Home of Broken Hearts
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"Kahit may hubad pang babae sa harap niyan, hindi 'yan gigising."

Lumipad ang tingin ko sa kakapasok lang na Loki. May labakarang nakasampay sa balikat nito at hydro flask na dala sa kamay. Bukod doon ay ang hubad nitong katawan kaya nawari ko kaagad kung saan siya galing.

"Breakfast?" he drank some water and then wiped his mouth with the cloth.

"Done." sambit ko habang pinapanood siya.

His amused face brightened, "When did you become an early bird?" with a teasing smile.

I rolled my eyes, "I have a job, what else do you expect?"

Tumungga na naman ulit siya atsaka naupo sa tapat na upuan, ilang talampakang layo lang sa malaking flat screen na nakadikit sa dingding ng kuwarto ni William. "Grandpa told me you applied for a job at the hacienda; what job do you do?"

I shrugged, "Just something far-flung to my course and forte."

"What exactly?" he became curious.

"Assistant," I said, taking a sip of my tea.

Nakita kong nagkunot ang noo niya, "Assistant niya?"

"No. Assistant of a veterinarian." I corrected and he laughed.

"Hayop na pala ang inaalagaan mo ngayon?"

"At hayop rin ang nasa harapan ko ngayon." I retorted, and we both burst out laughing.

Tumayo siya bigla atsaka ginaya ang sarili sa aparador ni William. Walang pahintulot nitong sinuot ang isang damit na nakalagay doon.

"Is that even yours?" I ridiculed.

Inayos niya ito sa katawan at naglakad patungo sa harapan ng salamin. Before responding, he struck a stance and said, "It fits, so I wear," aniya kaya napairap ako.

"Ang sabihin mo tinatamad kang bumalik sa kuwarto mo na nasa kabila lang naman."

Natawa siya atsaka bumalik na sa pagkakaupo. He knelt a bit, elbows on knees, suspicious eyes, and a tongue full of questions. "So, who are you assisting?" he asked, implying that I should reveal the truth.

I had a feeling he'd inquire about it. Loki is a Silverio, after all. If Silverios weren't overprotective and crafty, they wouldn't be named Silverios. Kaya na rin siguro nasanay akong may mag-aalaga sa'kin dahil sa kanila.

Just thinking about his response when he realizes it's a guy made me feel a bit uneasy. Nagtitigan lang kami ng ilang sandali bago ako nagsalita, "Ysmael Jaime, my bodyguard."

We were initially looking into one other's eyes until he abruptly broke out laughing, which caught me off guard. "Bodyguard mo ang boss mo?" sabay yakap niya sa kaniyang tiyan at bumuhakhak ng tawa.

Hindi ko magawang mainis sa kaniya dahil kahit ako ay natatawa rin sa kaisipang iyon. He brushed his tears away and laughed a bit more.

"You laugh so loud that you almost wake up a comatose person." tukoy ko sa natutulog na William at sabay kaming natawa.

I assumed that he was going to ask more about Ysmael but I was surprised that he didn't. For the first time, he didn't! Hindi ko alam kung matutuwa ba ako doon o mahihinala. Paniguradong may kinuwento na naman si William sa kaniya.

Sabay kaming napalingon sa pintuan nang may kumatok dito, "Señorita! Ready na po si Francisco!"

Tiningnan ko ulit si Loki at inangat ang kilay na tumayo, "Heading for work na. Take care here. Message us if William wake up." pagpaalam ko at siya nama'y nagtango.

"When will his nurse arrive? Gusto ko sanang mamasyal ngayon." you can tell how bored he was from his face.

I chuckled, "Grandpa said she'll arrive tonight. Just resist the boredom for few more hours, minsan ka lang naman walang gagawin kundi tutunganga."

Napabuga ito ng hangin, "Fine," when he recalled something, his eyes widened, "By the way, uuwi pala si Jarvis."

Napahinto ako sa paglakad, "Why?" a wave of anxiety washed over me. Knowing he's an actor, I'm scared of anything that could be going on in his life.

"I don't actually know. Basta bigla-bigla nalang siyang tumawag kagabi at sinasabing gusto niya nang umuwi at ayaw niya na sa BueLa." he sighed, "Ba't ang malas niyo ata sa BueLa?" he joked and I didn't like it.

Inirapan ko nalang siya, "It's a place where everything around is a disaster."

Napailing nalang siya at tumayo, "Pacholo is coming with him too. Wala itong problema. Sadyang tanga lang, gustong manggaya."

"Whatever," I snorted, as I braced myself for Pacholo's arrival in the coming days. Hindi na naman matatahimik ang buhay ko.

A week ago that I got a call from Loki. I thought it was just about Grandpa or me, but never did I expect that it was about William. At mas lalong hindi ko inakala ang sasabihin nito.

"William got into an accident. He's being transferred now and we'll be home by Tuesday. You don't have to be worry, okay? He's going to be fine. We are all going to be fine."

It was as if my heart stopped after hearing that. Gusto kong maiyak pero walang luha ang lumalabas. Gusto kong malaman kung ano ang nangyare pero ayaw kong mas masaktan lalo kapag marinig ito. Everything inside me just stopped. At ang pinakaunang gusto ko ay ang masilayan ito.

"Sabi mo isasama mo sila pabalik? Pero hindi naman ito ang gusto ko. Kasi ba't ka tulog? Bakit ka nakapikit? Ayaw mo bang makita tayong nagkaisa ulit?" I wailed the night Jarvis and Pacholo came home.

The room that night was filled with painful emotions and broken hearts. Two people were missing but our hearts heard their grief. For the first time in years, we were all reconnected. However, rather than being a joyous reunion, it was a terrible one.

"How long are you all going to stay here?" Grandpa asked the guys.

Loki spoke first, "I filed a leave at my own business. Mommy understood that's why she told me to stay until I'm ready to go back." Grandpa nodded and brought his attention to Jarvis.

Nakasimangot lamang ito at mga mata ay mapupungay, "I don't k-know..." single sentence that stabbed my heart.

Natahimik ang lahat doon. Mga luha ko sa mata na gusto na namang kumawala ay pinabayaan ko na. Perhaps Jarvis is confronted with a terrible situation that even his logical intellect can't handle. Mas lalo akong nasaktan sa kaisipang iyon.

I don't want him to go through what I went through. Ayaw kong maramdaman nila iyon dahil malinaw sa isipan ko kung gaano ito kasakit at natatakot ako baka hindi nila kakayanin. I can't stand seeing them in pain, and I don't want to see them in it.

"You can stay here for as long as you want. Basta kahit anong mangyare sa inyo, nandito lang si Grandpa. Hindi ko kayo iiwanan kahit pa man magkawatak-watak ang mundo." he promised that made me more hurt.

"Silverio against all..." he handed out his fist before we all chanted, "Silverio never fall."

Good God, what will I do without them? Hindi ko kakayanin ang lahat ng pagsubok kung wala sila, lalo na't sila lamang ang mga natatanging taong handa ibuwis ang buhay para sa akin.

And I hope I can do the same thing for them. And if it means being independent and facing my battles alone, I'll definitely do it.

Para sa kanila ay gagawin ko kasi mahal ko sila.

"Ikaw, Cholo? Anong plano mo sa buhay?" asked Loki when we're all inside the dining room.

Nagkibit balikat lamang ito, "Mambabae?" balewala nitong sagot na ikinasapak ni Loki sa kaniya.

"Magseryoso ka nga. Kaya walang nagtatagal sa'yo."

The others in the room laughed, even Bettina and dad, while Beviene sitting on the far opposite from me was mysteriously silent. Napaangat ang kilay ko doon. After what happened, mas lalo ko nang inilayo ang sarili ko sa pamilya nila.

I despise them more that I even hate it whenever their eyes would find mine. At nakakainis lang dahil hindi ko na naman nagawa ang ipinangako ko sa sarili ko: ang hindi makialam sa kanila.

Things around me don't usually bother me, but seeing Beviene not being in her usual self disturbs my inner peace. Hindi naman sa gusto ko ang masasayang ngiti at matinis na tinig niya pero iyon na ang nakasanayan ko na ipinapakita niya. Kaya ang pagkatahimik nito ay ang nagpaingay sa isipan ko. If this view is only acting for attention, I swear that I'm never talking to any of them anymore.

All our attentions went to Grandpa who suddenly stood up and left the dining. Ikinataka namin iyon at inakalang may nangyaring masama sa kaniya kaya mabilis ang pagtayo nina Pacholo upang sundan sana ngunit bigla na lamang siyang pumasok na may dala-dalang malaki na kulay pulang bag at suot na puting balbas.

Bigla siyang bumuhakhak at kalaunan nag-ala Santa Claus. Napuno ng tawanan ang buong silid at pati ang nakapalibot na kasambahay ay nakisali na rin.

Pulling each boxes inside and handed them out to everyone in the room. Tinawag niya pa ang ibang kasambahay na nahuli sa dating at natawa nang makita kung gaano sila natutuwa sa mga natanggap.

Warmth touched my heart.

"Merry Christmas." he greeted when he handed me his precious gift.

Namuo ang luha ko at natatawa siyang binati pabalik, "Thank you, Pa. Merry Christmas." kissing his cheeks after.

Nagsimula ang simpleng selebrasyon at inilabas rin ang mga pagkaing hinanda ng mga kasambahay. I was a little surprised when they joined us. Hindi naman sa ayaw ko, pero noon kasing mga bata pa kami ay hindi ito pinapayagaan ng mga anak ni Grandpa. At ngayon ko lang rin nalaman na lagi pala talaga silang nagkakaisa tuwing pasko. As a result, I never imagined that being around with smiles and laughs would be the finest thing to see.

Perhaps this is the best Christmas I've ever tasted.

Biglang nagtigil ang lahat nang bumuhakhak ng tawa ang dalawa kong pinsan. Si Loki na nakayakap lang sa tiyan habang si Pacholo na panay palakpak na tila ba ay tuwang-tuwa ito sa kung anuman ang pinagtatawanan nila.

The others, even if unknowing, joined them. Napangiwi na lamang ako at tinaasan ng kilay si Jarvis upang tanungin kung anong nangyare sa kanila. But he only smiled and shrugged.

"Hindi niyo naman ata nilason ang dalawang 'to?" biro ni Grandpa sa mayordoma.

Unti-unting huminahon ang dalawa at nagsipunasan sa mga luha. Tumayo ng maayos si Pacholo at may kung anong kinukulikot sa cellphone niya. Nang mahanap niya ito ay bigla ulit silag nagtinginan ni Loki at sa huling pagkakataon ay nagtatawanan.

Pacholo then diverted his eyes to mine and grinned the most playful smile.

Kumabog ang dibdib ko at napakuyom ng kamao. Alam ko na agad ang ngiting ito. Ang ngiting nangangamoy malisya at pangungutya. At kung tungkol saan man iyon ang alam kong may kinalaman ang litratong nahagip ko.

"Akala ko wala nang mas maganda pa sa regalo ni Gramps. Pero ang hindi ko alam ay ang tinatagong surprisa ni Crisceana sa'tin."

Napakurap ako, "W-what?" kinakabahan kong sambit dahil baka nalaman nilang may ibibigay rin akong regalo. I mean, it's not that it was a secret but I felt embarrassed, baka kasi ayaw nila rito. Pero mali pala ang pagkakaisip ko.

"Crisceana, Crisceana..." Pacholo grinned wider. Handing out his phone at my face to let me see the image plastered on the screen.

As my heart skipped a beat, he said something that neither I nor anybody else could believe.

"Bakit hindi mo sinabing may boyfriend ka na pala?"

And who says it's the best Christmas present when it's actually a horrible one?

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nyariina
8/8/'21