PORTION 49

Petot’s POV

We are now inside the car, on our way to their house. Al was driving while holding my hand with his other hand.

“By the way, ‘di lang pala si Mom makikilala mo pati na rin si Dad at ang oldest sister ko.”

I tighten my grip on his hand, “Lalo akong kinakabahan sa sinabi mo.”

“Ano ka ba? You don’t have to worry about Mom and Dad, especially my Dad, because I know that they always support me. Pero dun sa oldest sister ko, maybe! kasi kay Ate ko talaga sila muna pinakikila bago ko ligawan, and I can say na marami-rami na rin akong pinakilala sa kanya, but Ate doesn't want so 'di na rin ako nagpakilala sa parents ko. Si Ate lang talaga yung may ayaw sa mga yun. . . . pero mukhang kaya mo namang sungitan yun eh,” he said, then laugh.

Napatawa na lang din ako sa sinabi niya.

"Pero ako, 'di mo pa ako pinakikilala sa kanya," angal ko sa kanya.

"Hindi ka lang kasi pang kay Ate, you deserves to know my whole family."

“Ewan ko sa ‘yo!” And then looked away, “but thanks, I calmed down a bit.”

I just put my elbow on the window and put my chin on the back of my palm. Looking at my reflection on the window and at the same time, looking at how beautiful the night sky is.

When we both reached their house, a maid welcomed us and opened the gate. Al went out and helped me open the door, so I smiled at him.

Al's phone suddenly rang, the reason why he said something to the maid.

"Assist her, she's our guest," he said looking at the maid, before he looked at me. "Go with her, and you'll see my sister inside. Sasagutin ko lang 'tong tawag ni Mom."

I just smiled at him, so he clicked the phone and walked a bit far away.

"Tara na po sa loob," yaya ng maid, kaya ngumiti ako.

And right after I got inside, I saw her sister walking down the stairs. She stopped walking when she reached the last staircase and saw me. I was shocked too.

She was the lady I saw the other week, yung babaeng yumakap sa akin na 'di ko naman kilala at yun ang unang beses ko na nakita siya pero yung yakap niya ay iba.

There was a small pause, we were too stunned to see each other again.

"Ms, upo po kayo," the maid said before she left and went to the person I was stunned to meet. "Bisita po siya ni Sir Al."

"Okay, you can go now." At saka niya ipinaypay ang kamay niya ng dalawang beses, giving the maid a sign to go.

I could see how she scanned me, while not still moving where she was standing.

I sighed, ako na ang naglakas loob na lumapit at nagpakilala sa kanya.

"I'm Precious, Precious Jewe Johnson. Pwede naman na—" before I could finish my sentence, she immediately walked towards me and hugged me. "Er. . . . Pe-pwede naman na ano, na Petot."

Nabubulol kong pagpapatuloy sa balak kong sabihin.

"Petot . . ." Hagulgol niyang nakayakap sa akin, at mas lalo pa niyang hinigpitan.

Hindi ko alam pero niyakap ko rin siya ng mahigpit, kasi feeling ko talaga kilala ko siya kahit na dalawang beses ko pa lang siyang nakikita sa tanan ng buhay ko.

"You don't know how much I miss you. Miss na miss na miss na talaga kita, sobra!" she continued, crying.

I just hugged her even more, and I don't why but I started to cry too.

Bakit ganun? Bakit para bang kilala kita? Bakit ganun 'tong nararamdaman ko sa 'yo? Bakit ang gaan ng pakiramdam ko sa 'yo? Bakit, ah, bakit!?

"Er. . . . Petot? Ate? What's going on?"

Naghiwalay na lang kami sa pagkakayakap ng marinig namin ang boses ni Al. We both looked away from each other and started to wipe all the tears from our faces.

"S-si Mom, a-ano, bumili lang. . . . oo, bumili siya ng cake with Dad. They will be back soon," Al's sister said, while not looking at us.

I could see how Al frowned, "Ba't ka nabubulol, Ate?"

She cough, clearing her throat, "Hindi ako nabubulol."

"Ano, nauutal lang?"

"Ay, hindi!" And he looked at Al, "Nataranta lang kaya nabulol na nautal."

Napatawa lang ako nung binara nung at niya si Al.

She looked at me, and offered me her hand, "Petot, right? You can call me Ate Eyey from now on."

I was about to hold her hand but Al stopped me from doing so. He grabbed my hand, "Oh, bakit mo kinukuha girlfriend ko? She's mine."

"Al!" tapik ko sa kanya, kasi nakakahiya sa kapatid niya

"For your information, hindi ko kinukuha ang girlfriend mo. I just want her to sit with me at the dining table, and ask her a few things. I want to know her, why? Can't I?"

"Approved ka kay Petot?" he asked his sister, shocked.

She put on an expressionless face, "No. . . . . I'm not okay with her being with you. Like, anong nakita mo sa kapatid ko, Petot?"

I just laughed at her behavior once again.

"Uy, grabe naman yun, Ate!" biro ni Al habang hawak kunware ang kanyang dibdib, malapit sa may puso.

"Oa ka talaga!" And laughed at her brother, "Wait niyo na lang sila Mom and Dad. I'm telling you, magugulat si Mom kapag nakita ka. Sige na, I'll go na. I'll help Manang ester."

And left us here.

I just sat down on the couch and looked around as if it was the first time I went here in their house.

"Ang laki na ng pinagbago nitong bahay, 'no? Ang dami ng picture designs and picture frame," I said, changing the topic. And then looked at the small table on the corner, and I was shocked when I realized who their Mom was. Napatayo ako gulat ng makita ko sa malapitan ang itsura nung Mom nila, I walked to it and picked up the small picture frame below the lampshade. "Nga pala, mag-ina sila."

"Petot?" Al called me.

"Oh, are we late?"

I turned around when I heard a familiar voice, I gulped when I saw her. She was wearing a nice dress too while I could see her smile, holding a box of cake too. When our eyes met, she accidentally let go of the cake she was holding. She was stunned to meet me, too.

"Mom!" Al shouted, looking at the cake on the floor.

"You really looked familiar. I've seen you before, I've met you already, right?" she asked, and at the same time, her eyes were starting to mold tears.

The man beside her was probably her husband, he asked her, "Hon, what happened? Bakit ka naiyak?"

"Mom?" Al asked her Mom too.

I tried to smile, "Yes, po. Nagkita na po tayo. . . . sa labas ng building."

"You're right, Mom. She is that person," a familiar voice said. I looked at it and saw how serious Ate Eyey was.

"You are that person?"

His Ate is too serious saying that. His Mom is about to cry right now. His Dad was just looking at me, as if he was scanning my whole face.

"Wait. . . . what's happening?" Al asked.

As I looked at them as I felt more confused, and clueless. They know something about me that I didn't.

"You really looked like her. Ganyan na ganyan siya nung ka-edadan mo siya!" Mom's Al said, looking at me, while crying. She spoke again but still looked at me, "`Di ba, Hon? Kamukhang-kamukha niya."

No one was answering Al.

His Dad suddenly became speechless, "As I looked at you, as I saw her. Bakit ngayon ko lang nakita yun? Bakit ngayon ko lang na-realize 'to!?"

She started to cry and looked at her husband, and started questioning her husband too.

"I was looking for her the whole time, what if mas natatandaan na niya yung nangyari? What if namukhaan na niya kung sino—"

"No!" Al's Dad shouted, Professor Smith, She's the reason why that happened! Yung— yung masamang pangyayari na 'yon. I won't let you see her. I wouldn't let you go through that pain again!"

Al looked at his parents before he ran to his sister, "Ate, what's going on?"

"The main reason why I didn't want to live anymore back then, Al."

Al lost control, and fell on the ground, "You mean. . . .?

"Yes," she said, after she gulped and closed her eyes.

"The world is so small, isn't it?" their Mom calmly asked.

Professor Smith looked at me, "No! Get out of my house!"

Al immediately stood up and went in front of me, "No, Dad! She's my girlfriend, so don't shout at her."

"I don't care who the h•ll you are, just get out of my f•cking house!"

"Dad!" he shouted too, so I grabbed his shirt, trying to calm him down. He took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "She's my girl, so you don't have the right to disrespect her."

"How many times do I have to tell you!? I said get the h•ll out!"

"Akala ko ba Dad I'm your man? Akala ko ba support mo ako—"

"I am," he cut him off, "I support you, but not this one."

"Dad!" Al shouted.

"Hon, tinatakot mo ang mga bata," Professor's Wife said. "Please, stop. I'm asking you."

Ate Eyey cough, "Petot, though I don't want you to. . . . but can you leave? Al go with her."

"Pero, Ate!"

Ate Eyey walked to us, to get closer to Al, and whispered, "Al, hindi siya makakatulong kung mag-i-stay siya here. It's best for you both to leave right now."

"I'll leave, then!" he said before he grabbed my wrist and walked away.

We both walked out, and went inside the car. He drove the car but after a few minutes, he stopped too. Tumigil siya malapit sa may tulay.

"Okay ka lang ba, Petot?" he asked me.

And that is the reason I burst into tears.

I don't know what exactly happened. . . . but there's one thing I'm sure about, I'm not welcome there.

I shook my head, "Hindi, hindi ako okay."

He held my hands, put it both on his lips, before it met his forehead.

"Bebo, sorry," he apologized.

"Nakaayos naman ako, ah? Bumili ako ng bagong damit, nag-make up pa ako ng konti. Hindi ako nagsungit sa kanila, nakangiti ko pa nga silang sinalubong eh. Sobrang saya ko nung nalaman ko na ipakikila mo na ako sa Mom mo, pero mas naging masaya ako nung nalaman ko na buong family mo na, kahit na medyo kinakabahan ako. Nag-ayos ako. Nagpaganda ako para presentable. Pinaghandaan ko talaga 'to, pero bakit? Winelkam ka naman ng family ko, ah?" I said, crying. "Pinaghandaan ko talaga 'to, Bebo, pero bakit parang 'di ako welcome sa family mo? Ang unfair naman nun!"

"Bebo, sorry. . . . Nagulat din ako sa nangyari. I didn't expect this at all."

I tried my best to unhold him, and put my palms on my face, trying to cover it.

"Gusto ko na lang umuwi, iuwi mo na lang ako sa Kuya ko."