Could Have Been Better (Crush Series #2)

Chapter 27

CHAPTER 27 — I Will Wait

"Congratutations, anak!" mom exclaimed when I went to them after the graduation ceremony. She hugged me tightly.

"Mom, I can't breathe," natatawa kong sabi. She quickly removed her arms around me. Huminga ako nang malalim. I grinned at her. I looked really, really proud of myself.

Halos lahat na ng mga nagtapos ay nakalapit na sa kanilang mga pamilya. Some of them were taking pictures together with their family. Walang ibang bumambibig ang mga tao kundi ang salitang 'congratulations'. Parents looked really proud.

Tumabi si daddy kay mommy. I gazed at my dad. He was also smiling at me, looking very proud like the other parents. Sinuklian ko ang kaniyang ngiti.

For the past years, I have been trying my best to forgive my father. It got better every time we talk and spend time as a family. Hindi na nabuksan muli ang paksa tungkol sa kasalanang nagawa niya noon sa amin ni mommy. He didn't mention it again. I didn't either. Sino ba sa amin ang gusto pang pag-usapan ang isang bagay na muntik nang makasira sa aming pamilya? Even my mother hadn't talked about it for the past years.

I showed them my diploma while grinning from ear to ear. Mom took it from me and read it together with daddy.

"I'm so proud of you, anak," dad said with full sincerity.

I can only smile to what he said. Naaalala ko pa ang mga lumipas na taon. The times when he did his best to earn my trust again. Mahirap sa akin iyon. Kaya nga ilang taon din bago ko naibigay muli ng buo ang aking tiwala sa kaniya. Bumawi siya sa amin ni mommy. Mula nang bumalik siya rito sa states at iniwan ang negosyo sa Pilipinas ay napagtanto ko kung gaano kalaking sakripisyo ang ibinigay niya upang mapatunayan sa amin na nagsisisi siya. It wasn't easy at first but forgiving and forgetting really takes time and great effort. Hindi naman iyon isang pangyayari na itutulog mo lang at mabubura na kinabukasan. How I wish it was like that. Even the smallest wound needs time to heal fully. At iyon ang kinailangan ng aming pamilya.

Mom never talked about it again as well. Kahit kailan mula nang bumalik kami ni daddy rito sa states ay hindi na niya binanggit ang pangyayari. I didn't know if they still talk about it when they were alone. O talagang binura na ni mommy ang lahat ng iyon sa kaniyang isip at nagdesisyong magsimula na lang ulit.

I was very proud of myself also. For all those years, I continued respecting my father. Hindi ako gumawa ng bagay na ikasasama ng loob niya. At the back of my mind, I was thinking that I needed to be a good daughter. I need to show him that he chose the right people. Mas tamang manatili siya sa amin, ang kaniyang pamilya, kaysa sa ibang babae. It wasn't really difficult to do. I have been good to them eversince. The only difference is this time, I am doing this not only for myself but for them as well. Until I graduated and earned my diploma, I still did my very best to make them proud.

It has been five years. And during those years, our family became happier. Walang sumuko sa amin. I didn't give up. Ito nga ang hiniling kong mangyari noong pinili kong manatili na lang dito sa states kasama ang aking buong pamilya. Mom needs us here. Dad needs to be here. I shouldn't do anything to break us apart again.

Tiningnan ko ang kabuuan ng paligid. I can't believe that it ends here. Well, it's only the beginning but college ended the moment I went up to the stage and received my diploma. I am already a graduate. I have earned a degree. I can now start a new chapter of my life.

I came back to reality when I heard my mother laugh. Nag-uusap sila ni daddy ngunit hindi ko na nasundan kung tungkol saan iyon. Mom was holding my diploma. Daddy was looking at her with admiration. Ngayon, kahit ang mga ganitong bagay sa pagitan nila ay napapansin ko. I was so happy that they stayed together. Walang nang-iwan at walang iniwan. It was a choice they made. They could just separate because of the pain they brought to each other but they chose to start again. It was something I admire to the both of them.