Kabanata 3

•Grace's POV•

"Ladies and Gentlemen, my name is Marian, together with Glecie, Mhysa , and Adira. Captain Haines is in command assisting him is First Officer Aiken. Our flight to Philippines will take about 14 hour and 30 minutes."

"Ready kana ba?" tanong ko sa kasama ko.

"Yes, Mami. I'm always ready" napangiti naman ako sa tinawag niya sa akin..

"Wag na wag mong kakalimutan magtagalog pag nasa bahay na tayo. Medyo may pagkabully ang bunso ko." pagpapaalala ko dito.

"I can't do it" tugon nito. "I only know a few Filipino words" sabi nya gamit ang marahan na tinig.

"Ikaw naman kasi bakit hindi ka nag-aral?" mahinang bulong ko dito

"I studied but I couldn't understand it" aniya at umiwas ng tingin "It's more difficult to speak tagalog than math" mahina akong napatawa dahil sa sagot nito.

Muli kong naalala kung paano ito nagmakaawa sa kanyang Ina makasama lang sa akin.

▪︎F-L-A-S-H-B-A-C-K▪︎

Nandito ako ngayon sa may hardin nakaupo kasama si Freila simula nung insedenteng nangyari labing-dalawang taon ang nakakalipas parang pamilya na rin ang turing nila sa akin. Agad akong napalingon kay Freila ng bigla siya magsalita.

"I am happy because you have been serving here with us for almost a decade." nakangiting sabi ni Freila "I din't expect that my son will be very happy and joyful because of you and your lovely  daughter. Back then Freyden really didn't laugh or even smile. We thought he was sick so we called a doctor but the doctor said that Freyden is doing well and nothing wrong about him. The first time we saw him smile is when he was a baby   then when he grew up we no longer saw him smile or laugh even with his siblings he doesn't want to play with them." aniya habang ang mga luha ay unti-unting tumutulo mula sa kanyang mga mata.

Lumapit ako sa kanya at nagsimulang hagudin ang kanyang likod..

"I just witnessed his smile again when he saw the photo of your child" napangiti naman ako.  "Is it okay with you our Agreement? Your child may be angry with you" huminga ako ng malamin.

Ngumiti ako. "Kung hindi dahil sa inyo eh siguro palaboy-laboy nalang ako dito. Siguro maiintindihan din naman niya yun pagdating ng araw." paliwanag ko nakahinga naman sya ng maluwag at nahimasmasan na ng kaunti.

Pero ang totoo nababahala talaga ako pano kung dahil sa kasunduang iyon lumayo ang loob niya sa akin? kinakabahan ako sa posibleng mangyari.

"Sigurado ka na ba sa desisyon mo na uuwi kana mamaya?" bumalik ako sa pagkakaupo ko kanina at syaka humarap sa kanya.

"Who's going home?" agad kaming napalingon sa may-ari ng tinig na iyon at dun ko nakita si Freyden na nakatayo malapit sa amin habang nakatingin ng seryoso sa kanyang ina.

"Ako" maikling tugon ko.

"I will go with you" may bahid na pagkaseryoso ang makikita sa mukha nito.

"No! You'll stay here" tutol ng kanyang ina.

"No Mom, I will go with my Mami" lumapit ito sa amin at pumunta sa likod ko.

"Son hindi pwede" mahinahong sagot ng ina nya.

"But--"

"Hindi pwede! You'll stay here whether you like or not" putol sa kanya ni Freila.

"Mom, please I'm begging you I wanna go with her." literal na nanlaki ang aking mga mata dahil sa kanyang ginawa.

Lumapit ito sa kanyang ina at lumuhod sa harapan nito.

"Mom, please I want to see her family personally." aniya gamit ang pagmamakaawa nitong boses.

"Stand up" utos ng kanyang ina.

"No Mom as long as you don't allow me to go with her. I will not stand here" pagmamatigas nito.

"Hay! Fine." nagliwanag ang mukha nito ng marinig ang sinabi ng kanyang ina.

"Really!?" halos mapunit ang labi nito dahil sa tuwa.

"Yes! Kaya pack your things!" masayang anunsyo ng kanyang ina.

"Yessss!!" nagtatalon ito sa harap namin at lumapit sa kanyang ina at niyakap ito. "Thank you Mom, I love you!" habang suot-suot ang malaking ngiti nito.

"All right Mom, I'm going to pack my things" aniya at lumaripas ng takbo papasok sa loob.

"I think my son is really--"

"Mom!!!!"

"I thought your going to pack your things?" inosenteng tanong nito.

"Tsk!" ngunit singhal lang ang natanggap nitong sagot.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA" tawa naming dalawa dahil sa kinilos ng kanyang anak.

▪︎E-N-D-O-F-F-L-A-S-H-B-A-C-K▪︎

"Yawn!" napatingin ako sa katabi ko nngbigla-bigla nalang itong humikab.

"Inaantok kana?" tanong ko. Dahan-dahan itong tumango at maya-maya pa ay ipinikit na nito ang kanyang mga mata.

Ilang sandali pa ay nagsalita nanaman yung Crew.

"In the meantime, please give your attention to the crew member Marian and Glecie in front of you who will now demonstrate the use of the safety equipment on this aircraft."

"First, fasten your seatbelt like this and tighten it. To release it, lift this catch. Now the use of your life vest your life vest is under your seat. To use it, slip the vest over your head and bring the waist strap around your waist, connect the clip and tighten the strap by pulling it outwards. To inflate your life vest, pull the red tabs firmly downwards. To inflate it further, blow into one of these mouth pieces. You should inflate your life vest only at the exit door. For attracting attention, you can use the whistle and the light. Please note that the life vests are meant for use in an emergency. Removing the life vest in any other circumstances can jeopardize the safety of passengers and is a criminal offense."

"In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, an oxygen mask will automatically drop from the compartment above. Pull the mask down sharply to activate the flow of oxygen. Place the mask over your nose and mouth; place the elastic strap over your head and tighten it by pulling the end of strap. Remain calm and breathe normally. Your oxygen supply is now regulated and it is normal that the oxygen bag may not fully inflate. If you are travelling with a child, attend to yourself first then to the child."

"Please note that there are six/eight emergency exits in this aircraft. These exits are the two doors at the front and at the rear and one/two on each side of the over wing windows. During evacuation, do not carry your hand luggage with you. If smoke is present, keep low and follow the floor lights to the nearest exit indicated by a light."

"The safety information card in the seat pocket contains additional information, please read it carefully before take-off. The use of portable electronic device is not allowed during take-off and landing. Transmitting devices, such as personal hand phones, must be switched off and their use is prohibited at all times onboard the aircraft. It is an offense to smoke in the aircraft and smoking in the lavatory may set off the smoke alarm. Thank you for your attention."

-

"Umupo ka muna dyan" sabi ko at tinuro ang katabi kong upuan.Kasalukuyan kaming nandito sa loob ng airport. "Tatawagan ko muna sina Isha ha." sabi ko rito at kinuha ang aking telepono at tinawagan ang number ni Allan.

RINGGGG!RINGGGGG!RINGGGGG!

"Hello, hello Mi" sagot nito sa kabilang linya.

"Hello, Di" balik sagot ko rito. "Nandito na kami sa may Airport" anunsyo ko sa kanya.

"Malapit na pala kayo" masayang aniya sa kabilang linya. "Tulog pa ang mga bata. Ala-sais palang ng umaga" sagot naman nito.

"Namiss kita, Di." maluha-luhang saad ko.

"Namiss din kita, Mi. Ilang taon na rin simula nung umalis ka dito 'shiff' " napakagat ako sa aking labi.

Umiiyak ba sya?

"Hello, Di umiiyak kab--- bakit ngayon pa!? Grr!" muntik ko nang maitapon ang aking telepono dahil sa inis.

"What happened!?" agad na tanong sa akin ni Freyden.

"Nalobat. Hay!" simpleng sagot ko rito at suminghal pa.