Mental Disorder Series 3: Sinful Touch

Chapter 19

Chapter 19 | ST

I was still dazed throughout the flight. My heart was pounding so hard against my chest. Bago ako matulog ay naramdaman ko ‘yung kamay niya sa binti ko at bahagya niya pinisil binti ko. Umiwas ako ng tingin at hinayaan ko na lang siya. s**t.

Mayamaya’y naglalakad na kami palapas ng Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Hinahangin ‘yung buhok ko at napatingin ako sa kabuuan ng lugar. Wow… I can’t believe that I’m already here in the Philippines. Mabilis ko tinanggal ‘yung coat ko dahil naramdaman ko ‘yung init.

Yeah, I’m really in Manila. I’m home with Cadence. Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa at ngumiti siya sa akin. Hinalikan niya ‘yung noo ko at pinagsiklop ‘yung kamay namin.

“Welcome home, baby,” he whispered.

My lips slowly painted with my smile. Tinanggal ko na ‘yung shades ko na may dumating na SUV sa tapat namin. Bumaba doon ang matagal naming driver. Akala ko wala na siya pero nanatili pa rin siyang driver ng pamilya namin.

“Hello po Ma’am! Welcome back!” Mang Caloy greeted. “Grabe Ma’am mas lalo ka gumanda.”

“You’re still our family driver, Mang Caloy?”

Tumango ito. “Loyal ako sa pamilya niyo Ma’am. Pinaparamdam niyo naman sa akin na isa rin ako sa pamilya niyo. Kaya kinagagalak ko na nakabalik ka na ng Pilipinas.”

Pinagbuksan niya kami ng pintuan ni Cadence at binati niya rin si Cadence. Umupo ulit ako malapit sa binata. Medyo may distansiya lang sa amin ngayon ni Cadence. Nahuhuli ko siya na pasimpleng nakatingin sa akin habang kausap si Mang Caloy na nagmamaneho.

“I already told Mama that we’re going home. Kuya Adrimo also knows that we’re going home today. They will have a warm celebration for you,” Cadence beamed. 

I chortled. “They don’t need to give me a welcome celebration. A simple dinner will do.”

“You cannot blame them if they want a celebration for your arrival. They all miss you so bad.”

“I miss them too, Cadence.”

“Kylo wants to introduce you to his little sister.”

Napansin ko ay maraming pagbabago sa lugar ng Manila. Pero yung feeling ng tahanan ay nandito pa rin sa puso ko habang tinatanaw ‘yung lugar. Napanguso ako na medyo traffic ngayon sa EDSA. Pasimple akong napangiti kasi alam ko mabago man ang lugar o kalsada ay nandito pa rin ‘yung traffic.

“Are you hungry?” he asked.

“I’m a little famished,” I replied.

“Hold on… malapit na tayo.”

After an hour, we finally entered our subdivision. Nakaramdam ako ng kaba sa dibdib ko habang tinatahak na ‘yung lugar malapit sa bahay namin. Napalunok ako habang pinagmamasdan ‘yung lugar dahil mas lalo naglaro mga memories sa utak ko.

Huminto na ‘yung SUV sa tapat ng malaking moderno na bahay. It’s our home. Nauna bumaba si Cadence at marahan niya ako pinagmamasdan. Siguro ay napansin niya na matagal ako nakatitig sa bahay. 

I released a heavy sigh. I am ready to face my family. I am ready to accept that my brother is no longer here with us. But I know he’s watching me. 

Nilahad ni Cadence ‘yung kamay niya at hinawakan ko naman ‘yun. Maingat niya ako tinulungan bumaba ng SUV. Naglakad na kami patungo sa loob ng gate. Napatingin ako sa front yard dahil maraming mga bulaklak. Before it was just plain grass, but now it has many flowers blooming in every corner. 

Pumasok na kami sa loob ng bahay, may mga housemaids na bumati sa akin. Binati ko rin sila pabalik. 

“Good afternoon. Where are they?” Cadence asked.

“Nasa backyard po sila, Sir!” 

Tumango na lang kami at naglakad na kami patungo sa backyard. Nakita ko ‘yung mga tao mula sa glass door. Nauna lumabas si Cadence at napatingin ang mga tao sa gawi namin. Nagpakita ako mula sa likod ni Cadence at namataan ko si Mommy. 

My parents are standing beside the table. Nakita ko na naluluha si Mommy at Daddy habang tinitingnan ako. Nagtubig din tuloy ‘yung mata ko at nilapitan ko sila. Mabilis ako hinila ng yakap ni Mommy at humagulgol siya sa yakap ko.

“God! I miss you!” Mommy beamed. Bahagyang hinimas ni Mommy ‘yung likod ko at pinutol na namin ‘yung yakap. Naglandas 'ang mata niya mula sa ulo ko at paa. “You’ve grown up so much, Kyla.”

“I miss you too, Mommy,” I responded. Napatingin ako kay Daddy na nakangiti na pinagmamasdan kami ni Mommy. Niyakap ko rin si Daddy dahil namiss ko rin siya. “Hello, Daddy! I’m here.”

“I'm very glad you’re finally here with us,” si Daddy. Hinalikan ni Daddy ‘yung pisnge ko at inakbayan niya ako. “Mas lalo ka tumangkad ngayon at gumanda, hija.”

I laughed. “Bolero si Daddy!”

“I am not! You really look like your mother.”

Napatingin ako kila Lolo at Lola na katabi si Kylo. Mabilis na tumakbo palapit sa akin si Kylo. Kaya nagsquat ako para magpantay kaming dalawa. Grabe! Ang laki na ka agad ni Kylo. He was just my little boy! Sa paglaki niya ay mas lalo niya kamukha si Kuya Kyle.

“Hello, Tita Kyla! I miss you po!” ani Kylo. Ngumiti siya sa akin at sinusuklay ko ‘yung buhok niya. Habang matagal ko siya tinitingnan ay napapaluha ako ulit. Kamukha niya si Kuya Kyle!

“Hello, Kylo. I’m happy that you still remember your Tita Kyla. I miss you more, Kylo.”

Tumabi sa akin si Mommy. “He looks like your brother so much.”

Hanggang sa nakita ko si Cherry na hawak niya ang isang maliit na babae. Ngumiti sa akin si Cherry at napansin ko na nagmature ang mukha niya at mas lalong gumanda. Naglakad palapit sa akin ang isang batang babae na kamukha rin ni Kuya Kyle. 

These kids are spitting images of my brother! 

“Mama told me to introduce myself to you. I am Kyline Salvador. How about yours?” Kyline started.

Napansin ko sa paligid namin na naluluha sa amin dalawa. Mataman lang nakatingin sa akin si Cadence. Kinagat ko ‘yung ibabang labi ko at hinaplos ko ‘yung mukha niya. She is so beautiful. Medyo hawig niya rin si Mommy pero mas timbang pa rin kay Kuya Kyle. 

“You are so beautiful, Kyline. Nice to meet you…”

She giggled. “Is it true that you are my auntie?”

“I am your beautiful aunty, Kyline.”

“Mama! Tita is so pretty!”

Natawa si Cherry at tiningnan ako. “Of course… our family is very beautiful.”

Nagsimula na kami kumain lahat. Maraming tawanan at kuwentuhan na naganap. We ate our lunch in the backyard. Tahimik lang ako kumakain ng cheesecake habang pinagmamasdan sila Kylo at Kyline na naglalaro sa damuhan. Grabe… time is fleeting.

“Are you happy?” Cadence whispered. 

I nodded. “I finally saw my family. Ngayon lang ako masyado naging masaya.”

“Kyla, my dear, you grew up like a lady,” si Lola. Nakangiti ito habang naglalakad palapit sa akin. Tumayo ako para magbeso sa kaniya. As usual, my grandmother has a pearl necklace around her neck. Some jewelries on her which makes her scream wealthy. “How is Florida? I’ve heard that you keep swimming at the beach! How I miss my youth… Katulad mo rin ako ng dalaga pa lang ako.”

I chuckled. “No wonder Lolo is crazy over you.”

“Yes, hija! Baliw na baliw iyang si Ronaldo sa akin. Pila pila ang mga manliligaw ko noon at isa na roon si Ronaldo!”

Si Lolo ay natawa na lang sa kinukwento ni Lola. Talagang maganda si Lola dahil may halong espanyol ‘yung lahi niya. Lalo na may painting siya na malaki sa mansion kaya alam ko na sobrang ganda niya nung panahon na dalaga pa siya.

“Daddy already told me about that story, Lola,” I said.

“Naku hija… dapat ikaw ay huwag mo hahayaan na maghabol sa lalaki. Let these lads chase gold! You must be prim and proper because men like soft women,” Lola continued. Tumatango lang ako sa kaniya. Lagi niya ako pinaalahan niyan. “You should not give in that easily! Men will think of you as easy to get. It is a no no to me!”

“Isabel… your apo already knows what to do. She’s a Salvador, sila ang maghahabol sa apo natin,” si Lolo. 

“Dapat lang Ronaldo! I want a better, rich, handsome husband for my dear Kyla!”

My eyes widened. “Lola! I am not ready to get married.”

“Hija, kailan ka pa handa magpakasal? At your age, I am already married to your grandfather!”

“Mama, my daughter wants to enjoy her life for now. Once she finds a better man for her, maybe she will,” Daddy interjected. Nilingon ako ni Daddy at binigyan niya ako ng ngiti. Alam niya kung ano ang ugali ni Lola kaya sumingit na siya. “Don’t worry, Kyla will settle down soon. Not now.”

Lola huffed. “Fine! I am getting older, Adrimo. I want to see her get her own family before I die.”

“Mama… you will still live longer.”

Parang hindi nagustuhan ni Daddy ang sinasabi ni Lola. Kaya siguro pinagmamadali kami magkaroon ng pamilya kasi nga matanda na sila. Gusto niya pa makilala ang mga future Salvador na nagtatakbuhan sa backyard. 

Napaisip din ako kung kailan ko ba balak mag-asawa. There’s no need for me to rush but I have someone in my mind. But the moment I realized it, I immediately shrugged it off from my mind. That will never happen. Nakakainis! Bakit siya ang iniisip ko?

It’s against the law to marry her uncle! Family should stand as a family! 

Napanguso na lang ako at uminom ng champagne. Hanggang ngayon bakit ganito ang nararamdaman ko. Sobrang mali ng iniisip ko kasi alam lahat ng tao na Tito ko si Cadence kaya hindi pwede mangyari ‘yung tumatakbo sa isipan ko. Tsaka may mahal siya! Alam ko naman na hindi ako ‘yun kaya sobrang malabo.

“How about you, Cadence? Do you have a girlfriend?” Lola probed. Umangat ‘yung kilay ni Lola kay Cadence. Nagkibit balikat lang si Cadence. “Jusmiyo! You’re getting old, hijo. You should build your family too! Ang tanda na ng anak ng Kuya Adrimo mo. It’s your turn to give me apos!”

“Mama… the woman I want to marry is not yet ready to get married. I’ll wait for her,” Cadence said, formally.

Kumunot noo ni Lola Isabel. “Ano pa ba hinahanap sa’yo ng babae na ‘yan? You are rich, handsome and a Salvador! Pakilala mo ako diyan!”

“Soon, Mama.”

Humarap naman ngayon si Lola kay Lolo. “My God, Ronaldo! I don’t know what happened to these childrens! They should continue our family’s legacy!”

“Isabel… calm down. Let them enjoy their life,” si Lolo Ronaldo.

Kinausap na lang ng masinsinan ni Lolo Ronaldo si Lola Isabel. Mukhang disappoint siya sa sagot ni Cadence. Napanguso ako habang iniisip na hindi pa pala handa magpakasal ‘yung mahal ni Cadence. That girl is already lucky, bakit niya pa sinasayang?

Pinanood ko na lang sina Kylo at Kyline na masayang nagtatakbuhan sa backyard. Napatingin ako kay Cherry na masaya siyang pinapanood ang mga anak niya. May inggit na dumaloy sa dugo ko habang pinagmamasdan ko sila.

Someday, I’ll have my own happy family. Hindi naman sa hindi ako excited pero wala pa kasi dumadating na deserving na lalaki. But I really do have someone in my mind. I gazed at his direction and our eyes met.

He has a very dark shade of eyes that tells about the darkest world he lived in. His jaw was very defined to the point it is very obvious whenever he’s clenching it. And his hair looks like a bad boy type which can make women drool over him. Ngumisi siya sa akin at naglakad patungo sa akin.

“Hi, brat,” he greeted. He licked his lips as his eyes never left mine. “Are you having fun with our family?”

I bit my bottom lip. “Of course, I miss them so much. I’m enjoying the sight of my nephew and niece playing around.”

“Mine too…”

Mabilis ako napalingon sa kaniya. “W-What?”

“I am enjoying the sight of my niece too.”

Napailing na lang ako sa sinabi niya. Kahit kailan talaga ‘tong si Cadence. Syempre hindi na ulit kami maging masyadong close dahil baka magalit sa akin si Lola Isabel. Lagi no’n sinasabi dapat hindi ako masyado madikit kay Cadence baka wala ng lumapit na babae sa kaniya. 

“You know what? I do want to have my own family. Watching my own childrens playing around. I want to have my own too but my life for now is too difficult.”

“Make it easy, then.”

I arched my eyebrow. “It’s easy for you to say when there’s no people coming after you. I just want to have a peaceful and happy life. Bakit hindi nila kaya ibigay ‘yun sa akin? To our family too?”

“I don’t know. I just know that people are sometimes selfish. They don’t think about others, all they think is about themselves.”

“I agree,” I said. Ngayon ay hinarap ko siya habang nakahalukipkip. Matangkad naman ako pero sa tuwing katabi ko si Cadence ay nanliliit ako. “Lola Isabel is right, Cadence. It’s time for you to get a wife.”

“I told you, she’s not ready,” he replied. 

“Why isn’t she ready? Does she have any idea that she’s lucky enough that there’s a man who’s willing to wait for her? She should marry you.”

He smirked. “Ask yourself, Kyla Adrianna. Should I right now?”