Chased (BS#4)

I-I'm Here

"Clarine! Anak, nakikinig ka ba?"

Napangiwi si Clarine sa pagtaas ng tinig ng ama. She was already sitting in front of her parents with their wrinkles popping, apparently because of her... or Trex? Trex has been missing appointments and meetings lately, at alam naman niyang nagtatago na naman iyon mula sa kanilang mga magulang, kasama ng kasintahan. Trex has this bad recurring tendency of ditching everything just to be with Keit.

Hindi naman niya masisi ang kapatid dahil kahit siya tumatakas sa kanyang responsibilidad. Humalukipkip siya at taas-noong sinalubong ang tingin ng kanyang mga magulang. Ugh, retired oldies should just remain enjoying their retirement, shouldn't they?

"Pa, relax, Trex is just taking a break. We just met a while ago-"

"At dapat dinala mo ang kapatid mong iyon, Clarine! Matanda na siya para takasan ang mga tawag ko."

"Ma, matanda na si Trex para sermunan niyo." She rebutted. "He can handle it when he gets back. That's just a week of piled up documents. Sasabihan ko siya but can you please calm down and stop fussing about this?"

Nagkatinginan ang dalawang matanda. "We are not fussing about this. Nagpapaalala lang kami, anak. And... it is not about Trex that we asked you to see us."

Nagkibit-balikat si Clarine at kinuha ang tasa na nasa lamesa. Nasa terrace sila ng mansion na kinalakihan nila ni Trex sa Batangas. Kita mula roon ang beach na ilang metro ang layo. Sa ibaba naman ay ang hardin nilang hindi kailanman napabayaan kahit na wala na ni isa sa kanila roon ang naglalagi.

"Ma, sabi ko naman sa inyo, bibisita ako sa inyo sa California, but I don't have plans on migrating for good-"

"It's about your marriage."

Natigil sa ere ang tasa niyang naglalaman ng mainit-init pang kape. On a snap, the atmosphere became heavy. Why did no one warn her about the upcoming topic, she could have been more prepared!

"Ma, I don't even have plans to settle with you in Cali, what made you think I'd get married?"

"You are turning thirty soon. Hindi ka na bumabata. At lalong hindi na kami bumabata ng Papa mo."

"Ma, kung iyan lang ang inaalala niyo. Trex can handle it. Ngayon din ay tatawagan ko siya nang maihanda na nila ang isang dosena niyong apo. As for me, I'd be the generous Tita who comes home every once in a while with lots of pasalubong. Isn't that great? Yes? Yes." She nodded in agreement with herself. Mukhang siya lang ang pabor sa ganoong sagot.

"Anak, as much as we are worried with not having your own bloodline extended, mas nag-aalala ako sa ginagawa mo. You are always away. Hindi ka naming mahagilap. Lots of times that even our calls can't reach you. Ayokong tumanda ka mag-isa at lalong ayokong mabalitaan nalang na ang kaisa-isang na nga lang na anak kong babae ay nasa bangin pa't nakikipagpatintero pa kay kamatayan!"

"Ma, Pa, we already agreed about this."

"We agreed that we will give you the freedom to explore, but we didn't agree about you having to end up like this! Look at yourself, Clarine. We are not forcing you to work in the Company pero tuluyan mo nang tinalikuran ang buhay na kasama kami! Do you really want to live alone, that badly? Are we just a nuisance to you?" Singit ng kanyang ama.

Napahilot na si Clarine sa kanyang kanang sentido. Heto na nga ba't nagsimula na ang kanyang amang madrama pa sa kanya.

"I just want to make the most of my life. Masama ba yon?"

"Hanggang kalian mo balak ituloy ang ganyan? Until you're thirty? Forty? Tell me!"

"I don't know, Pa! Maybe until I'm fifty or beyond that. Maybe until I grow old and gray. I don't know."