Between Dusk and Dawn (Love Lies in Ilocos Norte) COMPLETED

XVII

Umuwi si Xekiel pagkatapos rin ng tatlong araw. Tita Martha hired a driver para ihatid si Xekiel sa probinsya nila dahil pwede naman daw na magbiyahe sa lupa.

And Xekiel told Tita Martha and Doc. Renzo na wala siyang klase bukas, which is a lie related to his lie about coming here.

I spent the rest of Sunday in Therence house, gardening, cooking, watching and such.

Noon ko lang nalaman na hindi pumunta si Xekiel dito dahil na hohome sick siya.

"Papa called him. Family problems", Therence said.

Kasalukuyan akong naglilinis ng garden, nagwawalis. He's standing beside me, waiting for one o'clock. May meeting raw siyang pupuntahan.

Napatingin ako sa kanya, "Family problems? Niyo?"

Tumango siya, "Cousins."

Akala ko sina Tita Martha at Doc. Renzo, but I'm a little bit relieved na sa pinsan niya pala.

"Bakit?"

He handed me a handkerchief, "Those cousins are... How do I say this?"

Pinunasan ko ang konting pawis na namuo sa noo ko.

"They're a bit different. They make their laws for themselves. I hate to call them, but they are the black sheeps from Mama's side."

Tumango ako, "Sa papaanong paraan?"

I saw him hesitate, opening and closing his mouth.

"They are..." he sighed. "People running from law. Criminals as the law call them."

Mga kriminal? From Tita Martha's side? All I know is that Tita Martha has three siblings, all of them are boys. Nakilala ko na ang pangalawa sa kanila noong naimbitahan kami sa kasal nila nung second wife niya.

But the rest are unknown, at least for me. Pero sa kabaitan ni Tita Martha, hindi ko lubos na maisip na may kapamilya silang ganoon.

"But they are family. That's why we help them." tuloy niya.

I looked at him carefully, "Pumapatay sila?"

He smiled apologetically.

"They do. Kasama rin sila sa mga delikadong mga grupo ng tao."

"Pero, hindi ba naapektuhan ang pangalan niyo? I mean, kilala kayo sa buong mundo." I tried to explain.

Umiling siya, "They do not carry our name when they are at their work, at least. They may be criminals pero alam nila ang importansya ng pamilya."

I smiled sincerely at him. Kung ganoon, no doubt na kapamilya nga nila ang sinasabi niya. They care for their family.

"Pero di ba may abogado kayo sa pamilya niyo?" napakunot ang noo ko.

Tumango siya, "He's a cousin too, from Mama's side. Just like everyone of us, we still consider them as our family. But of course he knew his limitations, kaya nagiingat rin ang mga Hellcroux sa kanilang ginagawa."

"Hellcroux?"

"That's their code name." he replied.

That's very considerate of them to not use their family's name. Pero hindi naman talaga dapat, kung hindi mabubuwag ang lahat ng meron ang mga Gonzalez.

Lalo pa't nasa linya sila ng business.

"Hindi ko ipagsasabi lahat ng sinabi mo," nakataas pa ang palad na sabi ko.

"Hindi ko rin naman sasabihin sa'yo kung alam kong ipagsasabi mo."

My heart swelled at what he said, "You... You trust me?"