Up Where We Belong

Chapter 05

Found

Natupad yata ang piping hiling ko. Mahigit isang linggo na ang nakalipas but no one came to confront me or arrest me considering the severity of my actions. I am neither smart nor ignorant about the law, but I know alin man sa mga ginawa ko ay pwedeng ireklamo.

I saw how Mommy's face turned dark when she saw me dismounting the horse that day. Her face screamed betrayal and I made up my mind to just weave a lie about what really happened to me back in the Hacienda Ramirez. Of course, after what I've gone through just to escape from the landowner's wrath, I have no plan to return to that place anymore.

A series of rants followed when I entered the house, my mom stalking behind me. She lashed out at me for not picking up her calls. If she only knew what her calls had gotten me into. Kung hindi siya tumawag ay tahimik sana akong nakalabas ng bahay ng mga Ramirez na hindi nakikita ng sinumang nilalang na iyon. Inakusahan din niya akong bumalik sa maliit na kubo doon sa kabilang lupain. Well, partly true. But I simply stopped by, downhearted, to see bamboos barricading the place as if my access to the place was not anymore valid.

I'm longing for my favorite spot so much. And as much as I wanted to go back, lie down my back on the bamboo floor and swim freely in the brook, my mind is telling me that it won't be possible for a while.

I sipped on my iced coffee as we're taking our break. Nakamasid lamang ako sa mga batang malayang naglalaro habang tinatanaw ko sila mula sa bintana. Nasa tabi ko si Edna na kumakain ng nilagang saging. We let the children play outside while their parents and nannies keep an eye on them. I checked my phone only to see emails coming from Camille convincing me to go back to Hong Kong and another email advising me to clear things up with Aldrin.

Oh, so he's reaching out to my friends now just to help him get me to talk to him when I wanted to burn all the bridges so no one can ever reach me.

I might as well get rid of my email accounts if he keeps doing it. Kung gusto niyang magkausap kami, marunong siyang maghintay!

Naagaw ang aming pansin ng papasok na sasakyan.

A truck stopped outside and a few minutes, later three men were unloading boxes and Ninang Geah approached them and talked to one of the men. It wasn't hard for me to tell who it was. Nakaraang linggo lang kami nagkausap no'on at sigurado akong si Mr. Escudero ang kinakausap ni Ninang Geah.

"Oh, that same man again! What exactly is he doing here bringing those boxes?" nagtatakang wika ni Edna . Halatang kuryoso din sa nagaganap sa labas. Tumutulong din kasi si Mr. Escudero sa pagbaba ng mga kahon mula sa truck while he looked so formal in his white long sleeved polo.

Shortly after, two men went inside the office carrying big boxes. Nilapag nila ang mga iyon sa malaking space na lugar sa opisina. I just noticed that the office was rearranged like the large space was intended to accommodate those boxes. Hindi ko maiwasang magtaka kung anong laman ng mga iyon.

"Ano ang mga iyan?" tanong ko sa mga lalake habang sinisipat ko kung may nakasulat ba sa labas ng kahon. Nagbabasakali na malaman ang laman ng mga iyon.

"Mga libro po iyan para sa mga bata, Maam. Donation po ni Atty. Alcantara," sagot ng isang lalake.

"Oh."

That lawyer boy again. What is he up to?

Nakangiting tumango-tango ako. Umalis din agad ang dalawang lalake para kumuha pa ng mga kahon sa labas. Natigilan ako sa pag-iisip nang nakita ang mapanuksong ngiti ni Edna.

"What?" asik ko sa kanya.

"Nothing," she answered waving her hand, a naughty smile still plastered on her face.