From A Distance

Tango

The only thing good about this day, is that it wasn't raining. Everything else has gotten Richard worried out of his mind. It's been a whole week since Maine appeared, and since Mr. Mendoza's body was found. Now, they are attending his funeral. Maine still hasn't said a word, or expressed anything. She was still stuck with her blank expression, leaving them clueless as to whether or not she knows what is going on.

The funeral was coming to an end, faint cries from nearly everyone there could be heard as they get ready to lower the coffin. One by one, other family members are walking up to the coffin, flowers in hand. Their cries increasing as they get closer. They place the flower on top of the coffin, pause as they remember him again, and walk away. Richard and Maine were the last in line.

Richard looks over to Maine, begging for her reaction to what was going on. However, all he sees is Maine observing the rest of the family members, as they all take their turns. Richard takes her hand, opens it, places a flower, and she successfully grips the stem. They start to walk over and Richard could no longer hold back the tears from his eyes. He knows that he shouldn't let Maine see this, because it might just stress her out. However, he couldn't help it as he continues to remember his goodness to him and his family. Richard places the flower down, and waits for Maine to do so. She is currently staring out in the open, not even looking down on where her father was encased. This earns more cries from everyone as they realise the struggle she may be going through. Richard takes her hand in his, and opens them to drop the flower onto the coffin. She feels him do so and she couldn't help but turn her head to stare at him.

Oh, RJ, gusto kong punasan 'yang luha sa mukha mo. Ang dungis dungis mo nang tingnan o. Pero, salamat. Salamat at tinutulungan mo pa din ako.

Richard leads hear back to their seats as they start to lower the coffin. His breath started to hitch, making Maine unable to remove her eyes from him. Soon enough, people started to leave the premise. Richard decided that it was also time for them to go, and he starts to guide Maine back to her car.

Suddenly, they heard a commotion going on. What sounded like a bunch of rustling feet and camera flashes, crescendoed in the air. Richard turns around only to see a hoard of news reporters making their way to the scene. They quickly reach to where they were situated.

"Ms. Mendoza, ano po ang masasabi niyo sa pagkamatay ng inyong ama?"

"Sinong nagpapasok sa kanila?" Richard called out to no one in particular.

Flash

"Ms. Mendoza, totoo po ba na montik na din kayong mamatay?"

"Please stop, she's incapable of answering right now," Richard pleads as he uses his arm to block the bright flashes of light, his other arm currently on Maine's shoulders, pushing them out of the crowd.

Flash

"Ikaw ba si Richard Faulkerson? Ang bodyguard nila?"

Flash

"Ms. Mendoza, ano po ang masasabi niyo sa mga kidnappers niyo?"

Flash

"Ms. Mendoza, there are already some people who are rooting for you for the next election. Will you be following your father's footsteps?"

"Tigilan niyo na 'to! Please!" Richard begs through gritted teeth.

Flash

"Ms. Mendoza, are you aware of how much your father owed?"

With this last question, Maine suddenly dropped to the ground. They encircled her, giving her a bit of space. Richard was about to reach for her when she suddenly hugged her knees to her chest and rocked herself back and forth. She mutters something but it wasn't loud enough for them to hear.

"Maine? Menggay?" Richard calls for her, as he crouches down to level himself with her.

She mumbles once more.

"Menggay? Ano? Please speak up?"

She turns toward him, only to realise that she has started crying. Her eyes looked bloodshot, they looked as though she's been suffering for a while - and clearly, she has been.

"Patay na si Dad."

The reporters still haven't left, as they continue to click their cameras, and record everything that is going on. 

"Patay na si Dad." 

"Menggay, come on, let's go home," Richard says as he tugs on her arm. However, she pulls her arm away and now she is placing both her hands on her ears. 

"Patay na si Dad," she cries as she pulls on her hair. 

"Patay na si Dad."

"Patay na si Dad!"

"Pa-Patay n-na s-si D-Dad!" 

She is now sobbing onto her knees, as everyone continued to stare and document her every move and every word. Richard found them so insensitive, and so he rises up to try and shoo them away. 

"Hindi niyo ba nakikita ang nangyayari sa tao? Parang awa niyo na umalis na kayo!"

However, as stubborn as they were, they didn't move an inch as if they didn't hear what Richard has said. 

"Umalis na kayo! Parang away niyo na!" Richard petitions, even pushing some of the reporters away. 

"Sir, diba bodyguard ka lang? Bakit parang may karapatan ka?" a young journalist asks.

With this, Richard could no longer control himself. He lunges towards the young reporter, not caring if what he's done will be caught on camera. Sure, he was just their bodyguard, however, Mr. Mendoza made sure that he felt as though he was part of the family. And now here comes someone who doesn't even know what they have went through, seeming as though he's known them for a long time. He was about to land his fist onto the his face, when he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. He turns his head, only to see Maine still crying her eyes out. She was shaking her head from side to side. 

"Patay n-na si Dad."

That's all she's been saying the whole time, but it was enough for Richard. He understood what she was trying to tell him. That he needed to stop, that doing this won't bring anything good. 

"Nanay!" Richard calls out. 

Soon enough Nanay comes into the scene. 

"Isakay niyo na po si Maine sa sasakyan. Umuwi na tayo."

"Oo, sige anak."

Nanay places a hand on Maine's back, rubbing it up and down to try and console her. She starts to make her way over to the vehicle. 

"How insensitive of all of you. If you're willing to put people through that just so that you can get a decent cover story, then you should probably start to question if you still have a conscience."

With this, Richard stomps away from the crowd.