DUCANI LEGACY SERIES 8: Khalid

Kabanata 25

Anie

"Thank you, Anie ha?" namamaga ang mga matang pasalamat ni Laarni matapos kong makinig sa kwento niya.

She said she was kicked out of her sister's place because of her forbidden relationship with someone. Hindi raw aprubado ng ate niya ang relasyon nila ng lalake dahil sa laki ng agwat ng edad. Ayaw naman niyang sabihin sa akin kung sino dahil gusto raw niyang protektahan ang identity ng boyfriend niya.

I rubbed her back gently while we're sitting on a couch in an almost empty coffee shop near my condo. "Ayos lang. You can use my condo for now tutal sa bahay ni Kha—" I paused. "I mean ni Daddy Khalid naman ako nag-s-stay."

She sniffed. "Matutulungan mo ba ako na makapasok sa RSSA?"

"I already told Kameron about you. Tatawagan ka ng HR team one of these days," I assured her.

"Sana matanggap ako. I don't wanna go home to Isabela as a failure. Alam mo naman ang family namin," naiiyak na naman niyang sabi.

Laarni is one of those people who carry so much expectations from her family. Laking pasalamat ko na hindi ganoon ang parents ko. Iyong tipong kapag bumababa ang grades ko at nalulungkot ako dahil alam ko namang ibinigay ko ang best ko, pinalalakas nila ang loob ko.

In Laarni's case, it was different. Tila bawal siyang magkamali. Bawal bumagsak o pumalya sa buhay. Maybe that's why she's crying this much. Naroon ang guilt dahil hindi inaprubahan ang relasyon nila ng boyfriend niya.

I sighed when I realized that things could end up this way for me if my family wouldn't approve my relationship with Khalid. Marami ang manghuhusga at tataasan kami ng kilay, ngunit isa lamang ang sigurado ko.

I'm going to fight for what I feel because this is the purest and realest thing I ever felt.

Pinakalma ko muna si Laarni bago ko ihinatid condo unit ko. Nang masigurong ayos na siya roon ay saka ko sinabihan si Khalid na pauwi na ako, ngunit dahil masyado siyang nag-aalala sa akin, imbes na hayaan akong mag-taxi ay sinundo ako sa baba ng condo building.

"How did it go?" bungad ni Khalid nang makapasok kaming pareho sa kanyang kotse.

Bumuntonghininga ako habang isinusuot ang seatbelt. "Kawawa naman. I can't tell you what we talked about pero ang masasabi ko lang, sana someday, maintindihan siya ng family niya. You know? If she will continue her relationship with her boyfriend who's much older than her?"

Napansin ko ang pagguhit ng pangamba sa mga mata ni Khalid. "Pareho ba kayo ng sitwasyon?"

My lips formed a thin line as I nodded. "Natatakot siya pero ayaw niyang bumitiw. Kaya lang iyong boyfriend niya yata . . . tagilid na. Takot daw na maeskandalo." I ran my palm on his chiseled arm. "Kung ikaw, hindi ka naman aatras if people will find out, right? We will . . . fight for this?"

Khalid took my hand and entwined our fingers. Maya-maya ay hinalikan niya ang likod ng aking palad habang nakatitig sa aking mga mata. "I will. You have nothing to worry about. Hahanap lang tayo ng tyempo."

I smiled. "Thank you."

His eyes softened. "Please don't ever think that I am ashamed of having you romantically. We're only keeping this to ourselves because there are certain things we have to take into consideration for now."

"I know, at naiintindihan ko naman 'yon."

Khalid flashed a small smile before he leaned to kiss me on my lips. Wala nang nagsalita pa sa amin pagkatapos. Pinaandar na lamang niya ang sasakyan at idiniretso sa sementeryo.

Pagkarating namin sa puntod ay nadama ko na ang pagbigat ng dibdib ni Khalid. I know he loved his grandparents so much, kaya nang mawala ang dalawa ay halos kinailangan pa niyang mag-therapy para lamang makausad sa buhay.

Naupo kami sa damuhan at inilagay ang mga bulaklak sa puntod. Maya-maya ay humugot siya ng hininga saka ako kinabig para pasandalin sa kanyang dibdib.

"Their love for each other was so pure, Anie. What they had became my definition of true love. Kaya siguro hindi rin nag-work ang dalawang marriage ko. My standards in love were so high, at dahil 'yon sa kanilang dalawa." He rubbed my arm. "Imagine dying with the person you swore to spend the rest of your life with?"

Mapakla akong napangiti habang hinahagod ang kanyang hita. Khalil and Khallisa Ducani died on the same night during their sleep. Hindi nasabi kung sino ang unang namayapa sa mag-asawa pero nang nakita sila ay magkayakap daw. Lola Khallisa was resting her head on Lolo Khalil's chest. Their fingers were entwined and their hands were placed on Lolo Khalil's chest.

Tila ba hanggang sa pinakahuling sandali ay ipinaramdam nila sa isa't isa ang labi na pagmamahal, kaya nang inilibing sila ay nagpagawa pa ang mga anak nila ng espesyal na kabaong kung saan sila pinagtabi.

"I want a love like that. A love that goes through time and eternity," I said.

A broken smile made its way to Khalid's lips. "A love even death could never separate." He sniffed before he pulled me closer. "Pops, I think I finally found what drove you crazy back then. I can feel it now, and it's making my heart feel so alive."

Tila may mainit na palad na humaplos sa aking puso. Nahalikan ko ang kanyang pisngi bago ako pumwesto sa pagitan ng kanyang mga hita.

I let his wrap his arms around me as we stared at his grandparents' tombstone where a beautiful line was engraved.

'Our love lives on through our legacy'

The Ducanis are known for being all-out lovers. Hindi lamang ako ang nag-iisang nangarap na maramdaman ang pagmamahal na kaya nilang ialay, ngunit isa ako sa pinakamaswerteng kayang magkumpirma na masarap ngang magmahal at mahalin ng isang Ducani.

"Do you think they will approve our love if they could see us right now? O baka paluin ako ni Lolo Khalil sa kaharutan ko?" I joked that made him laugh softly.

My heart warmed when Khalid pressed a gentle kiss on my temple before he answered me.

"Kung hindi nila aaprubahan, baka ako pa ang mahabol ng pamalo kahit ang laki ko na."

Natawa ako nang mahina bago ko siya tiningala. "Oo nga pala. Nag-chat si Mommy kanina. They are expecting us to come early kahit sa Saturday pa ang fiesta. Mukhang may meeting de avance yata ang brotherhood ninyo sa Hacienda Mercado."

"Nabanggit nga ni Keeva no'ng umalis ka. I think it has something to do with your Dad's proclamation rally. Isa lang ang inaalala ko."

Kumunot ang aking noo. "Ano 'yon?"

"Baka oras na magproklama na si Armani ng candidacy niya, pauwiin ka na sa Castañaz. They are so convinced that the man who attacked us was hired by his possible opponent."

Napalunok ako. "Bakit parang . . . hindi kita makitaan ng pagtanggi kahit na nag-aalala ka?"

He sighed. "I think it's for your own good, too love. Maybe a few months wouldn't be that long. Magiging abala rin ako sa trainings—"

"Ayaw ko." Inirapan ko siya. "I'll stay with you at uuwi-uwi na lamang para tumulong sa kampanya ni Daddy. I will not leave you."

I could sense the smirk on his face when he hugged me a little tighter. "Anie, we're not gonna break up. Uuwi ka lang para maging ligtas—"

"Why? I thought you will protect me?"

Napakamot siya ng sintido. "Sige na, sige na. Hindi na talaga ko nanalo sa'yo." He moistened his lower lip. "We'll go to Isabela the day after tomorrow. They will surely let me stay in one of the guest rooms. We have to be extra careful once we're there."

"Choose the room next to mine so I can sneak into your room at night," I said.

He shook his head. "I won't do that."

Naningkit ang mga mata ko. "At bakit hindi?"

He smirked then pinched the tip of my nose. "Because I know you are a tease and I know I will always be at your mercy. I cannot let the entire Hacienda Mercado hear you moan my name."

Uminit ang aking pisngi. "We're not gonna f**k there!"

He sighed. "Ah, that mouth of yours. We never f****d. We make love. Those are two different things."

"Okay, fine. We will not make love while at the Hacienda. I just wanna sleep next to you."

Khalid shook his head. "I know you. You will surely seduce me."

Tumaas ang kilay ko't ngumisi. "At bibigay ka naman ba, hmm?"

"Don't tempt me once we're there. I'm begging you."

My smirk turned into a grin. "I'll try . . ."

"What did you say, hmm?" he asked before he started tickling me.

Napatili ako nang makiliti, ngunit maya-maya ay pareho kaming natigilan nang matanaw sa hindi kalayuan ang pumaradang sasakyan. We saw a man took a photo of us before he left as fast as he could. Sinubukang habulin ni Khalid ngunit masyadong mabilis na nakaalis ang heavily tinted na kotse.

Nagkatinginan kami, parehong nag-aalala.

"Nakita mo ba ang mukha niya?" I asked.

"Yeah." Khalid clenched his jaw as his expression darkened. "Looks like it was Nowlan . . ."