Gunita [EDITING]

cuarenta y cuatro

"Brandi..." Mabilis akong napalingon nang tawagin ako ni Uno. Irish was preparing the documents needed for the cases needed to be filed. Napangiti naman ako. "Are you okay? Your wound... does it still hurt?"

"It bled yesterday, but it was just because I was very busy doing scut works. I just forgot about it," I said. "Don't worry about me."

Uno sighed and held my hand. Napatingin naman ako sa kaniya at naalala 'yung singsing niya, "I miss seeing your ring," I uttered.

He chuckled and kissed my knuckles. "After this... do you want us to get married again? Like in church."

I paused for a while as I stare at Uno's face. I was not exactly religious, but I've always dreamt of a church wedding ever since I was a kid... I just totally forgot about it because of all the fiasco we've been through.

"Do you want... or no? It's your call, Brianna. I just felt like I wasn't able to give to you the wedding that you want..." he said as he plays with my fingers. "You know, you deserve everything in this world after all that's happened..."

I smiled and rested my head on Uno's shoulder, "Church wedding," I said. "And only a few of us will be there."

I felt him kiss the side of my head, "Of course... and then we'll have kids."

Pakiramdam ko namula ako nang marinig ko 'yun mula sa kaniya kaya napatakip ako ng mukha. Uno chuckled and held my hand at iniharap ako sa kaniya, "Don't you want kids?"

"I..."

Natawa pa lalo si Uno at hinalikan ang noo ko, "My wife is so adorable," he whispered. "I can't wait to marry you again."

"You sure? Baka naman nagbago talaga isip mo no'ng iniwan mo singsing mo," I kid and pouted. Pinitik naman ni Uno 'yung noo ko.

"After everything that we've been through, iiwanan pa kita? I'd be the most fucked up guy if I ever do that. I love you Brianna... I may not get to say it every day, or every hour... pero lagi kong ipaparamdam 'yun sa'yo," he uttered. Eksakto no'n ay tinawag na siya ni Irish dahil tapos na rin siyang mag-ayos ng mga papeles.

"Wait for me okay?"

I nodded.

I could not leave my condo unit, so I just spent the rest of the day resting—just as what I promised to Tims. I also got to check up on Zachary and the rest of them, and they all looked so happy... but they were also worried about us, at some point. Hindi ko alam kung ano'ng naisip ng pamilya namin na internal na lang ang atakihin nila... siguro kasi external conflicts would just get bigger and bigger, but internal conflicts... just like what happened to Ali's was easier to manipulate.

Ngayon kasi, mas dumarami na rin ang kritisismo laban sa kanila. Hindi katulad noong mga nakaraang taon na hindi talaga nila makita 'yung dahas... and with that, they became just even braver to conflict pain externally...

With the mass murder of 35 people, my mom's, Alex's, her parents... and all the other victims who felt like justice will never be served.

This... this is all for them. For us.

By then I realized, silence will never cure anything... Mas lalo lang dadami ang madadamay. Sometimes silence can be good, but for some, it can be deadly.

Hindi sa lahat ng pagkakataon dapat tumahimik ka lang.

I couldn't bear the boredom kaya nagbasa na lang din ako ng novel, but when I couldn't bear it anymore, nanood na lang din ako ng cartoons. Grabe... I'm already growing old and married, but cartoons will always have a special place in my heart.