Chapter (20)
CHAPTER TWENTY
“O
H, MY gosh!” nakakabinging tili ni Trisha pagkatapos ikuwento ni Agatha ang mga nangyari nang nagdaang araw.
Napangiwi si Agatha. “Calm down, Trish,” natatawang sabi niya.
“Eh, kasi naman! Sabi ko na nga ba, eh! Napo-fall na si Reeve sa `yo.”
Nakagat ni Agatha ang ibabang labi. “Nagtatanong pa lang siya. Hindi pa siya nag-‘I love you.’”
Hinampas siya ni Trisha sa balikat. “Duh? Parang gano’n na rin `yon. Magtatanong ba siya ng gano’n kung hindi?”
Napangiti na lang si Agatha. “Okay. Maybe it’s like that. But… it’s not.”
“Bahala ka na nga. So, ano’ng sagot mo?” excited na tanong ni Trisha.
“Wala.”
Kumunot ang noo nito. “Ha? Wala? Bakit wala? Natameme ka ba? Bakit wala kang sinabi?”
Natawa siya. “Okay. Yes, I was dumbfounded at that time. I was so speechless. Tanungin daw ba `ko ng gano’n? Sige nga. Sino’ng hindi magugulat?”
“Oo nga naman,” Trisha agreed. “Ang nagsabi pa talaga sa `yo ay ang sinisinta mo mula pa no’ng grade five ka,” tukso nito.
“I know, right?” Hindi napigilan ni Agatha na mapangiti dahil sa kiliting nararamdaman sa puso. A day had already passed but she knew she would never get over from that breathtaking question of Reeve. “And another, gusto ko namang sagutin ang tanong niya no’ng maka-get over ako nang kaunti. Kaso, tumunog ang cell phone niya at importante `yong tawag. Kailangan niyang bumalik agad sa office. So,`ayun...”
Trisha made a face. “Hmp! Nakakabitin naman.”
Nagkibit-balikat lang si Agatha at ipinagpatuloy ang pagbabasa ng librong kailangan niya para sa kanyang thesis.
“Eh, kagabi? Ano’ng nangyari kagabi?” pangungulit pa ni Trisha.
“Remember, hindi na kami nag-aabot sa gabi? He had a late evening meeting with a Japanese investor.”
“Kaninang umaga?”
Hindi na naman napigilan ni Agatha ang pagngiti. “Sabay kaming nag-breakfast. Pero hindi naman na niya na-bring up `yong tanong niya kahapon.”
“Ay…” nanghihinayang na sabi ni Trisha. “But, wait! Why the smile?”
“Secret.”
“Psh. Pa-secret-secret ka pa. If I know, you had a quickie and—”
“Sshh!” saway niya. “No, we didn’t. Ikaw talaga. You always bring up our sex life. Why don’t you get your own?” natatawang sabi niya.
“Magpapakasal muna ako.”
“Pakasal ka kay Prince,” she teased.
“The hell!” mariing sabi ni Trisha. “Huwag mo na uling babanggitin ang pangalan ng lalaking `yon. Nasisira ang araw ko.”
“Okay. Sabi mo, eh. Anyway, hindi pala ako makakapag-practice ng piano after our five PM class.”
“Huh? Bakit? Malapit na kaya ang presentation natin sa—”
“I know. I’ll just practice over the weekend. Kailangan ko lang talagang umuwi agad mamaya because I need to prepare pa. Birthday ngayon ng papa ni Reeve. May dinner celebration sa bahay nina Papa Roman. My parents are going to be there, too.”
“Ah, okay.”
Agatha’s phone rang. “Wait lang,” sabi niya.
“Hello, Agatha, hija?”
“Papa Roman! Kayo po pala. Happy birthday!” bati niya sa biyenan.
“Thank you, dear. I’m expecting you later, okay?”
“Yes, Papa. Pupunta po kami ni Reeve. By the way, what made you call po?”
“Oh, I want to tell you something. I wish you could help me later.”
“Sure, Papa,” pagpayag agad niya. “Ano po ang gagawin ko?”
“Just handle Reeve.”
Napakunot-noo si Agatha. “Po?”
She heard her father-in-law sigh deeply. “Pupunta ang mama ni Reeve sa dinner.”
“SA WAKAS, nandito na kayo. Kanina pa namin kayo hinihintay.”
Lumapit si Agatha sa biyenang lalaki at hinalikan ito sa pisngi. “Happy birthday, Papa. Sorry for keeping you waiting. Na-traffic po kasi kami sa EDSA.”
“It’s okay, dear. You look lovely tonight.”
“Thank you po.”
“Happy birthday, `Pa.” Reeve greeted his father with a playful tap on the shoulder.
“Oh, son. I’m glad you made it. I know how busy you are running the hotels.”
Reeve shrugged. “It’s your day. I could not miss it. It’s not everyday you turn sixty.”
Napangiwi si Papa Roman. “Oh, am I that old? I can’t believe it.” Bumaling ito sa kanya. “Anyway, is it a good reason to wish for a grandchild?”
Nahihiyang ngumiti si Agatha. “Papa…”
“Tch, tch. Hey, old man, don’t pressure the kids,” sabad ng daddy niya habang papalapit sa kanila.
“Daddy!” Nasabik si Agatha sa ama kaya sinugod niya ito ng yakap.
He opened his arms wide and hugged her. “Oh, my baby! Daddy missed you.”
“I missed you, too, Daddy!” masayang sabi niya. Ang huling dalaw niya sa mga magulang ay nang araw na nagbalik sila ni Reeve sa Maynila galing ng Cebu. “How are you doing?”
“I’m doing great.”
“Good evening po,” magalang na bati ni Reeve sa daddy niya.
“Hello, young man. You’re in good shape. How’s our hotel doing?”
“It’s operating smoothly, Dad. No need to worry.”
“Oh, I don’t worry. I know you’re great in everything you do.”
“But of course!” Papa Roman said. “Kanino pa ba magmamana ang anak ko?”
They shared a laugh before her mother joined them.
“Mommy!” nakangiting salubong ni Agatha sa ina. “Na-miss kita,” paglalambing niya.
Her mother smiled sweetly at her. “I missed you more, baby. You look so beautiful. Mukhang hiyang ka sa pag-aasawa,” her mother teased.
“Looks like Reeve’s really taking care of our baby,” her dad said.
Lumapit si Reeve sa mommy niya at hinalikan ito sa pisngi.
Her mother surveyed Reeve. “You look gorgeous, hijo.”
“Well…” Tumingin si Reeve sa kanya nang makahulugan. “Your daughter really takes good care of me.”
Hindi na naman napigilan ni Agatha ang mapangiti sa kilig dahil sa sinabi ni Reeve. Pagkatapos ng kumustahan ay nagsimula na silang maghanda para sa pagsisimula ng hapunan. Nakaupo na silang lahat sa harap ng hapag-kainan nang tumunog ang doorbell.
Nagkatinginan sila ng biyenan niya.
“May bisita ka pa, `Pa?” tanong ni Reeve.
“Yes,” sagot ni Papa Roman habang tumatayo sa upuan nito. “I’ll just get the door.”
Nakaramdam ng kaba si Agatha. She looked at Reeve beside her. She sighed and held his hand. Napatingin ito sa kanya. Nginitian niya ang asawa na gumanti rin ng ngiti.
Nakabalik agad si Papa Roman… kasama ang dating asawa.
“Good evening,” greeted that sweet voice of an old woman.
Agatha felt Reeve stiffen. Humigpit ang pagkakahawak nito sa kanyang kamay.
Sinimulan nang ipakilala ni Papa Roman ang mama ni Reeve sa mga magulang niya. They exchanged pleasantries before turning to them.
“And this is your beautiful daughter-in-law.”
“It’s nice to see you, again, Agatha,” nakangiting bati sa kanya ni Leona Hernandez-Flores.
“Same here, Ma’am.”
Then all heads turned to Reeve. Blangko ang mukha nito.
“Reeve,” sabi ni Papa Roman.
Reeve exhaled and looked at his mother. “Good evening,” he said formally, then looked away. “I think we’re complete now, Papa?”
“Yes. Let’s start our dinner.”
Her mother-in-law was sitting in front of Reeve.
Masuyong pinisil ni Agatha ang kamay ng asawa. She leaned closer to him. “You can do this, Reeve,” bulong niya. When he looked at her, she gave him a reassuring smile. “I’m here beside you, remember?”
Parang sapat na rason na iyon para bumalik ang matipid nitong ngiti. “I know.”
And so the birthday dinner of Papa Roman started. Maayos naman ang naging flow ng hapunan. Mapapansin ang tensiyon sa pagitan ni Reeve at ng mama nito pero hindi na nila iyon pinapansin.
They were talking about random stuff when the topic shifted to Agatha and Reeve when they were still kids.
“Si Agatha nga, no’ng bata pa siya, maybe around six or seven, laging umuuwi sa bahay galing ng school na napakadungis. She always played to her heart’s content,” pagkukuwento ng mommy niya. “Pagdating naman sa bahay, lagi lang siyang tahimik at naglalaro ng mga laruan niya.”
“Wala naman po kasi akong makakalaro ng habulan sa bahay,” paliwanag ni Agatha. Matanda na ang mga pinsan niyang lalaki para makipaghabulan pa sa kanya. Minsan ay pinagbigyan siya ng mga pinsan at nakipaghabulan sa kanya. Kaso, nang madapa siya at sumubsob ang mukha sa lupa ay hindi na umulit ang mga pinsan niya. Ayaw na siyang paglaruin ng habulan. Masasaktan daw siya at ayaw ng mga ito na mangyari iyon.
“At that age, Reeve didn’t play unless tapos na ang lahat ng homeworks niya sa school,” pagkukuwento ni Papa Roman.
“Dahil may magagalit kapag inuna ko ang paglalaro,” pasimpleng sabi ni Reeve. “And she’d scold me kapag minamadali ko ang homeworks ko.”
An awkward silence came. Lahat ay tinatantiya kung ano ang susunod na sasabihin sa sinabi ni Reeve.
“That’s true.” Reeve’s mother broke the silence. “I was really strict back then. I just wanted Reeve to know his priorities, even at a young age. So that when he grew up, he’d be responsible for everything he would do, because he was disciplined from the start.”
“Which brought good results,” dagdag ni Papa Roman. “From preschool to college, Reeve always finished with excellence. In grade school, he was the batch valedictorian. In high school, salutatorian. In college, a summa cum laude,” Papa Roman said proudly.
“Very impressive, Reeve,” sabi ng daddy niya. “Agatha finished with honors, too. Not the highest honors, but we’re really proud of her. Hati rin kasi ang atensiyon ni Agatha sa maraming bagay. She learned to play the piano by herself. She also joined a drama club in high school up to college at hindi pa namin malalaman na may talent pala sa pagkanta ang anak ko kung hindi pa namin siya narinig na kumanta sa banyo.”
Nagkatawanan sila.
Agatha’s father was smiling so widely. Napatingin dito si Agatha and her father’s smile made her remember another person’s smile.
Johann’s smile.
“Reeve joined a drama club in high school, too,” sabad ng mama ng kanyang asawa. “Hindi pa namin malalaman na marunong palang sumayaw at umarte si Reeve kung hindi dahil sa mga school plays. He’s also driven when it comes to sports. He’s into soccer, especially.”
Napansin ni Agatha ang pagkunot ng noo ni Reeve habang nagsasalita ang mama nito. Pero nawala naman iyon pagkalipas ng ilang sandali.
“Wait till you hear him sing,” natatawang sabi ni Papa Roman na ikinatawa rin ng mama ni Reeve.
“`Pa!” mahinang saway ni Reeve.
“You sing?” tanong ni Agatha sa asawa. “Bakit parang hindi ko naman naririnig na kumakanta ka?”
“Because I don’t. They’re just mocking me.”
“Oh, come on, Reeve! Sing for me, once,” pangungulit niya.
“Magsisisi ka lang,” sabi nito na ikinatawa nilang lahat.
Naisip ni Agatha, someday, she would make Reeve sing. She would be glad to hear him sing kahit wala pa sa tono ang pagkanta nito.
“WHY DIDN’T you tell me she was coming?” naninising tanong ni Reeve sa kanyang ama nang silang dalawa lang ang nasa loob ng library ng mansiyon.
Katatapos lang ng hapunan nang yayain niya ang ama na makapag-usap sila nang sarilinan.
Bumuntong-hininga ang kanyang papa. “Reeve, if I told you earlier, itutuloy mo pa ba ang pagpunta dito?”
Hindi siya nakasagot.
“See?” his father said. “I knew you wouldn’t. Kaya hindi ko na lang sinabi sa `yo.”
“Why did you even invite her?” nagtatakang tanong niya.
“Reeve, bumalik ang mama mo para makipag-ayos na after twelve long years,” buong pasensiyang paliwanag ng kanyang papa.
“And you accepted her apologies? Papa, nakalimutan mo na ba kung gaano ka kamiserable nang iwan niya tayo? Na halos wala ka nang ginawa noon kundi magpakalunod sa alak at muntik mo na ngang makalimutan ang Monteverde Hotel?”
“Son, it all happened in the past. Twelve years after, I’m doing fine and Monteverde Hotel is successful. So, why do I need to look back at the time when I was wasted? There’s no need and you must do the same, too.”
Alam niya iyon. Well, he was starting, again. Naitawid niya ang buong dinner kanina na hindi niya kailangang maglabas ng sobrang emosyon. He was thankful that Agatha always held his hand when he thought of unleashing his temper during dinner. Nakaya niyang kontrolin ang emosyon nang makaharap sina Lana at Prince. Pero kapag ang ina na ang kaharap…
“Bakit ang dali lang para sa `yo na patawarin siya?”
Nag-iwas ng tingin ang kanyang papa. “Twelve years, son. It’s enough time to heal all wounds. Isa pa, matanda na ako. Bakit kailangan ko pang magmatigas? Leona made mistakes and she’s here to ask our forgiveness. Your mother has made the first step. Consider it, son.”
“I need to breathe,” sabi na lang ni Reeve, saka mabilis na lumabas ng library.
Twelve years was really a long time to heal all wounds. Pero nakamarka na iyon kay Reeve at kahit kailan ay hindi na mabubura pa.