"THIS won't work," ni Simon. Tuluyan na itong sumalampak ng upo sa sahig at inisa-isa ang mga larawang nakuha nila sa lumang bahay na tila ba naglalaro ng baraha.

"What are you doing?" asked Jude.

Simon was reading the captions of each photo kanina pero mukhang nalito lang ito lalo base na rin sa pagkakakunot ng noo nito.

Naglapat ulit ito ng mga larawan sa harap nito. Pababa 'yon, tig-li-lima in a row. "I'm organizing each photo chronologically. It would be easier to read."

Simon has a point.

Nasa library sila ng bahay ni Iesus. Ang mga larawan lang na 'yon ang nakita nila. It was better than nothing. Kanina pa rin niya iniisip kung saan niya nakita ang batang 'yon. He was really familiar.

"I think I've seen him before," she mumbled.

"Sino?" asked Jude.

Ibinaling niya ang tingin dito. "The kid," sagot niya.

He was just sitting beside her.

Napansin niyang tumulong na rin sila Juan at Sep sa pag-o-organize ng mga larawan. Iesus left with Balti. James remained, tahimik lang ito habang naghahanap ng libro sa isa sa mga bookshelves na naroon. Vier was looking out at the big window with a cup of coffee in one hand.

"Sure akong nakita ko na siya. I just couldn't remember where and when..."

"He's familiar too." Napatitig siya kay Jude. Mukha itong nag-iisip. "The kid reminds me of that boy I saw digging something at the lighthouse." Muli nitong iniangat ang mukha sa kanya.

"What do you mean?"

"That day, noong makita ko ang music box. A boy, same age noong bata sa picture was digging something. I called out at him but he ran away. At nang lapitan ko ang lugar kung saan siya nagbubungkal ng lupa ay doon ko napansin ang kahon ng music box." Kumunot ang noo nito. "Walang tao nang araw na 'yon at sigurado akong hindi siya anak ng isa sa mga homeowners sa FDA."

If the boy is indeed one of the homeowner's children, malamang makikita agad ito ni Jude dahil lumalabas naman ang mga bata kapag hapon na. At posible ring anak ng mga nagtitinda sa labas ng parola pero kung oo, sana nakita ulit ni Jude. But based on his reaction, he seems like he didn't see the boy again.

"You didn't see him again?"

Umiling ito. "No. He just... disappeared..."

"Alam ko na hindi ko siya naging kalaro noon," simula niya. "I would remember if I did. At saka sa tingin ko ay pinagbubuntis pa lamang ako ni Mommy nang mga panahon na 'yon." Ilang segundo ulit siyang nag-isip. "But I have this short memory of a little boy. Nagbubungkal din siya ng lupa noon. That was on the day of my accident, noong tumakas ako para pumunta ng parola. Naaliw pa nga akong tignan ang batang 'yon pero naisip ko na ang weird. Kasi magka-ibang-timeline, so it would be impossible na iisang bata lang ang nakita ko noon sa batang kasama ni Mommy."

"That's interesting." Sabay silang napaangat ng tingin kay James. Kanina pa ba ito nasa likod nila at nakikinig? "A mysterious boy digging at the lighthouse premises."

"Kanina ka pa ba nakikinig?" ni Jude.

"Not long," walang emosyon nitong sagot. Ang laki talaga ng contrast ng ugali ni James sa kapatid nitong si Aurea. James was way too serious than Au. "You know how to draw, right?" tanong nito kay Jude.

Jude nodded. "Why?"

"Good. Who else can sketch?"

"Thad," sagot ni Jude.

"Can you call him?"

"What are you thinking?"

"Giving a face to your mystery boy."

HABANG busy ang grupo nila Simon sa paghahanap ng clues mula sa mga larawan ay nasa isang panig sila ng library. Balti joined Simon's group at may kung ano itong isinusulat sa itim na notebook nito. Jude settled to sit far away from them. Iesus and Tor joined him at the study table. Katabi niya si Thad, on her right, may hawak na sketchpad at lapis. Sa kaliwa niya si Au. Nasa likod sila James at Vier.

"He's curly, manipis na curls and big curls, chocolate brown shade of round eyes, mahahaba ang pilit mata, bahagyang matangos ang ilong but not pointed, sakto lang ... mabilog din 'yong mukha niya at hindi naman makapal ang labi... he was smiling... chubby pero hindi sobra..."

Seryosong-seryoso ang mukha ni Thad habang nagdo-drawing. She was checking if she missed something sa mga ibinigay niyang description kay Thad pero sa tingin niya ay wala naman siyang nakaligtaan.

"Naalala mo anong suot niyang damit, Mari?" tanong ni Au.

"I'll try to remember. Sobrang tagal na kasi. Pero kung tama nga ang pagkakaalala ko ay red T-shirt at khaki shorts na hanggang sa tuhod lang niya ang haba. Parang boy's scouts shorts."

Naghintay pa sila ng ilang minuto bago matapos si Thad.

"Here." Ipinakita ni Thad ang sketch nito. "Does he looks like this?"

Namilog ang mga mata niya. "Oo!"

"And he does look like the boy in the photo," dagdag ni Vier.

"And if kamukha rin nang in-drawing ni Jude ang batang nasa sketch ni Thad –" Napatingin silang lahat kay James. "The boy may have something to do with the music box and he may be our only key to solve this mystery."

"I think Jude is done as well," ni Vier.

Papalapit ang grupo nila Jude sa kanila.

"Thad?" Baling nito kay Thad.

"I'm done."

"Here." Pinakita sa kanila ni Jude ang sketch nito at ganoon na lang ang panlalaki ng mga mata niya. Ramdam niyang ganoon din ang reaksyon ng mga kasama nila.

"Who the hell is this boy?!" reaksyon ni Thad.

Pinagdikit nito ang mga drawing at halos parang nakatingin lamang sila sa iisang larawan. Ang mas kinagulat niya ay red din ang kulay ng suot na T-shirt ng batang nakita ni Jude although it was only a bust sketch pero hindi naman siguro 'yon coincidental lang. Nakangiti rin ang bata sa drawing ni Jude. The same smile that she managed to remember from the little boy.

"Matagal na ako rito sa Faro pero ni minsan ay hindi ko nakita ang batang 'yan dito," ni Iesus, "and if you're telling you have seen him at the lighthouse then he might have something to do with some of the missing items."

"Mari," ni Vier, "when did you see this boy again?"

"Before the accident, almost 6 years ago."

"Jude?" Baling naman nito kay Jude.

"Last year, probably four or five months ago."

"Hindi siya tumatanda," ni Aurea.

Muling nabalot ng tension ang paligid. Isa-isang nahulog sa malalim na pag-iisip ang lahat. Totoo, hindi tumatanda ang bata. Kung ganoon, anong koneksyon nito sa mommy niya at sa music box? 

At kung bakit ito nagpakita sa kanila ni Jude?

"Guys!" basag ni Simon. Napatingin ang lahat sa grupo ng mga ito. "I think we need to find something."

NAKATINGIN ang lahat sa nakahilirang mga larawan na natapos nila Simon, Juan, Balti at Sep ayusin sa sahig. Madami-dami rin ang mga larawan na 'yon na sa tingin niya ay more than 50 photos. One photo was taken out from the order na sa tingin ay sinadya or missing lang talaga.

"Not all photos show relevance to what we're trying to unravel," simula ni Simon. "So we sorted it and discovered that the music box was a gift from this boy." He showed the photo of her mother and the boy. 'Yon marahil ang kinuhang larawan ni Simon mula sa order.

"There was a mere mentioned of the boy's name as Niño," dagdag ni Balti. "Your mother seemed very fond of this boy. There was no mentioned kung sino ang batang 'yon. Pero sa tingin namin ay inilaagan siya ng ilang buwan ng mommy mo sa inyo."

"But where is he now?" tanong niya.

"Mariam mentioned that he disappeared."

Kumunot ang noo niya. "Nawala?"

Simon and Balti nodded.

"He disappeared a month before you were born," Balti added.

What about Tita Lucy? Did she know? Kailangan niyang itanong. Bakit ba ang daming inililihim ng mga tao sa kanya?!

"But she did write that the music box was her only memory of the boy." Tumingkayad ng upo si Simon at kinuha ang isang larawan kung saan karga-karga siya ng mommy niya noong ilang buwang sanggol pa lamang siya. Inabot ni Simon ang picture sa kanya. "Read it.

Niño mentioned that this music box belongs to my daughter and he is giving it back to her. Minsan iniisip ko na kakaiba si Niño. I know he was special pero sana ipinaliwanag niya sa'kin nang mabuti para mas maiintindihan ko. Tila ba sa tuwing nagkukwento siya sa'kin ay kilalang-kilala niya ang magiging anak ko. But there was one favor he did ask me to do. He asked me to bury this music box along with its wooden box near the lighthouse.

"Here."

May inabot ulit na isang larawan si Simon. Binaliktad niya 'yon at binasa. It was the continuation of the first caption.

Isang hiling ang matutupad sa tamang panahon, 'yon ang sabi niya. Pero sinabi niya sa'kin na hindi magiging madali ang lahat. Hindi niya sinabi kung bakit at kung ano ang mga 'yon but he did tell me that my daughter will become a lighthouse in someone else's life and that's why I named her Lucia Marison, which means Light and Greatness.

Kinuha niya ang isa pang larawan na inabot ni Simon.

I'm burying the music box tomorrow. Sana sa tamang panahon ay mahanap mo ulit ito anak at kung hindi man ay sana nabigyan kita ng magandang buhay sa desisyong pinili ko para sa ating dalawa. Gayunpaman, naniniwala pa rin ako sa mga sinabi ni Niño. Alam kong masaya ang buhay na naghihintay sa'yo.

Natulala siya.

"Mari," Jude was immediately on her side. Umangat ang mukha niya rito. "Are you okay?"

Tipid siyang tumango. "I'm fine."

"And there is one thing that we need to find," basag ni Balti.

"What is it?" asked Jude.

"Niño's handwritten letter," sagot ni Simon. "Here." May kinuha na naman itong larawan. It was a photo of the music box and underneath it is a folded envelope. "Nabanggit ng mommy ni Mari ang tungkol sa iniwang sulat ni Nino but it was written in Spanish kaya hindi nito naiintindihan ang mga nakasulat doon."

"A five-year-old boy writing a letter in Spanish?" react ni Iesus.

"He's not an ordinary boy," segunda ni Vier.

"At saan naman natin hahanapin ang letter na 'yan?" ni Jude. "Halos halughugin na namin ang lumang bahay."

"Hindi natin mahahanap 'yon doon," ni Balti, "because Mariam took it with here."

"Dinala ni Mommy?"

Balti nodded. "It was not directly mentioned but it was sort of a fill in the blank in some of her captioned photos."

"Mari," ni Simon, "talaga bang wala nang iniwan ang mommy mo?"

Nakatingin ang lahat sa kanya. "Wala. If she did, makikita ko 'yon agad pero wala akong nakitang lumang envelope na may sulat sa mga gamit niya."

"Baka naiwala niya?" ni Au.

"I don't think so," James disagreed.

True, her mother will never lose it. Itatago nito 'yon but she doubts na maiwala 'yon ng kanyang ina. Sandali siyang nag-isip. Sinubukan niyang alalahanin ang nakaraan. There should be something – alam niyang mayroon talaga siyang hindi pa naiisip na maaring makatulong sa kanila.

And then she remembered.

What if?

"Daddy!" she gasps, na siyang ikinagulat ng lahat. Ibinaling niya ang mukha kay Jude. "Jude, si Daddy! He speaks Spanish. Well, not fluent but he can."

"What do you mean?"

"He knows how to speak in Chinese, Spanish, and in English. I've heard him once talk in Spanish over the phone. I didn't notice that before pero noong nabulag ako ay madami na akong napapansin. What if – what if ibinigay ni Mommy ang letter kay Daddy para ipa-translate 'yon sa kanya? I'm sure Mommy knew that Daddy can speak Spanish."

"Mari might be right," sang-ayon ni Iesus. "What are the chances?" Ibinaling nito ang tingin kay Tor. "How's Roberto Morales by the way?"

Dumako ang tingin ni Tor sa kanya. He was torn between answering Iesus or not in front of her. He was looking at her as if he was asking permission to talk about his father's ongoing illegal cases.

Simple siyang tumango kay Tor.

"He's still under the police custody. He pleads not guilty with all those charges and I've heard from my colleagues that the trial will be held next week."

"I see." Ibinaling ni Iesus ang tingin sa kanya. "My apologies, Mari, for talking about your father's case in front of you. It was so insensitive of me."

Tipid siyang ngumiti rito. "It's fine."

"I'll meet him," basag ni Jude.

"Jude!" aniya.

Ibinaling ni Jude ang tingin sa kanya. "Mari, it will be too dangerous for you if you meet with him. Ako na ang kakausap sa kanya."

"Jude is right," sang-ayon ni Juan. "I'll go with him."

"Count me in," dagdag ni Sep.

"I will schedule an appointment with him through his lawyer," ni Tor, "let's not go there without any prior notice that wouldn't be a good idea and the police will not allow us. I know his attorney, I'll try."

"WHAT is this?" 

Bumaba ang tingin ni Jude sa inabot niyang letter envelope rito.

"Para kay Daddy," sagot niya.

Umangat muli ang mukha nito sa kanya. Pupuntahan nila Jude ang daddy niya. Nangako rin si Atty. Larazabal, legal ng daddy niya na haharap ito kay Jude. Na-i-schedule na rin ang pagbisita nila Tor sa kung saan ito ngayon dahil nasa kustudiya pa rin ito ng mga pulisya hanggang ngayon.

"Just give it to him."

"Mari –"

"I wonder why I couldn't hate people that much," she smiled at Jude. Umangat ang isang kamay niya para haplosin ang pisngi nito. "Maybe because I love all of you too much –" Niyakap siya nito bigla.

"I know I don't deserve your love but I don't want you to stop loving me, Mari. I will make it." Humigpit ang yakap nito sa kanya. "Makakahabol din ako sa'yo. Please, wait for me. Kaya ko 'to."

"We don't need to rush everything, Jude. Do not pressure yourself."

Kumalas ito sa pagkakayakap sa kanya. He cupped her face. "I know I haven't said those three words ever since we met but I –"

"No, Jude." Hinawakan niya ang mga kamay nito at ibinaba 'yon nang hindi binibitiwan. "Don't say it... yet."

"I'm not gonna say it."

Kumunot ang noo niya. "Ha?"

"I can feel it here, Mari." Dinala nito ang isang kamay niya sa bandang puso nito. "But I know my words are not enough to regain your trust. Pwede kong sabihin 'yon ngayon mismo, even if I wanted to, pero alam ko na pareho pa tayong hindi handa."

Ngumiti siya.

She felt it too and she knew Jude's words were no longer clad in lies.

The sincerity in his words is there.

"Thank you."

Hinalikan siya nito sa noo. "Don't overwork yourself today." Lumayo ito nang bahagya para tignan siya. "I'll be back soon."

"Kina Au lang ako. Chi will be there."

Jude smiled. Bahagya itong yumuko sa kanyang tiyan. Natawa siya nang kausapin nito ang kambal.

"Huwag n'yo pahirapan ang Mommy n'yo. Lagot kayo sa'kin kapag lumabas na kayo."

"Grabe, baka 'di na lumabas ang mga bata dahil tinakot mo."

Inilapat ni Jude ang isang palad sa umbok niyang tiyan at hinaplos 'yon. "They'll be fine." This time ang pisngi naman niya ang hinalikan nito. "I'll go ahead."

"Ingat kayo."

"Call me when you need anything or may gusto kang ipapabili."

Lalo siyang napangiti. "Okay."

"If I missed the call, text me –"

"Halika na, Savio!" Hinila na ito ni Juan sa kwelyo. "Ang daldal mo. Mata-traffic tayo."

Natawa lang siya at kumaway na lang kina Jude. Nasa loob na nang sasakyan sila Sep, Iesus at Tor. Sasama raw si Iesus.

"Juan!" 

"Pasok!" Lalo siyang natawa nang itulak ni Juan si Jude papasok sa sasakyan. Kumaway si Juan sa kanya pagkatapos. "Una na kami Mar –" Hindi na nito natuloy ang sasabihin dahil hinatak ito paloob sa kotse ni Jude.

"Piste!" Narinig pa niyang sigaw ni Juan.

Napa-iling-iling na lamang siya habang tawang-tawa pa rin.

"PUMAYAG ako na kausapin kayo dahil kay Mari," basag ni Roberto Morales. Inilapit nito nang husto ang mukha sa kanya. "Where's my daughter?"

Nasa isang private visitor's room sila para makapag-usap nang maayos. Mabuti na lamang at nagawan ng paraan ni Tor.

"She's safe," sagot niya.

Ito ang unang pagkakataon na nakausap niya si Roberto Morales. He hated everything about him and it was a miracle that he was still calm – impassively calm in front of him. He could have strangled his neck by now if not for Mari.

He mustered to give the old man a little respect – enough respect for Mari's father even if he doesn't deserve it.

"What did you do to her?" 

"Hindi ako pumunta rito para sagutin ang mga tanong mo. I came here to ask you about a letter."

"What does it have to do with Mari?" he asked in such enmity.

"You have to cooperate or else we will both lose Mari," he demanded, answering him in the same hostility. Nanlaki ang mga mata nito. "And I know you don't want to lose your daughter because I do too."

"What do you mean? You told me she's safe!"

"For now –"

"Tell me," he demanded, "what do you need from me?!"

"I'm looking for an old letter." Kumunot ang noo nito. "It's a letter written in Spanish. Mari thought that her mother might have asked you to translate it for her. Have you seen it?"

Sandali itong nahulog sa pag-iisip. "I couldn't remember... just give me more minutes to think..." And he waited for another minute.

And every second feels like an eternity.

He had forgotten the Lord but at that moment, he was begging Him to help him – to make Roberto Morales useful.

"I – I don't know if it's the same letter but I have one. Mariam asked me to translate it for her."

Thank, God!

Relief washed over him.

"Where is it?"

"It's in my room. In my vault. Do you need it now?"

"As soon as possible."

"I'll ask Atty. Larazabal to escort you to my house. He will give it to you. I inserted it in our family photo."

The old man's face softened. He noticed how his face changed. He lost a lot of weight at mukhang ilang araw na itong hindi nakakatulog nang maayos. Mari will be too heartbroken to see her father in this condition.

"Please, give the picture frame to her," he said gently. "I know I have disappointed her in a lot of ways and I have never become the best father she could ever have."

"We all make mistakes."

"And I know what you did." Nagtama ang kanilang mga mata. "I know who you are and I know how much my daughter loves you. I cannot guarantee the truthfulness in your actions but you're my daughter's only hope, for now, so please do everything to make her safe."

"You don't need to tell me that –"

"I will because I'm her father and I will continue to protect her in any means that I can, Jude."

"Don't worry, Mari is in good hands."

"Make sure of it."

Inilabas niya sa bulsa ang naitiklop niyang sulat ni Mari para sa ama nito. Inilapag niya 'yon sa harap nito.

"It's from Mari."

Bumaba ang tingin nito sa envelope. "For me?" Hinawakan nito ang envelope na tila ba isa 'yong ginto. Roberto Morales may not have been the best father for her but he loved his daughter so much. Mari was his precious gold.

"You have the most selfless daughter, did you ever realize that?" He didn't answer him. Tinitigan lang siya nito. "And she deserves all the right love and freedom that you deprived of her, and I know it's ironic for me to say this because I have wronged her in a lot of ways but I'm telling you this because I have realized my mistakes and I want you to realize yours too. Do the right thing this time, Sir. It's not a suggestion. I demand it from you."

Tumayo siya at tinalikuran ito pero bago pa man siya tuluyang lumabas sa silid na 'yon ay muli siyang nagsalita.

"Do it for Mari."

'Yon lang at lumabas na siya.

TUMAWAG si Jude pauwi na raw ito. Hintayin na lang daw siya nito sa bahay ni Thad dahil may sasabihin din daw ito. Thank God dahil na sa daddy niya pala talaga ang sulat at nakuha na nito. Magluluto sana siya ng dinner pero hindi siya pinayagan nila Simon at Thad. Hayon 'yong dalawa ang magkatulong sa kusina.

Inayos niya ang kama dahil bahagyang magulo. Hindi talaga nag-aayos 'tong si Jude. She was still staying with Chi pero sa araw ay madalas siya sa bahay nila Thad. Napansin niyang makalat din ang working table. Madaming iniwang nilakumos na papel at nakasalansan na folded news papers. Itatapon lang niya ang mga 'di na importante.

Habang naglilinis ay hindi niya napansin ang metal pen holder at nasagi niya. Napasinghap siya pero huli na dahil nahulog na 'yon sa sahig at isa-isang nagkalat ang mga lapis at ballpen.

Ilang papel scratch bondpapers ang nahulog din at doon niya nakita ang pamilyar na Hello Kitty notebook pero sa pagkakataon na 'yon ay wala nang nakapatong sa itaas ng notebook. Buong-buo niyang nakita ang nakasulat na pangalan.

Lilac Faith Galvez

Bigla siyang napaatras. Kasabay ng pagkurap niya ang malakas na pagtibok ng puso niya. Lilac Faith Galvez! Hindi siya pwedeng magkamali. 'Yong ang buong pangalang naka lagay sa ATM Card niya na nakapangalan sa anak ni Yaya Celia.

"N-No," she cried.

It can't be.