CHAPTER TWO
1631 Words
Res’ POV
"NINONG Res, I want to go to my Mama and Papa.”
Napabuntong-hininga ako at hinila ang ulo ni Zea para mapaunan sa dibdib ko. Kanina pa ito namimilit na bumalik sa puntod ng mga magulang nito.
Inugoy ko nang marahan ang duyang kinahihigaan ko. Nakaupo sa tagiliran ko si Zea, hear head on my chest.
“Dalawang oras pa lang mula nang manggaling ka roon, Sweetheart. Pagkagaling mo roon ay deretso ka kaagad sa silid mo at doon na naman umiiyak. Too much crying will be bad for you.”
“But I want to talk to my Papa, Ninong Res. I miss him so much!” saad nito na nagsimula na namang umiyak.
Hinaplos ko ang likod nito and kissed her hair. “Shhh, Sweetheart. Stop crying. Your Mama and Papa won’t like it if they’ll see you always crying,” alo ko sa kaniya.
“I just miss them so much!”
“I miss them too...” pigil ang paggaralgal ng boses na sabi ko. Nadudurog ang puso ko tuwing nakikita kong umiiyak ang inaanak ko. Zea was only seven years old at napakabata pa niya para mawalan ng mga magulang.
“But I haven’t see you cry, Ninong,” sabi nito at tumingala sa akin.
I wiped her tears using my thumb and smiled thriftly at her. “Hindi ibig sabihin dahil hindi mo ako nakitang umiyak ay hindi ko na sila nami-miss. I missed them, too. It’s just that I can handle the pain.”
“How can I handle the pain, too, Ninong?” She asked innocently.
I shook my head. “You’re too young to do that.”
Napayuko si Zea. “Siguro nga po. Tita JM once told me to feel the pain until it hearts no more and then we both cried.”
I chuckled. “Your Tita JM spoke to you like one of her friends who’s been experiencing break up.”
“What is break up, Ninong?”
“You will know about it when you gets old.”
Napasinghot ito at pinaglaruan ang mga kuko sa daliri.
“I have a story for you, Sweetheart. Wanna listen?” sabi ko trying to divert her attention.
Napatango naman ang bata at sumiksik pa lalo sa katawan ko.
I cleared my throat. “Once upon a time, there was a Princess. The Princess was so beautiful, with her long black hair and a very pretty dress.”
“What’s her name, Ninong?”
“Everybody call her... Princess Ayla.”
Natahimik si Zea kaya ipinagpatuloy ko ang pagkukuwento. Maya-maya’y gumuhit ang matamis na ngiti sa labi nito na marahik ay napagtantong pangalan ng kaniyang ina ang binanggit ko.
“One night, Princess Ayla got out of her Kingdom and got herself into the forest. It is so dark in the forest that she was scared. After a while, a very loud growl was heard. The growl seemed to be encircling her, putting her on the place...” I paused.
“What happened next, Ninong?”
“A shadow came. Gustong-gusto nitong makuha si Princess Ayla because the Princess possessed something essential to the shadow’s eternal life.”
“Ano po iyon?”
I smiled. “Without the Princess knowledge, she possessed something so powerful and it’s her heart. And the shadow want it.”
“Maybe that shadow is a witch. Witches like hearts, don’t they?”
“They do.” I answered. “Princess Ayla got so nervous. She cried and silently prayed for help. When the shadow was about to get her heart, her Prince Charming and it’s soldiers came just in time to rescue her. The Prince Charming protected the Princess and the soldiers killed the shadow.”
“How romantic. Is it the end of the story, Ninong?”
I shook my head. “Not yet. The shadow was killed but there were villains left.”
“Sino po sila.”‘
“Hmm. Their names are Niwa and Awina. They are using...ah, black magic. Yeah.”
“They are like witches, too, Ninong?”
“Sort of. So one time, when the Prince and the Princess had a fight, Awina thought it was the perfect time to deceive Princess Ayla. Awina brought the Princess to the river in the most tricky way and Awina copied the Prince’s appearance. The Princess soon then realized that she was being deceived. She didn’t got scared of Awina. She got angry that she thought of killing Awina by herself. On the other hand, the Prince saw the Princess heading to the river and followed her silently. Kahit mayroon silang hindi pagkakaunawaan ng Princess ay sinundan pa rin niya ito dahil nag-aalala siya rito. The Prince heard the Princess shouting at no one so he decided to let his presence known. But unfortunately, the Princess killed him, not knowing he is the real Prince.”
“Oh, Ninong. That is so heartbreaking. Gusto ko pong ipabugbog ang Awina na iyon kay Uncle Jus. I hate her!” Zea exclaimed. Her face hardened. “W-what happened to t-the Princess?” garalgal nitong tanong. May namumuong luha sa mga mata.
“She cried and cried. Cried day and night for her Prince. She blamed herself that she thought of ending her life, too.”
“Oh, so sad...” saad nito at pinahid ang luha gamit ang likod ng palad nito.
“Ano po ang sunod na nangyari?”
“Hey...”
Sabay kaming napalingon ni Zea sa nagsalita. Nakita naming papalapit si Jus sa amin. Nakapaloob sa mga bulsa nito ang dalawang kamay.
“Uncle Jus!” sigaw nito na mabilis na bumaba sa duyan at nagpakarga sa tiyuhin.
“Hey, Sweetheart. Anong ginagawa n’yo rito ng Ninong Res mo? It’s time for lunch.”
“May kinukuwento po sa akin si Ninong Res and I hate the villains in the story!”
Napataas ang isang kilay ni Jus. “What story? Is it Snowhite? Cinderella?”
“It is a new fairy tale story, Uncle. Not the usual fairy tale story, right Ninong Res? The Princess killed her Prince because the villain Awina copied her Prince’s face,” pagsusumbong nito. “I want you to punch that Awina in the nose, Uncle Jus!” She added throwing her punches in the air.
“Whoa. Hahaha! That story is quite... unique,” patiayon ni Jus at nakangiting sumulyap sa akin.
“Sorry, Bor. Hindi ko napansin ang oras,” hingi ko ng paumanhin.
“It’s fine. Hindi naman matagal mula nang bumaba kami,” sabi nito at binalingan si Zea. “Let’s eat, Sweetheart. Mamaya na ni Ninong Res dudugtungan ang story niya, ha?”
“A’right...” sang ayon ni Zea at yumakap sa leeg ni Jus.
“She’s awake now, Sweetheart.” Jus informed her na ang tinutukoy ay si Ereneya.
I saw her stiffened at kumalas mula sa pagkakayakap sa leeg ni Jus. “Does...does she know?” She asked. Her voice shaky.
“She doesn’t remember anything.”
Marahan itong tumango. “What shall I call her?”
“Call her Tita. Tita Ereneya,” sagot ko.
“I will.”
“Tayo na at hinihintay na nila tayo,” yaya ni Jus na karga pa rin si Zea. “Don’t worry, Sweetheart. She won’t bite you or else we’ll ask Tita JM to kick her butt.” Jus whispered to Zea to erase her tension.
Zea giggled.
JM’s POV
“LUNCH is ready!” Masigla kong tawag sa mga kasama ko para mananghalian.
Magkakasabay na umupo ang mga ito sa hapag without breaking the chats. Parang hindi nauubusan ng hirit itong mga kuya ko ngayong kaharap nila ang ‘di magkandaugaga sa pagsagot na si Ereneya.
Saktong paparating naman si Kuya Res at Kuya Jus na karga si Zea. Agad na kinuha ni Kuya Karl si Zea mula kay Kuya Jus.
“This is my original baby, Ereneya. Si Zea.”
“Hi, Zea...” bati ni Ereneya sa bata. Uncertainty in her voice. “Tama ba ang pagkabigkas ko, Francis?” narinig kong bulong nito sa katabi.
“Tama ka,” ganting bulong ni Francis at ngumiti showing his dimpled face.
“How are you feeling, Tita Ereneya?”
Ereneya smiled pero makikita sa mukha nito ang pagkalito. May binulong si Kuya Karl kay Zea and I saw Zea’s lips formed an ‘oh’.
“Kumusta na ang pakiramdam mo, Tita Ereneya?”
“Mabuti. Mabuti na ang pakiramdam ko. Maraming salamat, Zea.”
“Kuya Karl, paupuin mo na si Zea,” puna ko dahil karga pa rin nito ang bata.
“Por favor, JM. Just Karl. Huwag mo na akong tawaging kuya. I feel so old.”
“Kuya...” tukso ko sa kaniya. He groaned.
“Paano kita maliligawan kung kuya ka nang kuya sa akin?” biro nito na ikinatawa ko.
“Sorry. Hindi ako pumapatol sa matanda,” ganting biro ko na eksaheradong nagpasimangot kay Karl.
Matamang napatitig sa akin si Ereneya na nahalata naman ni Kuya Res at Kuya Jus. Nakita kong nagsenyas si Kuya Res kay Kuya Jus.
Aba! Nagtuturuan ang dalawa kung sino ang magsasalita!
Kuya Jus cleared his throat. “Ah, Ereneya. She’s Jezza Marie. JM ang tawag namin sa kaniya,” pagpapakilala ni Kuya Jus.
“Isa din siyang kamag-anak ko?”
Hindi ko napigilan ang pag-angat ng isang kilay ko sa sinabi ni Ereneya.
Kailan ko pa naging kamag-anak si Ereneya? Ano’ng lihim pa ang mayroon sa pamilya namin?
Nang mapatingin ako kay Kuya Jus ay may gustong ipahiwatig ang mga tingin nito. I easily got the message.
“Ay, oo! Kamag-anak kita. You know ang mga katulad mong maganda..like me ay dapat close sa akin,” sabi ko na nagboses ala Alex Gonzaga. “Uhm, Zea very pretty. She’s my pamangkin. These macho men, ‘di ba ang popogi? They are my Kuya’s. Kaya huwag kang magdudang kamag-anak kita, okay? We are a bunch of beautiful people!” sabi ko at nginitian ito nang matamis.
I gathered almost the same reactions from my Kuya’s dahil sa sinabi ko.
“Iyan ang pinakamagandang sinabi mo ngayong araw, JM,” wika ni Kuya Win.
Kuya Res and Kuya Jus groaned.
“Let’s eat before this self proclamation goes further,” Kuya Res interrupted.
Nakangisi akong tumingin kay Kuya Res. Nakalimutan kong minsan may pagka-kill joy pala ito.
“Kuya Res, why so pogi?” tanong ko at naupo sa tabi ni Kuya Win.
“Genes.”
“Ano ‘yon?” takang tanong ni Ereneya. “Pagkain?”
Napatigil kami sandali at sabay na napahagalpak ng tawa. Ereneya is so cute.
- Writer
