Always, My Jade

In Time (4)

Ama excitedly greeted me when I arrived. So excited that she took my hand and we went straight to her room. All smile and full of spark in her eyes, I'm really confused.
She handed me a handkerchief and said "tawagan mo ang may ari niyan at ibalik mo ang panyo sa kanya."

Dumbfounded I don't know how to react and just stayed silent. "Ama bakit sino pong may ari nitong panyo?" As I examined the handkerchief, it look so old and faded based on the flowery print on it, the only visible mark is the number written on it. She looked at me and said "yong nag hatid sa akin dito, para makilala mo na rin."

Mas lalo ako nahilo kay Ama, bakit kailangan ko siyang makilala tanong ko sa sarili ko, pero hindi pala yon bulong dahil sinagot ako ni Ama. "Para malaman natin kung siya nga si Ant"

Oh yes I remember again now that Ama mentioned, "Ama sino pong Aunt sinasabi niyo?hindi ko po talaga kilala sinasabi niyo eh." She looked at me in dismay and sighed.

"Natatandaan mo ba nong pumapasok ka at sinamahan kita dba may nakakasabay tayong bata na gustong gusto mag abot ng bayad ng mga pasahero sa jeep. Tapos tinanong mo sa kasama niya bakit pag may nagbabayad siya agad ang umaabot ng mga bayad nila, ang sagot ng yaya niya sayo kaya siya ganon kasi lagi siya inaantok kaya para magising siya yon ginagawa niya tapos panay naman buhos ng alcohol ng yaya niya sa kamay niya." she said as if everything just happened yesterday and to think that she's suffering from a disease that affects her memory.

I just nod trying to recall Ama's story.

"Nakakatuwa kasi lagi siyang inaantok pero pag sumagi na ang ulo niya sa katabi niya nagigising siya, kaya para dna siya matulog taga abot na lang siya ng bayad." She continued

"pero minsan nakatabi mo siya at sa haba ng traffic napasandal siya sayo pero hindi siya nagising di ba?."

Yes I said I remember her now si Ant, short for antukin, haha. I named her that kasi when I was about to ask her name she already getting off the jeepney. Hindi ko na halos matandaan but I think I was only 9 years old then.

And I thought magkikita pa ulit kami kinabukasan pero hindi na, for just a few days, nagkasama kami at mula noon hanggang umabot ng ilang buwan mas pinili kong mag jeep, umaasang makasakay ko siya ulit. And I don't know why I have this feeling of wanting to see her pakiramdam ko kasi parang nagkita na kami.

I don't commute pero one time when Ama wanted to come with me and Yaya, bumaba kami sa harap ng subdivision at nag commute, sumusunod lang ang kotse sa amin. Sabi ni Ama noon daw nagcocommute lang siya and she loves the freedom. Nalaman ni Dada at nagalit but that didn't stop Ama to continue riding public transport. Until Ama got sick and she was no longer allowed to commute, worst travel alone with me.

Back to reality.
"Anong connection po non sa panyo?" I asked just to make sense kasi talagang nawawala ako kay Ama.

"Nong hinatid mo ako sa airport sa Hongkong, masyado kang busy sa phone mo kasi sabi mo may kakausapin ka pa pero gusto mo akong ihatid. Tapos nong nakaupo na tayo habang hinihintay naghihitay na makapasok ako sa eroplano, nakita ko may ari niyang panyo, inaantok pero naka sandal ang ulo sa dingding habang nakaupo" --- "ok" yon lang nasabi ko then tingin kay Ama para ituloy ang sasabihin. Then Ama continued," Umupo naman ako sa tapat niya at pinagmamasdan ko siya kasi natutuwa ako sa kanya, at nang nag mulat siya bigla inalis ang salamin niya nagkatingan kami ngumiti siya tapos tumingin sa paligid, binalik muli ang salamin niya at natulog ulit. Pero parang nakita ko na ang mga matang yon, mukhang pamilyar. Tapos umupo ka na sa tabi niya" she finished.

I'm waiting for her to continue but then I realized what happened then, after talking to someone over the phone Ama asked me to sit beside this girl and ordered me not to move, I obeyed since I'm still on my phone and then suddenly I felt someone leaned on my shoulder, a hooded head. Ama gestured me not to move so I obliged, 15 minutes na pero tulog pa rin, then the announcement came for passengers to board and bigla akong tayo at nagulat ang babae, she uttered sorry but I just nod and I said it's ok at my back because I was already walking towards Ama's seat.

"How can you be so sure na siya si Antukin?" I contested Ama.

"I know those eyes, those lonely eyes" she said in conviction and fell silent. But then followed "Hindi ko rin sigurado, Apo, kutob lang" she honestly confessed and it was my turn to be silent.

But Why I feel a bit excited about this, parang may kakaiba. I saw the number in the handkerchief. Ano namang pumasok sa isip ni Ama at ginawa pang papel tong panyo. Bakit masyadong concern si Ama, bakit parang masyado siyang malapit sa batang yon noon. Si Ant, antukin natatawang akong napapailing na inaalala.

- - -

Nasa Bar ulit si Athea.

Maaga pa pero pakiramadam ko lasing na lasing na ako. Susunduin ako ni Batchi kaya ok lang malunod sa alak. I'm talking to the bartender when a brunette approached me and said "Long table shouldn't be just for one." I smirked and replied "Sorry, but I'm a rock, I am an island and I don't need any human, unless you're an alien, we can try at your planet, game?! I sarcastically said, kamot ng ulo ang bartender, wala kasi talagang sense ang mga sinabi ko haha, tiningnan ako ng brunette sabay iling, "wasted and useless". Sumagot ako "yeah I'm wasted and you're useless, nice pair" pero malayo na siya. I only had one night stand the other night and I'm not up to any tonight. I just want to have a good night sleep and don't need anyone, just this liquor in my system.

Ang tagal naman ni Batchi sabi ko sa isip ko. hindi na pantay ang lakad ko and Briggs was assisting me already when Batchi arrived, she's silent until we got in the car.

"Hanggang kailan Tsong, bakit hindi mo kayang matulog ng hindi umiinom?"tanong niya ng nasa sasakyan kami and she's now driving. A tear fell from my eye, I let it be. Ngayon lang naman ulit ako iiyak ng tahimik dahil madalas kahit umiyak ako ng malakas wla namang nakakarinig.

I was about to answer Batchi when my phone rang, I'm too drunk to see who's calling so I just answered it. "Uh, Ahm sorry if this is a bit late, but is this Althea?" I heard a soft voice at the other line.

"And who's this?"hasik kong tanong. "I-I'm Jade and I --

"Jane!?? " i butt in. "Sorry but I think one night is enough I don't have time for another! I don't know how'd you got my number but as far as I know I don't give my number to anyone I don't know. Please don't bother me anymore and I don't want to see you again!." I said in  in a rather slurred and high pitch voice then dropped the call and dropped my head to sleep.