PORTION 51

TJ's POV

"Bakit hindi pa rin kayo okay ng family mo?”

"Hindi pa raw siya handa."

That answer makes me confused.

Hindi handa, saan?

"Zack, from what?"

"To say everything about me, and to say everything to me."

I frowned, "huh?"

"Hindi pa raw siya handa, but she said she won't let this month pass without telling me so I replied that I'm okay with it."

Even her mom has a secret too, just like our Mama. And it hurts as a child, we can't do anything about it.

I looked at him and I suddenly saw shed tears coming from his eyes. Nilagay ko ang mga kamay ko sa pisngi niya at sinubukan ng punasan ang mga luha.

"Okay lang 'yan, magiging okay din ang lahat."

After that dinner, Zack and Al went home.

No need to ask Mama because this house is always welcome for me. I said that I'll sleep here, just to make sure that Mama is okay.

Petot and I decided to be here.

Yes, we're here, in the middle of the night. We are in the living area and in front of the master's bedroom.

"Petot, you should sleep. Tomorrow will be Monday. You're a freshman, hindi ko alam kung ano ang pinag-aaralan niyo specifically, but I think your course is more difficult than mine," I said when I saw her yawning.

"No, Kuya, ikaw dapat ang matulog na. Yes, I'm a freshman but you're a graduating student too," she protested as she shook her head.

"Petot, makinig ka—"

"Ally! Ally!"

Napatigil ako sa balak kong sabihin ng marinig ko ang mga sigaw ni Mama. Petot immediately ran into Mama's room which I immediately followed. We rushed in and try to wake her up.

"Ally!" while her tears are overflowing, she just woke up from a nightmare.

This happens again, I saw them again in this situation. Petot is hugging Mama while she's crying. Seeing her tears, looking at her while crying, it's like my world is collapsing! f•ck!

"`Ma, why don't you just tell us the truth!?"

That shocked me, this is the first time that I shouted at her, at my own Mama. Agad akong napaluhod, at sinabunutan ang sarili ko.

F•ck! What did I do!? I'm such a fool!

I stood up, and they were looking at me. When I went there, I hugged them both, "Ma, sorry. I really am."

If Mama can't tell us the truth we must find it by ourselves!

After that night, we asked Sam to meet us again in our meeting place the next day. And she agreed.

"Petot, where's Sam?"

As soon as I got here, I asked where her bestest friend was.

She sighed, "Kuya, she's on the way! 'Wag ka mainip! Oh, ayan na pala siya eh!"

Dahil sa sinabi niya agad akong napatingin sa kanyang tinuturo. She's looking at Sam, Sam is walking towards us. We're just the three of us again, sitting here on our spot.

"So?" We immediately asked her, as soon as she reached us.

"I really want to help you guys and at the same time ayaw kong makialam. It's a problem but I don't just want to sit and do nothing." After niyang umupo sa harapan namin, sinagot niya agad ako.

Nakakunot noo si Petot, "What does it mean?"

"There are plenty of people who uses Ally at where Tita's school before that made me realize, na mahihirapan tayo na hanapin siya. Hindi ko alam kung nakatulong ba ako."

"Sam, oo naman nakatulong ka!" Petot protest and hold Sam's hand.

I smiled and looked away, "Pero paano na?"

"I have money and to get an investigator is so easy for me, pero nahihirapan ako, especially since I don't have connections. . . . but just like what I said, I don't want to sit and do nothing so I came prepared."

Sam's phone rang out of nowhere and she answered it. After that call, she asked us.

"Let's go!"

We went somewhere, like a warehouse. Hindi ko alam kung saan lugar 'to pero isa lang ang sigurado ko si Sam, at may tiwala ako sa kanya kaya kailangan kong sumama. Pumasok kami sa isang maliit na kwarto.

"Kurt?" And I suddenly saw him.

Everything is clear now, this kind of place is Kurt's place. Sam walked, and she stopped when she's beside him.

"Hindi naman sa nanghuhusga ako pero, Sam, really?" I asked.

I don't know why I have this feeling but it seems like he's not the kind of person you can trust.

"As I said, mahihirapan ako dahil wala akong connection unlike him." And pointed the person beside her.

Kurt crossed his arms, "I know, I know. You can't trust me but it's okay. Sam asked me to do it, I know it's for you but I didn't do it for you, I did this for her. Are we good now?"

I was about to speak but Petot put her hands on my shoulder, "Kuya, you don't need to trust him but trust Sam."

"Fine," walang gana kong banggit.

Kurt and I have past, they always use violence against Jaybi which is not good to me. Pwe! Past na 'yun, I need to trust Sam, that's what I need the most right now.

Umupo na lang kami ni Petot habang si Sam at Kurt ay nag-uusap. Kurt was about to leave but Sam stopped him.

"Kurt, thank you."

Kurt smiled, "No, it's nothing compared to what I did to you." Then touched Sam's blue arm sling.

Petot leaned against me, "Kahit pala 'di magjowa, masakit rin sa mata."

"Tunay ka—" I stopped and looked at her, "Magtigil ka nga!"

"Pero pumayag siya." As she laughs.

Kurt left the room, and the reason why I looked around. In front of us, there's a projector. Nagsimula na kaming tingnan ang bawat page sa projecter na may slide. I think Kurt explained everything to Sam, that's why Sam is the one who's explaining this to us.

"Hindi ko pa rin 'to nakikita, and this is the first time that Kurt gave it to me," Sam explained herself.

We started to look at those pictures and the background of them. There are two pictures; then and now, as well as the background of the person to make sure that we will know them.

Sinabi ni Sam na kaya daw marami kasi buong school raw yung hinanapan ni Kurt, which I understand. I must thank him.

There are plenty of people who get married and have kids now, their appearance changed and many more. . . . but there's only one person who got our attention.

"I met her!"

"Tita?"

"Zack's mom?"