CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

HINDI pa nalabas si Marie ng kwarto nito mula pa kanina. Niel knew that she was there, sulking alone. Gaya ng sabi nito sa text, kinuha nga ng kapatid nitong si Wren si Kreya na noong una ay ayaw sumama sa tiyuhin. Sinasabi ng bata na gusto niyang samahan si Marie pero pinilit pa rin niya na pasamahin ito kay Wren.

In the end, Niel made a promise to take care of Marie even if she asked him to go away. Nasimulan na rin naman niya ang maging mapilit kaya itutuloy-tuloy na niya at doon naman nagiging unique ang relasyon nilang dalawa.

“I don't know if she's sleeping inside or crying. I cannot hear anything from here.” Niel was talking to her mother over the phone and was asking about Marie. He was hoping that Marie wouldn't do anything stupid inside. Dapat yata ay pinasok na niya ito sa kwarto kaysa maghintay siya sa labas at manatiling walang ka-ide-ideya. “Where's Auntie, by the way?” tanong niya sa kanyang ina.

“She's with Avon now. Doon muna ang tiyahin mo habang naka-leave siya sa ospital. Wala naman kasalanan si Marie. She just stood for herself and didn't let your Auntie to step on her continously.”

“Should I talk to her?”

“Hindi na siguro kailangan. Kay Avon pa lang maliliwanagan na iyon. You did everything yet she's still treating Marie that way. Matapang ang girlfriend mo at napabilib niya ako. I wish I was like her before.”

“You're brave too. You chose our family even if Dad is the one who's breaking it. And you stood up for me and my dreams. Ikaw ang naging sandalan ko habang tinutupad ko ang pangarap ko.”

Ngayon lang niya nasabi sa nanay ang mga bagay na iyon. Wala siyang lakas ng loob na sabihin pero pinapadama naman niya sa ina ang pagmamahal bilang anak.

“Pinaiiyak mo ako, Niel. Ganyan ba talaga ang may balak na magpakasal sa matured na babae? You grew matured too and thanks to Marie. Hindi ka na pasaway ngayon.” Tumawa siya saka sunod-sunod na umiling. “Go check on Marie now. Baka nagugutom na rin iyon at kulang pa ang pagkain, I can bring some there.”

“Ma, let me cook and comfort her, hmm?”

“Fine. Go take care of your girl,” he chuckled.

“Thank, 'Ma. I love you so much!” Those were the last word he uttered before standing up and walked towards Marie's room.

“Love, are you awake? I know you said that you wanted to be alone but I just can't do that. You know that I can't, right?”

Huminga siya nang malalim.

“I'll cook for you incase you're hungry. And Kreya is with your brothers now. She loves to stay but I asked her to go anyway because that's what you want. Nevertheless, I'll stay here with you so when you come out you'll going to see this fucking face first.”

Hinaplos niya ang pinto bago tumalikod at tumungo sa kusina para ipagluto ang dalaga. . .

~•~•~

GUTOM AT NAUUHAW pa nang magising si Marie kalagitnaan na ng gabi. Natulog siya agad nang makauwi at hindi na nga nagawa pa na maglinis ng katawan. Iyong mga gamit na kinuha niya sa kanyang opisina ay nakakalat lang sahig ng kwarto. Katabi noon ang bag niya na may laman din gamit galing sa dating opisina.

Yes, it's her old office now because after today she's jobless officially.

Malalim siyang huminga at tinuloy na ang balak na paglabas ng kwarto. She needed something to eat and drink for now. And when she stepped, a thing made her fall on the floor.

“Aray. . .” Daing na narinig niya at mas malakas iyon kaysa sa reklamo niya.

“Niel?” aniya na may halong pagtataka nang makita si Niel na nakahiga sa labas ng kanyang kwarto. “What are you doing there?”

“Sleeping?” Hinimas nito ang likod na tinamaan ng paa niya. Sinundan niya ito nang tingin habang marahan na tumatayo. “Are you okay? That's a bad fall and I'm sorry.”

“No, it's fine. Nahihilo na rin ako sa gutom.” Pag-amin niya sa binata at wala naman itong ibang ginawa kung 'di yakapin siya. “Hindi pa ako naliligo.”

“It doesn't matter. Pinag-alala mo ako masyado kaya dito na ako natulog sa sahig.”

Sinilip niya ang likod nito na iniinda. “I'll check on that later. Kakain muna ako,” aniya sa binata.

“I'll prepare it for you. Iinit pa pala dahil nilagay ko na lahat sa refrigerator.”

“Niel.” Hindi ito huminto. “Othniel Flores.”

“Yes?”

“I love you but for the love of God, let me do it by myself.” Nagpa-ubaya ito at hinayaan siya kumilos. Maayos naman na sa condo na ang binata din ang nagpa-ayos. Nakakahiya nga magkalat pero pagdating niya ay iyon ang kanyang ginawa kanina. “The door is open the whole night.”

“I respect your space so much and I don't want to be pushy to point of pissing you.” Tumingin siya sa kanyang kasintahan saka inanyayahan ito na lumapit sa kanya. “Hindi ka pa naliligo.”

Hinampas nito ang kanyang likod habang nakayakap sa kanya. “Thank you for sticking around me like a glue.” Niyakap niya ito nang mahigpit at gano'n din ang ginawa nito sa kanya.

“You should eat now,” anito sa kanya. “After this I'll a bath for you.”

“Thank you,” she said, closing her eyes for a while when Niel kissed her forehead.

“I love you. Don't think about Auntie. She cannot break us, hmm? I'm always here for you no matter what happen.”

“Like a glue?”

“More adhesive than glue and there's most adhesive, I'll be the rarest one.”

Hindi naman nito kailangan maging kakaiba. He's already rare one and Marie's lucky to have him in her life especially now.

“I don't have a job now.”

“It's all right. You can come with me to unwind. Meron na akong mga araw ng concert tour at sakto narinig ko na may sembreak si Kreya. She can go with us and take a vacation.”

“It sounds a plan.”

“Did I overdo it? Are you mad?”

Umiling siya. “I'll go with it just to refresh my mind and have time with you and Kreya.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes and I still don't have a job after.”

“It's fine and I know you'll find another. Every hospital needs a good doctor like you.”

“Na mainitin ang ulo?”

“It's understandable. Wala ka pang tulog at pagod pa kaya natural lang na sumabog ka. Avon told me that you left her mom shocked and couldn't able to speak for a minute.”

“May anak si Dra. Saludez?”

“Adopted one recently and that's Avon.” Huminga siya ng malalim. “Don't worry for now. Everything's going to be just fine. You'll be fine, hmm?”

Everything's going to be fine, ulit niya sa isipan. It will be fine. Dagdag pa niya.

~•~•~

MATAMANG NAKATINGIN si Niel sa singsing na hawak niya habang nakaharap sa salamin. Mag-isa lang siya sa loob ng dressing room at nakaayos na rin. Handa na siya sumalang ulit sa stage para kumanta pero may bumabagabag pa kanyang isip.

Gagawin ba niya? Ngayon na ba o kapag silang tatlo lang ni Kreya.

Niel could hear the crowd outside chanting his name. Siya na lang kulang doon ibig sabihin at hindi magsisimula ang set ng wala ang vocalist.

First leg ng tour nila at sold out ang ticket sa loob lamang ng isang araw. Kaya nagdagdag sila ng isa pang araw at bukas iyon. Huling kanta na sana kaso hanggang ngayon ay wala pa siyang lakas ng loob na lumabas.

“Niel? Are you okay? The crowd is chanting your name. Don't you hear it?” It was Marie and he knew she would come to check on him.

The past weeks has been tough on them. The sudden unemployment took toll on Marie's mental health which halted him from going out. Kasama niya ito sa band practice kung minsan pero madalas ay nasa condo lang ang dalaga. Ginawa niya ang lahat para hindi maramdaman ni Marie na nag-iisa ito.

“Yeah. Napatulala lang ako sandali,”

“Are you sure you okay?”

“Marie, I. . .” Huminga siya nang malalim. “Mamaya na lang. Thank you for checking me out. I love you and I'll see you outside.”

“O-okay! Love you!” Kumindat siya dito at ang ngiti nito ang baon niyang memorya sa pag-akyat ulit sa stage.

Niel and the band did perfrom well. Lahat ng dumalo para manood ay masaya kasama na roon ang kanyang pamilya. Pagkatapos ng huling kanta, nagsama-sama sila sa backstage kasama ang kani-kanilang pamilya.

Nasa tabi niya si Marie at inaalis na nito ang glitters sa kanyang mukha.

“I enjoy the concert, Niel!” Masayang sambit ni Kreya na nasa kabilang tabi niya. “Bukas ulit at sa susunod pa sa Singapore!”

“Iba-ibang set of songs naman ang kakantahin niyo, right?” tanong ni Marie sa kanya.

“Of course but I want this first night to be memorable.” Doon niya nilabas ang singsing at pinakita sa dalaga.

“Oh my God!” bulalas ni Marie. Naitakip nito ang dalawang sa bibig. That simple reaction caught everybody's attention and they became the center attraction. Wala naman media sa backstage ngunit may mangilan-ngilan na nakaumang na ang cell phone sa kanila.

“I'd appreciate more if you don't upload a video right after or broadcast this live.” Paalala niya na nagresulta sa pagtatawanan ng lahat. Huminga siya nang malalim saka bumaling kay Marie. “Okay. Here we go. . .” Niel said, putting a smile on Marie's face.

“Niel. . .” sambit ni Marie.

“The first time I saw you, I know you're the one my heart needs. It may sounds cliché but my world did stopped while I stared at you. Akala ko wala na talaga pag-asa noong tanggihan mo ako. But I guess I did a good thing in the past so I am rewarded. Sana hanggang ngayon ay suwertehin pa rin ako.”

“Of course you are,” anito sa kanya. That made Niel's eyes sparkle with happiness.

“Can I be the luckiest guy on Earth? Will you marry me?”

“Yes!”

Yumakap ito sa kanya at hindi na inalintana ang pawis pati glitters na galing sa confetti na bumaba kanina pagtapos niya kumanta. Nang humiwalay ito sa kanya ay inumang na nito ang kamay kung saan niya sinuot ang singsing na nabili. Iyon na rin ang hudyat para lumapit si Kreya sa kanila at ipakita ang singsing na siya rin ang may bigay.

Just like Marie, Niel gave Kreya a tight hug and forehead kiss. . .