Painting is silent poetry and poetry that speaks is painting.
******
Clyde's POV
Kanina pa ako naglalakad lakad while looking at the paintings that were exhibited inside the luxurious and famous Xavier Gallery.
Everytime na naglulaunch ng new pieces ang gallery na ito ay sinisigurado kong nakakadalo ako. I also don't understand myself too, I was never been a fan of arts.
But there's something about the paintings in this Gallery. Somehow some of them looks so nostalgic to me.
For example right now, napatigil ako sa paglalakad ng makita ko ang painting na nasa tapat ko.
Hindi ko alam kung gaano katagal na akong nakatayo at nakatulala dito.
"That piece is very interesting isn't it?"tanong ng isang babaeng di ko namalayang nakatayo na pala sa tabi ko.
Like me, she was also looking at it while holding a wine glass.
"As I expected, you're here again" saad niya at lumingon sa akin.
"Good evening" bati ko and she just nodded.
This lady is indeed beautiful with her straight brown hair that perfectly falls above her waist with slightly morena complexion. She possesses a striking Filipina beauty.
I can say that this lady is very sharp with the way of her communication with me.
We always encounter each other every time I go here, we share small talks even though we don't know anything about each other's. Even names.
And I can really tell that she is different from the other women, because she doesn't give any signs that she's interested with me, like my secretary, Lovely Ana. Kaya kahit papaano ay magaan ang loob ko sa babaeng ito.
"So peculiar, if I may." Saad ko patungkol sa painting an took a sip from my wine glass.
Ito ay painting ng isang puting rosas na tila nagbabago ang kulay, sa dulo ay nagiging kulay pula. Ang tangkay malapit sa bulaklak ay makinis na berde pero sa bandang dulo ay nagkaroon ng matatalim na tinik.
It was like showing the changing process of the color of the flower.
Every inch of it is very detailed at kakaiba ang strokes ng mga kulay.
Kitang kita ang galing ng taong gumawa nito and even her passion is being reflected through this piece.
"It shows a life of a girl" comment niya and I glanced at her full of wonder.
She took a sip from her glass,
"The white rose symbolizes a pure and innocent girl and as the petals turns red, it shows how this girl turns into a very glamorous woman. A girl who by time grew her own thorns protecting herself from everything" she explained.
Then suddenly, I remembered my innocent eleven-year-old wife.
How she smiles at me, how curious she was in everything that I do.
This painting reminded me of everything about the girl I loved and still loving.
But, could it be that like this painting, that innocent girl also turned into a woman full of glamour?
Well, it's no use thinking about it anymore...
Malungkot na ngumiti ako and looked at the woman beside me.
"If you'll excuse me" paalam ko and she just smiled as I passed through her.
Nagtungo ako sa nakaassign na male clerk.
"Excuse me"
Agad naman itong ngumiti sa akin " Yes sir? How can I help you?"
"I'm interested in one of the pieces that is displayed in the corner. Has someone already purchased it?"
"No sir, that painting just arrived yesterday and its price is still not decided yet" sagot niya.
I took my cheque book, signed it and handed it to him dnd he looked at me in disbelief like I was not real.
"T-This is-"
"I'll send my secretary for the details, I have to go" paalam ko at tumalikod na.
Pero hindi pa ako nakakalayo ay nakarinig ako ng isang sigaw.
"MHARYA!"
Tila tumigil ang pagikot ng mundo sa mga sandaling iyon.
That voice...
C-Could it be.
Mabilis akong bumalik at humagilap sa lahat ng direksyon, nagbabakasakaling makita ko ang nagmamayari ng boses na iyon.
Pero.
Wala akong natagpuan. Parang isang bulang naglaho ito.
Maybe it was just another imagination of mine...
Malungkot na napatingin muli ako sa painting na kabibili ko lang.
"Eiffel..."
Eiffel's POV
"MHARYA!" tawag ko sa ngalan ng babaeng napakapamilyar sa akin.
Mabilis siyang lumingon sa akin at kitang kita ang gulat sa mga mata niya.
"EIF-" tulad ko ay titili din sana siya pero mabilis na tumingin siya sa paligid niya.
Madaming mga mata ang nakatingin sa amin kaya agad siyang tumakbo at hinila ako papasok sa malapit na silid.
Mabilis niyang sinara ang pintuan at humarap sa akin.
"EIFFEL!" tili niya at niyakap ako ng mahigpit!
"Gosh! what a surprise! I missed you so much!" masayang saad niya.
"I missed you too best friend!" natatawang puna ko.
I looked at her with a gentle smile, she's Mharya Xavier. Her brownish eyes, perfect shaped nose straight dark hair and her tan complexion truly are features of a Filipina beauty.
Unlike me, she's a pure Filipino. Her family owns the famous Xavier Galleries in the Philippines and Europe.
Silva, Mharya and I are close friends despite of her not having a noble blood in her veins.
"It's almost been a year! And you're looking so good tonight" puri ko and she just rolled her eyes.
"Bolera!" tumatawang sita niya sa sinabi ko.
"Wait- Why are you here?" nagtatakang tanong niya and I just shrugged my shoulders.
"Para maiba naman, ayaw mo yun? Ako ang bumisita sayo ngayon?"
She slightly raised her eyebrows "You came all over from your small castle just to visit a commoner person like me? You've got to be kidding me"
"What's wrong missing my best friend and wanting to visit her?" palusot ko.
"No. There's gotta be a catch here. Do you think na papaniwalaan kita?" amused na tanong niya and chuckled "You know me better than that my lady"
"Kung ayaw mong maniwala edi wag. Hmp! Aalis na ako!" pagaacting ko na nasaktan pero mabilis niyang hinablot ang kamay ko
"Oh no, you're not going anywhere hangat hindi mo sinasagot ang mga tanong ko MS TOWER!"
Natatawang tumango nalang ako, I'll never win against this girl after all.
"Since it's been so long since we last saw each other, know what? This calls for a celebration!" aya niya and I just nodded again.
Paglabas namin ng silid ay agad kaming nilapitan ng isang lalaki.
"Ma'am Mharya, kanina ko pa po kayo hinahanap" sabi nung lalaki.
"Ha? Why? Did something happen?" nagtatakang tanong ni Mharya sa empleyado niya.
May inabot itong papel kay Mharya.
"Ma'am, may nag purchase po ng isang painting po natin through this cheque" pagbibigay alam nito.
"Talaga?" kinuha niya ang cheque. Pagkakita niya ay nanlaki ang mga mata niya.
"Two million?!" gulat na sigaw niya.
"Wow, that's a huge sum of money Mharya" comment ko.
"Wait, anong painting ang binili?"
"Yung 'Metamorphosis' po Ma'am"
Ako naman ang nagulat sa sagot nung empleyado "That's my painting" singit ko.
"Sinong bibili ng ganyang kamahal na painting?" di makapaniwalang tanong ko. Yes nagaral din ako ng Fine Arts pero hindi ako professional painter and I just paint for my hobby! Sinong baliw ang bibili ng gawa ko ng ganoong kamahal?!
"Malay mo, nainlove sa gawa mo Eiffel, gosh. Kung sino man ang bumili nito, tinriple niya ang dapat na presyo!"
Napangiti ako "I feel happy knowing na may nakaappreciate ng gawa ko and willingly na bilhin ito"
Hinawakan ni Mharya ang kamay ko "You're such a lucky charm girl! Now we have more reasons to celebrate!" at natawa ako seeing how excited my best friend is.
Napatigil ako ng madaanan naming ang painting ko na nakadisplay.
Sino kaya ang bumili nito?
Too bad I didn't have the chance to personally thank him.
"Eiffel! Let's go" tawag sa akin ni Mharya at nakangitng sumunod na ako.
'''
"So, how was everything there?" tanong ni Mharya at uminom sa wine glass niya.
We were dinning in a very exclusive restaurant somewhere in Pasay.
"Ok lang naman, Silva also misses you" pagbibigay alam ko.
"I know miss na miss na niya ang kagandahan ko" joke ni Mharya at sabay kaming tumawa. I really love how spunky and maldita Mharya is.
"Hindi niya parin kinukuha ang title niya bilang Duke?"
"You know how hard headed our best friend is, Silva believes that mababawasan ang tinatamasa niyang kalayaan pag tinangap niya ang kanyang titulo" And Mharya just chuckled.
"Ironic, inaayawan niya ang kayamanag makukuha niya pag naging duke na siya" umiling nalang ako at uminom sa wine glass ko.
"OH MY GOSH!" sigaw niya. Lahat ng mga kumakain sa loob ng restaurant ay gulat na napalingon sa direksyon naming. Maski ako ay muntik ng atakihen sa puso sa lakas ng titli niya.
"Mharya! Ano ba nakakahiya!" sita ko sa kanya pero dinedma laamng niya ito.
"What.Is.That.Thing.On.Your.Finger.Eiffel?" madiing tanong niya sa akin.
Napatingin namna ako sa kamay ko "A-A ring?" nakangiwing sagot ko. Naku dali ako nito sa bestf riend ko!
"Who gave it? Wait- YOU actually accepted it?"naghahyperventilate na tanong niya.
Mabilis na inabot ko sa kanya ang baso ng tubig.
"Uminom ka nga muna ng tubig" utos ko at agad naman niya itong nilagok. Nang makahinga ito ng maluwag ay seryosong tiningnan niya ako.
"You're engaged?!"
"No! This is just a gift"
"Then who gave it to you? Walang siraulong magbibigay ng isang rare pink diamond ring as a gift!"
"Yan din ang sinabi ko kay Silva but he insisted on giving it to me" explain ko.
Napatigil si Mharya at gulat na napatingin sa kamay ko.
"He already..."
"It's not what you think Mharya!" giiit ko.
"Binigay niya to para mapaniwala ko ang lalaking yun na seryoso akong makikipaghiwalay sa kanya" I informed her. A crease formed between her eyebrowse.
"Wait- Nagulo ako dun a"
Wala sa sariling natawa ako. "You're right Mharya, I'm not only here to see you but also because I will file a divorce with my husband- well, ex-husband if I say"
"Silva was mad at me for coming here alone, so he gave this ring to me to make sure that my soon to be Ex-husband will believe that I'm already someone else's woman"
"Ah... Ok" bale walang sagot niya at pinagpatuloy ang pagkain.
I took a deep breath, she's still not believing me!
"I'm telling the truth-"
"I believe you Eiffel, I mean you never lied to me" nakangiting putol niya at napangiti ako.
It feels so good to be trusted by your friend.
She extended her hands and held mine. "Eiffel, are you sure about this?" seryosong tanong ko.
Napangiti ako at tumango. "Walang kwenta kung papatagalin ko pa ito Mharya. Marami pa akong mas importanteng bagay na dapat pagtuunan sa hinaharap"
"Then what are your next plan after this your excellency?"
"I will go back to Britain with my son Mharya. I want to be with Liviatus as he grows up" I answered.
"Livi is only three years old Eiffel, matagal pa ang panahon na makakasama mo siya. Wag mong madaliin ang lahat"
"I get your point Mharya. I just want that once we return to Britain, everything is already settled so that I can already move on with my life"
Napatango siya at napalitan ng lungkot ang mga mata. "You can't blame Silva if he was mad at you, after all ay haharapin mo magisa ang lalaking muntik ng maging dahilan ng pagkabaliw at kamatayan mo."
"I know, don't worry, I'll call you if I encountered some problems"
"Promise?" nakapout na tanong niya.
"Promise" sagot ko at pareho aming ngumiti.
She took her fork and took a bite from her dessert.
"That Silva is so unfair! Magrerequest nga din akong regaluhan niya ako. Gusto ko yung mas malaking bato diyan. Maybe a necklace. Dapat puno ng Blue Topaz, Emerald, Ruby, Saphire tas may malaking diamond dapat sa gitna yun" nagmamalditang puna niya at natawa lamang ako.
"Mamumulubi sayo ang De Seville Mining Company. Uubusin mo ang lahat ng mga batong namina nila"
Kinuha niya ang kamay ko at tiningnan ang singsing " Magkano kaya natin maibebenta to? It's a signature design from the famous De Seville jewelries afterall"
"Mharya!" at sabay kaming tumawa.
*****
#soon
#angpaghaharap