Hindi ako makagalaw sa pwesto ko ng umupo na si Sir Clyde. His manly scent lingers to my nose. His hair is a bit messy like someone grabbed his hair. Nanlaki ang mata ko sa mga naiisip ko. Shit Sapphy don't be that dirty! Ano naman kung anong gawin nya?! Like the hell I care.
"Manong sa Purok 3 ako malapit sa covered court"
So mauuna pala akong bumaba.
"Sige po sir. Uunahin ko po muna si Ma'am "sabi ni kuyang pedicab driver. Well sa araw-araw na pagsakay ko ng pedicab alam na nila lahat kung saan ako nakatira.
Medyo natagalan ang biyahe gawa ng may nangyareng raid malapit sa tyangge. Mukhang may nakapagtip sa mga pulis .
"Naku nagkahulihan na. Mga hindi na sila nadala. Labas-masok na sila sa selda pero hindi pa rin nagbabago"
Hindi kami umimik ni Sir Clyde. Taliwas ang tingin naming sa isa't isa.
"Magjowa po ba kayo?" nanlaki ang mata ko sa tanong ni Kuyang Driver. Walang umimik saming dalawa.
"Bagay ho kayong dalawa. Sana mag tagal kayo. Sana magaya kayo samin ng misis ko. High School Sweethearts kasi kami nun"
Hindi ko alam kung mahihiya ako o matatawa. Pasimpleng tinignan ko si Sir Clyde. Nakakagat ito sa pang-ibabang labi na tila ba nag pipigil ng tawa.
Naku kuya kung alam mo lang,kasumpa-sumpa itong lalakeng 'to. Ang lakas ng apog grabe! Tsaka duh gurang na sya.
"Sinong gurang Ma'am?"
Nagulat ako. Did I say that out loud?!
"Ah wala kuya yung lalakeng naka-away ko kanina sa school gurang na nga mayabang pa. Akala mo kung sinong gwapo mukha naming paa."
Pagkatigil ni kuya at tinakbo ko ang daan papsok ng eatery at dumiretso sa C.R.
NANDITO ako ngayon sa airport inaantay ang panganay kong anak. Si Roosevelt ang panganay kong anak na isang doctor. Sa America sya nanirahan kasama ang pamilya nya. Bali tatlo ang anak ko. Bunso si Emilia at ang sinundan naman nito ay lalake rin. Si William ay isa ding doctor. Kung nakapagtapos man si Emilia tatlo sana ang doctor kong anak.
"Mama!"
Sumalubong sakin ang mga apo ako pati nadin si Kristy. It's been decades. Finally they are settling here.
"Mama how are you?" pangangamusta sakin ni Kristy.
"I'm doing fine hija. How was the flight?" tanong ko sa mga 'to. Magsasalita n asana si Kristy ng biglang sumulpot si Roosevelt na may dalang mga bagahe.
"Mama I miss you" sabi nito sabay halik sa pisnge ko.
"Naku hayaan mo na yang mga dala nyo. Si Ismael na bahala dyan" agad namang kinuha ni Ismael mula sa kamay ni Roosevelt ang mga bagahe at ikinarga na ito salikuran ng van..
"Dito na muna tayo magstay sa Manila may ipepresent kasi saking plano para sa ospital na gusto kong ipatayo" sabi ko bago kaming sumakay ng van.
"Magtatayo ka ng ospital mama?" tanong ni Kristy.
"Yes, hija. Remember Emilia? She has a daughter and I want her to be a doctor too just like her uncles."paliwanag ko ditto.
"Pero mama may mga investment ka na naman sa leading hospitals ditto at sa labas ng bansa. Why waste your energy and time in building our own hospital?"
"It's because I want to build an empire. We should have our own airport and hospital to complete the empire status in my opinion."walang gana kong sabi.
"Tsaka diba for good na naman kayo ditto ng pamilya mo. You will be the chairman once its done. And don't worry about the hiring of doctors I'm going to help you" dagdag ko.
Nagtaas ito ng dalawang kamay.
"Fine I surrender " natatawang sabi nito.
Ngayong araw ipepresent sakin ang design ng building. I don't want it to be the usual hospital building type. I like those in Korea. I'm thinking also about adding another skyscraper for my grandkids.
"Ma sabi ni Willian baka next month pa sya makauwi. On process ba daw ang resignation nya." Sabi ni Roosevelt habang kumakain kami ng tanghalian.
"Let him. I'm sure before he arrives everything is set."
"How about your kids? Kailan sila susunod?" tanong ko sa mag-asawa.
"Baka magkasabay sila ni William mama. Hindi pa kasi tapos ang school year nila" paliwanag ni Kristy.
"Hmm okay"
Payapa kaming nanananghalian ng sirain iyon ni Damian.
"Narcissa!"
Pagpasok nito sa dinning hall ay nagulat sya.
"Oh boy. Kamusta na kayo Roosevelt sabi nito at agad naman niyakap si Roosevelt.
"Okay naman Uncle. By the way kamusta si Clyde? Balita ko kakagraduate lang nya. How is he working?" sunod-sunod na tanong ni Roosevelt. Nagkatinginan kami ni Damian.
" Ahmm ano kasi eh ano-"
"I ask him to look after Sapphire. He is now a Senior High School teacher in Laguna" dire-diretso kong sabi. Halatang natigilan si Roosevelt.
"What do you mean by that Mama?"
"I asked him a simple favor if he could look after Sapphire will I ready everything. He voluntarily agrees. Don't worry I told him he can quit anytime he wants.By the way-"bumaling ako kay Damian.
"How was Clyde? Did he meet my granddaughter?"tanong ko kay Damian.
"Well he gave me a report." Sabi ni Damian at inilabas ang phone nito.
"He said that Sapphy is feisty at straightforward. She became emotional when she was asked about her future. He also heard that Sapphy is running for Top 1 in their strand. She is a homeroom officer. Member of a dance troop. And he also added that a guy with a shit-face is trying to get close to her"
Shit-face ? Mukhang tae?
"Can you ask him about the name of the shit-face guy?"
"Of course. I will text him this instant." Sabi nito sabay dial sa phone nya.
"By the way Sapphy is working for an eatery. I was owned by the one who adopted her" sabi nito bago nagtungo sa garden.
"Mom what was that?" nagtatakang tanong ni Roosevelt.
"Just get her already! I don't want her to work! She's too young!"Roosevelt whined.
"Don't worry I already gave her a clue. I bet its already given to her by the son of Aurthur.
"She will really freaked out if she finds out that she has a filthy rich grandmother" sabi ni Roosevelt. Sinamaan koi to ng tingin.
"So you're calling me filthy huh?"
"Sorry Ma but that's what the articles said. They said that you have all the money to burn which is real"he said while laughing. Naglakad kami ni Roosevelt papunta sa bulwagan samantalang si Kristy ay umakyat na sa kwarto para magpahinga. Namimiss siguro ang mga bata.
"How are your kids?"tanong ko dito.Nag-isip pa 'to bago sumagot.
"Well they are doing good in school. I'm planning to send Candy to Med School with Sapphire. Chase is going to take his residency here since were here for good. "sabi nito.
"I was thinking of sending them both to Harvard Med School, What do you think?" tanong ko.
"Hmm that's a great idea Mama but let them decide.Hopefully, the two of them get along 'cuz my Candy can be naughty" he said while scratching his head.
Pumasok si Damian sa bulwagan at tumabi samin.
"Russel Lagdameo daw" hmm Aurthur's son.
"Bakit ang tagal mo? Yun lang naman ang pinapatanong ko ah!"bulyaw ko dito.
"Sorry ah famous kasi anak ko madaming katawagan" sarkastikong sabi ni Damian.
"Mama don't be too hard on Uncle" tawa ni Roosevelt.
"I'm not "sabi ko at pinagkrus ko ang braso ko .
"Childish" sabay nilang sabi.