several months later, writing and writing to improve according to your standards, to tell stories and to let readers experience the story as if they were there watching the scenes unfold in front of them. I hope I am making progress as a Story teller, I am after all a free flow poetry editor and writer. So, your feedback is always welcome.
Sa mga readers ng story na ito, I hope you aren't disappointed just yet. What is a desaparecido? The answer is this; It's a Spanish word for Missing and currently the running total as of May 2018 is at 1,993 Missing People since the first Martial Law era had occurred. One of the missing people from the Martial Law Era was Rizalina Ilagan, the younger sister of Boni Ilagan. Up until now after several decades, she still hasn't been found. No body, no Hearsays, No grave or bones.
Here is a short bio of Rizalina from Bantayog ng Mga Bayani website: http://www.bantayog.org/ilagan-rizalina-p/
Rizalina was a member of the Southern Tagalog 10, a group of people who disappeared in 1977. You may read all about them on this article: http://www.bantayog.org/southern-tagalog-10/
Please spread light and love when ever you need to.
-Sky