Till There Was You

Pray to God

A/N: "Faith is an oasis in the heart which will never be reached by the caravan of thinking."-

Khalil Gibran

***

After breakfast, Althea drove me home.

We were like honeymooners who couldn't let go of each other.

It took us forever to get out of her place kasi lagi na lang may nagnanakaw ng yakap or halik.

Nauuwi sa lambingan kaya laging napuputol ang paghahanda namin na umalis.

What would have taken us half an hour to get ready was doubled.

"When will I see you again?" Althea asked when we reached my house at Forbes Park.

My mother has been calling since last night at dahil maaga akong nakatulog, hindi ko nasagot ang mga tawag niya.

For sure, grabe ang pag-aalala nito.

Before we left the condo, I called Mama at dinig ko ang relief sa boses nito when she answered the phone.

"Hindi ka daw umuwi sa bahay?" tanong ni Mama.

"Saan ka natulog?"

Sinabi ko sa kanya na I stayed with Althea.

I also told her the reason why and she sounded convinced.

"O sige, umuwi ka na sa bahay at darating na din kami mamaya." Mama informed me.

"Wala pa namang tawag from Bench so if you want, pwede tayong magkita later for a movie?" I suggested kay Althea.

She agreed and I unlocked the car door para bumaba na.

Pero hindi ako nito pinaalis hangga't walang kiss.

I gave her a peck on the lips kasi baka may makakita sa aming dalawa.

"Bawi na lang ako mamaya," sabi ko sabay kinindatan ko siya.

Napangiti si Althea at parang meron na kaming secret language dahil kahit di sabihin, alam na kung anong tinutukoy namin.

"I love you," I told her bago ako tuluyang bumaba ng sasakyan.

"I love you too," marahang sagot nito.

Bago ako pumasok, hinintay ko muna siyang makaalis.

I waved at her and she stopped the car to look back at me one more time.

Kahit wala pang isang minute kaming naghiwalay at corny mang pakinggan pero I miss her already.

***

Ready na si Papa when I reached the hospital.

Ako na lang ang hinihintay nila.

Dr. Martinez set me aside to give me instructions and the treatment schedule na magsisimula na din agad.

"Just make sure that he takes his medication, Althea." Nakangiti sa akin ang doctor.

I thanked her and then umalis na kami.

***

Nakapark na sa waiting area ang silver Nissan Escapade  na maghahatid sa amin sa bahay.

After makapasok ni Papa, umupo ako sa tabi niya.

Si yaya at ang driver ang nasa unahan.

Nang settled na kami, umandar na ang van patungong Antipolo.

"Naghanda daw ang Tita Ada mo ng konting salu-salo." Sabi sa akin ni Papa.