SWEETEST SURPRISE

S.S. 44 #TheGallery

Three days after...

"Alexa I want to talk to you." Pukaw ni Aivan sa atensyon ng kapatid habang nakaupo ito sa wheelchair at pinagmamasdan si Shermayne habang sinisipat nito ang mga nakasabit na painting sa gallery ni Aivan. Nakangiti naman ito nang tingnan s'ya.

"The painting is beautiful as well as Ate Shermayne, right Kuya?" sinubukan n'yang hindi pansinin ang sinabi ni Alexa at saka ay iniharap ito sa kanya.

"Did you really do that on purpose?" Tila ba nagtaka naman si Alexa sa tanong n'ya. "Sinabi na sa'kin ni Carl ang lahat. Sinadya mo raw ang mahulog sa hagdanan. Totoo ba?" mahina ngunit may diin ang mga tanong n'ya.

"It works right? She's back. You're back!" sa halip ay sagot ni Alexa.

"Alexa!" medyo napataas ang boses n'ya pero sila lang ang nakarinig noon. "How could you do that to yourself? Are you out of yourself? You almost die!"

"Almost. But I didn't right? And I just did that for you."

"I didn't ask you to do that!" seryoso at makapangyarihan ang tinig n'ya kahit na mahina pa 'yon.

"Yeah you didn't but I better prefer to get insane and die rather than see you unhappy again. I just wanted you kuya to be happy. That's all."

"So okay lang sa'yong sirain mo ang sarili mo? Huh, Alexa? Ganyan ba ang itinuro ko sa'yo?"

"But it worked! Ate Shermayne's here with us and most specially with you."

"Alexa hindi mo naiintindihan. Yes I love her but it's not enough. Love is not enough. No matter what I do I can no longer force her to love me the way she did before. Marami ng nagbago. Tanggap ko na that she's no longer mine. She never did became mine."

"Yes right! They would say that love is not always enough. Kaya nga kung wala kang magawa to get her back I'm going to help you with that! No matter what it takes, kuya!" makahulugang saad nito.

"Alexa, I'm okay with her ending up with Ranier if that's what will make her hapoy then so be it."

"No!" sigaw nito dahilan para mapalingon si Shermayne at ang ibang naroroon sa gallery. But she did choose to smile at her para ipahiwatig that everything between her and Aivan is okay.

"No and that means I wanna see you and Ate Shermayne getting married." mahinahanon ng sambit ni Alexa.

"Alexa you know that won't happen. She's married with Ranier at mahal n'ya ang Tito Ranier n'yo."

"Love is always not enough sabi nga diba. So I will do everything para lang magkatuluyan kayo. That means EVERYTHING!" Makahulugang saad pa ni Alexa. "That's why at the opening day of this gallery I want you propose to her or else I'm going to kill myself again and I will make sure that I'll die."

"Alexa! Don't joke around!"

"I'm not kidding. Kilala mo ako kuya whatever I want I get. And I want you to be happy with ate Shermayne and I'm sure to get it!"

"I can't do that!"

"You will! Kuya, you will. So you better choose and buy the most expensive engagement ring ever and give that to her during the opening of this gallery. You're going to, diba kuya?"

"I said no and that's final." Tumalikod s'ya dito at saka nagsimulang lumakad patungo sa kinaroroonan ni Shermayne pero boses ng isang staff sa gallery ang nagpahinto sa kanya at nakaagaw na rin ng atensyon ni Shermayne.

Nang lumingon s'ya nakita n'yang malapit na ang wheelchair ni Alexa sa hagdanan. Nasa second floor kasi sila ng gallery. Nanlaki ang mata n'ya. HAwak ni Alexa ang nagkokontrol sa wheelchair n'ya.

"Alexa." Mahinang sambit ni Shermayne.

"What Kuya?" sigaw nito. Hindi naman mainintidihan ni Shermayne kung anong nangyayari. The staff tried to go near Alexa pero sumigaw ito.

"Ano kuya? Gagawin mo ba ang sinabi ko o hindi?" napatingin s'ya kay Shermayne hindi n'ya alam ang sasabihin. "Ano Kuya?" muling sigaw ni Alexa saka sinubukang bitiwang ang wheelchair.

"Yes! I'll do it! Lumayo ka lang d'yan." bulalas na sagot naman ni Aivan na nagpangiti naman kay Alexa. Nakahinga s'ya ng maluwag ng ito na mismo ang kusang lumayo sa may hagdanan. Patakbo namang lumapit si Shermayne sa kinaroroonan ni Alexa.

"Alex, you scared me to death." Ani Shermayne.

"Kuya almost scared me too." Makahulugang sagot ni Alexa at pinukulan ng tingin si Aivan.

To be continued...