Kabanata 24
Invitation Letter
"Let's eat, Maisha." Mahinang tango ang isinagot ko kay Tita Analea bago sumunod dito papasok sa living room.
Tatlong buwan na akong nakitira sa mga kumupkop sa akin. My wounds healed already. After a month of taking meds and all the care that this family gave into me, finally, I feel fine.
It's been three months of healing. A months of processing everything that happened. And a months of suffering from all the negative thoughts that always attack me. It's been a long month, and the pain of all the possibilities from the plane crash made my heart ache to come home. Gusto ko nang umuwi at alamin kung ano ang nangyari. I always have a nightmare about the plane crash that woke me up in the middle of the night.
Pagkatapos kumain ay agad akong dumiritso sa hammock na nasa gilid ng patio ng bahay. It's a huge house. Mr. and Mrs. Esslinger and the family was so good to me. I am so thankful that they let me stay here, habang hindi pa ako nakakarecover nang tuluyan mula sa aksidente.
The memory of Alec's face flash on my mind. The worries and love that only my eyes can witness, always flash in my mind. It's like a torture for me, waiting for any possible things. I was so scared knowing that the plane crashed, and I'm with him. This was always happened when I'm all alone.
'I won't let anything bad happen to you , baby. Just please, stay safe always. I love you, so much.'
The last words I've heard from Alec give high hopes to me.
"How's your feeling? Did you miss your family already, Tita Captain?" A small sweet voice I've heard from Aliza, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Esslinger. Ngumiti ako ng bahagya sa bata para ipakitang okay lang ako.
"I'm fine, Iza," I sighed and looked away. "I just miss my family, so much," dagdag ko rito.
"I know they miss you too. And if you're going back to Canada, I will miss you," bahagya akong napangiti dahil sa pagnguso ni Iza. She's so adorable, and I can't resist her cuteness.
"I will miss you too," nakangiti kong saad dahilan para mas lalo itong ngumuso.
"Do you have a boyfriend, Captain?" ilang sandali pang saad ni Iza.
A long silence was between us. A memories of Adriel and me, ate my memory. A sad smile formed in my lips as I remember the pictures of Adriel and the woman he's with.
"Six years ago, I've met my prince charming and planned to get married after I graduate in college," malungkot parin akong ngumiti kay Iza na nanatiling nakatingin at nakinig sa aking kwento.
"He was my captain back then. He was my everything. He was my life. But he left me after the plane he maneuvered crashed. And that was the most horrible and terrible moment in my life." A tear formed in the corner of my eyes as I tried my best to keep my heart calm. But my eyes are traitor.
"And this past 6 months, I've met a new captain..." I smile languidly.
"I fall for him. And now. I don't know if he's still a-alive after the c-crash."
A lone tear fall from my eyes, followed by another and so on. I shred my tears in so much pain I'm feeling. Sobrang bigat sa pakiramdam. Sobrang sakit sa puso. Nakakatakot isipin na baka isang araw, ang prosesong pagtanggap ko sa katotohanang wala na si Alec ang susunod na gagawin ko. Ayaw ko ng ganoon.
Iza's small hands wiped my streaming tears off as she smiled at me genuinely. No traces of any clue of what really I'm feeling right at this moment. An innocent smile plastered in Iza's lips as I smiled at the this little girl.
Nagpaalam sa akin na aalis muna siya dahil may birthday party itong pupuntahan matapos akong magkwento rito. Hinatid ito ng ama at bodyguard sa bahay ng kaibigan. I was staring at the birds that's flocking their wings lively in front of me. Thinking of so many things.
'How was my family doing now? Did they know what happened? Are they worried about my safety? Or... are they mourning for thinking that I was dead from the plane crash?'
Thinking about my mom cried so hard, is hurting me more. How about the two Davin Rurik doing their lives, knowing that I was with the plane? My dad and Davin, they must be thinking that I am dead.
"Maisha, hija, there's a letter for you," napabalik ang diwa ko dahil sa pagsasalita ni Tita Analea na nasa likuran ko. May bitbit itong pulang sobre at may nakalagay na maayos na pagkaka-ribbon sa ibabaw nito.
It looks like an invitation letter. From how the ribbon perfectly wrapped and tied it, to it's elegant color of the card. It was a black card with a gold letters written on it. Napaka-elegante.
I knotted my forehead, wondering what is it and who sent me a letter. Knowing that I was in this place with no one knew who really I am. Tita Analea handed the letter to me. With a confused expression and a shaking hand, I slowly read the letter, and slowly, my heart breaks and pain pricked to it's core.
'You are gradually invited to Flight Captain Alec Castriel Lazer and Officer Amya Meyer's Nuptial.'
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