I watch Louie as he pouts and cross his arms. I glance at the wall clock and it's already 8:30 in the evening. Nakaalis na din sila Yuri at kaming dalawa na lang ang nandito. Auntie Jean's off will be at midnight dahil mago-overtime daw sya.
"Sleep ka na, Louie. May pasok ka pa tomorrow, diba?" Nilapitan ko sya at niyakap. Hindi sya sumagot kaya naman napabuntong hininga ako.
Nakasimangot na sya eversince his Kuyas left. Kailangan na din naman kasi nilang umuwi dahil Lunes nanaman at may trabaho pa sila. Louie has his school tomorrow kaya dapat ngayon, tulog na sya.
"Baby, babalik sila Kuya sa Saturday. Promise nila iyon sa iyo diba?" I asked him in a soft tone. He faced me then nodded. Napangiti ako at bahagyang kinurot ang pisngi nya. "So, sleep ka na. Paano dadating ang Saturday nyan kung hindi ka pa magsi-sleep?" My smile widened when his face lit up at dahan dahan syang ngumiti.
"Ibig sabihin mo, kapag natulog ako, mas mabilis kong makikita sila Kuya Kobi, saka si Kuya Ralph at Kuya Yuri?" His innocent eyes stared at me kaya naman napatawa ako at hinalikan sya sa pisngi.
"Opo, kaya sleep na. Halika na," Sumunod din naman kaagad sya at mas nauna pa sa akin pumunta sa kwarto nya.
I prepared his bed and took him to the bathroom to clean his face before sleeping. Matapos nyang malinisan, dumiretso na agad sya sa kama at sumampa.
"Ate, dito ka po muna," he said while pouting kaya napangiti ako at tumabi sa kanya. He turn his body to me and hug me. Isinandal ko ang ulo nya sa braso ko at niyakap sya.
"Goodnight, baby ko," bulong ko at hinalikan ang noo nya.
"Goodnight, ate ko," he said while his eyes are closed.
I smile as I saw his resemblance to our parents. Louie is still 6 year old when our parents died. I was 20 that time. That simple picnic of ours turns into disaster. I atill remember what happened that day.
"Sheen, bantayan mo yang kapatid, mo." Mama said while preparing our foods. Papa is helping him kaya ako ang tumingin kay Louie.
I sit infront of Louie on the grass while he's playing with his car. He glanced up at me and smile at me kaya napangiti din ako. I played with him until Mama called us.
Mama and Papa brought us to Enchanted Kingdom. Eto ang pinakasikat na pasyalan sa Laguna at dahil nag-top 1 si Louie sa class nila, eto ang reward nya. Marami ding pamilya ang nandito and everyone is smiling.
"Ate.." I glance at Louie and saw him pouting. Napangiti ako at binuhat sya.
"Why baby?" Naglakad ako papalapit kela Mama at Pala at naupo. They look at us and smile when they saw Louie pouting.
"Bakit sad ang baby boy namin?" Papa asked and get Louie from me. Ikinandong nya ito sa hita nya.
"Mama, Papa, Ate.." he called and looks at us.
"Why? Sabihin mo sa amin, ano gusto nang baby?" Mama asked and hold Louie's hands. His gaze went behind me and he pointed at something behind kaya napalingon ako.
"Pwede po.. bili nung c-cars?" Napalingon ako at nakitang nakayuko sya. Lumawak naman ang ngiti ko at nagkatinginan kami ni Mama at Papa.
Hindi kasi sinanay nila Mama at Papa si Louie na gumastos. Sa ganoong paraan, lumaki si Louie na nahihiya pa kapag magpapabili. Bilang ate nya, ako ang nagkukusang bilhan sya dahil minsan, nahihiya talaga syang magsabi.
I quietly stood up and went to the stall where he saw the cars he want. Lumapit ako doon at agad binili ang paboritong kulay. I thanked the vendor and went back to my family.
Louie is pouting kaya napangiti nanaman ako. Mama looks up and met my gaze. I secretly showed her the car I bought. She giggled causing Papa to look up and saw the car Louie want.
Papa cleared his throat. "Boy, smile ka na. Your ate is there na, oh." Louie looks up and saw me. His eyes lighten but he jumps up when I showed him the toy car he wants.
"Wow!" He exclaimed. I sit down beside mama and Louie immediately hugs me.
"Thank you, Ate.." he said and kissed my cheeks.
We spend our family day until 5pm. Sinulit na namin ang maghapong nasa labas dahil bukas ay may trabaho na si Papa and Mama. Kami naman ni Louie, may pasok na din. Louie is in grade 1 and I'm in 2nd year college taking up tourism.
"Anong gusto nyong dinner?" Mama asked while we're on the way home. Louie raised his hand excitedly.
"Fried chicken!" He shouted that made us all laugh.
"Leisheen, kamusta ang pag aaral?" Papa asked and turn to look at me but the moment he did, Mama screamed.
"Leandro! May sasakyan!"
My heart beat increased and I immediately pull Louie to me. Niyakap ko sya habang si Papa ay pilit nililiko ang sasakyan namin. I heard Louie's cry at napapaiyak na din ako pero pinigil ko ang sarili ko.
"Shh.. baby, it's okay. Andito si ate," sambit ko. I glanced at Mama and Papa pero hindi ko na nagawang magsalita nang may malakas na impact na tumama sa sasakyan kaya naramdaman ko na lang na nagpaikot ikot ang sasakyan and the car bumped on a post.
My head is throbbing. Hindi ko na maimulat ang mata ko pero sinubukan ko pa din. The first thing I saw is Mama with her eyes close at duguan na ang ulo nya pababa and Papa.. his head is bleeding at nakasandal ang ulo nya sa basag na bintana.
I panicked when I saw the hood of the car smoking kaya agad kong binuksan ang pintuan sa side ko. I held Louie tight until makalabas kami. Ibinaba ko si Louie sa may damuhan bago balikan si Mama at Papa but.. I was late.
The car explodes which made me fell and hug Louie.
Napakurap ako nang maramdaman ang pagtulo nang luha ko. I look at Louie and hug him tight. He's young when we lost our parents. Wala syang masyadong maalala noon pero alam kong alam nya kung paano namatay ang magulang namin.
And now, the same thing happened again. I'm just glad that I survived.