His Greatest Regrets (Taglish)

Chapter 9-Ay pandesal

Jake had noticed how the bakawan was moist and depressingly barren, and a light gray mist hung over the faraway pond like a veil. The only sound to break the eerie silence was the slow methodical beat of their wings, as a couple of eagles passed, unseen, and overhead.

The sunset threatening to dip behind the horizon earlier was gone, drenching a stiff storm of colors that were heaved over the sky with terrible and eerie fascination. The earlier fading blue and oranges fought the blackness and was shoved away with the arms of twilight. Far away the lights of the distant natives' home shone on the lake's distant horizon, reflecting and glowing in its depths. When suddenly the downpour of the rain had blurred their little trail. "Dammit, we should hurry Roxy."

Nakakainis naman oh! Ngayon na tanaw na tanaw na niya sana ang maliit na bahay, bigla namang umulan.

Bumuhos ang napakalakas na ulan na nagpapatakbo sa kanilang dalawa. At alam ni Roxanne na papataas na ang tubig, buti na lang ang maliit na bahay ng caretaker na nasa maliit na mabundok na lupa at hindi naaabutan ng tubig, meron lang itong maliit na ilang dipa ng tulay. Patakbo silang dalawa habang nasa ulunan naman nila ang backpack. Pagkalipas ng ilang sandali kinakatok na niya ang pintuan. Naku manong, buksan mo na. "Manong, tao po!" Sabay katok niya ng malakas habang nanginig naman. "...manong? Tao po?"

A few minutes later, he saw Roxanne was still knocking on the door and now silently waiting for the owner to open it. Surveying the surrounding he notices how the front door opens an inch and the enclosed tiny stone porch carries the aroma of flowers and the warmth of the home. The old wooden veranda was where one would relax when the chance of a conversation with passing neighbors was welcome, yet it was all covered in mud and drops of recent rain.

On the left side, some plants reached up past the wooden railings and branched out gleefully into the rain, enjoying their fair-weather home. And with his eyesight, he saw the little garden among the bushes of root and wand, amid each green leaf and delicate petal. However, the aromas of the herbs whisking them off to pleasant recollection of Roxanne scent, refreshing and wild. Each plant grew close to the others, but distinct and quite soothing in the way it was both natural and yet still orderly.

Anyare dito kay manong, bakit ayaw silang pagbuksan ang lamig lamig kaya ng ulan. Ang lakas lakas na kaya ng katok niya, kakatok na sana siya uli ng may napansin siyang nakauslit na maliit na papel na nasa loob ng plastik sa ilalim ng pintuan nito.

Hinila niya ito at kinuha ang papel sa loob. Isang maliit na note, sulat kamay tiyak ni manong at binasa niya. Nakasaad dito na umalis pala ito ng madaling araw dahil di umano'y namatay yung anak nito sa bayan at nag iwan lang ng maliit na susi sa may herbal plant nito sa harap ng maliit na baranda. Babalik daw ito bukas pa ng hapon. Meron naman daw itong iniwan na bigas at delata na pwede nilang kainin at alimangong nasa batya raw sa may kusina. Pagkatapos basahin, binuksan na ni Roxanne ang pintuan pagkatapos kunin ito sa may ilalim ng paso ni manong.

Jake saw her went to the nearby herbs vase and lifted it up and took the keys. She opened the door widely and gestured to him to come in. Both were wet and shivering so he immediately took his jacket and shirt off. While Roxanne opened her backpack and took her phone and switched the flashlights on.

"Ay, pandesal!" Gulat niyang naaninag ang hubad na pang itaas ni Jake. "...hey, what are you doing?" Aba't bakit naghubad agad? Wala namang ganyanan, di siya handa. Kung may balak ito, nakakahiya hindi siya naka shave ah!

"Roxy, we are both wet and if we won't take off our clothes we are risking ourselves to get a cold in no time. We dont want that, do we?" He explained and went to the little windows and hung his wet clothing. Trying not to grin, much to his relief as the wind grew vulnerable against manong's little wooden windows; his muscles working all the more as he closed it.

He then went to the dirty kitchen which was connected by a wooden muddy floor behind the little house. Checking of the door was opened. Luckily it was close. While Roxanne was eyeing him. He went to her side and took her backpack and carried it all at once inside and neatly settle it in by the small peculiarly ready wooden chair.

"Jake do you mind closing more windows. Its bloody windy." Saad niyang iniiwasang tingnan ang walong pandesal nito. Bakit ba ang kinis kinis naman ng likod nito at ang gara ng muscle nag fleflex tuwing gumalaw. Ang sarap sigurong hawakan yun, matigas tigas at malaki laki… ang braso! Char iba naman nasa isip mung malandi ka.

"Sure." He answered and yawned as he stretched his arms apart and attempted to close his eyes yet he couldn't as he took a glimpse all around. The house was small and old nonetheless modest with a cozy asian dwelling kind, typically in a settlement like this. He closed all doors and took a seat near the dining table which was located in the far end corner. Surveying the place again, he saw dozen of pots and bottles of concoctions with different kinds of herbs, various aromatic plants, he recognized as oregano, rue, and rosemary, which are used in cookery and medicine and some dried leaves dangled the walls as well as some unusual root crops.

Aba, gentleman naman pala ito. Himala bumabait na sa kanya at hindi na siya iniinis at tinutukso nitong pandak. Little troll daw siya. Hmp! maka little ito. Lunurin niya ito sa dibdib niyang malalaki, ma little talaga siya.

Pumunta lang si Roxanne sa maliit na kwarto at isinara ang telang pintuan nito at naghubad na. Iniwan niya na si Jake sa labas at ang cellphone naman niya'y iniwan niya lang sa paanan ng telang pintuan. Upang meron din itong ilaw sa sala.

Ang lamig lamig na ng kalamnan niya at kahit ngala ngala niya ay nanginginig na rin, kahit pempem niya basa dahil sa ulan. Buti na lang nagdala siya ng tatlong extrang panty. Kaya lang nakalimutan niya pala ang bra, naku naman Buday. Sa dami dami ng pwedeng kalimutan bra pa. Sabagay malaki naman itong shirt niya hindi na obyus. Pero naiiling siya dahil nga malalaki ito at mala papayang nakatayo pa ang u***g. Hindi naman siguro ito mapapansin ni Jake no? Madilim naman.

Asa ka pa uy!

Teka may gasera ba si manong dito? Alam niyang walang kuryente dito at kung nag chacharge ito ng phone ay sa solar panel lang ito nakikicharge. Binilhan kasi ito ng maliit na solar ni ate MJ. Mahanap nga ang mga saksakan nito at ma on ang ilaw. Ang alam niya meron itong isang bumbilya sa sala at sa kusina.