Chapter 5
2003 Words
“Sir, Lucas saan kayo pupunta?” Tanong ng isa niyang katulong habang naka sando lang ito ay kinuha ang susi ng kaniyang kotse.
It is already evening, pagkatapos kumain ni Lucas ay nagbihis ito bago pumunta sa gym.
“Magagalit nanaman si Mama mo sayo, alam mong bawal ang magbuhat para sa opera mo” pilit na pinipigilan ng katulong si Lucas pero pilit itong umalis.
‘Don’t tell Mom okay?” ngumiti ito bago pina andar ang kaniyang kotse papalayo.
The sound of heavy weights and sweat going down to the muscular body of everyone at the gym keeps Aura motivated for the dream body she was expecting to. Ilang saglit lang ay nakita ni Aura si Lucas na naka sando na papalapit sa kaniya.
Lucas kick the punching bag bago tuluyang umupo sa harap ni Aura. His stitch from his previous opera was aching already pero di niya ito pinansin at binato niya ng panyo si Aura na puno ng pawis.
“Di ba alam ni Madam Lou na dito ka ngayon?” tanong ni Aura sa kinakabahang boses, samatalang kalmado lang si Lucas na uminom ng tubig.
“Yeah” matipid niyang sagot bago tumayo at sumunod lang si Aura sa kaniya.
Lucas run slowly on the treadmill at tumakbo din si Aura katabi nito. Lucas was keeping on wondering kung bakit di niya nakita si Xaviar sa coffee shop. Habang patuloy siya sa pagtakbo, nakatingin lang sa kaniya si Aura at Vinivideohan ito.
“Hey! Wag!” tinapik ni Lucas ang kaniyang camera at natawa lang si Aura habang piniplay ang video na kaniyang kinuha.
“Don’t worry it is on I.G your Mom, doesn’t have one” A smirk draws on her face.
“Lucas, pwede na mo nang itigil ang pag g-gym mo dahil sabi ni Madam Lou nakakasama sa opera mo ya—“ Di na natapos ni Aura ang kaniyang sinasabi at biglang umalis si Lucas at sinuot ang gloves, panay suntok sa punching bag.
Halata sa mukha ni Lucas ang galit na kaniyang nararamdaman, binigwas ni Aura ang kaniyang kamay at kinausap ito ng husto.
“Lucas hey, tig-ah gid a ing bagoe” (ang tigas ng ulo mo) Lucas looked at her at di niya namalayan na tumitingin na ang mga tao sa kanilang dalawa. Hinatak ni Lucas si Aura sa walang tao na mga dumbbells at doon nagsalita.
“Ginusto ko ba na magkaroon ako ng sakit na ganito?” Lucas fiercely asked her at natahimik si Aura.
Di alam ni Aura ang kaniyang sasabihin habang nakikita si Lucas na nagbubuhat ng 10 kilos na weights. Huminga nalang ito ng malalim at hinayaan na mag ehersisyo.
“Siya nga pala bakla, sino yung pinakita mo saakin sa video call?” nabitawan ni Lucas ang weights at tumingin kay Aura, Lucas blushed at halata sa kaniyang mukha ang kilig.
“Bakla ka! Crush mo yun no?” natatawang tanong ni Aura sa kaniya at di kumibo si Lucas sa kaniyang katanungan. Suddenly, Lucas smiled lightly. He keeps on reminiscing to Xaviar from the start he saw him at the coffeeshop hanggang sa napunta siya sa kaniyang kuwarto.
Lucas and Aura keeps on exercising hanggang medyo sumakit ang tagiliran ni Lucas.
“Lucas!” dali-daling inalalayan ni Aura si Lucas na umupo. It feels like his intestine goes down slowly into his testicle. Kinapa ito ni Lucas at lumabas ang ugat sa kaniyang mga kamay.
“I told you!” napasigaw si Aura nang makita ang halos mamutok na mga ugat sa kaniyang kamay. Di alam ni Aura ang kaniyang sasabihin hanggang pina inom niya ito ng tubig.
It is already getting late and the gym will close in some minutes, binitbit na ni Aura ang kanilang gamit papunta sa kotse ni Lucas. Kumunot ang noo ni Lucas nang pumasok si Aura sa loob, “Hey, get out” malamig nitong utos at ngumiti ng hilaw si Aura at sinarado ang pinto.
“Hehe, hatid mo ako pauwi” natatawang sagot ni Aura at nagalit si Lucas.
“Gabi na oh! Maabutan ako ni Mom!” Pasigaw nitong pahabol pero di umalis si Aura. Aura leaves Lucas with no choice.
“Sige pag di mo ako I hahatid I wil—“
“You will send it to Mom, yet—another blackmail from you” Dugtong nito sa kaniyang sinasabi at tumango lang si Aura at nag drive si Lucas hanggang sa bahay nila Aura.
Habang nasa madilim na daan ay binasag ni Aura ang katahimikan sa loob ng sasakyan. “Sino ang lalaki na nasa video call nayun? Ang guwapo ah” Inulit ni Aura ang kaniyang tanong kanina sa gym at huminga ng malalim si Lucas bago bumunot ng kaniyang kasagutan.
“I don’t know,” He answered coldly to Aura at natawa ito.
“Infairness bakla bagay kayo ha…. Do you kiss another girl from the Triple A?” finally ngumiti na din si Lucas at tiningnan siya sa gilid. “I kiss pero grabe na tama ko”
“HAHAHA! Bakla ka! Ano feeling mo? Wala nanaman no? baka lalakki talaga gusto mo Bakla?” pang-iinsulto ni Aura sa kaniya at natatanaw na ni Lucas ang bahay nila Aura.
“I’m not gay. I’m a bisexual.” May diin nitong sagot at di na naka sagot si Aura at bumaba na ito ng sasakyan.
“Thanks for the ride Bakla uwi kana” Pumasok na si Aura sa loob ng kanilang gate at nagpa ripas ng takbo ang kotse ni Lucas.
Ilang minuto lang ang lumpisa ay nakarating na si Lucas sa kanilang bahay. Dahan-dahan nitong binuksan ang gate at pinark ang kaniyang kotse. Ilang sandal lang ay nakarating na ito sa loob ng bahay nila. Sa pagbukas ng ilaw ay laking gulat niya nang nasa pintuan si Madam Lou nag-aabang.
Parang binuhusan ng malamig na tubig ang buong pawis na katawan ni Lucas sa pagkakita kay Madam Lou na maya-maya ay bubuka na ang bibig.
“M-M-Mom bakit di ka pa tulog?” Nauutal nitong tanong at nakita ni Madam Lou ang pawis nitong katawan at lalo na ang lumulubong ugat sa kaniyang kamay.
“How many times, I will tell to you na bawal ang GYM!” halos sumigaw na si Madam Lou sa pagkakita kay Lucas.
Binalewala lang ito ni Lucas at patuloy lang sa paglakad papunta sa refrigerator para kumuha ng malamig na tubig. The pouring sound of the water is the only on that Lucas can hear, the gulping sound of the water coming down to his throat was the thing they both hear.
Pagkatapos uminom ng tubig ni Lucas ay umupo si Madam Lou, kasama si Lucas sa sofa. Lucas sighed before murmuring some words. “Ginusto ko bang magka loslos ako?”
Pabulong nitong sabi sa sarili ngunit narinig ni Madam Lou ang kaniyang sinasabi. She took a deep breath before releasing her words. “Lucas, diba sabi ko sayo pagyang opera mo ay magalaw sa loob you will undergo EMERGENCY OPERATION! Gusto mo ba yun? You will bedridden again for 3 months as prescribed by your doctor. Madam Lou was a worried mother since Lucas is growing up already from being a little na akay-akay niya before going to court every day.
“I don’t know bakit nagkakaganyan ka Lucas” Madam Lou picked up his phone and showed a video to him. It is a video from the Triple A it is him on the dance floor, sumasayaw ng parang walang bukas kasama ang babaeng naglagay ng drugs sa kaniyang inumin.
Lucas cannot find the words to say in front of his mother. Madam Lou holds the hand of Lucas and her anger submerged. “Lucas, Son, alam mong ikaw lang ang nag-iisang anak ko. I do everything for your life to be easy. Pero kung ayaw mong makinig you need to be self-conscious, you will be a surgeon para matulungan mo rin ang mga taong may katulad na sakit kagaya sayo.” Madam Lou nearly cried for Lucas, parang kinurot ang puso ni Lucas nang makita niyang halos mangiyak-ngiyak na ang mama niya sa kaniyang harapan.
Lucas cannot hide the emotions inside, “Mom, I’m sorry”
“Come to Mom, Son” Madam Lou hugged Lucas, comforting his only Son. Madam Lou was so angry but when he see Lucas that is disappointed on himself, a mother cannot bare his son to have a miserable life.
Madam Lou do everything for him not to operated again, since it is already a decade. Madam Lou took a deep breath before saying his next words to Lucas.
“Next week you will now have to go to Manila, malapit na ang pasukan niyo, make friends and no gym! Especially magsasayaw sa bar na para kang pokpok” Lucas was hurt but he keeps on nailing it to his head.
“Paano mga gamit ko?” Lucas pleasingly asked to his Mom.
“I will send it there, sa susunod na araw. I will buy some desk for your novels”
“Mom, wala akong katulong is it okay? I will just laundry my clothes?” pasinngit na pangungulit ni Lucas.
“Kabahoe ka eun para indi mag eaba sing mga eambong!” (Malaki kana para di maglaba ng mga damit mo) Madam Lou nagged Lucas because even his laundry he cannot wash it for himself.
“Ehh I wi—“
“No more eh-eh Lucas. Pag ggym nga nakakaya mo yang paglalaba hindi! The condo have a washing machine inside the bathroom you can use it. Ang mahal mahal ng condo mo it is almost half a million tapos di mo tutulungang mag tipid?” piningot ni Madam Lou si Lucas at agad naman nitong hinimas-himas ni Lucas.
“Para may magbabantay sayo, remember Tita Bela?” Madam Lou asked
“I know but di ko siya nakita. She is dead right?” Lucas replied
Madam Lou just hummed to agree with Lucas. “I will make his son as your companion in Manila while I am working at the court, napakadaming pending ngayon, Mom will not guide you there. Galingan mo sa U.P and I will send you to America”
“America? To Dad?” Lucas’s eyes was brilliant like a thousand stars in the night when he heard the country named America. Lucas was longing for his father for all of his life, kaya ganun lang ang kaniyang ka sabik.
“That will be your reward, I am getting old. Kaya wag kang pasaway saakin, I am now 51 years old Lucas and the papers works are so stressing me out wag kana dumagdag” Pagsasaway ni Madam Lou kay Lucas.
“I will go upstairs and you will go to sleep” Lumakad na papalayo si Madam Lou at sumunod na din si Lucas.
“Goodnight Mom, I love you” Lucas kissed his mother on the cheeks and Madam Lou hugged him before going inside her bedroom.
In the silent night of Pedro Gil Street, Xaviar Copper walked buying some foods that he likes. Bitbit ang kaniyang resume. He walked to the five star Diamond Hotel, this late at night going to the Front Office.
“Good evening Sir, how may I help you?” she was greeted by the woman on duty.
“Ma’am excuse me, sorry I am coming late in the evening, and do you have a vacant Job here?”
The woman was blushing while looking to Xaviar. He held the resume that is pinned perfectly to the white folder. The woman received while opening it slowly, reading the details inside.
“So you are Xaviar Copper?”
“Yes Ma’am”
“Thank you for passing your resume, I will forward it to the Manager for some review and job position available” The woman smiled at him and adore Xaviar’s handsomeness.
“Thank you so much”
Xaviar goes out at the luxurious hotel and walked up to McDonald’s to buy some food, few people are in line in this American Restaurant. The sound of pleasing music are soothing everybody’s soul. Some minutes later after he ordered some fried to eat his phone ranged and some followers was on his notification.
He picked up his phone, seeing the woman at Diamond Hotel following his i********: account; Xaviar chuckled and let it out. Until an unknown, number texted to him.
From: Unknown Number
Hello Son, I am Tita Lou the bestfriend of your mother Bela. I will go to Manila before the end of this month, where I can meet you. I have something to favour to you with my Son.
To: Tita Lou
Hello Tita, sure you can meet me at the Starbucks Coffee on Mall of Asia. It is my day-off.
From: Tita Lou
Sorry for bothering you this late at night. Thank you so much
- Writer
