Nadudurog ang puso ko habang pinapanood si Toby na magsibak ng kahoy sa bakuran namin. He looks greasy in his sando and pants. Halatang pagod na pagod na siya but he never fails to smile at me. This is their condition bago nila payagan si Toby.
"Ion!"
"Eric!"
"Asher!"
"Hugh!"
"Orin!"
"Rico!"
Sabay-sabay na sigaw nila Mommy. Bumagsak ang balikat ko sa lungkot but I don't wanna be mad dahil naiintindihan ko naman sila.
"What?" They laughed.
Tahimik lang ang mga pinsan ko sa likod nila habang nagliliyab ang mga mata nila Tita sa inis.
"Anong no ka jan! Ikaw ba makikipag-date?!" Sigaw ni Tita Kaia.
"Pero samin nagpaalam," Tito Eric confidently answered.
"Satin, may I correct," Tita Carol crossed her arms. "Hindi lang kayo ang magdedesisyon."
"And we said no," Tito Hugh grinned.
"And why?" Tita Luna asked, she raised a brow.
"We don't like the kid," Tito Orin laughed.
"We didn't like you either back then," Mom rolled her eyes.
"Pero nag-yes ka nung nagtanong ako kung pwedeng magpakasal," Dad stuck his tongue out.
It made mom more mad hahampasin na niya dapat ng unan si Daddy.
"Stop," Mama said. "We said yes kasi ang desperado niyo ng tignan."
My cousins cheered every time they respond lalo na nung si Mama ang sumagot. I bit my lips trying not to laugh but at the same time trying to ease my breath dahil baka ito pa ang maging rason ng paghihiwalay ng pamilya namin.
"Look," Papa laughed. "Hindi madali ang dinanas namin noon para makuha kayo and Tali is a precious one. We can't give her to some stranger right away. Maranasan niya man lang ang paghihirap namin."
"With those conditions?! Are you kidding me, Ion?!" Mom shouted.
I hissed. Baka hindi siguro ito ang tamang oras para sa ganitong pagkakataon.
"It's okay," I interrupted. They all looked at me and realized na nandito pa pala ako. "Maybe it's not yet my time pero okay lang po iyon. If he really wants me, he'll wait. Wag na po kayo magtalo."
They bit their lips. Guilt dawned on their face. Humalik na ako at nagpaalam sa kanilang lahat dahil gusto ko ng magpahinga. It's the first time I've heard them say no and I was waiting for it actually, I'm not mad or anything, I respect their decisions for me because they have to do what they have to do.
