Eight years later.
Sky's POV
Nagising ako nang may humahalik sa magkabila kong pisnge. When I opened my eyes, I saw my two angels smiling at me.
"Good morning, Tatay!" they greeted me in a chorus. I smiled as I greet them back.
"Take a shower now! We'll go to the cemetery," Gift looks like she's giving me a command. Walang pinagkaiba sa Nanay niya.
Bumangon na ako at kumuha ng towel. "Ayan, maliligo na po," nakangiti kong sabi. "But, you need to go first dahil dadaan pa ako ng hospital. I need to visit my patient, okay ba 'yon?"
"Aaaay!" sabay nilang sabi.
"I promise you, I'll be there right after my work is done. Sige na, magbihis na kayo," nanatiling nakatayo sa harap ko si Gift na nakakunot pa ang noo. This kid. Hinding-hindi ko makakalimutan na noong pinagbubuntis siya ng Nanay niya, eh talagang ganiyan kung umasta lalo na kapag may hinihingi siya.
"Let's go, Gift," hinila na siya ni Moon palabas ng kwarto, pero bago pa ito tuluyang umalis, eh sumaludo pa siya sa'kin. So cute!
Naligo na ako agad at dumiretso na sa hospital pagkatapos. May dalawang pasyente kasi na kailangan ko pang tingnan for today.
Ibinigay agad sa'kin ng nurse ang record ng dalawang bata. Well, they're twins at sabay ring naconfine dahil mataas ang lagnat. Naalala ko tuloy na gan'tong-gan'to kami ni Sun noon. "Oh, si Alfred, hindi na siya nilagnat kanina, but ikaw Alan, ang taas pa rin," napasimangot naman siya agad, "you should tell him your secret, Alfred, para mawala na 'yong lagnat niya," sabi ko.
"Hindi kasi siya umiinom ng tubig, Doc," sabi naman nito at agad siya sinamaan ng tingin ni Alan.
"You heard him, ha, Alan? You need to drink water," tumango lang siya at napangiti naman ako agad, "you can be discharged later, Alfred, if ever hindi na bumalik 'yong lagnat mo. And, ikaw, Alan, if you no longer have a fever this day, you can be discharged tomorrow."
"Thank you, Doctor Sky," sabay nilang sabi. Ginulo ko 'yong buhok nila habang nakangiti.
"I need to go now. Pagaling kayo agad," sabi ko saka ako tuluyang umalis.
But, before going to the cemetery, I went first to a flower shop to buy her favorite red roses. Looking at the flower reminds me of her. I miss her so much!
Nang makarating ako sa sementeryo ay agad akong lumapit sa puntod nila. The children were also there, talking about some stuff. I placed down white roses for my twin and red roses for Veia.
Yes, Veia died eight years ago. She had a Systemic lupus erythematosus at namana niya 'yon sa lola niya. Kaya pala no'ng nagsama kami for two months nagkakaroon siya ng skin rashes at minsan nagrereklamo siya na nahihirapan siyang huminga. Kapag sinasabi kong magpunta kami sa Doctor ay lagi siyang tumatanggi. Pero, nang eight months na siyang buntis ay siya na mismo ang nagsabi na magpapa-ospital siya dahil hindi na maganda ang nararamdaman niya. At, natakot talaga kami nang malamang may ganoon siyang sakit lalo na't buntis siya, it can harm the baby. Mabuti na lang at ginawa lahat ng Doctor pati na rin ang pamilya niya na masecure ang baby pati na rin si Veia. But, she's really so weak nang ipanganak niya si Moon, halata talagang pinipilit niya pa ring mabuhay for her son, but sadly, nagpaalam na rin siya after a week. Good thing, Moon is so heathy now at wala naman kaming nakikitang kakaiba sa kaniya.
Remembering that day is very heartbreaking. Bago niya tuluyang ipinikit ang mga mata niya ay hiniling muna niya sa'min ni Hillary na alagaan si Moon at ituring namin siya na parang totoo naming anak and so that's what we did. Syempre, hindi na rin namin itinago ni Hillary kay Moon ang katotohanan. As of now, patuloy pa rin naming hinahanap ang tunay na Daddy ni Moon, he deserves to know him.
Moon is now eight years old and Gift Yura, I and Hillary's offspring, is six years old. Sobrang kulit ni Gift at sobrang bait ng anak ni Veia at sobrang gwapo! Half Austrian, eh. Kaya minsan nagrereklamo itong si Gift Yura na lagi siyang nasasabihan na 'di niya kapatid si Moon dahil nga sa ang laki ng pinagkaiba nila. Si Moon kasi mahahalata mo talagang may lahi at si Gift may ibang ganda naman, Pinay na Pinay. Pero sa totoo lang, may resemblance sila dahil mag pinsan naman sila, pero ang itinuro namin ni Hillary ay ituring nilang kapatid ang isa't isa.
"Andito ka na pala," Hillary came. She sat beside me at agad namang yumakap sa kaniya si Moon. They're so close and at the same time, kami rin ni Gift kahit hindi halata dahil palagi niya akong pinapagalitan.
"Nay, if Tatay and Tito Sun are twins, then why is his face looks so young?" Gift even pointed Sun's picture.
Pareho lang kaming natawa ni Hillary. "Kasi nga, anak, Tito Sun died at a very young age. Tatay also looked like that when he's young," Hillary explained. Mukhang curious na curious yata kanina si Gift, eh, todo kung makatango.
"Does it true that my Mommy and Tito Sun were lovers before?" tanong naman ni Moon. Nagtaka kami agad ni Hillary dahil hindi pa naman namin 'yan nakikiwento sa kanila. "Ninong Andrei told me about that yesterday," he added. Now I get it.
"Iyong Boy Pandak na 'yon, inunahan pa tayo," medyo asar na bulong ni Hillary kaya bahagya kong hinaplos ang likuran niya. "Yes, anak. They were lovers. Kaya lang Tito Sun died too soon kaya hindi sila nagkatuluyan," sagot naman niya at saka niya ako tiningnan. Bahagya siyang lumapit sa'kin at bumulong, "buti hindi ikinwento na naging kayo ng Mommy niya. I'm sure marami pa 'tong tanong."
I chuckled, "you're right, Mi Stella," I replied.
"Pero, ngayon ba, Nay? Magkasama na sila?" Gift asked at sabay kaming tumango ni Hillary. "Will they continue their love story in heaven now?" muling tanong niya.
"Yes, Gift," sagot ko at napangiti naman siya agad. As if she really knows about romantic love, ha.
"Moon, Gift Yura, come here now, your food is ready!" Mommy said. Actually, nasa gilid lang sila kasama ang parents ni Hillary. I always caught them smiling while looking at us.
"Oh, you go now," usal ko at nag-unahan naman sila sa pagtakbo papunta sa Lola Sam nila.
"Kayo rin, Sky at Hillary, kumain na kayo," Mommy Charlotte said.
"Susunod ho kami," Mi Stella replied, then she suddenly hugged me. "How was the twin?" she asked, pertaining to Alfred and Alan.
"They're fine now," I said. "Sabay na tayong bumalik sa hospital mamayang gabi, but this afternoon one-on-one muna tayo sa Archery, kailangan kitang matalo, Mi Stella," I added and she just nodded while her laughter sounded like she's degrading me. Hinahamon niya talaga ako!
Pero, amoy na amoy ko talaga 'yong mabango niyang buhok, eh. Nawawala no'n agad ang inis ko dahil lagi akong talo sa laro namin. Tsk! Inamoy ko 'yong buhok niya at grabe ang bango talaga! Kahit oras-oras ko sigurong amoyin si Mi Stella ay lagi siyang mabango, lagi talaga siyang fresh. At kahit na 37 years old na siya ngayon ay mukha pa rin siyang 18! Sa trabaho nga ay crush na crush siya ng mga intern. Tsk.
"I miss them so much," she uttered suddenly uttered. Sinundan ko 'yong tingin niya and she's looking at Sun and Veia in one frame. "But, I miss you more, Mi Cielo" she's now looking at me. Mga ilang oras din kasi kaming 'di nagkita dahil busy siya rito sa Death anniversary ni Veia.
"If you really do, then kiss me," I even pouted my lips, but I am just pulling a joke. She's now laughing at me, "come on, Mi Stella," I uttered again.
"Oo na. Here, a kiss for Sky," she's now kissing me and was about to end it, but I deepen the kiss. Whenever I kiss her I always feel like it's my first. I still feel the butterflies in my tummy and tingles in my toes, it's still very exciting, honestly!
"Nay, Tay!" sabay kaming napatigil ni Hillary at nilingon si Gift na nakakunot ang noo, "aren't you feeling embarrassed that you're doing that chuchu in front of Tito Sun and Tita Veia?!" she asked and we both shook our head in disbelief.
"Mataray, puro reklamo, so you, Mi Stella," bulong ko sa kaniya at agad niya akong sinamaan ng tingin.
"Gift, just let them do it. Matanda na sila," Moon said and grabbed her. Nilingon pa kami ni Gift na nakakunot pa rin ang noo.
Nilingon ko si Hillary na todo ang ngiti. "Can we continue it?" tanong ko at natawa lang siya. I was about to do it, but Gift came back.
"Come on, let's eat!" she said. Tumayo na lang kami ni Hillary na hindi maitago ang tawa. Our daughter is really fond of acting like she's older than us.
I sat beside Hillary, whose smile is so beautiful. She told me to eat, so I followed her immediately. Pero, nahihirapan ako dahil hawak niya 'yong isa kong kamay, so I gestured her to let it go, but her brow just arched up kaya hinayaan ko na lang.
Then, I smiled as I thought that in this story, love really played us well. There are friendships that were shaken, but now are totally good. Everyone suffered the melancholy and mirthfulness.
And now, I am glad to announce that I, Sky Abellera, and the woman I am holding, Hillary Aeiou Abellera, survived in the game of love. But, we no longer take love as a game by now, but rather we take it seriously. It is also one of our foundations why we end up like this, contented and happy.
To my twin, Sun Abellera, and to my best friend, Veia Jane Gomez, I know you're happy by now. I miss you guys so much! In the right time, we'll surely see each other again.
To Andrei Herrero and Driana Lim, you're getting older, guys, stop arguing and just love each other truly. Magbalikan na kayo, please lang, maawa kayo sa tatlo niyong anak.
To Clarkson Martin, best wishes for your upcoming wedding. We're so excited to see your soon-to-be wife, Bubbly Anderson, in her dreamed wedding dress.
The two have a kid already, pero dahil busy si Bubbly sa paghandle ng business ng mga magulang niya, eh hindi muna sila nakapagpakasal. But, finally! The long wait is over.
To Lucas Martin, I no longer know what's happening with you, Bro, but I hope you're fine now. It's Been eight years since the last time I saw you and I've been praying that will see each other soon.
Right after knowing that Veia died, Lucas went back to Austria at wala na kaming balita pa sa kaniya. Hindi talaga namin alam na naging sila pala ni Veia for two years nang nasa Austria pa siya, but they broke up before Veia went back to the Philippines and messed up my engagement party. Lucas is really so in love with her kaya nga no'ng mawala siya isa si Lucas na labis na nagluksa.
And, of course, to my wife, I'm so grateful for having her and for giving me Gift Yuri as well as for taking care Moon like her own child. I know soon, our family will grow bigger, we'll be facing lots of ups and downs, but one thing's for sure, as long as I am with you, Mi Stella, we will conquer it all.
I looked at her, who's seriously taking her food, "Mi Stella, chill, walang aagaw ng pagkain mo, ha," I whispered.
"I need to eat a lot, Mi Cielo," she replied and smiled at me, "hindi lang ako ang kumakain, dalawa kami," she added and kissed me, all of a sudden.
"Nay, Tay!" Gift is somehow complaining again and everyone just laughed.
"Hillary, what do you mean?" I asked her with confusion.
"Sky, naman, matalino ka naman, 'di ba? Alam mo na 'yon," she said.
And, I suddenly exclaimed. They all get surprised, of course. "I'm sorry, I am just so happy knowing that Gift and Moon will now have another sibling," I uttered, sincerely.
"Really?" the kids asked and their Nanay nodded too soon, and they both jumped in happiness.
I looked at her again and said, "thank you. I love you, Mi Stella."
She kissed me again! HAHAHA! I even tasted the food she's eating. "I love you, too, Mi Cielo," she uttered, wholeheartedly.
Everyone looks so happy. Our parents' smile looks so different. Kids are still celebrating. And, Hillary continued eating with a smile on her lips. I'm so glad that the family I've been envisioned came into reality. I couldn't ask for more. I have the best family in the entire world.
And, I love them so much!
---------------The end-------------