Nine: THE REQUEST

Pagdating sa bahay tuloy-tuloy lang silang pumasok. May mga kakilala, kaanak at kaibigan. Ang sumalubong at bumati kay keiffer.

Pero isa sa mga bisitang naroon ang agad umagaw ng kanyang atensyon. Bukod sa nagulat at nasorpresa siya ng makita ito. Kaya saglit na iniwan muna niya ang mga kaibigan at lumapit dito.

Siya si Señor Damien Felix Solmeraz. Ang kanyang Lolo Damien. Nakaupo ito kasama ng kanyang Papa, Ninong Artemiz, Tito Brent at Tito Henry. Subalit nilagpasan lang niya ang mga ito at tuloy tuloy na lumapit sa kanyang Lolo.

Kahit hindi sila madalas magkita ng kanyang Lolo nitong huli. Madalas siya nitong tawagan sa phone at kamustahin. Kumpara sa kanyang Papa mas madalas pa nga s'yang maalala.

Kahit na noon pa mang bata siya madalas siya nitong dalawin dito sa Pilipinas. Kung minsan naman sila ang dumadalaw sa kanyang Lolo sa Boston. Kahit pa noong sa France pa ito nakatira.

Dumalang na lang nitong huli. Dahil hindi na ito kasing lakas ng dati. Hirap na rin kasi itong bumiyahe. Kaya nakapagtataka na nagawa nitong makarating dito ngayon.

"Hey Grandpa, I'm glad to see you here, Comment allez vous (how are you) Grandpa?" Kasabay nito niyakap niya ito ng mahigpit. Pakiramdam niya kasi nakahanap siya ng kakampi.

"Hey! Good to see you too my boy. I'm okay, don't worry about me. I'm here because, I want to see you and to surprised your birthday and of course I really miss you so much. But why you are not here? Your Dad told me. He don't know where you are and why you're not answering your phone calls? Where have you been, my Grandson?" Sunod-sunod nitong tanong sa apo.

"I miss you too. Grandpa! What time did you arrived?" Paiwas niyang sagot sa mga tanong nito.

"Hmmm, your haven't answering my question son! But anyway I'm already here around 2:00 pm. And waiting you since then, but you're not here."

"Whoa! Really? I'm really sorry Grandpa. I thought your not able to come along. Because of your health, and it's a risky for you to travel. Anyway, how's your feeling now Grandpa?"

"I'm okay no need to worry now. My Doctor told me that I'm capable to get going. He gave me an assurance that I'm okay now. But with an assistant of course. Well, how about you my boy? You're a big boy now but you look so thin, what happen Grandson? Are you eating well?" Tanong nito habang matiim s'yang pinagmamasdan.

"Yes of course Grandpa! I eat a lot. My body is slim but I'm very much stronger, Paps."

"Hmmm! Okay, by the way I did not prepared any present for you. Because I don't know, what do you want? Thats why I'm here to ask you now. What do you want as your birthday present, My grandson?" Tanong nito sa kanya at bigla na lang n'yang naisip at sadyang inilakas pa ang pagsasalita. Sapat para marinig rin ng kanyang ama.

"I don't want any present gift now, Grandpa! But I have a request." Saad niya.

He knows his Dad's heard it. On his glances he knows his Dad's want to come towards us. But maybe he give way enough time for us to talk first.

"Ow! Then, what is your request? Promise I'll give it to you, if I can."

"My request? I want to go with you in Boston Grandpa. Ah! The sooner the better." Sinadya pa n'yang lakasan ang boses para malinaw na marinig ng kanyang ama.

"Ow! Really? Is that your, request?" He's grandpa said with a little bit surprised on his face.

"Yes! But can you wait? Can you stay with us Grandpa, until my graduation is over? I want to see you there, on that day Grandpa. Can you do that for me?" Tanong niya na may kasama pang pakiusap sa kanyang Lolo.

"Yes! I will.. But your Dad's entitle to make it that to you. I'm very proud of you iho. Your Dad told me that your on the top, a Valedictorian. He's a proud father, you know that?" Akala n'yo lang 'yun! Bulong ng isip niya.

Pero ang totoo wala naman talaga itong pakialam sa kanya mas mahalaga pa kaya dito ang bago nitong pamilya. Iyon ang nasa isip n'ya.

Nang mapadako ang tingin niya sa pwesto ng Daddy niya. Nakita niya itong matiim na nakatingin sa kanya. Nakipagtitigan naman s'ya dito habang sa isip niya siya ay nagtatanong.

'Ano ka ngayon Dad narinig mo ba lahat ng sinabi ko? Iiwan na kita dahil hindi na kita gustong makasama.'

Kasabay ng pangako niya sa kanyang sarili, na sa kanyang pagbabalik ibang Keiffer na ang makikita ng kanyang ama.

Dahil hinding-hindi na s'ya maikukumpara nito sa kahit kanino. Lalong lalo na sa mga ampon ng kanyang ama.

Nauna na rin siyang nag-iwas ng tingin. Subalit hindi nakaligtas sa kanyang paningin ang tila biglang paglamlam ng mga mata nito at bahagya pag-iling.

Senyales ng kalungkutan imposible! Sigaw ng pagtutol at hindi paniniwala.

Bakit siya malulungkot hindi ba noon pa man ayaw na siya nitong nakikita, kaya bakit naman siya malulungkot?

Marahil namamalik mata lang s'ya o hindi kaya nag-aasumed lang s'ya at umaasa pa rin sa isang imposible ng mangyari.

Marahil hindi na rin ito nakatiis kaya kusa rin itong lumapit sa kanila, pagkatapos magpaalam sa mga kasama sa mesa.

"Narito ka na pala iho. Saan kayo nagpunta kanina. Bakit ngayon lang kayo?" Tanong nito sa kanya.

"Nag-stroll lang kami Dad!"

Maikli niyang sagot.

"You know I'll give you a party here. I thought you're only visit your mother's graved, then you come back after. Manang Cel told me that, you will be back soon. But you can't and you're gone for a whole day! Maghapon kayong nawala kasama ng mga kaibigan mo. Saan pa ba kayo nagpunta anak?" Bakit ba parang nag-iba yata ang ihip ng hangin ngayon. Naisip niya.

"Ows? Come on Dad.. It is really important with you if I'm here or not? You know what, this is not the first time that my friends and I will do the same? Dahil matagal na namin itong ginagawa. Pero ngayon mo lang napansin. Know why? Because this is the first time you've been stayed here at home. And that is because of that damned welcome party of your second family, not mine Dad!" He said in sarcastic tone.

"And what did you mean by that ha? So, you hate me? That's the reason why you said, you want to go with your grandpa's home.. And you want to live with him. So, you really choose to leaved me, do you?" Dad's told me na bahagyag may nginig ang boses.

"Yes Dad I choosed to leave you! I want to continue my studies in Boston and live in my grandpa's home. I'll go with him after my graduation and that's final!"

Halos mapanganga na lang ang Daddy niya sa mga sinabi niya. Nagulat man ito sa naging agaran niyang desisyon! Wala na rin naman itong magagawa. Dahil nakapagdesisyon na s'ya at hindi na iyon mababago pa.

Hanggang sa sabay pa silang nagulat ng biglang magsalita ang grandpa niya at sabay pa silang inakbayan.

"Hey! Don't do arguing here. Both of you, please calm down. Okay? This is not the time to talk about it, we'll talk about that later... Okay?" His Grandpa's said. Then he shrugged and move. He felt his Dad sighed.

"Well What's up boy? Have you eaten already? Come let's eat first okay." Muling baling sa kanya ng kanyang Lolo, sabay tapik sa balikat ng kanyang ama at tuluyan na s'yang inakbayan saka iginiya palapit sa buffet table upang kumuha ng pagkain.

Makalipas pa ang ilang sandali, nakaupo na silang magkaharap sa isang mesa. Matimtiman siyang pinagmamasdan ng kanyang Lolo Damien.

Habang abala at nakatutok lang s'ya sa pagkain. Tila ito may malalim na iniisip, nang bigla na lang itong magsalita. Napaangat ang kanyang mukha at tumingin dito.

"So you think, this is the right time to leave your Dad's here alone?" Sabi nito at muling nagpatuloy. "Don't you think, that he get mad at you. If you do so!"

"I don't care, Grandpa! It's not my lose it's him... And he's not alone, he's already had a family now. And I don't want to be with them." Matatag at sigurado n'yang sagot.

"Hey! Buddy, don't you say that.. Don't get mad to your Dad. Okay? Don't you think that, he never care for you. He loves you very much.. Son, and I know it!" Sabi pa nito.

"Please Grandpa! I want to go with you, bring me in Boston."

Humugot muna ito ng malalim paghinga. Bago sinabing..

"Okay! Your request is approved now! Go with me if you want.."

"Really, Grandpa?"

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By: LadyGem25 ❤️