"Let us go to our room so we can start making Akihiro's sibling, Ramona."That's what Aquilino stated as soon as he stood up from his seat. We had just finished our meal. I quickly glared at him. His parents laughed at his naughtiness. Hindi na talaga matigil ang panghaharot nito sa akin! Mas nakakabuwelo pa ito at mas lalo pa talaga akong inaasar. Hindi pa kami nakakaisang araw dito ganito na itong si Aquilino. Baka kapag talagang natuluyan at hindi na ako nakapagtimpi at baka naman umuwi ako sa probinsyang buntis na naman!Ayoko ng ganoon! Hindi pa talaga kami tuluyang naaayos, may problema pang kinakaharap si Aquilino, hindi pa tuluyang bumabalik ang ala-ala niya... masyadong kumplikado pa ang lahat. "Just slow down, son. You've just returned from a trip!" his Daddy commented. Napahilot nalang ako sa aking sintido. Hindi pa rin tumatayo sa kinauupuan. Nahihiya na ako sa mga magulang nito. "I'm just kidding, Dad." he answered to his Father. He was looking at me and waiting for me
Everything has gone swimmingly for the past several weeks that we have been in Manila with Aquilino's parents. Aquilino became preoccupied with his work, and Akihiro seldom cries when he had to leave the house for work. He also attends a neighborhood kindergarten school. Every Monday to Wednesday, I attend a review center nearby to Aquilino's workplace. Everything is going well. Now, I only have a month to review for my board examination."Love," Aquilino peek out the door as it opened slightly. I'm scanning my review book. Kanina pa ako ditong abala at tuwing kakain lang ako lalabas. Araw ng linggo, walang trabaho si Aquilino. Unti-unti na ring nakakabalik sa normal ang estado ng kumpaniya nila at kapag ganitong araw, palagi dapat silang may Papa and Akihiro time. Hinahayaan ko lang ang mag-ama sa kung ano ang gustong gawin ng mga ito. Kapag weekdays kasi ay maaga umaalis si Aquilino at kapag uuwi naman ay medyo late na. Marami kasing inaasikaso sa kumpaniya nila. Bumabawi naman
Siyempre, hindi ako mag-isang pumunta sa ospital. Dahil ilang araw ding hindi nagkita ang mag-ama ay nagpumilit talaga si Akihiro na sumama. Umiiyak na ito nang papaalis na ako ng mansion. Hindi ko sana pasasamahin dahil natatakot akong makakuha ito ng sakit dahil ospital ang pupuntahan namin. Mahina pa naman ang resistensya nito. Pero dahil nagpupumilit ito at hindi na matigil sa kakaiyak, isinama ko nalang para wala nang masyadong iisipin. Hindi kasi makontrol at kahit na mga katulong na sa mansion ay hindi siya mapatahan. Gustong-gusto niya daw makita ang Papa niya. "I really miss my Papa..." saad nito nang nasa sasakyan na kami patungo sa ospital na kung saan nandoon ang Papa niya. Fifteen minutes away lang ito sa village. "Ako rin, anak." saad ko dito. Ngayong ganito ang nangyari, napagtanto hindi talaga permanente ang ating buhay dito sa mundo. Hindi natin alam kung kailan ang huli, hindi natin alam kung ano ang mangyayari bukas, dapat, ipakita at iparamdam natin sa mga ta
Bumalik ulit ang kaba sa aking dibdib. Pagkapasok namin sa loob ay hindi ko makita si Aquilino dahil pinapalibutan ito ng mga katulad ng nasa labas, ay mga businessman din. Dito ko talaga nakita at napaghalintulad na mga circle of friends niya ay mga negosyante na din na katulad niya.Sabay-sabay silang napatingin sa pagpasok naming dalawa ni Akihiro. Nakahawak ng mahigpit ang anak ko sa aking kamay. Parang pusang naninibago sa lugar at nangingilala pa ng paligid.Gumilid ang mga nakapalibot na lalaki sa amin para mabigyang daan at tuluyan nang masulyapan si Aquilino. Halos maiyak ako nang makita ko siyang nakaupo sa kama, humihinga, mayroon nang malay. Hindi na katulad noong mga nakaraang araw na hindi man lang gumalaw ang kamay nito!Blangko at hindi ko mabasa ang itsura niya. Bago pa man ako tuluyang makapagbigay ng reaksyon ay tumakbo nang mabilis ang anak ko papunta sa kama ng Papa Aquilino niya. Gulat na gulat pa rin sa mga nangyayari, ang mga nakapaligid ay napanganga nang matu
It's sometimes simpler to harden your heart and chose wrath. It's far easier to block those who have injured you or violated your affection and trust. Sometimes we believe there is no other option; that healing begins with distance and their absence; that in order to live your life, you must expel the toxins and agony they imparted; yet we do so by employing their techniques.We sometimes choose to be angry. We choose to react and get enraged; it is this wrath that we use as an explanation for our actions. We rationalize our retaliatory actions by recalling the actions of our rivals.I can never completely let go as long as I linger on my own misery and self-pity. Who am I to say you don't deserve my forgiveness when it's human to make mistakes? I've made errors in the past that I'd like people to forgive me for. I'm letting go of my ego by forgiving him. It indicates I've accepted the misery you've inflicted on me. It implies I no longer see you as the person who wrecked my life.
When she kissed me I said the Hail Mary five times. It didn't work. My feelings grew."Aquilino..." she moaned. I had been distracted by her all night.I move in closer and we hugged. It went on for the longest time, and then we kissed. A long soul- deep kiss that kept on going, even after we broke apart for air. By this time, I was rock hard."Babe, may I remind you that this is a sin..." I whispered on her ear.Growing up in a culturally mainstream religious family, sinning wasn't something I thought about much. I cannot commit mistake.Ako ang panganay. Lahat ng obligasyon sa pamilya sa akin binigay. Hindi ako pwedeng magkamali. Dapat lahat ng gawin ko ay tama. Walang lugar dapat ang pagkakamali.But since that night happened I did sinned and still do until now.I now see myself as someone who s
Kabanata 1SinI've never been lucky when it comes to love.Endless cycles of heartache and heartbreak define what is supposed to be the biggest and greatest adventure of my life, at twenty, I had given up already.Nag-umpisa iyon sa pamilya ko. Kahit anong gawin ko... hindi pa rin sapat. Kulang pa rin ako, palaging si Lazarus ang magaling, kahit ginagawa ko naman ang lahat maging magaling lang sa mata nila."You should always aim for excellence. You are the only one I can count on in our business." Dad reminded me.I am the first born so that explains how much pressure they put on me. Iyon din ang kinaiinggitan ko kay Lazarus eh, kung ako siguro naging bunso, hindi ganito ang responsibilidad na maiaatas sa akin.Ako sana ang paborito nila... kaso, ayoko ring magpari. Dinidiktahan nila ang buhay ng kapatid ko.N
Kabanata 2KissIt makes me cringe to remember how rude I was to women as a young man. I would stand girls up if something or someone better came along in an instant, without explanation."Ganun-ganon nalang iyon, Aquilino?" I was in the middle of flirting with my new girl when the one I met last night suddenly appeared.She was boring, okay? Walang thrill. Hindi man lang ako kaagad nilabasan. Hindi man lang marunong mangromansa. Puro ako lang ang gumagalaw."Pagkatapos kong ibigay sa'yo ang lahat ipagpapalit mo lang ako sa babaeng ito?!"Idinuro-duro niya ang babaeng kasama ko. Madrama naman siyang napahawak sa dibdib niya. I rolled my eyes heavenward and sighed.Here we go again."Oh, anong problema mo sa akin? Iniwan ka na diba? Tanggapin mo nalang, girl." sagot naman ng kasama kong babae.I smirked. I still didn't