CONSEQUENCE OF TEMPTATION

Epilogue

Love comes in a different way. There are love that starts with friendship, a love that starts with a stranger asking for time, or a love that started with a mistake. Hindi mo masasabi kung kailan dadating ang true love sa buhay natin. Dahil kahit mag-antay ka, hangga't hindi pa nakatakda ay hindi dadating.

And in my case, our love story started with a consequence. A consequence that made us face many trials and heartbreaks. Mga pagsubok na hindi namin inaasahan na dadating ngunit sa huli ay may magandang kinalabasan. Naging mas matapang kami para harapin ang mga bagay. Naging matatag ang pagmamahalan namin sa isa't-isa.

"Mama, kapag malaki na ko, makakahanap din ba ko ng girlfriend?" Tanong ni Zechariah. Nagsusulat ito ng assignment niya tungkol sa family.

"Oo naman, anak." Ngumiti ako dito.

"How 'bout me mommy? Magkakaron din ba ko ng boyfriend?"

"Hindi." Agad na sagot ni Zephyr. Napatingin kaming tatlo sa kanya na nakatayo sa likod namin. He was wearing an apron and holding a spatula, "Emmanuel, you will not be going to have a boyfriend until you're thirty. Understand?"

"Okay, daddy."

"No boys allowed for you little Emma." Pangaasar ni Zech sa kapatid na agad ko naman sinaway. Papaiyakin na naman kasi niya ang kapatid niya.

"Mag-assignment na kayo ulit."

"Mama, can you please not call me Zech? Katunog kasi ng pangalan ni kuya."

"Why not?" I asked him, "Maganda naman ang Zech."

"Ugh, no. I wanted to be called with a unique nickname and not Zech. It sounds like Zach."

"What should we call you then?"

"Hmm...I don't know."

"I will call you loser!" Sabat ni Emma samin.

"Huh? I'm not a loser, dork. You are a loser!"

"I'm not a loser, loser. Ikaw ang loser. Palagi kang natatalo ni kuya Zach sa basketball."

"It's because he's old enough! Shut up dork!"

"Kids, that's enough."

"Not only in basketball but in everything." Emma answered and gave a teasing laugh.

"I don't care if I always lose to kuya. I understand it because he's older than me! Ikaw nga dyan ampon!"

"Hindi ako ampon!"

"Zechariah, Emmanuelle, are you going to stop, or you want to be grounded for the whole month?" I warned them and they automatically stopped teasing each other, "What will you say to each other?"

"I'm sorry." They said in unison. I smiled and nod at them.

"Kids, snack time!" Sigaw ni Zephyr mula sa kusina. Agad naman nagsi-takbuhan ang dalawa papunta don. Niligpit ko muna ang mga notebook nila bago ako tumayo.

Bumukas naman ang front door at nakita kong si Zach ang pumasok doon kaya agad ko tong nilapitan at niyakap. He just stood there while I hugged him.

"Anak, where have you been? You made mommy worried sick!"

"I'm sorry." Anito. Muli ko siyang niyakap bago ko to hinila papuntang dinning room.

"Look who's here?"

"Kuya!"

"Kuya Zach!"