Chapter 1

(DIVINA POV)

JAVIS REYES

BORN: April 28, 1977

DEAD: December 28, 2020

Maraming pumunta sa huling araw ni dad, maraming nakiramay, maraming naghatid sa kanyang huling hantungan. Nandiyan ang mga employees, mga stuff, co-workers, co-members, mga kaibigan at ang pamilya.

When dad's grave was finally buried, the people gradually left until there were only a few of us left.

I sat looking at his name while hugging his photo. Naubos ko na ata ang lahat ng luha ko sa tatlong araw na kakaiyak.

Ano na ang gagawin ko ngayon dad? Paano ko sasanayin ang sarili ko na wala ka? Napakahirap ng bumangon tuwing umaga knowing that I will never see you again, that I can never talk to you again, that I will never see your smiles again.

It’s like my heart is being squeezed with so much pain, it's so painful to lose a father.

My life is empty without you dad, how could I suppose to leave now? Ang sabi mo pupunta kalang sa Canada pero bakit iba ang pinuntahan mo? Ano ba kasi talaga ang nangyari dad bakit ang bilis mo kaming iniwan?

I wiped away my tears when I noticed brother Jonas standing next to me.

"From now on we only have each other. We need to choose the right people we can trust." his voice was so deep and rough at the same time strong. This is the first time I heard him talking like this.

"We both need to be strong. You have to do everything on your own. Your old enough to make your own decisions. But please be mindful for everything. I don't tolerate childish decisions." sakit at lungkot ang ramdam ko sa bawat salitang lumalabas sa bibig ni kuya. I forgot that I'm not the only one who lost a father.

I stood up and hugged my brother, I was not disappointed when he hugged me back and gave me a tight hug. Kahit na hindi siya gaanong umiyak sa mga araw na nakaburol si dad alam kong masakit din ito para sa kanya.

I know that soon I won't be with him either. Because he will replace the position that dad left in our company and in the new partnership that dad entered into in Canada.

"Two days from now, the party will take place and after that I need to go." I took a deep breath and faced my older brother with a smile on my face.

Hindi ko pweding iasa lahat kay Kuya, like what he said, we only have each other and he is right we need to be strong for each other.

"Don't you worry kuya, you don't need to think about me. I can take care of myself." hindi ko alam kung kaya ko ba talaga. Nasanay ako na laging nand’yan si dad every step of my way laging nakaantabay at laging nakaalalay si dad.

"Seems like I should be even more worried." naibalik ang ngiti ni kuya at niyakap niya ako ulit. Sana makaya namin na kaming dalawa lang.

"Anyway, kailangan ko nang umalis ngayon. We have a meeting that will be held in Manila and don't worry kasama ko naman si Tito Carlo." he held my arms and he examined my face.

"Teka, nagkaka-pimples kana oh." sabay turo sa mukha ko.

"Wait lang, bibilangin ko para sayo." I looked at him badly but he continued to count while laughing, hanggang sa umabot na ng pito ang kaniyang bilang.

"Kuya naman e!" my voice got a little louder, I slapped his shoulder to stop him but he continued counting.  Marami na ba talaga ang mga tigyawat ko? Ang pagkakaalam ko konti lang ang mga pimples ko, mga dalawa, tatlo gan'on tapos hindi pa sila halata.

"Hindi joke lang." he said as he laughed at my reaction which was almost unbearable.

"Hindi magandang biro 'yon kuya." he stopped laughing and his face turned to a serious one.

"Masasanay rin tayo na tayong dalawa nalang." ngumiti ulit siya, ipinatong niya ang isang kamay niya sa ulo ko at ginulo-gulo ang aking buhok.

Gawin na akong bata, aist! Bago ko pa siya hampasin ulit ay inalis na niya ang kaniyang kamay na nakapatong sa aking ulo.

"I need to go. I will see in the party. You must behave while I am not around. Understood?" grabi, life must really go on. Natawa ako dahil sa pagtaas-baba ng kaniyang mga kilay habang naghihintay sa aking tugon kaya naman ginaya ko siya itinaas baba ko rin ang aking mga kilay at pareho kaming nagtawanan.

Three days of sorrow and crying and now we have the chance to laugh and smile again. Alam ko na sa ngayon ay panandalian lang ang lahat ng ito pwedi ko naman sigurong sulit habang kasama ko ang aking kapatid ‘di ba?

"Vince will be here any minute." saad nito, habang tinitignan ang kaniyang phone at nakita ko na may tawag siya mula kay Tito Carlo.

"You can leave me now Kuya, may tawag kana mula kay tito Carlo at mukhang kailangan niyo ng umalis." He pulled me near to him and gave me a tight hugged.

"Are you sure?" niyaka ko rin siya ng mahigpit.

"Oo naman kuya. Subukan lang ni Vince na hindi ako balikan dito, masasapak ko talaga siya kapag nagkita kami." pinilit kong ibalik ang sigla sa bawat salitang binanggit ko, pero kulang, halatang may kulang. Para sa akin at para kay kuya kailangan kong ibalik ang dating ako. I should learn how to accept things as fast as I can and move forward.

"Talagang napaka-amazona mo, kaya wala lumalapit na lalaki sayo. Lahat sila natatakot, lahat sila nasisindak mo." sumama ulit ang tingin ko sa kaniya habang siya naman ay tawa ng tawa. Aist! may kuya ba kayong madalas kayong pagtripan.

Napatigil siya sa pagtawa ng maramdaman niya ang kaniyang phone na nagvi-vibrate. This time binigyan niya ako ng signal na sasagutin niya ang tawag at lumayo siya ng kauti sa akin.

Umupo naman ulit ako at pinagmasdan ang pangalan  ni dad. Kung nasaan kaman dad, please lang, Sana gabayan mo pa rin kami. I already miss you so much. I love you dad.

Pinikit ko ang aking mga mata at naramdaman ko ang malakas at malamig na hangin na dumampi sa aking balat. Binuksan ko ulit ang aking mga mata ng maramdaman ko ang mga yapak mula sa aking likuran.

"I'm sorry, I need really need to go. By the way, tinawagan ko na si Vince at malapit na raw siya." Huminga siya ng malalim, he tapped my shoulder and he look at me in the eye.

"Tell me that you will going to be fine." naramdaman ko ang pag-aalala at takot sa kanyang boses. Nag-aalala siya at takot siya na iwanan akong mag-isa.

"Don't worry Kuya, I will be fine." nilakasan ko ang aking loob, tinignan ko siya sa mga mata to assure that I will be fine, upang maipabaon sa kanyang pag-alis ang pagiging kampante and I was hoping na kahit papaano ay mabawasan ko ang kaniyang pag-aalala at mga iniisip.

"And that's my lil' sister. If you need to talk to me, don't hesitate to call. By the way, Vince will accompany you tonight." before he walks away then he gave me a wave and I wave back with a smile.

Nang nakaalis na si kuya ay umupo ulit ako habang naghihintay kay Vince. Ilang minuto na ang nakalipas wala pa rin siya tumayo ako at pinagpagan ang aking damit, kinuha ko na ang phone ko sa aking pouch para tawagan siya.

"Are you ready to go?" sa sobrang gulat ko ay nabitawan ko ang phone ko. Kaya naman yumuko siya upang damputin ito at mabilis na inabot sa akin.

"Bakit kaba nanggugulat?" inis kong kinuha ang phone sa kanya at tinignan ito kung may basag ba at pinunasan ko, mabuti nalang at walang basag.

"Wuuh! Thank you ah!" he said sarcastically while his face was too close to mine.

"Kasalanan mo naman kasi." He shook his head and he looked at me in disbelief from what I said and did.

"Get inside the car if you ready to go." tinalikuran niya ako at naglakad pabalik ng kotse niya tahimik naman akong sumunod sa kanya. Nang makasakay na kami at marahan niyang pinaandar ang kotse.

Tahimik lang kaming habang nasa byahe hanggang sa makarating na kami ng bahay at nakapasok na.

"Anyway, Kuya Jonas asked me to stay here while he is gone. But if you want me to leave I can do that." he uttered while we walk up stairs. Huminto kami sa tapat ng aking kwarto.

"Can you please stay?" tinignan ko siya sa mga mata, he pulled me near to him and then he wrap his arm around me.

"I won't leave you as long as you want me to stay." his hugged makes me more comfortable and secured. It warmed me and made me feel relieved plus listening to his words doesn't make me feel that I am alone.

"Can you watch me 'till I fall asleep?" sa tingin ko kasi mas nakakatulog ako ng may kasama.

"I can watch you forever if you want." hindi ko alam kung nagbibiro ba siya or seryoso but it doesn't matter all I want from him is to stay with me. Pumasok kami sa kwarto ko at umupo siya sa may upuan na nasa tabi ng kama. Kumuha ako ng damit sa aking kabinet at nagtungo sa banyo at nagpalit ng pambahay.

When I came out of the bathroom, Vince was still sitting on the side of the bed. Lumapit ako sa kanya at hinila siya patayo sa kanyan kinauupuan at niyakap ko siya.

"Hugged me until I fall asleep. I don't want to feel alone." naramdaman ko ang kaniyang mga braso sa aking likod.

"Close your eyes and try to asleep, after what happened you deserve to take a rest." dahan -dahan kaming humiga sa kama at sinunod ko ang mga sinabi niya. I didn’t feel like he left me until I fell asleep.

DAYS PASSED

Maggagabi na at nandito ako sa aking kwarto, kakatapos ko lang maligo. I need to prepare for the party at mamaya susunduin ako ni Vince. Tumingin ako sa harapan ng salamin at nagsimula ng ayusan ang aking sarili.

Kahit ayaw namin ni Kuya na mag-attend ng party ay kailangan. Dahil matagal nang pangarap ni dad at ng kanyang mga matalik na kaibigan ang magkaroon ng business partnership at ngayong araw ito natupad. Sayang at hindi na niya naabutan. But my brother and I are here to fulfill one of his long -cherished dreams.

"There you are." the door of my room suddenly opened and it spat out Vince and went straight to my seat.

"Why aren't you dressed yet?" tinignan niya ang aking damit na nakapatong sa aking kama, isa itong long black grown na may design na sexy sling, deep v-neck sa harapan at backless naman sa likod at sa ibaba ay may high slit. he took it and handed it to me, and then he smiled.

"I'll see you downstairs." hindi na niya ako hinintay magsalita at mabilis itong naglakad palabas ng aking kwarto. I immediately get dressed and soon after, I was descending the stair.

Nakita ko si Vince na naghihintay sa may ibaba ng hagdan. When he heard the footsteps of the high heels, I was wearing he turned to face me.

I went downstairs with a smile on my face while he seemed surprised and couldn't take his eyes off me.

"You look stunning." he whispered, as I went down the stairs, while still looking at my face and my smile widened when I heard what he whispered.

"Thank you, Vince." after I said that, I saw his genuine smile. He helped me walk until we could get into his car and he immediately started it.

"We will meet Kuya Jonas in the party." he said without looking at me.

"Oo nabangit nga rin niya sa akin kanina." pinagmasdan ko ang kaniyang napaka gwapong mukha. Shacks, why he has this kind of attractiveness, na kahit ayaw mong titigan ay mapapatitig ka talaga sa kaniya.

Where did he got the oozing personality that makes people stare at him like's his the only man on the earth. How did he build his hunky body? That lovely and mesmerizing almond shaped of his eyes with a hazel colored, his perfect straight nose, that sexy lips, the way he dressed and the way he speak...

Oh no way, I restrained myself and turned my gaze to the road. Pinagnanasaan ko ba ang best friend ko? No, no! I'm just... Never mind.

Tahimik lang ang byahe namin at hindi na ako nagtangka na tumingin ulit sa kanya hanggang sa tumigil kami sa parking lot. Nakita ko ang mga bisita na nagpapark din ang daming tao.

"Did kuya Jonas' mention to you who are the guests at the party?" tanong ni Vince at tumingin sa akin ng mapatay na niya ang makina ng sasakyan and I slowly shook my head as a respond.

"Hmm, actually he sent the guest list pero hindi ko na tinapos basahin masyado kasing madami." he doesn't say anything but I saw he smirked at me before he got out of the car and turned around to open the door for me and he also helped me get out.

"By the way, I saw Sofia's name in the guest list." he said as we walked together in the entrance.

"Ah yeah, I asked dad before, if he can include Sofia in the list, para hindi ako ma out of place." nangtuluyan nakaming nakapasok namangha ako sa sobrang ganda ng venue everything was completely organized.

"Once Sofia is with you, I need to leave you for a while so that I can talk to other guests with my dad and others." I smiled and nodded to him and I looked across the venue. Hindi talaga ako iniwan ni Vince hanggat hindi dumarating si Sofia.