Her Last Wish

Chapter Four

Chapter 04

"Hindi ka pa ba hinahanap nina Tita?" malumanay na tanong ng binatang si Jameson sa nobya habang tahimik na pinagmamasdan ang pagkislap ng mga bituin sa langit.

Pareho silang nakatayo sa tapat ng school gate at nakatingala napakagandang langit na nagmistulang isang painting masterpiece.

"I lost track of time. Tinapos ko kasi 'yung research manuscript ko," tugon naman ni Jane matapos ibinaling ang tingin sa binata.

"Mom actually called me. The reason why I'm still here is because hinihintay ko 'yung susundo sa'kin," dagdag pa nito na tinanguan naman ng kaniyang nobyo.

"Ikaw ba? Practice?" kuryosong tanong pabalik ng dalaga.

"Oo." Pasimpleng tumango si Jameson. "Alam mo na. Malapit na ang foundation day, syempre kailangang all out," medyo may kayabangang saad nito na ikinairap naman ni Jane.

"Sana gano'n ka rin sa acads," natatawang wika ni Jane. 

"Para naman hindi na napapakamot sa ulo si Tita sa tuwing card day." Bahagya nitong pinisil ang pisngi ng nobyo.

"Kapag acads ang usapan, sure nang wala akong laban." Tawa ni Jameson. "Idadaan ko na lang sa sayaw." Pagkindat nito na ikinairap naman ng kanyang nobya.

"Sabagay." Nagkibit balikat si Jane. "We can't be good at everything."

"Bakit parang pakiramdam ko nilalait mo 'ko?" Pagkunot-noo ng binata na ikinatawa naman ni Jane.

"No offence meant, Love." Agad naman na nalusaw ang puso ng binata nang makita niyang ngumiti ang kanyang nobya.

"Just one smile from you makes everything okay." Buntonghininga ng binata matapos niyakap mula sa likod ang dalaga.

Sandaling ipinikit ni Jane ang kaniyang mga mata at dinama ang init ng yakap ng binata. She could not deny that his hug calmed and gave comfort to her being. He completes her day,

"Look! A shooting star!" Dali-daling itinuro, gamit ang kanyang daliri, ni Jane ang dumaang shooting star.

"Let's make a wish!" saad pa nito bago ipinikit ang mata at bumulong ng isang hiling sa kanyang isipan.

Tahimik na pinagmasdan ni Jameson ang nobya. His lips slowly morphed into a genuine smile as he washed how Jane innocently made a wish. For him, he is the luckiest guy — the man who was given the privilege to be loved and love such an amazing woman like her. She is more than just a pretty face; she also possesses a kind and pure heart and an innocent soul.

Ilang sandali pa ay iminulat na ni Jane ang kanyang mga mata. Paunti-unti gumuhit ng isang ngiti ang kanyang labi nanh magtagpo ng landas ang kanilang mga mata.

"Did you finish making a wish?" tanong ng dalaga.

"Not really." Jameson shook his head in reply. 

"Medyo nadistract kasi ako sa kagandahan mo kaya nawala sa isip ko na mag-wish," kwelang saad ng binata na ikinapula ng pisngi ni Jane.

"Ang sabihin mo, hulog na hulog ka lang talaga sa'kin," taas-noong tugon ng dalaga.

"Confident mo naman masyado, love," natatawang wika ng binata.

"Bakit? Mali ba ako?" Jane raised her brow and looked him in the eye. 

Pasimple namang hinigpitan ng binata ang pagkayakap sa dalaga. He held her closer and leaned his chin on her shoulder.

"Although I confessed first, ikaw naman 'yung unang nahulog sa'ting dalawa 'eh!" Jane said, and he let out a small chuckle.

"Oo na." He laughingly nodded before planting a swift kiss on Jane's cheeks. 

"Even though you confessed first, I was the one who fell first." He smiled.

Jane couldn't stop herself from biting her lower lip as she tried to calm her excited heart down. Jameson's words brought her to feel a surge of butterflies in her stomach; all other sorts of ticklish feelings crept their way to her spine.

"Ba't hindi ko mapigilang kiligin sa'yo?" Jane shyly replied, covering her face with the palms of her hand.

"It's because you love me." Jameson smiled. "But of course, I love you more." He then brought the tips of their noses to brush against each other before lifting his head to plant a kiss on Jane's forehead.

"I love you, Jameson." Jane turned herself around, encircling her arms around his neck as she leaned her head on his chest.

"I love you more, Jane." Jameson smiled,snaking his hand around her waist, pulling her into an embrace.

"May tanong ako," wika ni Jane.

"Hmmm?" tugon ni Jameson.

Dahan-dahang iniangat ng dalaga ang kanyang ulo upang tingnan sa mata ang kanyang nobyo.

"Kung may dadaan ulit na shooting star, what will you wish for?"

"I'd wish for one thing — to grow old with you."

Saksi ang milyon-milyong bituin ng kalawakan sa pagmamahalan nina Jane at Jameson. Their relationship is not a stranger to doubts — they've been told that their feelings will fade; everything is just part of a stage that they soon will outgrow. But for the two of them, what they have is something greater than the people's opinions.

-

Pagkarating sa bahay ay agad na ni-text ni Jane ang nobyo pagkatapos ay dumiretso na ang dalaga sa kaniyang kuwarto upang makapag-palit ng damit.

"I'm home!" magiliw na anunsiyo ni Jane nang makatungtong siya sa hapag-kainan.

"There you are, hija." Pagsalubong ni Kriz sa kaniyang anak. Agad niya itong niyakap at hinalikan sa pisngi. 

“How was your day at school, baby girl?” malambing nitong panguusisa.

“It was fine, mom.” Jane smiled in reply as she pulled herself a chair to sit in. “Medyo nagging busy lang po talaga ‘yung schedule lalo pa ngayong malapit na ang foundation anniversary,” Jane added after pouring a glass of water for herself.

“Your sched would be fine if you hadn’t run as part of the student council,” Arthur, Jane’s Dad, chipped in. 

“You can’t blame her for that, Arthur.” Kriz then shook her head. “She got those traits from you,” she said, glaring at her husband.

“Napaka-unfair lang talaga ng mundo; I was the one who carried her for nine months in my womb, but she got almost everything from you,” medyo may himig ng pagtatampong saad pa ni Kriz. 

“Theoretically, shouldn’t it be half-half?” she pouted, then both Arthur and Jane laughed.

“I got your beauty naman mom ‘eh!” natatawang hirit ni Jane. “And hindi ba’t ikaw na rin ang nag-sabing ipinaglihi mo ako kay dad?” dagdag ng dalaga na ikinabuntong hininga naman ng ina.

“Jane is the living proof of your walang sawang pagmamahal for me, Kriz.” Pag-tango ni Arthur, bago pasimpleng pinadausdos ang kaniyang kamay sa bewang ng asawa upang ito ay yakapin.

Jane smilingly watched how her parents lovey-dovey-ly bickered with each other. Her parents were far from being perfect individuals, but together they always bring the best out of each other. Even before Jane learned about the definition of love or felt what it’s like to love someone, she had always wished that when she meets the man who’s meant for her, they’d love each other just like her parents.

“Why does it seem like we’re already having desserts when we have not eaten the main course yet?” panunukso ni Jane sa magulang.

“It’s not dessert darling; it’s love. And love is much sweeter than any dessert combined,” sagot ni Arthur sa anak.

Pagkatapos no’n ay nagsimula na silang kumain ng dinner. Jane couldn’t help but feast at her mom’s delicious cooking. She really enjoyed Kriz’s baked mac and cheese with crispy ham bits. After dinner ay tinulungan muna ni Jane ang ina sa pagliligpit bago siya pumunta sa kaniyang kuwarto upang magpahinga.

“My baby girl is turning eighteen in a few weeks.” Hindi mapigilan ni Kriz na mapanguso habang pinagmamasdan ang kaniyang unica hija na abala sa pag-aayos ng mga pinggan sa dishwasher. 

“Ma naman! You’re getting emotional again.” Tawa ng dalaga matapos nilingon ang inang agad na nag-iwas ng tingin upang punasan ang namumuong luha sa kanyang mga mata.

“I just can’t help it, hija,” malungkot na wika ni Kriz. 

“It seems like yesterday was the first time I held you in my arms and now…” Her lips slightly quivered, hinting that she was on the verge of crying.

Jane let out a small sigh. She walked towards her mom and pulled her into an embrace. 

“I’m not sad, I’m just overwhelmed,” naiiyak na saad ng ina. 

“Don’t be sorry, ma.” Jane chuckled as she comforted her crying mother. “But you do know that you don’t need to cry, right?” She pulled away from the hug and gave her mother a smile.

“I’m just turning a year older, but I’ll always be your baby girl,” she said as she wiped her mom’s tears away. 

“I was. I am, and I will always be you and dad’s baby girl.”

Dahil sa sinabi ng anak ay hindi napigilan ni Kriz ang yakapin ito ng mahigpit. Due to fertility issues, Kriz had problems conceiving a child. She went to different doctors, took a lot of tests, and tried other methods. Kriz almost lost hope; she was so devastated that she saw herself as a failure and even thought of letting her husband go, for she could not give her a child. But Arthur loved her with all his heart. He stood still with his vow; he was always there for her and never once thought of letting her go. 

“I cannot do this anymore.” Kriz shook her head. Tears kept falling from her eyes as she held the negative pregnancy test results in her hand. Her heart broke for the nth time.

Arthur sighed. He, too, was sad, but he remained calm to comfort his wife. He knew that she needed him to do that the most.

Nang medyo gumaan na ang kaniyang pakiramdam ay dahan-dahang bimitiw sa yakap si Kriz, at tumayo mula sa kinauupuan. Dahan-dahan siyang naglakad papalapit sa bedside table para kunin ang isang brown envelope mula sa loob ng drawer.

“S-Sign this.” Kriz handed the envelope to Arthur. Her hands were trembling, and she was biting her lower lip to stop herself from sobbing.

“What is that, hon?” Arthur calmly asked.

“D-Divorce papers.” Kriz looked away.

Arthur’s jaw dropped. He was stunned, the pain and sadness he felt doubled. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment.

“I am not signing those papers.” He spoke with a firm voice. “No one’s leaving; we are not getting a divorce.”

“What’s the point of staying with me? I cannot give you a child, Arthur!” Kriz hissed. 

“You deserve someone better. Someone----”

“Seriously, Kriz?” Hindi napigilan ni Arthur na magtaas ng boses dala ng nadaramang emotion.

“Gano’n ba ka babaw ang pagtingin mo sa pagmamahal ko sa’yo?” Arthur spoke, pain was evident in his tone. “Kung pagbuo lang ng pamilya ang habol ko sa’yo I should have left a long time ago, Kriz!” He stood up and sighed. 

“I was given a hundred reasons to leave, yet I stayed because I love you.” He raised his gaze to meet with hers, and then a tear fell from his eye. 

“I never asked you to do that!” Kriz scoffed. 

“Yes, you did not; It was my decision. And if I chose to do that before, I’ll choose the same this time too.” He slowly walked towards her.

“Why?” Arthur held her hand, bringing it to feel the beat of his heart. “Because I love you.”

“I love you so much that it hurts, yet I am always willing to stay, not because I promised to, but because it’s the one choice in my life that I am sure of.” He then brought his hand to feel her cheeks, wiping the tears away using his thumb. 

“I love you more than anything. Never think that you are a failure because to me, you are everything.…” Arthur slowly leaned, sealing the distance between their lips. 

“Flaws included.” He let out a small chuckle.

“I don’t care if we can’t have a child; what’s important for me is having you beside me through thick and thin and in sickness and in health.” He smiled before planting a kiss on her wife’s forehead.

A few months later, a miracle happened – Jane came into their life.