Mine Alone

"H-hi", Andi hesitated.  The guy in front of her flashed his smile at her. He seems to have sense her panic. "Are you lost?", he asked. "Uhm... not actually", she looked around the small airport. "I am trying to find a ride to Villa Esmeralda. Any idea how?". She looked up at him and found him a little bit muse. "Well, there is no transport going to Villa Esmeralda unless you have someone to fetch you", sagot nito habang tinititigan siya nito ng mabuti. A little smile in his eyes.  She looked down her phone. Kanina pa niya tinatawagan ang ate niya. Her step sister actually pero hindi ito sumasagot. Ito ang nagpapunta rito sa kanya at nangakong susunduin siya. She remember the last time she was here. It was 7 years ago. Sinundo siya nun ng katiwala ng lola niya. But that was long ago.Hindi na niya matandaan kung sila pa rin ba ang nangangalaga ng hacienda ngayon. Baka nagbago na rin since wala na ang lola niya. She suddenly felt alone. And she raised her eyes again to the stranger in front of her na nakita lang niyang galing din sa same flight niya papunta dito sa maliit na island na ito. "I came alone..." she trailed. "I noticed", he said when she left it hanging.  It's past noon and she can also felt her stomach hungry but she's more concern of how to get to Villa Esmeralda as soon as she can. All she wanted was to go back to Manila again. She doesn't want to be a part of this hacienda. Not in the memory of her mother. "I can drop you there," he said again when no words came out her lips. She immediately looked up to him. Her eyes asking and then lit up with hope. "Vince", he draw up a wallet and showed his driver's license to her. Vincent Fernandez, 30. Resident of this island. She smiled. Hindi naman mukhang nakakatakot ito. Why would he thinks na hindi ito mapagkakatiwalaan? Does it show on her facial expression. She went a little bit embarrassed.  But she thinks he is over reacting. Actually he looks friendly pero nagulat pa rin siya sa gesture nito. He is no doubt a good person. And he looks handsome even more with his smile on her. She can sense he is proud of himself. "Of course," aniya habang pinagpapalipat lipat ang tingin sa id nito at sa mukha nito. "Andi," she held her hand na mabilis naman inabot ni Vincent. It felt warm and she pulled it as soon as it came contact.  "Shall we?" anito at tumango na lang siya. Sinundan niya ito habang tinutungo nila ang car parked.  Wala naman siyang dalang mabigat kundi ang back pack niya at isang sling bag. She wore a plainv neck white shirt tucked in her high waisted jeans. A white sneaker. Her hair long black hair pulled up in a ponytail. Her sunglasses folded and hang on her white shirt. They stop on a white SUV and he opened the door in the passenger seat. She noticed he doesn't have any bag on his. Only the wallet and keys in his pocket. He must have been over night in the metro city. She had her back pack removed. Kinuha ito ni Vince sa kanya. Sumakay siya sa sasakyan. She looked up to Vince to find him getting her back pack at the back seat.  "Thank you", aniya ng sumampa si Vince sa driver seat, buckling his seat belt.  He smiled at her."Seat belt please" She followed. And watch as they drove away from the airport. The place looks not familiar to her. She can't remember or more like she had totally erase the memory of this place. She is just back because her ate Laura called her to be here. It is about the hacienda, she said. Andi was adamant not to go and even told her ate she no longer cares about the hacienda and has not wanted to do anything with it. Laura was even more furious when she refuse and told her about the trust and last will of their grandmother. Kung wala naman daw ang pangalan niya dun, hindi naman daw siya tatawagan pa. Laura even added that she doesn't want to see her either. And that she even wished her to disappear forever in their lives.  She winced at the thought of it. The feeling is mutual. Andi doesn't want any connection with the Monteverde's either. She had longed convnced herself that she is not part of the family. But it is like nightmare that keeps her awake every time it shows up in her dreams and she can't just shrugged it off. "How are you related to the Monteverde?", Vince asked that pulled her from the deep thought and reverie. "Eirena is my grandmother", she answered back without looking. He didn't say anything as if contemplating. "My mother was the late Adrianna", she said again. And as if the picture becomes clearer, Vince let out a little sound of oh. She thinks he had it figure out. "I'm sorry". "It's okay." sagot niya. "It's been 10 years". Ganun na katagal nawala ang kanyang ina but the memory still pained her. She drifted her eyes again at the window. They went silent. And it took another 2 hours to reach the grand mansion. Hitting the rough road with thuds that added sore to her already tired body. It was past 4 when the SUV halted to great villa. Andi step out of the car without waiting for Vincent to open the door. She was welcomed by the smell of the field and the green grass. She iinstantly closed her eyes to feel the sudden blew of the afternoon wind.  This is supposed to be home!