Chapter 21
Idea

"Jace, help me set up the barbeque stand," Tito Josh asked for Jace's help.

Jace was hesitating to leave me behind, but I assured him that it was okay. And so, with that, he left me at the hammock and went to his dad.

I actually can't that we're still going to have a barbeque party even though we just ate our dinner. But I guess his family loves eating as much I do. I'm not even gonna complain if we're still going to eat desserts after this.

"Chocolate parfait?"

I looked up to Tita Lyrae who brought some dessert for me. Well... Just as I was thinking.

I nodded and smiled. "Thank you po," I thanked her when she gave me the parfait.

"May I sit beside you as well?" she asked. "I'll keep you company while my son's busy with his father over there."

"Oo naman po," sabi ko at agad na umusog para mabigyan siya ng pwesto.

She sat beside me at the hammock, and we both stared at the man we love.

"Sana ay okay lang sa'yo ang gabihin,"  sabi ni Tita Lyrae.

"Okay lang naman po. My parents don't mind. Nagpaalam din po ako," sabi ko naman.

Tumango naman siya at saka ngumiti. "That's good," sabi niya. "Kung ako nga lang ang masusunod, gusto kong dito ka na magpalipas ng gabi. We have a spare room upstairs, but Jace said that it's not a good idea. Iuuwi ka raw niya sa inyo kahit ano'ng mangyari."

"I don't think my dad will also like the idea of it as well," I joked and chuckled.

Tita Lyrae laughed. "I understand," she said in agreement. "But my dad's worse than your dad though. You don't have your curfew while I did. I can still remember how Josh tripped because of my dad's words."

"Siguro po ay masaya rin ang relasyon ninyo noon ni Tito Josh..." sabi ko naman.

She looked at me and pursed her lips before she smiled. "It was... but not everything was fun," she told me. "Sa isang relasyon, imposible ang puro saya lang. You two will encounter obstacles along the way that can break your bond. Nasa sa inyong dalawa kung hahayaan ninyong masira ng problemang 'yon ang relasyon na mayroon kayo. Josh and I had a very tough relationship. It came to the point that we even broke up and parted ways. We tried to love someone else apart from each other."

"Pero nagkabalikan pa rin po kayong dalawa..." Hindi ko maiwasan ang mamangha sa kanilang dalawa ni Tito Josh.

"I love him so much, Zarina..." she whispered so sincerely. "I love my husband so much. The love we have for each other that almost ruined us, it was also the love which made us whole again."

I stared at the parfait I was holding. I can't help but to envy them.

Not everyone can experience that kind of journey with someone you love. Iyong tipong kahit marami kayong pinagdaanan na hindi maganda ay sa huli, kayo pa ring dalawa.

"When Jace opened up about his feelings, do you know how happy I was?" she suddenly asked me.

Napatingin naman ako kay Tita Lyrae na nakatingin pa rin sa kanyang mag-ama.

"I guess you know how quiet my son is. Pati kami ay nahihirapang kausapin siya minsan. Hindi rin siya nakikipag-usap sa'min patungkol sa mga nararamdaman niya. He always likes to keep it all to himself," kwento niya. "Kaya noong sinabi niyang hindi niya maintindihan ang sarili niya. Nagagalit siya sa'yo dahil umalis ka noon. Ayaw ka niyang bumalik pero masaya siyang nandito ka ulit. Sobrang nakahinga ako ng maluwag dahil sa wakas, nakahanap na siya ng babaeng mamahalin."

She turned to me and held my free hand. She caressed it so gently and smiled genuinely.

"My son's not good with his actions and words, Zarina. All I ask is that you give him a chance to find himself while loving you," she said. "When my son declared his feelings for you, we already considered you as a part of our family. Thank you very much for what you've done to our son."

If she only knew that I was more thankful that she gave birth to Jace. Thankful to the heavens and destiny that they let me live in the same generation with him.

If this moment with him will end badly, I might not be able to forget him, but I will completely accept it. At least, I was given a chance. Nandoon na ako sa puntong masaya na ako sa naibigay na pagkakataon sa akin na maramdaman siya. I should be damn grateful because he didn't give others this chance that he gave me.

"Ang akala ko talaga noong una ay si Isha ang makakatuluyan ng anak ko," bigla niyang sabi.

I bit my lip. That was what I thought as well. I even thought that they were in some kind of relationship.

"Jace's comfortable everytime when he's with Isha. Lagi rin silang magkasamang dalawa. I really thought she was the one for him. Marami rin kasi silang pagkakatulad," sabi niya. "Iyon naman pala ay parang kapatid lang ang turing ni Jace sa kanya. Minsan nga ay nagseselos itong si Liana dahil mas close pa sila kaysa sa kanya na mismong kakambal niya."

I really have no clue why Jace didn't fall in love with Isha when he was that comfortable with her. I can clearly see that they're very compatible with each other. An architect and an engineer. They're both mature and professional, and have the same principles in life. Ang hirap itanggi sa sarili ko na bagay sila dahil iyon ang totoo.

On the other hand, I was completely his opposite.

He's quiet, and I can be your alarm clock every damn second. He's very reserved, and I can be more than wild. He's mature, and well, I can also be mature but I still have a lot of immaturities and childish acts. He's everything than I'm not.

"Mom..."

Sabay kaming nag-angat ng tingin ni Tita Lyrae kay Jace na nakatayo sa aming harapan. Kausap niya ang kanyang ina pero sa akin siya nakatingin.

"Dad wants you by his side," he told his mom.

Tita Lyrae sighed before she stood up. "My clingy husband..." she whispered to herself before attending to Tito Josh who was waiting for her to come to him.

Lumabi naman ako bago pinagtuunan na lang ng pansin ang chocolate parfait. I started to eat it when Jace sat beside me again.

"Sorry for that. Dad needed help with assembling the stand," he apologized for something he shouldn't have.

"Okay lang 'yon!" Natatawa kong sabi at saka muling sumubo ng parfait. Hindi ko pa rin siya tinitingnan ng diretso.

I wanted to ask him so much about Isha. He already cleared things out to me that she was just like a sister to him, but I wanted to know why. Hindi ako mapakali hangga't hindi ko alam kung bakit pero ayaw ko rin namang itanong sa kanya ang dahilan.

I was about to eat again when Jace grabbed my wrist and got the chocolate parfait from my hand. Itinabi niya 'yon sa mesa sa tabi ng hammock at saka ako muling nilingon. Agad din naman akong umiwas.

Hindi ka naman masyadong halata na umiiwas, Zarina. Slight lang siguro.

"What's wrong?" he asked me. He knew something's up.

I smiled and glanced at him before shaking my head.

"Don't tell me there's nothing wrong when you can't even look at me in the eye," he told me. "Now, tell me..." He held my hand, and it made me look at our hands. "What's bothering you?"

"Wala nga kasi," pagtanggi ko at saka pilit na inabot ang parfait na kanyang itinabi para maibaling doon ang aking atensyon.

I was caught off guard when he suddenly pulled me in for a hug. My body relaxed, and my mind immediately calmed down because of his embrace.

Here we go again with the Jace effect. He can control me without even trying so hard.

"Now, tell me why..." he whispered while he caressed my back so gently.

I bit my lower lip and let my head lean on his broad chest.

"Iniisip ko lang kung bakit hindi ka nahulog kay Isha gayong gusto ka niya, bagay kayong dalawa at kamahal-mahal naman siyang babae," pag-amin ko. "You two are perfect for each other."

"Hindi naman dahil gusto niya ako, dapat ay gusto ko na rin siya. I may be a newbie in this field, but I know it shouldn't be like that. It won't work like that," he said. "And how are you able to determine that we're perfect for each other? What kind of basis do you have, huh?"

Lumabi ako at saka nag-angat ng tingin sa kanya. Agad naman niya akong tiningnan at nagtaas ng kilay.

Nakakainis! Bakit ba ang gwapo-gwapo?!

"Ikaw na nga ang nagsabi na marami kayong pagkakatulad ni Isha. You are comfortable with her. You've been with her for so many years―"

"But you're the person I love..." he cut me off.

I just stared at him, completely speechless. Who would've thought that those words would come from him?

"I fall in love with you even though we're the opposite..." he said. "I didn't even expect that I would come to fall in love with you, but I did. Isn't that more perfect? Love came to me when the least I expect it."

Pigil na pigil ko ang aking sarili na ngumiti.

I wanted more of his words. I couldn't get enough of this assurance that he's giving me. Kahit ito lang sana ay mapanghawakan ko.

"What if you realize that she's the one for you and not me?" I asked him.

I didn't know where I got the courage to ask him that question. I was pretty confident that his answer will favor me.

"Kung siya talaga, bakit hindi ko pa ito naramdaman noon?" balik niyang tanong sa akin. "You've been away for almost seven years, but I never looked at her the way I looked at you. I never felt something romantic with her. To be honest, I never actually thought that I was waiting for you to comeback. All I know is that I was mad at you for leaving. Na okay lang sa akin kahit hindi ka na bumalik pero ang totoo ay hinihintay pala kita."

Sa sobrang saya ko, pakiramdam ko ay mayroon itong matinding kapalit. Para bang hindi maganda ang maging ganito kasaya dahil alam mong babawiin din ito sa'yo. Natatakot ako sa maaaring mangyari sa hinaharap.

"Then, what about you?"

Napakunot naman ang aking noo sa kanya.

"Huh?"

He smiled and pinched my nose gently. "What if you fall out of love for me?"

"Ako pa talaga ang tinatanong mo niyan?" sabi ko naman sa kanya.

If there's one thing that I'm certain of, it is my love for him. Ito ang sigurado ako at kaya kong maipagmalaki.

"For almost seven years that I'm gone, my heart still belongs to you. Kahit na marami akong nakilala sa New York... Kahit sinubukan kong kalimutan ang nararamdaman ko para sa'yo... Kahit gustong-gusto kong tumupad sa pangakong ginawa ko..." Muli akong nag-angat ng tingin sa kanya at ngumiti. "Ikaw pa rin..."

"Really?" His brows shot up. "You didn't feel anything special for that guy named Austin? Even a bit?"

Napaawang naman ang aking bibig. I can't believe that he actually remembered Austin! I thought he wasn't paying attention when dad was talking about him.

"He is just my friend! We're close and that's it," I told him.

He chuckled and pulled me closer to hug me again. My eyes automatically closed when I felt his lips planted a soft kiss on my forehead. Kasabay no'n ay ang mahinang pag-ihip ng hangin. Pakiramdam ko'y lumulutang kaming dalawa sa langit at nakasakay kami sa ulap.

"Please..." he whispered, begging. "...say yes to me."

Everything happened so fast. He suddenly made me stand up and face his family who were holding cardboards. They were all smiling at me.

Tito Josh was holding cardboard with the word "will"; Tita Lyrae was in charged with "you"; Liana with words "be my"; and Jath held the word "girlfriend".

My tears were on the verge of falling as I turned to Jace who was also holding a cardboard with a question mark and a bouquet of red roses.

Will you be my girlfriend? That sweet interrogative sentence was made when I read all the cardboards in sequence.

"Do you like it?" he asked me, and I can feel his nervousness. "I got this idea from my dad. He told me that this would work.  Hope it really does work..."

I smiled that made the tears roll down on my cheeks because of happiness. Humakbang ako papalapit sa kanya. Kinuha ko ang bouquet at ang cardboard na kanyang hawak upang ilagay ito sa hammock.

I turned to him again and hugged him so tightly.

"I would always like to be you girlfriend, Jace," I whispered my answer on his ears. "It's always a yes."

Kung may kapalit man ang sobrang kasiyahan na 'to ay wala na akong pakialam. Magiging masaya ako hanggang sa kaya ko pang maging masaya.