Home where the heart is

Chapter 24

YANNE

Pasukan nanaman and today is my first day as a College of Business Management student. Unang araw palang naman at orientation lang ang gagawin namin dahil panibagong students kami.

We're now at the cafeteria and I'm just waiting for Trisha, nasa counter siya umo-order ng lunch na habang ako naman ay naka upo lang dito sa gilid.

Kuya Lu texted me earlier that he'll be the one to pick me up since busy raw ang mga drivers namin, hindi ko alam pero bakit biglaan silang naging busy.

"Hey, i heard they rushed tita Irene in the hospital last night i thought she's not sick na" My gaze turned to Trisha now, my forehead frowned.

"Yeah they rushed mom last night and what do you mean that she's not sick na?" I asked.

"You don't know?" She asked back, raising her left eyebrow.

"Do you think i know?" I answered her with a question too. She rolled her eyes.

"Tita Irene has a..." She pauses, and then she immediately covers her mouth with her hands making me irritated 'cause she's not telling me what she knows about my mom.

"What Trisha tells me" She just shook her head, still covering her mouth.

Hindi ko na siya kinulit pang muli pero hindi maalis sa isip ko ang balak sana niyang sabihin hindi ko alam kung ano 'yon. Hanggang sa pag uwi ko ay iyon parin ang nasa isip ko.

"Ay ma'am nandiyan kana pala, nasa taas po sila ma'am Irene" One of our kasambahay said when she saw me enter the house. I nodded and went upstairs. Pagka bukas ko ng door nila ay sakto naman ang pag pasok nila galing sa terrace.

"Oh! you're already here na pala" Mom said when she saw me standing on their door.

"Can i talk to you po?" I asked. They looked at each other before mommy answered my question, showing nervousness on their faces.

"S-sure anak, where do you want us to talk?" Dad is just rubbing his hand on mommy's back.

"I'm okay na po dito and um... tayong dalawa lang po sana...?" I looked at daddy who was now about to sit on the sofa, mommy looked at him then just nodded. Nang maka labas na si daddy ay upumo ako sa may kama nila saka naman ako tinabihan ni mommy.

"What is it, anak?" Mommy asked, i let out a heavy sigh first.

"Promise me first to tell me the truth?" I saw on mom's face that she's hesitant to nod but they did.

"Are you sick?" Nag karoon ng saglit na katahimikan sa loob ng kwarto bago maka sagot si mommy, i saw a tear drop on her cheeks, she slightly nodded.

"Y-yes i-i d-do" Marahan akong napak pikit, why do they need to hide it from me?

"Mommy naman bakit hindi mo sinabi saakin, bakit kailangan ko pa na sa iba malaman," My tears dropped on my cheeks, i saw mommy wipe the tears on her checks.

"Sasabihin ko naman, it's just that I'm just waiting for the right time-" I cut mom's sentence.

"Right time mommy! kelan pa? kapag malala na ang sakit mo? mommy naman..." I almost whispered in my last words.

"Anong sakit, ma?" I asked, mom looked at me, I sense that she doesn't want to tell so I plead.

"Cancer..." Mom answered almost whispered but enough for me to hear it.

"Stage 3... I'm sorry..." Napa pikit nalang ako sa sinabi ni mommy, stage 3? how?

"Mom," I whispered. My tears drop on my cheeks again.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry for not telling you my condition" She said.

"Does kuya Lu and kuya Fonso know about it?" I asked.

"Mm-mm they knew it already, they all knew it..."

"Since when?" I asked.

"Alam na ng mga kuya mo na may sakit ako bago ko pa sabihin sa kanila, they notice my strange moves," She said.

Irene's POV

Yanne and I were talking now, i didn't expect her to be that calm i mean i thought that she'll be mad and yell at me but i remembered that we didn't raise them like that. I can't help but to cry in front of my daughter.

I never let her see me crying but now, i cannot take it anymore. She knows how strong I am and it's her first time seeing me crying.

"Shh, it's okay now mom, i understand why you didn't tell me immediately" She said as she hugged me from my side. Yanne wiped the tears that were flowing on my cheeks.

"It's okay, okay? basta mag papagamot ka" There is a hint of sadness in her voice but she still tries to smile like she's trying to enlighten my mood. I nodded.

"Mommy is sorry" I whispered.

"Si mommy parang nag lilimlim" She chuckled that made me smile. We really raised them well.

"Come here nga" I said as I opened my arm asking her for a hug. Pumunta siya sa harapan ko saka ako niyakap ng mahigpit.

Ilang saglit na ganon ang posisyon namin hanggang sa bumukas ang pinto at nagpakita si Greggy. He smiled when he saw our position, he walked towards us while there was a big smile on his face.

"Why didn't you guys call me?" He said like he's nag tatampo. Yanne turns her gaze to her dad raising her left eyebrow.

"Excuse me daddy?" Mataray na sabi niya habang naka taas parin ang kilay niya.

"Hm, bakit? saan ka pupunta?" Greggy said.

"Daddy kasi!" I chuckled.

"You said "excuse me" bakit saan ka pupunta miss ma'am?" He asked, Yanne is now rolling her eyes.

"Hmp!" Mas lalo akong natawa dahil pinag cross pa niya ang mga kamay niya. I miss that, parang kelan lang.

"Tatampo kana niyan?" Malukong tanong ni Greggy pero inirapan lang siya ni Yanne.

"Nag luto pamandin ako kanina ng carbonara-" Nagulat naman kami ng bigla nalang siyang yumakap sa daddy niya.

"Tara na po daddy kakain na po tayo lalamig po kasi 'yong carbona po daddy, diba mom?" Greggy and I laughed. Change expression talaga siya e kapag nag luto mg carbonara daddy niya kahit na sobrang badtrip niya malaman lang niyanh nagluto daddy niya.

"Kaso ubos na kinain na nila kuya kanina" Kita ko naman ang bahagyang pagka lungkot niya. Greggy was about to hug her but Yanne jumped on our bed.

"Come on get up na let's eat na" Greggy said. Pero si Yanne parang walang naririnig at hindi pa bumangon.

"Let's go na anak" Malambing kong sabi pero wala parin talaga, tumalikod lang siya saamin ng daddy niya.

Ilang saglit pa ay rinig na namin ang paghikbi niya kaya nag tinginan naman kami ni Greggy.

"Bahala ka" Sabi ko saka sila iniwan sa kwarto at nag tungo sa baba. Ilang saglit pa bago sila bumabang mag ama at nang maka dating sila sa dining table ay agad rin naman kaming kumain.

Habang kumakain kami ay bahagya naman akong napatigil sa pagkain na napansin rin naman ni Greggy.

"Why?" He whispered.

"Nothing..." I answered, he nodded.

Wala lang, napansin ko lang na kumpleto kaming lahat. Sana palaging ganito although alam ko naman na may sariling pamilya na ang dalawa i just miss this iyong kumpleto kami sa hapag.

Habang kumakain kami ay nag uusap ang tatlo patungkol sa kung ano tapos si Yanne naman ay patawa tawa pa, her smile is so genuine, sana ganiyan parin sa mga susunod na araw- na buwan at taon.