A good day
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Two hundred and eight blue roses were delivered to me as I was on my way out. Apat na basket lahat. Ni-receive ko nang nakakunot ang noo.

"Smile. Those are roses," the old delivery man told me before leaving.

I couldn't tell him that blue roses meant more to me than just being roses.

After closing the door, I read the message in the card attached on one of the baskets.

The message was simple : I found you.

Sulat-kamay ni Harry. Pangalan ni Harry ang nasa dulo.

Si Harry.

It's hard to breathe just because I'm holding something that came from him. My heart throbbed with the familiar bittersweet beat.

I found you. Does it mean, he's here in Minnesota?

Hinahanap ko pa lang siya kahapon sa mga trolls, nakapunta na agad siya sa'kin?

I ran to the door and stood by the porch. Sinuyod ko ng tingin ang kahabaan ng kalye, hoping to find Harry. The street was busy with joggers and cyclists. Some were walking to and from the nearby shops. May mga nag-e-exercise sa tawid-kalyeng park.

There's no sign of Harry.

But he said he found me. Where is he?

Nagdalawang-isip ako sa gagawin bago ako tumawid papunta sa parke. I'm still looking left and right. When I convinced myself that Harry's not going to show up just because I wish he would, saka naman tumunog ang cellphone ko.

An unregistered number was calling. Tinitigan ko lang. After the third missed call, I received a message.

From : Unregistered number
Sent : 07:12 AM
Message :
Magandang araw, Kabayan! Nabalitaan namin na hinahanap mo ang isang nagngangalang Harry Lastimosa. Totoo ba?

Nangunot ang noo ko bago mag-reply.

Reply from : Jianna Arcenas
Sent : 07:15 AM
Message :
What? Who's this? Ash? JT? MM? H?
=___=

Reply from : Unregistered number
Sent : 07:16 AM
Message :
Awtsu. Hindi man lang yung hinahanap niya ang unang naisip.

Nauna na ang instinct ko sa pagkilala kung sino ang kausap ko. But he doesn't... sound... like this. I mean, there's a little familiarity but it felt... different.

Reply from : Jianna Arcenas
Sent : 07:17 AM
Message :
No way...

Reply from : Unregistered number
Sent : 07:17 AM
Message :
Pakisagot ng tawag, binibini. ^___^

Hindi pa 'ko nakakapag-isip man lang sa kung ano ang nangyayari nang tumunog ang cellphone ko. The unregistered number was calling again.

If it's Harry, I don't know what to feel or what to do. Napaupo ako sa wooden bench na naroon bago tanggapin ang phone call. Hindi ako nakapagsalita agad.

"Hello," said the voice from the line.

I held my breath in recognizing Harry's voice. It really is him.

"Hello..." I said, breathless.

No one spoke for a moment. I couldn't find my words nor formulate my thoughts.

Good grief! I should say something! Anything!

"Pwedeng manligaw?" he asked casually.

WTF! What did he say?

Lalong lumipad paalis lahat ng salita ko dahil sa tanong niya. I was preparing an answer for the 'How are you?' question, not the ligaw.

"Uh... Teka..." I don't even know how to answer that damn question. So, I asked, "Kailan?"

"Bawat araw ng buhay mo."

Mahina akong natawa. I didn't know if I'm hearing him right or maybe I'm actually dead and fantasizing my afterlife. I might've died in my sleep, woke up as a ghost, and not know it.

"Baliw..."

But he wasn't laughing. "Seryoso ako, Jianna."

Natigil ang tawa ko. Seryoso siya? Manliligaw siya sa bawat araw ng buhay ko?

"Sandali lang..." Nagbuga ako ng hangin para makalma. I was embarassing myself right now. "Where the hell are you?"

He laughed softly. Natahimik naman ako.

"Nandito lang sa sulok ng park. Nakatingin sa'yo," kaswal na sagot niya.

"What?" Lumingon-lingon uli ako.

"On your five o'clock," he said.

Lumingon ako sa direksyong sinabi niya. At huminto ang lahat ng bagay nang magtagpo ang mata namin ni Harry.

He's by the flowerbeds of the park. Naka-cardigan at pants para sa babahagyang lamig ng umaga. The morning sun shone brightly on his face. Malapad siyang nakangiti habang naniningkit ang mata—a smile I'm seeing for the first time.

He's like the bright morning.

Nanikip ang lalamunan ko sa emosyon at lumabo ang mata sa namumuong luha.

"Kumusta, binibini?" he asked.

"Shit..." Hindi ko napigilan ang pagpatak ng luha ko. He looked so good and he's smiling. My last memory of him was our goodbye, when he told me he loves me for the first time.

"Why are you crying?" tanong niya.

Umiling ako. Hindi makapagsalita. My tears won't stop, kahit ilang ulit kong pahirin. I can't believe he's here.

Tatayo sana ako para tumakbo papunta sa kanya pero—

"Hep. Don't move from your seat," pigil niya. "This time, I'll be the one to run to you," he said while looking at me with gentle eyes.

Tumango ako habang umiiyak at bumalik sa pagkakaupo ko.

Harry strode in big, easy steps towards me. I watched him stepped closer. Each step he took, melted my heart. Each step shook me like earthquake, I cried.

He sat on his heels when he finally reached me. Bahagya siyang nakatingala sa'kin.

Sinapo niya ang mukha ko at pinahid ng hawak niyang panyo ang luha ko.

"Pinaiyak na naman kita?" tanong niya.

Umiling ako.

"Pambihira. Pinaiyak ka ng couple na nasa kabilang bench?" tanong niya at malapad na ngumisi.

Umirap ako. "How could you joke right now?"

"Yeah. How could I?" sabi niya at pinagala ang mata niya sa mukha ko, bago ako titigan sa mga mata. "But I'm so happy to see you. How could I not joke around?"

"You're happy?" tanong ko sa nanginginig na boses.

"Yeah. And I'm in love," he said.

I bit my upper lip to stop myself from wailing through the serene morning at the park.

"I love you. Can I love you?" he asked.

"Are you..."—sumigok ako—"sure?"

"Yeah. I'm sure, Jianna."

"Then... okay," sagot kong tumatango. Itinakip ko ang palad ko sa bibig ko para matigil ang panginginig ko. "Okay."

Ngumiti siya at marahan akong iginiya sa kanya para yakapin. Pagdikit ko sa katawan niya, lalo akong nanghina.

"Oh God..." I want to stay in his arms for a long, long time.

Bumuntonghininga siya.

"You're with me... I'm so relieved," bulong niya.

"Me, too."

"I just want to tell you that when I start loving you, I won't ever stop," he said gently. "So, tell me whatever you want, okay?"

"Okay."

"Then, let's pick up where we left off," sabi pa at inihiwalay ako sa katawan niya. Pinahid niya ang luha ko bago masuyong tumingin sa'kin. "Let's have a day together, Jianna."

Tumango ako. "I want that, too."

Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko at tumayong kasama ako. Tumingala siya sandali sa langit bago huminga nang malalim.

Pagbaling niya sa'kin, nakangiti siya.

"Ang ganda ng araw, 'no?" sabi niya.

I looked around where the sun shower its lights—to the trees, to the flowers, to the people around us... to him.

"It's a good day," sabi ko.

Lumamlam ang mata niya sa'kin. Hinuli ang mga mata ko. "It is."

I wanted to avoid his eyes because my heart's beating wildly again and I needed to calm down. But because he won't look away, I can't look away.

Tumitig kami sa isa't isa hanggang sa parehas kaming mapangiti.

Yeah. It's a good day to find what we've been looking for—each other. #0407u / 12092016