True love comes

Nakatanaw ako ng bahagya sa mag-ina. Umangat bigla ang labi ko. They're so adorable.

Looking at them so happy. Looking at her while tickling her son. She's so happy.

Marin ng nakapikit ang mga mata nito. Nasa isang parke ako ngayon at the same time nandito rin ang mag-ina.

Nakikipag-laro ito sa tatlong taon gulang niyang anak. She's Maia and a single parent.

Pinag-mamasdan ko silang dalawa. Alam kong creepy pakinggan dahil nag-mumukha akong stalker sa gingawa ko but I can't help it.

"Isa... Dalawa..." Pahina-hinang bilang ni Maia.

This day happens to be my office days. But, I'm here, stalking the love of my life. Sinukuan ko na talaga. Kasi sabi ko if she loves him so much. Sino ako para hadlangan ang kasiyahan na kayang ibigay niya sa mahal ko?

"Tatlo! Apat... Lima!" Mabilis na nag-bilang si Maia. The one that I love.

Aliw na aliw ako tumingin sa kanilang dalawa.

Hinahanap na ni Maia ang anak. Dahil medyo sa may malapit ako puwesto kanina narinig ko ang pag-bibilang nito.

Ang anak nito ay makulit, madaldal at bibong bata. I know when her son came out on this world. Her world turned upside down. Tinaggap ang mga nang-huhusga at masasakit na sa salita.

I can't believe that she's this kind of woman. She's incredibly different from other.

Not that dahil na-buntis siya o dahil may anak na siya, but, I saw her struggle. I saw her fought.

"Tito! Uwi na tayoooo." Pangatlong kulit na sa akin ng pamangkin ko.

Ngayon pa talaga si Niana sumigaw! Damn! Hinahanap na ni Maia ang anak.

Hindi ako nag-pahalata. Bahagyang nag-lakad banda sa'min si Maia. Katabi ko ang pamangkin ko para hindi ako makita kinarga ko ito.

I may look a father of this kid but nevermind.

I gulped. Mabuti na lang. Nilagpasan kaagad kami. Pero, sinundan ko ng tingin ito.

Dahan-dahan nag-lakad ito palapit sa anak. Kitang-kita ang ulo. Napangiti ako.

"Bulaga!" Gulat ni Maia sa anak.

"Payakap nga si mama! Mahal kita Siege ko..." She said while hugging him.

Her son mumbled something. "M-mama, lab ko."

My heart melted. Hindi ako mag-sasawang makita silang masaya.

I smiled immediately after I've heard what he says. So adorable! Ang malulusog na pisngi naman niya ngayon ang pinag-tripan ni Maia. Kinurot-kurot at hinahalikan.

"Mama labs you too, Siege ko." Hinalikan ni Maia ang tuk-tok ng ulo nang anak.

For all the experiences she has been through in life it prepares to her that one day she would become a mother someday. Good or bad.

Pero, ako? Natatakot akong ma-reject. Kahit lalaki ako. May takot sa puso ko. Binasted ako ni Maia no'ng high school kami. At, alam ko wala siyang kasalanan doon.

Bakit mo naman papayagang manligaw ang isang katulad ko? At, may boyfriend rin ata nun si Maia. Base lang sa pagkakatanda ko.

May hiling ako sa huling lalaki na mamahalin ni Maia. May he never get tired. May he accept all the important person in Maia's life. To accept Maia's in every situation— even, good or bad.

I smiled before getting up. I-uuwi ko na muna ang pamangkin ko.

Before it get in the car, I looked at her one last time for this day.

Sana magkaroon ako ng lakas ng loob. To give her the flowers that I've wanted to give it to her. To express what I felt for her.

Sana...ngayon na. I sighed.

Nakatanaw ulit ako sa glass wall mula sa opisina ko.

I did remind myself that I should stop staring at her.

Napatayo ako bigla dahil sinugod ni Maia ang dalawa kong empleyado. We are working together. I'm their boss.

Nakita kong pinapakalma kanina ng kaibigan niya si Maia hindi na nakayanan sinugod na ang mga 'to.

I don't tolerate this kind of attitude in my firm. Spreading gossips and fake news. Matagal ko nang alam na pinagchi-chismisan ang mahal ko.

Damn! I have a guts to call her, 'mahal ko', while me, couldn't say even a word to asked he out.

Single na 'yan tatlong taon. Ako na torpe? Walang usad parin.

Nasaksikhan ko kung paano pinaglaban ni Maia ang sarili. Dinuro niya ang dalawang babae pero hindi ko narinig ang sinabi ng dalaga.

Pagkatapos umalis ito kaagad.

Tumayo ako at sinundan ito kaagad. I saw her many times sneaking out in the office just to spend time here in the rooftop. Staying for how many minutes. 

Memories came back to my head. I will never forget her. I will never forget how she captured my heart.

Since high school up until now? I really doubt that myself about that.

"Ahem..." I intruded her peace.

"May sasabihin ka rin ba? Tungkol sa'kin? Sabihin mo na hanggat kaya ko pa..." Humagulhol na ito. Tears roll down to her cheeks.

I never saw her crying. Ngayon lang. Hindi ko alam kung saan ko nakuha ang lakas ng loob. But, thanks be to God.

"I'm not here to insult you, to say anything bad to you. Instead, I'm here to say that you're such a strong and lovable woman. A man like me is very lucky to have you." I said full of sensitivity and sincere.

I gave her a heads up. Alam kong gulat ito sa pinag-tapat ko pero 'di ko na kayang pigilan.

I just want her to feel better. I just want her to know also that the uncontrollable opinions of people about her doesn't matter anymore.

Araw-araw parin naman nakikita ko siya sa opisina. Everyday, I gave her flowers.

Alam kong nagtataka na siya kaya siguro naisapan niya akong imbitahan sa isang dinner. Just the two of us.

"What do you mean by this? Giving me flowers?" She asked me seriously.

Ang tagal kong tinago. Today. Tonight will be the revelation of what I really feel for her.

"The name of the flowers I have given to you is 'forget me not' symbolizes true love memories, do not forget me.' If you remember, I was the one who gave it to you when I asked you kung pwede manligaw ako. I gave it to you because you deserve it. You deserve the true and genuine love. I'm Micahel in front of you not as your boss but being in love with you."

Napanganga ito sa sinabi lo. I gulped. I looked at her hastily in eyes. 

"Through the years, you have been working to the company. Hindi kita makalimutan. The things you've done for your son was the greatest love you can give. I hope you can give it a try. I'll be true to you. I'll accept you and your son wholeheartedly." I said full of sincerity.

If love goes wrong to her at first. Because the father of her child was her first ever loved. Maybe, it's not wrong to love, again? To feel love again?

A love that accepts after everything you've been through. I didn't know that this day would happen. I cupped her face, kissed her passionately. It felt like a one true love.

Just like Aurora awaken by a true love kissed.

Indeed, true love comes. I tilted my head to look at her son. Isa, dalawa, tatlo, apat...lima. His son ran towards us.