Dumating ang weekend ng pagpunta ni Amanda sa Happy Smiles Orphanage at sinigurado niyang dala niya ang paboritong pagkain mula sa paboritong pulang bubuyog ng mga bata at oo, aaminin niya, na paborito nya din yong malaking bubuyog na yun.

Pagsapit ng alas diyes ay narating ni Amanda ang nasabing lugar at agad syang sinalubong ng mga bata maging sila Sister Hannah at Sister Nerissa.

Tinulungan siya ng dalawang madre sa kanyang mga dala dala at nagtungo sila sa lobby kung saan may maayos na pahingahan ang mga bisita at kung saan madalas ginaganap ang mga pagsasalo salo ng mga kabataan ng orphanage na iyon.

Tanaw nya mula sa sofa ang mga litrato ng ilang henerasyong mga kabataan na kinupkop ng mga madre simula ng pagkabata nya.

Kita nya ang masasayang ngiting namutawi sa mga bata sa mga litrato.

"Oh, Amy! Andito ka na pala!" Natutuwang sambit ni Sister Lucy, ang namamahala sa Happy Smiles Orphanage. Nasa edad 75 na ito pero malakas pa din at nakikilala pa ang mga tao kahit hindi nya madalas makita sa ampunan.

"Magandang umaga po, Sister." Amanda smiled at lumapit para magmano sa kanya.

Niyakap sya ng madre matapos nyang magmano.

"Palabas na ang mga bata na nasa mga kwarto nila. Papunta na rin dito yung mga batang naglalaro sa playground." Sister Lucy smiled and gestured at the sofa. Saktong dating din ng slice of ube cake bilang snack nya na inihain ni Sister Margarette. Nginitian sya nito bago inalalayan ang mga batang parating.

Ang inaakala nyang isang dosenang bata ay nasa sampu lamang. Karamihan ay nasa edad sampu hanggang labintatlong gulang. Lima lamang ang nasa pito hanggang siyam na taon.

Bukod sa dala ni Amanda na mga pagkain, minabuti din nyang magdala ng mga coloring book at sketchpad pati na din ng mga pangkulay.

Nalaman nya mula kay Sister Hannah na nahilig sa arts at musika ang mga bata kaya bago sya umuwi kinagabihan, dumaan sya sa bookstore para bumili ng mga kailangan.

"Ate Amy!" Penny, a ten year old girl, jumped to hugged her when she saw her.

"Wow! Ang ganda ni Penny!" Amanda grinned at her caressing the kid's soft hair.

Indeed, Penny has fair complexion and round brown eyes. Aakalain mong may lahing banyaga ang batang  ito na kinupkop ng ampunan sa nakaraang tatlong taon.

Penny looked fairly well as her then slim figure now blossomed and her cheeks became puffy. Nagkalaman na sya ng kaunti kumpara noong pitong taong gulang sya. Tama lang para sa edad nya.

"Salamat, Ate Amy! Na-miss po kita!" Penny planted a kiss on her cheek and Amanda felt instantly loved and needed.

"Na-miss din kita, Penny!" Amanda smiled and pulled away from the hug.

"Ate Amy, papakilala ko po sa 'yo best friend ko." Penny said excitedly and grabbed a boy and a girl possibly about her age beside her.

The boy is brown-skinned and has deep set eyes and taller than Penny while the girl has equally fair skin and black hair and shorter than her.

"Joshua, Reina, siya si Ate Amy. Mabait sya atsaka maganda!" Penny said proudly and Amanda blushed with her praise.

"Hello po." Reina said in a soft voice. Joshua looked at her in a bored look and nodded as a greeting.

Funny how Amanda remembered someone in him whose behavior was the same a long time ago.

"Hello Reina and Joshua." Amanda smiled hoping that the two could be as welcoming to her as Penny. She actually felt awkward at the moment.

"Pwesto na kayo mga bata para makakain na kayo ng mga paborito nyo!" Sister Hannah said loudly interrupting their conversation.

"Punta na po kame sa pwesto namen, Ate Amy." Penny said and grabbed both Reina's and Joshua's hands as she dragged them to their place on the floor.

Amanda watched them as she walked to the center of the lobby. She saw the eager and excited smiles and laughter of the kids around her.

Sister Lucy was seated at the solo chair beside the foods while Sister Margarette and Sister Hannah urged the kids to their places.

"Lika na, Amy." Sister Nerissa smiled encouragingly.

Amanda nodded and sat at the chair with Sister Lucy. They started giving out the food and the kids lined up.

"Salamat po, Ate Ganda!" Sally, an eight-year old kid, smiled at her and Amanda felt fulfilled as she gave her a smile.

"Walang anuman." Amanda said and she felt her eyes sting a little. She instantly remembered her old friends. She wondered where are they and how they are doing.

Amanda shook away the thought and watched as all the kids sat down when they got hold of their foods.

"Sister Lucy, ako na po maglilead ng prayer!" came Penny's voice and immediately stood up and positioned her hands in a praying position. The rest of the kids followed. "Bless us o Lord, and these thy gifts which we are about to receive from thy bounty, thru Christ our Lord, Amen!"

"Punta na sa kusina sa mga pwesto nyo." Sister Nerissa said and followed the kids as they went to the dining table beside the kitchen. She was holding her food as well. Sister Hannah and Margarette went with her.

Amanda waited until she and Sister Lucy were the last ones in the lobby.

"Sayang naman!" Sister Lucy said abruptly as she stood up. Amanda frowned in confusion. "Hindi kayo nagpang-abot ni Tony kahapon!"

"Po?" Amanda asked, still confused as they went to Sister Lucy's office to eat.

They sat comfortably at the receiving couch and placed their foods on the table.

"Kaedaran mo yun si Tony. Kung hindi ako nagkakamali, magkasabay kayo halos lumaki dito sa ampunan. Yun nga lang ay lumipat din kayo ng tirahan." sabi pa ni Sister Lucy at nagsimulang kumagat sa manok at sumubo ng kanin.

Amanda's eyes widened realizing baka isa sya sa matagal nyang kaibigan.

Amanda chewed on her food as she listened to Sister Lucy as she talked about a certain Tony who visited them yesterday.

"Napakabait din ng batang yun. Walang pinagbago ang ugali. Napakapilyo pa din pero nanatiling magalang at madasalin." Sister Lucy smiled remembering their talk. "Hala sige, kumain ka na. Hayaan mo lang ako magsalita at matanda na din ako kaya madaldal na." Natatawang sambit ng madre at humigop sa softdrinks nya.

Amanda nodded and continued eating. "Maaari ko po bang makita kung may litrato po kayo ni Tony baka nga po kilala ko sya?"

Sister Lucy's eyes widened at her suggestion and clapped, not minding the dirt on her fingers.

"Hala, sya nga! Tingnan mo yung litrato sa ibabaw ng lamesa ko doon. Ang alam ko, pinaframe nya pa iyon para daw hindi ko sya makalimutan." Tinuro nya ang picture frame sa ibabaw ng table nya at sinunod ni Amanda iyon.

Amanda stood up and walked to the table. Expecting to see the guy, she closed her eyes and breathed first.

Upon opening them, Amanda frowned.

On the picture were Sister Lucy and Jericho Rosales. The real Jericho Rosales.

Amanda shook her head in dismay and disappointment.

"Artista po si Tony, sister?" Amanda asked trying not to sound sarcastic as she brought the picture frame on the table and began eating again.

Sister Lucy laughed hilariously.
"Nakong bata iyon! Sinamahan nya ako noon sa isang fan meet. Nalaman nya kasing hinahangaan ko ang binatilyong iyon. Akala ko, litrato namen ang ilalagay nya dyan. Ngayon ko lamang nakita ito." Sister Lucy said and giggled like a teenager who was caught watching her crush.

Amanda sighed and drank her softdrinks.

"Hayaan mo at pag may nakita akong litrato o pag bumisita sya dito, magseselfie kame para makita mo sya. " Sister Lucy said and smiled brightly.

Amanda smiled and nodded.

Paano ko kaya makikilala yung Tony na yun?