Waves of Destiny

ONE SHOT

Peace.

Comfort.

Two words that I always think and associate every time the word 'sea' comes to mind. The sea always gives me peace of mind every time I stare at it.

I have been surfing since I was probably six or seven years old. My father owns this beach here in San Fernando. Isa din yun sa mga rason kung bakit hindi ko maiwan-iwan ang resort na to.

Ako lang ang nag-iisang anak nila Mom at Dad, kaya sakin din niya iniwan to. Wala naman din akong close relatives na mapagkakatiwalaan ko para sana siya na ang magmay-ari ng resort.

Ever since I was young, surfing has always been my stress-reliever. Hindi ko alam kung anong meron ang dagat na kaya akong pakalmahin but I always feel safe.

My father once told me that every time he and my mother stare at the sea, theyd always remember me. He told me that I'm a miracle baby. My mother was already in her late thirties when she got pregnant. Si Dad naman early 40s na because they had a five year age gap.

Growing up, I was a spoiled kid. Lahat talaga ng gusto ko nakukuha ko but that changed when my Dad got sick. Doon ko natutunan na Kahit ilan pa ang pera namin sa bangko, hinding-hindi niya maibabalik ang buhay ni Dad.

My mother and I were heartbroken when Dad passed away. Pilit kong pinapatatag ang loob ko tuwing nakikita kong umiiyak si Mom. She cries every night o hindi kaya, there were random moments where I would see her crying. Sa kusina, sa garden, even in public places, she'd randomly cry.

Napapansin ko ding napapadalas na siyang maging tulala. Palagi ko siyang kinakausap every time she's spacing out or if she's back to her normal self.

I can also recall a time where I was just asking her but she ended up shouting at me.

"Mommy." Malambing kong sabi at hinaplos ang mukha niya nang makita ko siyang wala na naman sa sarili.

"Mommy, this is Kaye." I said again.

"Mom." Sabi ko at mahinang tinapik ang balikat niya.

I called her again for several times but there was no response at all. I held her hand. "Mommy, please come back." I was pleading.

I held her hand and unconsciously caressed her ring on her left ring finger.

"NO! Don't you dare touch my ring! This is from my love!" She suddenly burst out.

"Mommy, I won't take it away. Please, sit down." I was begging her as tears from eyes were slowly falling.

"No! No! He's not dead. Yes, I know. He's not yet dead, he's just resting." That's what she kept on mumbling. I tried to hold her and hug her but she just pushed me. Her push was hard that I hit my back on the table. I know that it was not my Mom's intention to do it.

That continued for many more months before I decided to have her consulted with a psychiatrist. At first, Mom was hesitant to even utter a word when she saw that we were in the room.

She saw the nameplate of the doctor and she kept on mumbling again. Ilang oras din ang tinagal ng session na 'yon. We went to visit my Mom's doctor again and that's where she told me what my Mom is experiencing.

"Ms. Ledezma, I'm afraid to say that your mother is experiencing the early signs of Alzheimer. That explains her aggressive behavior and you told me that she often spaces out which I also observed. And, there is still no cure for this disease until now. I'm sorry, Ms. Ledezma."

I can still perfectly recall what the doctor said which made me smile bitterly.

Pagkatapos ko ngang malaman na may Alzheimer si Mommy, I became more patient with her. Lumala din ang sakit niya. May mga pagkakataon na makikita ko na lang siyang nagbabawas at umiihi kung saan-saan. She also tend to go outside kahit madaling araw pa lang. Kung hindi ko pa nga naramdaman na wala ang Mommy sa tabi ko noong araw na 'yon ay hindi ko pa malalaman na lumabas na siya ng kwarto. Buti na lang din at dino-double check ko laging naka-lock ang mga pinto at gate.

I have to take care of my mother even though I was only a high school student at that time. I was barely fourteen years old. Hindi naman sa nagrereklamo ako but that was one of the toughest moments in my life.

Then, months later... I woke up seeing my mother breathless already. I tried waking her up how many times thinking that she was only sleeping pero ilang beses ko na siyang tinawag ay wala pa din. I even had to hardly tap her to make sure that she is already gone.

I checked her pulse and that was when I confirmed that she's now reunited with my father.

I WAS back on my reverie when a kid called me. "Ate Kaye! Tignan mo si Troi, oh!" Sigaw saakin ng batang si Gab. Hindi ko na din namalayang matagal na pala akong nakatitig sa dagat at kawalan.

Hindi pa magigising ang diwa ko kung hindi ako tinawag ni Gab.

"Great job, Troi" Sabi ko at bahagyang ginulo ang buhok niya pagkatapos niyang magsurf.

"Magaling na ba ako, Ate?" Tanong niya pagkatapos tanggalin ang tali na nakakabit sa paa niya sa surfboard.

"Oo naman, pero tuturuan pa kita para ikaw na ang pinakamagaling." I told him at natawa naman sila ni Gab.

"Kaye! Gab! Troi! Kain muna kayo!" Sigaw naman ni Ate Lala, ang nanay ni Troi.

"You heard your mother, Troi." Sabi ko na kinatuwa lang namin.

"Ako nang magbubuhat." Sabi ko at kinuha na ang surfboard na ginamit niya. "Ate, ako din mamaya." Sabi naman saakin ni Gab.

"Oo naman." I replied.

I was just walking slowly because I am holding Troi's hand on my right and the surfboard on my other arm. Magkahawak kamay naman sila Troi at Gab.

We were walking back to the cottage when I suddenly saw someone. An unexpected one. I never saw him for the last three years and seeing him now is quite unexpected, really.

I thought when I would see him again, I would feel pain but what I'm feeling right now is nothing but contentment.

When our eyes met, he was a bit shocked but moments later.... we just smiled at one another..

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A/N: I finally had the guts to write this one. I don't know what to write anymore. Thinking if a special chapter would be great.