Kabanata 27
1151 Words
Balik Maynila na ang apat. Hindi naging maganda sa kanila ang huling araw ng pag-stay sa Bohol dahil sa mga nangyari. Hindi mapakali si Levine may kung ano ang bumabagabag sa kanya simula ng mangyari ang truth or dare na iyon. He can’t help but doubt Maeve and Lorenzo. Ginagago ba siya ng mga ito? Niloloko ba siya ni Maeve? Nakakainis!
“Vice President, may bisita po kayo.”
“Sino?”
Hindi na nagsalita si Xy dahil pumasok na ang bisita na sinasabi nito, ang nanay ni Levine si Louisa.
“Son,” she greeted with a smile. May dala itong paper bag na sigurado naman si Levine na pagkain iyon. Bihira na lang ang mom niya na bumisita sa work nila and he was glad that she made it today.
Tumayo siya at sinalubong ang ina ng halik sa pisngi. Hmm! Amoy na amoy niya ang niluto nito. Nakakagutom tuloy.
“Mom, you didn’t tell me na pupunta ka dito.”
“I wanted to surprise my son. Dinalhan kita ng paborito mong sinigang.” Itinaas ni Louisa ang dala para ipakita sa anak. She took this day para mabisita ang dalawang anak pati na din makita si Maeve. That girl, she missed her a little.
Inakbayan ni Levine ang ina at pinaupo ito sa sala. “Have a seat, mom.”
Inilabas ni Levine ang paper bag nito at itinabi na muna since hindi pa naman lunch time niya. He really loves her mother’s cook.
“Nasaan nga pala si Maeve, anak? Hindi ko siya nakita sa labas nang dumating ako dito,” tanong ni Louisa. Ang tanging naabutan niya lang kasi ay si Xy, ang assistant ng anak niya.
“May pina-print kasi akong documents, mom, so…”
“Oh, alright. It’s good that the two of you know the boundary of business and personal work.”
Levine smirk. “Mom, kahit may work we can have our lovey dovey time.”
“Nako, Levine! Pagagalitan ka n’yan ng kuya mo.”
“He didn’t even catch us, mom. Atsaka mukhang okay naman kay kuya iyon. Speaking of him, mom, can I ask a question?”
“Okay, go on.”
“‘Yong babaeng sinasabi ni kuya sa atin nakita mo na ba siya? Do you have any idea how she looks?” he curiously asked with a serious tone.
Napaisip naman si Louisa. Her eldest barely talked to them about his affairs pero nai-kwento nito sa kanya dati ang kauna-unahang babaeng nag-caught ng interest nito.
“I don’t know how she looks and I never met her. Pero bakit hindi mo itanong sa kuya mo? And why did you ask?”
“Nothing. Ang tagal na kasi mahal pa din ito ni Kuya.”
Napatango-tango si Louisa sa sinabi ng anak. He’s right it’s been years and that woman was still in Lorenzo’s heart. Ni minsan hindi ito nagkaroon ng babae o ka-fling man. She can proudly say that her eldest is a loyal one and he deserves a woman who can match his loyalty.
Maya maya pa ay kumunot ang noo nito na tila ba may naaalala. “But if I can remember, may picture ito ng babaeng ‘yon. Hindi ko lang alam kung saan nakalagay,” anito.
That caught Levine’s interest and curiosity. Ngunit paano niya mahahanap ito kung hindi niya alam kung saan ito nakalagay? Then, he will start at their house.
“Okay, mom.”
Then, a knocking sound at the door interrupted them. “Come in.”
“Vice President— oh! I’m sorry for the disturbance.”
“Maeve, hija!”
Doon napatingin si Maeve sa kausap ng binata. It turns out it was Levine’s mom. She smiled and walked towards her. “Hello, auntie.” Nakipag-beso pa siya dito.
“How are you po?” tanong niya bago umupo sa tabi nito. Levine twitched his lips. Ano? Parang invisible lang siya?
“I’m okay. Ikaw? Hindi ka na nagbisita sa bahay. Let’s have a shopping together kapag may free time ka,” suggest ni Louisa. She wants to know the woman of his youngest son. Alam n’yang hindi maganda ang unang pagkikita nila dahil sa asawa niya. She sighed. She reprimanded her husband about that at nag-compromise naman ito na hindi na ito mag-be-behave ng gano’n.
“Sure, tita, if bibigyan po ako ng time ng anak niyo,” Maeve teased and wink at Louisa bago sila tumawa.
“Sasama ako,” singit nito.
Both women glared at him. “It's a girls hangout! Babae ka ba?”
“Psh. Fine.” Levine rubbed his nape. Wala s’yang laban sa dalawa kaya sige back out na muna siya.
-----
“Why is he here?” malamig na tanong ni Alberto nang makita ang asawa na kasabay ang anak sa pag-uwi. Levine didn’t greet his father at dumiretso na ito sa taas, sa kwarto niya.
Alberto looked at his wife.
“Why? Hindi na ba siya pwedeng umuwi dito? He’s our son, Alberto.” Alberto’s expression turned gentle when he heard his wife called his name.
“I know pero alam mo naman ang estado naming mag-ama.”
Namewang si Louisa at tinitigan ng masama ang asawa. “And? Why can’t you just reconcile with your son?”
“It’s not easy.”
Hindi magiging madali iyon dahil alam n’yang may galit sa kanya ang bunsong anak. Why can't they understand that what he was doing was for their own good? He just wants the ebay for them. I-accept niya na nga ang girlfriend ditto kahit iba ang gusto niya para kay Levine.
-----
Levine looked at his left and right then in his back. Narito ngayon siya sa tapat ng kwarto ni Lorenzo. He was still hesitating but he was really curious dahil bumabagabag ang iniisip niya. He wants to seek an answer. Dahil hindi siya titigilan ng curiosity kapag hindi niya alam ang kasagutan kung ano ba ito.
He turned the knob and slowly went inside. Like Lorenzo’s personality the room was painted with gray, white and black. Ang cold ng atmosphere at malinis. He looked at the wall and then the table which may mga nakapatong na gamit. Wala. Wala man lang kahit isang picture frame na naka-display doon.
He started to open the drawers of his brother. Lahat tiningnan niya kahit ang ilalim ng kama nito, ang banyo, ang walk in closet, kahit ang bookshelves nito pero hindi niya pa din iyon makita. Napahilamos siya sa mukha. Damn! Where could it be?
Teka. Kung wala sa bahay nila hindi kaya nasa office nito?
- Writer
