CLOSER WITH YOU

43

The sun gleamed and lights flooded the whole park. Even the trees danced in the breeze.

"It's been four years simula ng huling pagkikita namin ni Hail. It broke my heart but I still managed to keep on the pieces. May mga bagay talaga na sadyang di tinadhana. Hail lived her life the way she wanted, she pursued her dreams. Hanggang sa nakilala niya ang taong tuluyang nagpabago ng buhay niya. She thought I got married. That's why she chose to move on. She's already married to someone else and I chose to marry someone not Race. I'm already married to a person named Harry and I chose to be happy. I loved Harry. Ganiyan talaga ang buhay masyadong masalimuot."

Saglit akong napatitig sa kaharap ko at sabay na napabuntong hininga. Napangiti ako sa kaniya. There he was, the man I truly loved. Lahat ng nakikita ko ngayon ay totoo. I'm thankful for this day and I'm here right now with him.

Sana lagi kaming ganito, laging masaya. Pero nakakainis pa rin siya! Kinurot ko siya ng pino sa braso. "The hell! Dad! Ang pangit naman ng kuwento mo!"

"Nakakainis ka naman!" Naasar kong pahayag. Ipakasal ba naman ako kay Harry, ang aso ko.

Pinalo ko siya sa braso, tinawanan niya lang ako. Gumagawa na naman siya ng kuwento. "Well I can't help it, kanina ka pa diyan nakasimangot." Sambit niya at hinahaplos ang parte ng braso na kinurot ko.

Naglalaro kami ngayon ng chess sa park, napakaganda kasi ng tanawin.

"You're making me win, Dad, you're not making an effort para matalo ako," nakabusangot kong tugon.

"Magaling ka talaga maglaro. I can't keep up with you," he told me.

"Damn it! Nakakainis ka pa rin." Nabibwisit pa rin ako sa kuwento niya.

Naningkit ang mga mata niya at sabay na napabuntong hininga. "Language Haven, kanino ka ba nagmana? Your mother never curse, lalo na ako."

"Sorry dad...nasanay na yata ako. Curses always poured in, it's my everyday words."

"Paano ba nainlove sayo si Hail? You curse like a sailor."

"Ohh please...she is way better at cursing." Hindi ko maiwasan mapangiti nang mabanggit niya pangalan ni Hail.

His phone rang. "I have to take this call haven. I'll leave you for a while."

I was sitting alone, I leaned my elbow on the table and I looked around. Mataman pinagmasdan ko ang paligid. Ganun pa rin ang ayos ng park at masayang pinagmasdan ko ang ilog. Always there calm as ever, people around me were also busy with their lives. Some, likes to sit on the bench. Others walk their dogs. Yung iba naman namamangka sa ilog. And the swans are happy because they are being fed. Warm afternoon sunlight glinted from above, pati na rin ang mga kalapati parang masaya sa mga pagkain na inaabot sa kanila ng mga tao.

Hindi ko maiwasan mapaisip, apat na taon na rin ang nakalipas.

If I exist in a movie the audience would probably ask, why did it take four years?
After the confrontation with my father. I'm still searching for myself, emotional recovery takes longer than physical. Like a larva who finally changed into a butterfly. I had to adapt to the changes. and seeing a new world sometimes takes time.

Father also slowly recovering, I just can't  leave him alone. We reconnect and the changes cannot be rush.

Napabuntong hininga ako. Apat na taon na nga ang nakalipas. Time taught me a lot. My feelings for her, did it change? It never change. Siya pa rin ang sinisigaw ng puso ko at siya pa rin ang pipiliin ko hanggang sa huli.

Dad came back and it stopped my reverie.

Umupo na siya sa bakanteng upuan na nasa harapan ko at mataman niya akong tinitigan. Napakunot ang noo ko. "What?"