A/N: Some of you you might be confuse, Epilogue is the title of chapter 90 and this is the authentic one. Thank you!
ALEXIS
Alejandro invited her out for dinner after her duty. He said that Master George— or rather to say his father— wanted to see her. She also miss her Master, that she haven't seen for a long time. Gusto niyang malaman ang naging buhay nito sa nakalipas na mga taon.
After an hour of driving, Alejandro parked his car in front of an old house. Hindi malaki pero hindi naman maliit ang bahay na iyon, katamtaman lang para sa tatlong miyembro ng pamilya tulad nila Alejandro. Medyo makaluma na rin ang disenyo ng bahay; some part of it are renovated but some part remained its natural feature.
"Alejandro," a fifty'ish looking woman came to their direction and approach them. She stood quite tall and slim, her short gray hair neat and likely styled with old fashioned rollers, the kind women used to sleep in. "Oh...hi, who's this lovely lady?" bati nito sa kanya at matamis na ngumiti.
"I'm Alexis Mendoza po," she automatically response from the friendly approach of the old lady.
The woman walk closer to her and give her a cheek to cheek that she gladly accept. Natatandan niya nang una niya itong makita sa ospital na halos walang buhay, she's happy to see that she's finally recovered.
"I heard a lot of things about you from my boys," the lady said. Probably pertaining to Alejandro and Master George. Napangiti siya, naisip niya kung ano bang klaseng story ang kwento ng mag-ama tungkol sa kanya. "Let go inside, your father's waiting for us," ani ng ginang at bumaling sa anak.
Pumasok sila sa loob ng bahay. Kung maganda ang labas, walang sinabi iyon sa loob ng bahay. The living room looks so tidy and neat, everything was in place and order. Halatang alaga sa linis ang buong kabahayan. Different sizes of painting hang on the wall and the family picture was on the center that makes the place homey and lovable.
Mula sa kusina ay lumabas ang isang lalaki na sa tingin niya ay halos kaedad rin ng babae. Bumaling ang tingin nito sa kanya at ngumiti ng pagkatamis-tamis.
"Alexis... it's really good to see you again!"
See you again?
But she haven't met the man before, but his voice sounds familiar. Pinilit niyang isipin kung saan nga ba niya nakita ang lalaki. She narrowed her forehead scanned the man from head to toe. Pagkatapos ay ngumiti siya nang mapagsino ito. Nagbago man ang itsura nito, hindi nagbago ang boses maging ang personalidad nito.
"Master George!"
Master George smiled widely when she finally recognized him. She stood up and throw her arms for a hug. She's very happy to see her Master again.
"Master George...long time no see po!"
"Akala ko hindi mo ako makikilala," anito na may malaking ngiti sa mga labi.
"Pwede ba naman 'yon, Master!' she said and giggled. Malilimutan niya ang lahat...ngunit hindi ang taong naging malaking parte kung sino man siya ngayon.
Master George motioned her to sit, naupo naman siya habang naupo ito sa harap niya. Si Alejandro naman at nanatiling tahimik sa tabi nila at nakikinig sa pangungumustahan nila.
"That's a part of Gloria's treatment, her Doctor advised me na ibalik ang dati kong itsura nang sa ganoon ay maalala niya ako, and it's so effective. After my surgery, nagpakita ako sa kanya and can you guess what she did?"
"Ano po Master?" very excited naman siyang nakinig sa kwento nito.
"I touched his face," ang babae na ang dumugtong sa kwento ng asawa.
Natutuwa siyang makinig sa mga kwento ng mag-asawa. Who would have thought that after what happened to their family, they remained as one: loving each and one another.
ALEXIS
Inilagay niya ang bungkos ng bulaklak sa gitna at lumuhod upang magsindi ng kandila. Hinawi niya pa ang mga dahong nabagsak mula sa puno na tumatakip doon. Napapikit siya ng mabasa ang pangalan na nakaukit sa bato.
RIP
Leandro Bautista
Born: Nov. 27, 1992
Died: Jan. 07, 2016
Hanggang ngayon ay sariwa pa rin sa kanya ang mga nangyari ng araw na iyon. Apat na taon na ang lumipas ngunit nasa balintawtaw niya pa rin ang lahat. Ang araw na mawala ito, ang mismong araw din na nagsimula ang kalbaryo sa buhay niya. Ngunit gayon pa man ay masaya niya, alam niyang kung nasaan ito ay masaya na ito para sa kanya.
"Leandro...I want you meet Inspector Alejandro Garcia." Tinapik niya ang balikat ng binata at sinenyasan ito na magbigay-galang sa puntod ng dati niyang kasintahan.
Tumango naman ang binata at bahagyang yumukod upang magbigay galang. His expression was unreadable, bagay na 'di na bago sa paningin niya.
"Alam mo Leandro, isa siya ang dahilan kung bakit ako nakabangon muli. Kaya sana... kung nasaan ka man ngayon naging masaya ka na. Huwag mo akong alalahanin dahil may kasama na ako ngayon sa buhay. Ipinapangako ko sa'yo ngayon na magiging ligtas ako tulad ng huling hiling mo. Hindi ako gagawa ng kahit na anong bagay na ikapapahamak ko," ngumiti siya habang nakatitig pa rin sa puntod. Alam niyang kung nasaan man ito ngayon ay naririnig nito ang lahat ng sinabi niya. Alam niyang pinagmamasdan siya nito ngayon na may ngiti sa mga labi.
Alejandro knelt down and touches the name on the grave. "Don't worry I'll take care of her," Alejandro's short but a very sweet message makes her heart melt. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin siya makapaniwala na magkakasundo sila ng masungit na inspektor.
Wala mang malinaw na label ang relasyon nila, alam niyang masaya ito at masaya rin siyang magkasama sila. Pero kahit ngayong na magkaibigan sila ay madalas pa rin silang hindi magkasundo, especially when it comes to solving cases, they always have dissenting opinion. Minsan nanahimik na lang siya para wala ng gulo.
After uttering a silent prayer, nagpaalam na siya sa puntod nito at magkahawak-kamay silang naglakad. Akala niya ay lalabas na silang tuluyan ng sementeryo nang biglang tumigil si Alejandro sa tapat ng isang puntod.
"Can you wait a little longer? May dadalawin lang sana ako."
She nodded and smiled...she already have an idea who'm he'll going to visit.
ALEJANDRO
Dahan-dahan siyang lumuhod para sindihan ang kandilang tangan-tangan bago nilapag sa ibabaw ng puntod. It's been two years since he left Capitol. It's been two years since the chaos in the city ended.
He lived with his parents for two years now. Tahimik at masaya silang mag-anak. But he knew, there's something missing. His heart longing for something he can't even name.
He miss Capitol, he miss to solve cases, he miss his co-officers, he miss their headquarters, everything that he left—including those hurtful memories.
Now looking at the name engrave on the stone grave in front of him, he realized that maybe...forgiveness.
Forgiveness is what he's looking for the pass years.
He have to remove all the excess baggage to be able to live a life without regret. A normal life he wish he could live for the past years.
Just a happy life with his loved ones.
"Shall we?" he looked at Alexis who just silently waiting for him. She held his hand and smiled. Alam niyang kahit wala siyang sinabi at alam nito ang nararamdaman ng puso niya.
He muttered a silent prayer. Sana kung nasaan man ito ngayon masaya na rin ito. Hinahangad din niya ang kapayapaan ng kaluluwa nito.
Once a again, he looked on the name engraved on the stone.
"Pinapatawad na kita...."
RIP
Vincent Matthew S. Fernando
Born: May 19, 1989
Died: April 1, 2018
You need to overcome your past in able to move forward. Your scar may fade away so that you can barely endure them, but they never disappear.
Forgive and forget that's the complexity of life we all have to face.
👮👮