All Over Again

CHAPTER 25: Past The Point of No Return

Venice's POV

Ako: Hey, look! Birds!

Tumingala ako dun sa langit where a flock of big birds---malalaking ibon, hindi yung Big Bird na yellow are flying. I'm riding on the backseat of a bicycle. I have my arms around Jerwin, who is pedaling the bike through a narrow path in what seems to be a forest. We went pass a few more trees and finally, lumabas kami sa isang grassland.

It's a pretty nice day.

The sun is out..

The sky is clear...

The birds are singing....

There's someone standing on the side of the path...

Ako: Who's that?

I tried to squint para makita kung sino yung taong nakatayo dun sa side..

He's getting nearer now..

Parang gusto kong batukan si Jerwin and tell him to pedal faster, pero baka lalo kaming bumagal..

Just a few feet away now..

I don't know why I'm so focused on this person..

I can see him more clearly now..

He's wearing faded jeans, a red shirt, khaki jacket, and hair ruffled by the wind. And then dinaanan na namin siya..

This guy..

This very familiar guy..

He smiled at me as we pass. He even waved to me..

G... Gerard...

The bike is still moving but I jumped off. Syempre, dahil hindi naman ako si catwoman, pagtalon ko, I tripped and landed on my face. Buti na lang dun ako sa d**o rumolyo..

I rolled over and found myself staring at the sky. I couldn't move..

I could hear Jerwin running to me...

At least, I think it was Jerwin...

How come G isn't running towards me?

-___-

Annnddddd I'm awake. Darn. I knew it was a dream.

I slowly opened my eyes para gumising sa isa nanamang araw sa mundong ibabaw---

O___O

Ako: WAH!!!

SHOVE -- BOOG!

Why am I hugging Jerwin?!?!?

Oh my golay, hinulog ko sya sa kama. O_O

Napatalon tuloy akong bigla dun sa kabilang side and sinilip si Jerwin na nakahilata sa sahig -- with a very rewarding startled look on his face.

Ako: Hi. Good morning.

Jerwin: Anong good morning ka dyan?!? You just pushed me off the bed, didn't you?!?

Ako: *gasp* Sunshine! I will never do such a horrible thing.

Jerwin: Wag ka nang pakainosente dyan. Di bagay.

He picked himself up and plopped himself back on the bed. Kokontra sana ako sa sinabi nya. Parang sya inosente rin ah.. yakapin nya ba naman ako habang tulog ako! Kaya lang baka ano pang isipin ni Kuya pag sinabi kong magkayakap kami nung nagising ako baka ako pala ung nangyakap.. pwedeng siya.. pwedeng ako..

Ohhh, magkasuyo buong gabi~

BRRRRR...

YAK !!

Sinasabi ko pa lang sa sarili ko, kinikilabutan na ko.

-___-

Jerwin: What time is it?

Inisda ko ung cellphone kong nandun sa sahig sa other side nung kama.

Ako: 6:38 AM. Tatayo na tayo?

I watched as Jerwin sat up and started stretching. Tatayo na yata talaga si kuya... Ang aga-aga-aga-aga pah.. T-T

I wanna go back to sleep... I wanna see G again---

Ako: Okie! Tumayo na tayo!

I jumped off the bed din, and was about to open the door nang may naalala akong bigla..

I looked at Jerwin who had just finished grabbing his phone and swinging his camera around his neck.

Ako: Gising na kaya sila?

Jerwin: *shrugs* We can check..

Ako: Wouldn't it be rude kung basta-basta na lang tayo aalis? And besides, di naman natin alam kung san sasakay ng jeep.

Jerwin: That's why I said we can go check if they're awake.

I opened the door, and fortunately for us, nandun na si Aling Marie, nagpprito ng itlog, pakanta-kanta pa.

Aling Marie: Ay! Gising na kayo! Aba'y ka-aga pa! Bakit di muna kayo matulog ng konti pa?

Ako: Ok lang po, di na po kami makatulog eh.

Jerwin: *bulong* Hinulog kasi ako sa kama nung isang tao dyan.

I glared at him. Dumiretso kagad ako sa banyo para maghilamos man lang at para na rin mag-weewee..

I can hear Jerwin talking to Aling Marie, maya-maya, narinig ko na rin si Manong Ben.. I used the towel na binigay ni Aling Marie the night before to dry myself up. Mamaya na lang sa villa ako talagang maliligo.

I stepped out of the bathroom, and yup, ayun nga si Manong Ben, may bitbit na kung anong bote ng gatas. Inaalok si Jerwin..

Ako: Ano po 'yan?

Manong Ben: Presh cow's milk, iha. Gusto mo?

Ako: Fresh? As in, galing sa dodo ng cow? O_O

Aling Marie: Ay, oo! May alaga kami diyan sa likod. Naisip namin na baka gusto nyo ng gatas para sa almusal, eh pinakuha ko na itong si Ben.

*gulp*

In other words, especially for us pa talaga.. O___O

Fresh milk.. galing sa dodo ng cow... O_O

Jerwin: I guess.. I'll try some.. You wanna share a glass muna, Venice?

Sharing is good. Sharing means I won't have to finish a whole glass of galing sa dodo ng cow. Sharing is very good.

Ako: Okay..

Manong Ben poured us some of the fresh milk dun sa glass na nasa harap ni Jerwin. After he filled the glass, nagkatinginan kami ni Jerwin..

Ako: Well... go ahead.

Jerwin: Ladies first.

I looked at him and then at the glass.. I'm willing to try anything, pero this is just too icky... T-T

Na-sense yata ni Jerwin ang hesitation ko, at dahil pinapanood kami ni Manong Ben, he took the liberty to take the glass.

Jerwin: I'll try it first then.

Hindi lang pala overnight ang pagiging santo ni kuya.

He drank from the glass, at aba natuwa yata..

O_O

Ang daming ininom.

Jerwin: Wow, it's actually pretty good.

He gave me the glass, all smiles pa. Di ko tuloy alam kung sarcastic ba sya o ano. At eto ang isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit first round pa lang ng "Fear Factor", kicked out na kagad ako. Takot ako sa mga unknown things.

Jerwin: Really, it's good. Try it.

*gulp*

Jerwin: Believe me.

Napatingin ako kay Kuya...

Mukha namang honest ang mukha nya..

Mukha namang nagustuhan nya talaga..

At paniwalaan ko pa raw sya..

Kung nagsisinungaling man sya, I guess it's okay. I'll just bury him in the sand and pretend to forget kung san ko sya nilibing.

I took the glass.

Well..

Here goes.

I took a sip...

and..

heeeyyyyyy...

It really is good.

Tinuloy ko na ung pag-inom.

Jerwin: Well?

Ako: Uyyy... Masarap nga. It's warm and mas lasang gatas kesa dun sa ibang pasteurized na milk.

Jerwin: Galing sa dodo ng cow.

Tumawa si Manong Ben na nakaupo dun sa sofa, pinapanood kami..

Manong Ben: Mga batang ito.. Gatas lang eh pinagkakaguluhan n'yo na.

Aling Marie: Ay naku, kumain na nga kayo at nang maabutan nyo pa ung jeep na wala pang masyadong sakay.

Naglagay sya ng tig-isa na plato ng itlog at pandesal sa harap naming dalawa ni Jerwin. Lumipat na rin si Manong Ben dun sa dining table para makikain.

Ako: Oo nga po pala. Last day na po namin bukas. Kung gusto nyo po, pumunta kayo sa La Plaiya, nandun po kami sa may beach nakatuloy. Baka po gusto nyong dumaan.

Manong Ben: Ay iha, gusto man namin eh, marami pang gagawin eh. Kailangan magtrabaho.

Ako: Ah.. Ganon pa ba...

Jerwin: Kayo po, Aling Marie? Baka po si Jose, gustong pumunta?

Aling Marie: Nako, iho, magtitinda pa kami sa palengke bukas.

Nagtinginan kami ni Jerwin. Parang ang awkward bigla...

Here are people na sumasabak sa araw-araw na trabaho..

Samantalang kami... -___-

Nilipat ni Manong Ben ung topic dun sa jeep..

Agahan daw namin kasi madaling mapuno yung jeep pag tanghali na baka hapunin kami kakahintay. Ayan, nagmadali na nga tuloy kami.. Pagkatapos na pagkatapos kumain, lalarga na kami.

We changed back into our own clothes na sinampay ni Aling Marie sa sampayan kagabi para matuyo ng pawis..Then we checked kung ano pa ung mga nakakalimutan namin -- not like we really brought anything with us. Lumabas na si Jerwin with Manong Ben..Ako naman, naiwan muna sa loob para tulungan sa paghuhugas ng pinggan si Aling Marie.

Ako: Aling Marie.. Thank you po talaga at pinatuloy niyo kami kagabi.

Aling Marie: Ay naku! Wala yun, ano ga? Hindi naman kami madalas nakakatanggap ng bisita eh, kaya masaya na rin kami at dito kayo napadaan.

I gave Aling Marie a quick hug, and then lumakad na kami palabas. At abaaa nakita na lang namin si Manong Ben nagpapaka-model dun sa harap ng bahay nila, si Jerwin pa ang photographer.

Aling Marie: Ano namang ginagawa mo diyan??

Jerwin: Aling Marie, kayo rin poh! Tabi kayo, ppicturan ko kayo!

Hinila ni Manong Ben si Aling Marie sa tabi nya, at lumakad naman ako papunta kay Jerwin.. Avah, naaliw ung mag-asawa at pinipicturan sila..

Todo pose!

Maya-maya, biglang lumabas ang bagong gising na si Jose.. Ang walang kamuwang-muwang na bata, bigla na lang pinulot ni Manong Ben, at sinabihan na mag-smile sa camera. Smile naman yung bata!

Sige, family picture!

Ako: Jerwin..

Jerwin: Hm?

Ako: Give me the camera and go stand with them.

Jerwin did as I instructed, and I took a couple of shots of the family with Jerwin Santos. Then Jerwin took the camera from me, and took a couple of shots of me and the family. Then, finally, lumayas na raw kami.

Jose: Aalis na kayo, ate?

Ako: Yeah. May trabaho pa kasi 'tong kuya mo eh.

Aling Marie: Naku, mag-iingat kayo ha. At wag na ulit kayong maliligaw!

Jerwin: Don't worry. Hindi ko na po hahayaan si Venice ang mag-lead ng way.

Ako: Shut up.

Nag-bye bye na kami kay Aling Marie at Jose, then sumunod kami kay Manong Ben papunta dun sa sakayan ng jeep, which is hindi naman pala ganun kalayo sa bahay nila. The jeep is there, at halos wala pang tao. Mukhang hindi namin kailangan maghintay or makipagsiksikan. Lumapit si Manong Ben dun sa driver, kinausap niya sandali, then bumalik sa'min..

Manong Ben: Sya, hanggang dito na lamang ako. Hinabilin ko na duon sa driber na ibaba kayo sa La Plaiya. Mag-ingat kayong dalawa.

Ako: Maraming salamat po, Manong Ben.

Jerwin: Salamat po sa pagkupkop sa'min kagabi.

Manong Ben: Nako'y, wag nyo nang alalahanin un, at natuwa naman kami kagabi.

Ako: Ay, oo nga po pala..

Kinuha ko yung mapa dun sa bulsa ni Jerwin, and then fished for a pen dun pa uhlet sa kabila nyang bulsa -- I know, parang akong magnanakaw -- and then I handed both to Manong Ben..

Ako: Paki sulat naman po ng address nyo.. Pag napa-develop po namin ung mga pictures, papadalhan po namin kayo ng kopya.

Manong Ben: Ay, sya nga? Oh sige!

He scribbled their address dun sa mapa and then gave it back to me. Sinalpak ko ulit map and ung pen pabalik sa pocket ni Jerwin. We said our final farewell to Manong Ben and sumakay na kami nung jeep, which left as soon as we got in.

Later, nagsimula na ang halos veinte minutos naming trip pabalik sa La Plaiya.

Jerwin: That was a nice little family they got there, don't you think so?

Ako: Hmmm... I guess.. Parang nakaka-bother lang kasi ang hirap ng buhay nila.

Jerwin: But they're happy. They're living a simple, quiet life.. they're all together.. They're.. happy..

Well.. that's true.. Simple, quiet life ha...

Ako: I hope we'll see them again..

Inayos ni Jerwin ung baseball cap nya na nag-pprevent "daw" sa mga tao na makilala sya.. and then he shrugged.

Jerwin: We can visit them.

Ha! With his schedule??!

Ako: Sana nga..

Jerwin took my hand and gave it a soft squeeze. I just smiled at him and put my head on his shoulder. I guess, somehow, this little out-of-the-norm experience has been good for us.