When The Flower Falls (Fitzmael 7)

34: Gladiolus

"Are you ready?" he asked.

Nilingon ko siya at tumango. "Yes, but I'm a little bit scared." Malakas akong bumuntong hininga at binaling ko ulit sa salamin ang aking tingin. "Dad will be there and he's pissed."

"I'm so thankful that he's here. Alam kong hindi niya gustong makita ang pamilya ko pero handa siyang isakripisyo 'yon para lang sa atin."

Napangiti ako dahil sa sinabi niya. Kinalaunan ay lumabas na rin kami mula sa kwarto. Agad kong nakita sina Dad at ang mga pinsan ko. "Let's go," Dad spoke.

***

Biglang bumilis ang tibok ng aking dibdib nang makarating kami sa Bloom Village. Napagdesisyunan ni Ren na sa bahay niya gaganapin ang dinner kasama ang pamilya nang isa't-isa. Ren was caressing my hand until we arrived in his house.

Nawala ang aking kaba at napalitan ng galak ang aking naramdaman nang makita ang kabuuan ng pamamahay ni Ren. Si Catmint ang nag organize ng dinner na 'to kaya hindi na nakapagtataka na sobrang ganda ng bahay ni Ren—mapalabas man o sa loob.

Malawak ang ngiti ng mga kapatid ni Ren habang sinasalubong kami at niyakap. Napagdesisyunan din naming huwag nang dalhin ang mga bata dahil alam kong hindi akma para sa kanila ang dinner na mangyayari.

"Augustine?" takang tanong ng ama ni Ren. Bakas sa kanyang mukha ang pagkalito. "I-Is that really you?"

"You can call me Attorney Forrester, Mr. Fitzmael," dad replied in his cold tone.

"Please take your seats," malambing na sabi ni Lilac sa amin. Sa tingin ko ay naramdaman din ni Lilac ang tensyon kaya siya nagsalita.

Dumating ang mga pagkain at nagsimula na kaming kumain. Nawala ang tensyon na aking naramdaman dahil nagsimulang mag usap sina Cedar at Ari, Elisha at Lilac, Zius at Kyler, at ang mag-asawang sina Catmint at Archer.

Nang matapos kami sa pagkain ay biglang tumikhim si Dad. "Let's cut the chase," seryoso niyang sabi habang nakatingin kay Uncle William. "They cherish one another, Mr. Fitzmael... I recall swearing to the heavens that I would never set foot on your land or present myself to you, but when I saw them, everything changed." He chuckled then sipped his wine before he spoke again.

"I couldn't take away my daughter's joy—I never had the right to. Even though I can't swim, I'd swim across the ocean if it meant keeping Jealrain happy."

I gulped. My heart was throbbing, forcing myself not to cry.

"You always joke about how you wanted our future children to end up together so we could still be fr... friends until we were old," Dad stopped, took a deep breath. "Who would have guessed that more than three decades later, even though we were no longer friends, they would still find each other?"

Nanlambot ang ekspresyon ng mukha ni Uncle William. Uminom siya ng tubig at nagpatuloy sa pakikinig kay Dad.

"Have you forgotten how much you wanted to be a father?"

Uncle William smiled bitterly. I could see the sadness in his eyes. Siguro ay sobrang naging malapit ang loob nilang dalawa noon — they were best friends after all.

And of all relationships, friendship break up hurts the most.

There was a long silence. No one dared to talk. I heard Uncle William heaved a sigh, while he was looking at his wineglass. "I honestly forgot about that..." Then he looked straight to my Dad.

"I... I nearly a-abandoned Lilac—" his voice cracked. He tried his best to contain his emotions, but he was not good at hiding it.

He was not as good as my Dad.