So Close No Matter How Far

Yes, kami na. How did it happen? I don't know. I just heard him whisper in my ear "I love you and Im coming back for you." in the car and I just said "Thank you." The next thing, he was kissing the back of my hand and hugging me real tight saying, "Arrrghh, I dont wanna go." And I being the angel, keeps on saying, "No you have to go or you'll lose your job." That was Sunday night, while we were on our way home from his uncle's big house. I was not really able to absorb his ILY declaration because I know, minutes after, I will be facing a greater ordeal: introducing him to my father. Kaya di ba ang ganda ng sagot ko: Thank you? Hahahaha. Wala sa sarili. Then siguro nakahalata sya that I was not being myself, he asked "Is your dad home by this time?" I looked at him and answered, "Yes, I believe so." Tapos natahimik sya. "Is it alright if I meet him now? I will tell him why it took us this late." (By late he meant 6:00 pm. Heheheh). I said, "Ahh... maybe." Pero syempre, kahit wala ako sa sarili ko, wala na din naman ako nagawa kundi ang pababain sya and let him do the explaining. Nung inintroduce ko sya, my father was busy scanning the TV for some good watch. So humarap lang sa kanya ang Papa ko para iacknowledge ang presence nya then back to the TV ang eyes ng matanda! Ang suplado! Grabe. Kinakabahan ako, big time! Then he started explaining that there was a party sa house nila kaya na-late kami ng uwi (again, 6pm pa lang nun) pero di sya pinapansin ni Papa and Mama comes to the rescue saying "No, no, it's okay." I looked at my mum's expression and I think I could interpret this instead "You can still take her out until midnight if you like." Para akong binubugaw ng nanay ko. Hahahaha. And my father just scanned channels. Nung nagpapaalam na sya para tumuloy na, congrats ulit kay Allan dahil tinignan lang sya ng tatay ko at balik ulit sa TV ang atensyon. Suplado to the nth power! Hahahah. Then when he left, I heard my mum doing the explaining sa interrogation ng tatay ko. Di pa ako pumasok ng bahay until wala na akong naririnig na diskusyon. Nung pumasok ako sa bahay, deretso ako sa kwarto. At narinig ko ang tatay ko sabi, 'Hindi na ba yun kakain?' Di na ako kumain dahil alam kong masasalang ako sa hot seat. Pagkahiga ko sa kwarto ko, syang tawag ni Allan. Parang ilang minuto lang yun nung magkahiwalay kami. Bungad nya sa phone, "Are you alright? Did I get you into trouble with your father? Would you like me to come back?" Ano ba?! Andaming tanong. Sabi ko, "I'm okay. He's settled now. At least I got over the hard first stage of introducing you to him." Sabi nya, "Are you sure? I'm worried. I love you." Hmmm, medyo nakahinga na ako nang maluwag kaya walang alinlangan at pakundangan ko syang sinagot: "I love you back." He was saying some other things pero I did not really mind. Nasa isip ko lang nun after I told him I love him eh kami na. At kami na nga. Syang tunay! Makabawi man lang sa wala-sa-sarili kong sagot earlier na 'Thank you.' Ampangit di ba?! It was 630pm, 8th of November, when I put the phone down, still in a dreamy mood.

*****

He left me something to keep. He left me his late father's necklace with the St. Luke and St. Christopher pendants. His late father gave it to him before he died. Creepy noh? Mamaya bigla hilain ng tatay nya sa akin 'to!

At kung malinaw-linaw pa ang pag-iisip ko (because when he was saying these things eh nabablock ng kaba sa pagmemeet nila ng tatay ko yung mind ko), nasabi din nya that he will come back in May to properly talk to my father for some arrangements. I asked, 'What arrangement?' And he said, I wanted to propose to you properly. And I said, 'Ah.' (Don't you think Im just so smart with my answers?) And he smiled. Ayun muna sa ngayon. Seeing him leave makes me weak. :(