My Little Moon - 𝗂𝗋𝖾𝗇𝖾 𝗆𝖺𝗋𝖼𝗈𝗌

08. building bridges?

Throughout the whole day, as much as possible, Irene ignored Catrina. They did eat breakfast together, but that was the only time Irene ever acknowledge Catrina again.

But Catrina didn't seem to mind, instead of getting worried and upset, she ventured around the mansion looking for Manang Celia. Meanwhile, Irene was somewhere around here. Busy, perhaps.

"Manang Celia? Bakit ba kasi ang laki ng bahay na ito. . ." She muttered the last part while she trailed along the hallways of the Marcos mansion.

Halos saan-saan na siya nagpunta, to think about it, parang inikot niya na ang buong bahay pero wala pa din ang hinahanap niya.

She ended up in the back garden. The grass was trimmed to perfection, the smell of dew and fresh flowers reached her senses, and the trees provided her shade from the scorching heat of the sun.

She was already halfway across the field when she stopped midway. Her gaze was fixed on the figure who was sitting down, back turned from her, and seemed to be busy with something.

Hindi na nagtaka si Catrina kung sino ito, halata na sa buhok at sa pag-upo na si Ma'am Irene siya. But what was she doing here?

Catrina slowly went towards her, getting closer and closer until she stopped just an arm's reach away and saw that Irene, was in fact, painting. To say that Catrina was impressed, was an understatement, she was far more than impressed. If there was a much higher word to describe it, she would.

She watched how technical Irene became with her paintbrush, gliding it across the canvas without much effort. Halos tapos na siya pero patuloy pa din siya umuupo at pinagmasdan ito.

Biglang may na-aalala si Catrina sa ginawa ni Irene. She thought about what it was but she struggled remembering. Sa sobrang busy niya kakaisip kung saan niya ba to nakita, ay hindi na niya namalayan na nakatingin pala si Irene sa kaniya.

"Kanina ka pa nandito?" Irene asked, making Catrina slightly jump and shifted her gaze on Irene. Her eyes were wide and Irene fought to giggle at her.

"Ah. . .uhm, opo?" Sabi ni Catrina na parang hindi sigurado. Irene hummed at her response pero kitang-kita na hindi siya sang-ayon na nandito si Catrina. This was supposed to be her alone time, her one peaceful moment to not think about anything, but fate had other plans and she hated it.

"Aalis na lang po ako, nakaka-istorbo ako yata. . ." mahinahon niyang sinabi. She was about to turn around when Irene stopped her. She held the girl's wrist and slightly turned her around.

"No 'wag na. Tell me what you think of this instead, sayang naman ang effort ko kung walang man lang may mag-aappreciate." With that, Irene watched as Catrina silently observed her artwork, a coy little smile decorated her lips. Irene doesn't know what to feel anymore. She wants to be away, to guilt alone, to grieve with no end. Ngunit ang puso ay hindi nagsisinungaling.

Ilang taon, buwan, at araw na ang nakalipas. Everybody moved on but she stayed.

She was so deep in her own world of thinking that she didn't realize Catrina was staring at her.

"Ma'am? Okay lang ho kayo?"

"Wha-what? Mhm, yes I'm fine. May sinabi kaba?"

Catrina smiled lightly, "uhm. Maganda po yung ginuhit niyo. Parang nakita ko na po ang bulaklak na 'yan."

Irene shifted her gaze back on her painting. It wasn't anything grand. It was only a white flower in a field. But it held something special in Irene's heart. Iyan kasi ang huling binigay ng kaniyang anak bago ito nawala.

"Salamat." She muttered, "excuse me. I have to go."

Irene got up and left a very confused Catrina, she didn't even look back to fetch her painting, she just left it there along with the young girl.