A Love To Remember

Chapter 28: Orphanage Visit

Lea

Kinaumagahan, maganda ang gising ko. Waking up next to the people you love the most is something I never anticipated to happen to me.

Aga and Chiara, are currently sleeping soundly beside me. Chiara's hands is snaked around my waist habang si Aga naman, nakayakap rin sa amin ni Chiara because Chiara is at the middle of the both of us. Ewan ko ba kung paano napunta 'yan dito, maybe he joined us in bed without us noticing last night.

After sightseeing these two, dahan-dahan kong iniangat ang braso ni Aga at ang kamay ni Chiara as slowly, I jumped from bed without disturbing them. Napangiti na lang ako habang pinagmamasdan silang dalawa, for I know hindi pa sila ayos.

Remember when Chiara poisoned herself? Ilang araw na ang nakalipas nang mangyari ang insidenteng iyon but Aga's still furious about it and Chiara, well, they're both stubborn.

Ayaw magpa-awat, nagpapataasan sila ng pride. They need time to fix things between them and I think, this is the right time to do it.

I went inside Chiara's bathroom as I wash my face first, gargled some water and combed my hair before going out of her room. Bumaba ako at dumiretso sa kusina.

"Magandang umaga po, Ma'am Lea!" wika ng isa sa mga katulong nila ng madatnan ko itong naglilinis, I smiled at her.

"Magandang umaga rin po!" bati ko dito, "Ya, nakaluto na po ba kayo ng breakfast?" tanong ko pa.

She immediately shook her head, "Nako Ma'am, wala pa po eh!"

Buti naman at mapaghandaan ko ng breakfast ang dalawang iyon.

"Uhm Ya, ako na po ang bahalang magluto, okay lang ba?" I said, napatigil naman siya sa ginagawa niya at tumingin sa' kin.

"Sigurado po kayo Ma'am?" she asked me in assurance, tumango naman ako.

"Siguradong-sigurado po!" I answered.

Sinimulan ko nang magluto and it almost took me an hour to finish cooking our breakfast. Nagluto ako ng pancakes, bacon, hotdogs at meron ring fried rice. I prepared Chiara's milk and Aga's coffee.

Wifey material lang, Lei? A part of my mind said but I shrugged it off. Since I was a kid, I always picture out what will my life be when I grow up and my future plans.

On the top list is to become a wife and a mother. Years ago, when Aga and I broke up and when Sabel died, akala ko wala ng direksyon ang buhay ko but gladly, I've moved on and it's all in the past.

Aga and I are back in each other's arms and I couldn't be happier, wala mang Sabel, andyan naman si Chiara to somehow... fill my daughter's part.

"Morning babes!" natigil ang pagmumuni ko when Aga entered the dining area, lumapit siya sa direksyon ko as he kissed my forehead and sat down at the chair beside me.

"Morning, you came home late na last night?" tanong ko, he nodded in affirmation.

"Yup, nagka-aberya kasi sa kompanya kaya kailangan, nandoon ako." he answered, "Inalagaan mo daw si Chiara? Salamat babes ah, thanks for taking care of her." dagdag pa niya.

Sasagot pa sana ako when Chiara arrived.

"Morning.." bati niya sa'min, ganda ata ng gising niya ngayon? I was seriously expecting her to scowl at me this morning pero iba eh.

"Good morning! Okay ka na ba? Does your head still hurts?" I asked her ng umupo na siya, Aga's at the center so me and Chiara are facing each other.

"I'm fine, wala naman na akong lagnat." sagot niya as she sip unto her milk, "Salamat po pala kagabi." she added in a whisper enough for us to hear.

"That's good pero, inumin mo pa rin ang gamot mo." wika ko, tumango lang siya at kumain na ng umagahan na ihinanda ko.

I faced Aga who's also eating, "May trabaho ka ba ngayon babes? May pupuntahan kasi ako eh, if you want to come, sama kayo ni Chiara sa' kin." I exclaimed at pabalik-balik ang tingin sa kanilang dalawa.

Aga's forehead creased, "Saan ba babes?"

"You see, there's this orphanage na I always visit when I have time, matagal-tagal na akong hindi nakapunta 'dun so I think, pupunta ako 'dun ngayon. You guys want to come with me? The kids will totally be happy to see new faces." I explained.

"Oo ba! I love to play with kiddos!" Aga chirped, bumaling naman ako kay Chiara, waiting for her answer but the latter shrugged her head.

"Nah, that's boring. Besides, I have zero tolerance when it comes to kids so no thanks, kayo na lang." sagot nito making me frown.

"Come on Chia, 'pag ikaw sasama, I'll buy you tickets for Harry Styles's concert this year." Aga said, making Chiara's eyes widened in surprise! Wow, he's serious?

"Seriously? Well, okay, sasama ako basta buy me those ones na nasa harap ah, iyong malapit sa stage." Chiara beamed. Iyon naman pala, gagawin niyang lahat for ticket concerts. Sabagay, sino ba namang hindi?

After finishing our breakfast, we decided to fix ourselves kasi aalis kami before lunch, mabuti na lang at mayroon akong spare clothes sa sasakyan, hindi ko na tuloy kailangan pang umuwi.

We finally left their house at dumiretso muna kami sa mall, Aga and I separated ways, he'll buy groceries and foods for the kids while me in Chiara went to the the department store upang bumili ng mga damit at laruan.

Pagkatapos naming mamili, we made our way to Angel's Celestial Orphanage somehowere at Quezon City.

Sabay kaming tatlong bumaba ng sasakyan, how I missed this place! Matagal-tagal na rin akong hindi nakapunta dito..

"Ate Lea?" a girl holding a broom approached me as my eyes widened upon recognizing who it was.

"Mara!" I exclaimed happily at lumapit sa kanya, "Ang tangkad mo na o, dalaga na talaga ang baby ko!" dagdag ko pa at niyakap siya.

Mara's the niece of the cook here at ACO, bata pa lang siya ng una akong dumating dito and we're really close. Mag-kaedad kasi sila ni Sabel that's why I'm comfortable when I'm with her.

"Matangkad ka d'yan Ate! Sus, ikaw nga po, gumanda pa lalo eh, pero grabe ka, ang tagal mong hindi bumisita dito, nakakatampo ka na Ate ah!" wika nito at ngumuso pa, I chuckled. She's so cute!

"Aww, nagtatampo ang baby ko! Kaya nga ako nandito para bumawi eh kaya ngumiti ka na!" I said as I tickled her, tumawa naman siya at pilit na nilalayo ang sarili niya sa' kin. 'Di pa rin siya nagbabago, nakikiliti pa rin!

"HAHAHA Ate Lea tumigil ka HAHA oo na ngingiti na ako Ate tumigil ka na please HAHA!" natatawa nitong sambit, tumigil naman ako ng tuluyan na siyang ngumiti.

"Ehem." sabay kaming napalingon ng tumikhim si Chiara and damn it, I almost forgot! Kasama ko pala ang dalawang 'to!

"Uhm babes, Chiara, si Mara pala. Mara, that's your Kuya Aga and her daughter, Chiara.." pagpakilala ko sa kanila, Mara smiled shyly habang nakakapit sa braso ko while Aga's also smiling, si Chiara lang talaga ang nakanguso.

"Hello po, Kuya Aga, Chiara." bati nito sa dalawang kasama ko.

"Hi Mara! Kamusta ka?" Aga asked her.

"Nanaginip ba ako? Isang Lea Salonga at Aga Muhlach sa harap ko? Jusko, my team babes heart!" Mara whispered enough for me to hear, gusto kong matawa sa reaksyon niya but as I glance at Chiara, nawala ang ngiti sa labi ko while looking at her na ngayo'y masama ang tingin kay Mara.

Ano na naman ang tumatakbo sa isip niyan?

* * * * * *