Kahit masakit ang ulo ay pumasok parin ako sa trabaho dahil sa maraming tambak na gawain. Ang daming documents at proposals na kailangan kong i-review at pirmahan.
"Excuse me, Miss Gab."Mahinang sabi ni Shane matapos kumatok ng tatlong beses. "Flowers for you po."
Napatitig ako sa bulaklak na hawak niya. Nasa flower basket 'yon na may balloons pang kasama. Napangiti ako saka nilabas ang phone para magtext.
To: Donny
Wag mo naman siyang masyadong pahirapan. But thanks anyway. The flowers are so beautiful. The balloons are cute.
I continued what I had to do. I didn't even bothering checking the card with it. I just really have to finish all this so I can go home. My head badly needed rest.
From: Donny
Gabriella, I think it's from my rival. I've sent the flowers to your house. No balloons.
Yay. Napatayo agad ako matapos basahin ang message ni Donny. Hinanap ko kaagad ang card para matiyak na kay Uno nga 'yon galing.
Binibining Gabriella,
Maaari ba kitang ligawan?
Nagmamahal,
Uno
It's too funny. Napailing nalang ako. Bakit nagtatagalog ang timang na 'yon e parang Amerikano 'to magsalita noon?
I never planned spending whole day at work but there were just so many things to do. I lost track of time. Nagulat nalang ako, uwian na.
"Hi. Ihahatid na kita." Nakangiting bungad ni Uno sabay abot ng helmet. Nagmo-motorbike na naman siya.
"Sorry dude. But I'm going to be the one who'll drive my fiancee home." Singit ni Donny na nagpainit ng tenga ko.
"Sorry Uno." Sabi ko nalang matapos pisilin ng sira-ulong si Donny ang braso ko. "Bye."
Nang nasa kotse na ay sinita ko si Donny.
"Donny, do you really think this is a good idea? What if he gives up?"
"Then he is a moron."
Okay. Yeah, agreed.
Kailangan nga talaga ng katawan ko ang pahinga dahil mabilis akong nakatulog pagkauwi ko. I heard my sister when she tried to wake me up for dinner but I was too tired to get up. Paid off naman kasi ang ganda ng gising ko. Nag-uunat akong bumaba. Dahil gutom ako, plano kong kumain muna bago maligo. That's what you get Gabbi for skipping dinner last night.
"Nasa'n si tatay, Danni?" Tanong ko sa kapatid kong nagpipinta.
"Nasa kusina ate." Nagtaka ako sa tinuran ni Danni. Iba ang ngisi niya e.
"Tay??? Tay—"Napatda ako nang ibang tao ang madatnan ko. "Uno? Ano'ng ginagawa mo rito?"
"Ah..." He looked at the pan to answer my question. "Cooking, what does it look like to you?"
"I can see that. But mister, this isn't your house."
"I was told that the way to a woman's heart is through her stomach." Nakangiting sagot niya. "Or I could just steal your heart right away, right?"
You already got it, idiot.
"What do you have for me then?" Hinain niya agad ang Spanish omelet na sampung taon kong kinalimutan. Haha. "I should have known."
"I made you a fruitshake too. Or would you rather want milk?"
"I'll have both."
"Enjoy your breakfast, Gabriella. I have to go. Baka mahuli ako ni tatay Pogs e."
Sa'n ang punta no'n? Ano'ng mahuli? Mahuling nag-uusap kami? Nagmamadali nalang akong kumain para alamin ang nangyayari. Pagkalabas ko ng dining area, naabutan ko si Uno na nagwawalis.
"Uno? Itigil mo 'yan? Ano'ng ginagawa mo?"
"Ano ka ba ate, 'wag kang epal. Male-late ka na sa trabaho." Sabad naman ng kapatid kong timang.
"Tama si Danni, baby." Pagsang-ayon ni Uno na nagpabigla sa ginamit niyang endearment.
"Ano'ng baby?" Sita ni Daniella na nakapameywang pa. Ngumiti si Uno na parang nagpipigil matawa saka nagpatuloy sa pagwawalis. Napailing nalang ako. Ewan ko kung ano ang ginagawa nila. Makapaghanda na nga lang. Grabe, ang bilis ng oras. I really have to go before I'll catch up with traffic congestion again.
"Daniella, aalis na ako. Nasa'n ba ang tatay?" Tanong ko nang makababa na ako at ready to leave for work.
"Nasa labas yata. Mukhang nag-iigib ng tubig."
"Nag-iigib ng tubig? Ano'ng pinagsasabi mo?"
Nagpeace-sign ang sira ulo at tumawa.
"Ewan ko kay tatay, ang dami niyang biniling tubig tapos pinabuhat niya kay Kuya Uno isa-isa. At sa tingin ko din nasa labas sila ngayon, baka pinapasibak ng kahoy." Natatawang kwento niya.
"Nagsibak ng kahoy? Si Uno? Ano ba'ng trip niyo? Aanhin niyo naman 'yong kahoy?"
"Si tatay ang tanungin mo. Or you can just guess ate Gabbi! You're always the genius, eh?"
Inilingan ko siya't lumabad nalang ng bahay. Woah. Hindi nga nagbibiro si Daniella. Nagsisibak nga ng kahoy si Uno. Ang dami na ngang kimpal ng panggatong ang nasibak niya. Pawis na pawis pa tuloy siya. Dammmnit. Ang hot ni Uno. Ano 'yon Gabriella? Mga pinagsasabi mo ha!
"Aalis ka na Gab? Ihahatid na kita." Nakangiting wika ni Uno. Tatango na sana ako pero may biglang sumingit. Na naman. Ugh.
"Let's go, Gabbi?" Yup. It's Donny. Napakamot ako ng ulo saka sumakay sa kotse nito.
"See you later, Gabriella." Sigaw ni Uno bago kami makalayo.
"What are they doing? Para sa'n 'yong kahoy na sinisibak nila?" Usisa ni Donny habang nagmamaneho.
"Hindi ko nga rin alam e. Pero alam mo ikaw? Siguro, itigil na natin 'to. Baka sukuan na naman ako no'n. Isa pa, do'n rin naman papunta to e."
"Gabriella Lacsamana,makinig ka. Kapag susukuan ka niya ulit, isa lang ang ibig sabihin do'n. Hindi siya karapatdapat sa'yo. As simple as that."
"Alright." I rolled my eyeballs. "I get it."
"I'm just making sure that my angel's heart isn't going to break again."
Tinapunan ko siya ng sinserong tingin saka nginitian. I really liked him since we got close. I even foresee myself marrying him because I can be both normal and crazy around him. Naging magkaibigan talaga kasi kami back then.
"Thanks Donny. You suddenly remind me of someone. I wish he's okay now though."
"Sino na naman?"
"Childhood bestfriend ko. Protective sa'kin 'yon e." Nakangiting sambit ko habang inaalala si Bowie sa likod ng isip ko. Sana okay na ang mokong na 'yon. Sana gagaling na ang puso niya. I've made it. I know, he will too.
Natawa ako pag-uwi ko ng araw na 'yon kasi sa labas ng bahay namin, may signage na nakalagay na PANGGATONG FOR SALE. Natawa ako at napailing nalang. Eh kasi naman. Ang daming sinibak na kahoy ni Uno kaninang umaga. Lakas ng trip nitong si tatay talaga e. Ano nga ba 'tong pinaggagawa nila? Traditional na panliligaw? Woah. They're crazy!
"Anak, ang tamlay niyang mga mata mo. Okay ka lang ba?" Tanong ni tatay na bakas sa mukha ang pag-aalala matapos kaming kumain ng hapunan.
"Pagod lang siguro tay. Medyo masakit lang din ang ulo ko. Kailangan ko lang yatang magpahinga."
"O sige na. Magpahinga ka na. Uminom ka rin ng gamot."
"Opo."
Paputol-putol ang tulog ko dahil sa nararamdaman ng katawan ko. Giniginaw ako ng sobra kaya bumangon pa ako para hanapin ang remote control ng aircon. Babalik na sana ako sa paghiga nang may marinig akong kuskos ng gitara. I slid the glass door to open the entrance towards my room's terrace. Dumungaw ako sa baba at nakita ko ang pitong Palmer brothers. Si Uno ang may dala ng gitara na nasa unahan.
I want to know
Who ever told you I was letting go
Of the only joy that I have ever known
Girl, they're lying
Just look around
And all of the people that we used to know
Have just given up, they want to let it go
But we're still trying
So you should know this love we share was never made to die
I'm glad we're on this one way street just you and I just you and I
Napangiti ako habang nagpupunas ng luhang kanina pa tumutulo. Kusa kasing bumabalik sa alaala ko ang masasaya at magagandang memories na kasama si Uno at ang mga kapatid niya. One of those days were during the first birthday na sinelebrate namin together. There's also that time when Donny made a fake video scandal of us.
I miss these people.
I'm never gonna say goodbye
'cause I never want to see you cry
I swore to you my love would remain
And I swear it all over again and I
I'm never gonna treat you bad
'Cause I never want to see you sad
I swore to share your joy and your pain
And I swear it all over again
All over again
Walang bawian Uno? No more goodbyes and letting go. No more running away.
Some people say
That everything has got its place in time
Even the day must give way to the night
But I'm not buying
'Cause in your eyes
I see a love that burns eternally
And if you see how beautiful you are to me
You'll know I'm not lying
Sure there'll be times we want to say goodbye
But even if we try
There are something's in this life won't be denied
Won't be denied
I'm never gonna say goodbye
'Cause I never want to see you cry
I swore to you my love would remain
And I swear it all over again and I I'm never gonna treat you bad
'Cause I never want to see you sad
I swore to share your joy and your pain
And I swear it all over again
The more I know of you, is the more I know I love you,
And the more that I'm sure I want you forever and ever more
And the more that you love me, the more that I know
Oh that I'm never gonna let you go
Gotta let you know
That I
I'm never gonna say goodbye (I'm never gonna say goodbye)
'Cause I never want to see you cry (I never want to see you cry)
I swore to you my love would remain
And I swear it all over again and I (swear it all over again, and I)
I'm never gonna treat you bad (I never want to treat you bad)
'Cause I never want to see you sad (I never gonna see you sad)
I swore to share your joy and your pain (oh no, oh no)
And I swear it all over again
All over again
All over again
And I swear it all over again
"Goodnight, love." Uno said with a smile before they headed off. Kumaway naman ang mga kapatid niya na nagpalapad ng ngiti ko.
I went back to bed with a smile painted all over my face. And of so much happiness, my eyes just can't stop raining tears. It felt so surreal—getting back the man that I love, the only one I love. Why didn't we just hold on back then? Ang dami na siguro naming magagandang alaala. But then, the universe is just always right by telling that everything is meant to happen for a reason. Kinailangan kong masaktan para mas makilala ko ang sarili ko at para matuto tungkol sa pag-ibig, sa pagpapatawad, sa buhay. I have to go through all of it. I have to go through the pain to know that not all battles are meant to be fought; battles that you don't really own. And there are battles in life that you need to go through but you don't have to win over. If there's an enemy that kept me and Uno apart for so long, it's not the pain. It's the pride. Our love was a battlefield. Instead of fighting on it together, we fought each other. Among everything, I've learned that love is sacrifice. Letting go doesn't really mean giving up. Napapaisip ako, nang hayaan ako ni Uno na umalis para protektahan ang pamilya ko, ano kaya ang pinagdaanan niya? Gaano kaya kabigat ang maghiwalay kami para sa kanya na walang ginawa kundi mahalin lang ako sa paraang alam niya?
"Gabbi? It's so late. Why are you calling? May problema ba?" Bungad ni Donny nang sagutin niya ang tawag ko.
"Can you come over?"
"Huh? Are you—are you sure Gabriella?"
Sa labas ng bahay ako naghintay kay Donny. Hindi naman siya natagalan, ilang minuto lang ay dumating din siya.
"Are you okay?" He asked after drawing close to me. Tinitigan ko ng matagal si Donny. For ten years, I've been with him. He's always been a reminder of how beautiful it is to just forgive. He thinks he saved me but no, he did. It was him who saved me. I've survived the pain because he was always there to remind me that life is not supposed to revolve around just one thing or one person.
"Thank you, Donny." Lumuluhang sambit ko. "We never had a great start but I'm so happy that we end up having this kind of friendship. Mahal na mahal kita at ikaw ang isa sa mga maraming tao na ayokong mawala sa buhay ko." Tiningnan ko ang singsing na ibinigay niya sa'kin no'ng magpropose siya. Dahan-dahan na tinanggal ko 'yon mula sa daliri ko. "Thank you, Don." Sambit ko matapos ilagay sa palad niya ang kumikinang na bagay.
Donny gave me his warm smile. Tears spurt out from his eyes while he nodded at me. After a minute of just staring at each other, he embraced me once again.
"Totoong mahal kita, Gabriella. I may not get to marry you but you will always be my angel. You deserve to be happy."
Umiiyak na niyakap ko siya ulit. My heart abounded in both joy and sadness; yet joy has overruled over the latter. Mas nangingibabaw ang saya. Mas nangingibabaw ang pagmamahal. Ang tagal ng baha sa buhay ko pero heto ako, hindi naman nalulunod. Ang daming bagay na dapat ipagpasalamat. Ang dami kong dapat na ayusin.
Bukas. Bukas, maaayos ang lahat. Aayusin ko ang lahat. Bukas.
Waking up to an unbearable headache, I tread down the stairs cupping my head with my hand. I was about to call everyone in the house when I've heard an instrumental of a song from my all-time favorite band. Habang nagpatuloy ako sa paglalakad, nakita ko si Uno na tumutugtog ng piano, nakatingin sa'kin habang bumababa ng hagdan. It took me back to the day he once proposed to me.
Baby, please try to forgive me
Stay here don't put out the glow
Hold me now don't bother
If every minute it makes me weaker
You can save me from the man that I've become
Looking back on the things I've done
I was trying to be someone
Played my part, kept you in the dark
Now let me show you the shape of my heart
Sadness is beautiful
Loneliness is tragical
So help me I can't win this war
oh no
Touch me now don't bother
If every second it makes me weaker
You can save me from the man I've become
Looking back on the things I've done
I was trying to be someone
Played my part, kept you in the dark
Now let me show you the shape of my heart
Parehong hilam sa luha ang mga mata namin ni Uno mula simula hanggang matapos ang kanta. Sumisikip ang dibdib ko dahil sa nag-uumapaw na sayang nararamdaman ko. At nang maglakad si Uno papalapit sa'kin, napahagulhol ako ng tahimik.
"I want to make things right with you, Gabriella. I don't want to be scared for the rest of my life and end up hurting you, hurting both of us. I want you to spend your whole life with me. Gabriella Lacsamana, I love you." Then, he knelt down while taking out a small velvet box with the same ring he once tried to give me. "Will you marry me?"
Hindi ako nakagalaw. Ni hindi ko magawang ibuka ang bibig ko dahil sa panginginig nito. Kaya napailing nalang ako dahil sa hindi ko maipaliwanag na nararamdaman. Para kasing panaginip ang lahat.
"No?" Malungkot na sambit ni Uno.
"No. No. I mean, it's yes of course!" I cried out. "This is real, right? You're real?"
Bahagya siyang napatawa bago tumayo para isuot sa'kin ang singsing.
"We're real." Bulong niya habang hinawakan ang magkabilang pisngi ko. "And baby, you're still so ugly when you cry." Wika niyang nagpabusangot sa'kin. Hinampas ko siya sa dibdib pero nagkibitbalikat lang siya. Niyakap niya ako ng mahigpit.
"I love you, my love." He whispered while I was still inside his arms.
"I love you so much, Uno."
Hahalikan na niya sana ako pero may tumikhim mula sa likuran niya. There's my sister na nakangisi sa'kin, si Sydney na parang kinikilig at nakayakap kay Tres, si Tatay na nasa pinakadulo at umiiyak. The rest of the Palmer brothers are also present, so are tita Demi and tito Wyatt.
Nagulat nalang ako. Namamanhikan na pala sila. Ayun, sumakit lalo ang ulo ko.