My Little Moon - 𝗂𝗋𝖾𝗇𝖾 𝗆𝖺𝗋𝖼𝗈𝗌

10. careful consolation

Catrina was silently observing her. The way she cried made Catrina's stomach turn. Ang sakit pakinggan.

With calculated steps, she approached Irene. Her cheeks were red and her hands won't stop shaking. And without hesitation, niyakap niya ito. The young girl knew just how bad she felt because she had been there herself, the only difference was, she wished someone was by her side too.

Irene wasn't startled when Catrina did that. She knew she was there and she didn't bother to turn her away. In fact, she needed that hug. Irene just hadn't realized how badly. The woman felt the young girl's arms behind her back, gently caressing it, and whispered sweet nothings into her ear.

"Tahan na po, ma'am. . ." she whispered, before pulling away and letting Irene face her.

"Sige ka po, pag hindi ka tumigil baka mawala tuluyan mga mata mo." Catrina joked, her voice stern but alas, that made Irene softly chuckle. Catrina's eyes lit up when she heard her laughter, parang unang sinag ng sikat ng araw.

For a moment, Irene grew quiet. Hinintay naman ni Catrina kung komportable na siya kumausap. And it didn't take long, Irene held Catrina's hand in hers and looked at the young girl straight in the eyes.

"Thank you. . ."

A soft smile appeared on the young girl's face. "Walang ano man, po."

Catrina stood and prepared to go out and leave Irene to give her space, but she was stopped when Irene held her by her wrist. Napatigil naman si Catrina sa paglakad at unting-unti tiningnan ang kaniyang kamay, at binalik ang kaniyang mga mata kay Irene.

"C-can you stay muna?"

The young girl hesitated, before finally nodding in agreement seeing as Irene was looking at her longingly. She sat on the floor beside Irene, waiting for the older woman to say something, anything. Her head was down as she traced the patterns on the floor, she hasn't noticed that Irene was staring at her quizzically.

"You know," Irene started, grabbing Catrina's attention as she withdrew her gaze from the floor and onto Irene's eyes. Her brow was raised, making Irene's breath hitch. "You remind me of someone I know."

"Talaga po?" Tanong wika niya. Tumango naman si Irene. 

"I just realized na you have the same eye shape as her." Irene gazed deeper into Catrina's eyes. Halata ang naguguluhang tingin niya.

"Sino po?" Catrina asked.

"My daughter." Those words came out in whispers. Pero rinig parin ni Catrina. Hindi siya makapaniwala, bakit naman nasabi ni Ma'am Irene 'yon? Napatameme na lang siya at iniisip kung ano ba pwedeng isagot niya diyan.

"Ma'am, pwede po ba mag-tanong?"

"Sure," sagot ni Irene, habang pinagmasdan ulit si Catrina. The young girl wondered what changed, why was she suddenly so. . .nice? Why was she looking at her that way? But as much as possible, she doesn't want to ruin the moment.

"Hindi niyo naman po kailangan sagutin ito pero ano po ba ang nangyari sa anak niyo?" Catrina knows Irene's youngest child was lost, but how? Alam na rin ni Catrina na may dalawang anak na lalaking panganay siya. Manang Celia told her about them, about their family, and about what happened to their history. She just needed the confirmation from one of them.

A deep sigh greeted Catrina, "I-I don't know if kaya ko sabihin sayo."

"Ah, hindi na kita pipilitin ma'am. . ."

"—but you deserve to know, so. . ." Irene wiped her tear stained cheeks and softly smiled, "kakayanin ko."

Catrina, on the other hand, only hummed a response. . .she truly didn't want Irene to pressure herself from telling something big that she can't deal with yet.