Song: Turning Tables- Adele

Propose

Nang sumunod na araw ay nagpunta ang pamilya ko sa bahay namin. My mother was very excited to see me again that she crashed me into a hug when we arrived.

"Oh, Zach! I miss you so much!" she cried on my shoulder. I smiled. "Minsan nalang kita makita at madalang mo nalang rin akong tawagan."

Inalis niya ang pagkakayakap sa akin. She smiled sadly at me. I chuckled.

"I'm just really busy with something, mom." I explained. I heard Katarina scoffs. I turn to her.

"Busy stalking you mean?" she rolled her eyes on me at tsaka nag-tungo sa akin para mayakap ako.

I hit her shoulder playfully. Mahigpit ko siyang niyakap at tsaka hinalikan ang kanyang ulo.

"How are you?" I asked.

She rolled her eyes again. Kumunot naman ang noo ko.

"The usual! Very busy with school! Wala na atang araw na hindi kami nawawalan ng school works!" reklamo niya.

She's on her third year in college. No wonder why she's so busy nowadays. Buti nalang at nagkaroon pa siya ng oras na sumama sakanila Mommy at Daddy para makabisita dito.

Pagkatapos naman noon ay tsaka ako binati ni Daddy.

"Son, how are you?" he asks. Tipid akong ngumiti.

"I'm doing fine."

He looks convinced with my answer. Nilingon niya naman si Mommy na naghahanda na ng hapag ngayon. He looks at me again.

"How's Sam?"

"She seems fine doon sa tinitirahan niya ngayon. And the place is very secured so I don't need to worry about anything."

My father nodded. He inserted both of his hands inside his pockets.

"Wala pa rin ba siyang maalala?"

Iniwas ko ang tingin sakanya nang dahil sa tanong na iyon. It doesn't seem like her memories are coming back soon. Maybe I need to show her something that would make her remember the past.

Pero ano iyong ipapakita ko? I don't have anything here that would make her remember of us except that damn necklace!

She told me before that if she removed the necklace around her neck, it means she's forgetting everything. But she assured me that she's not going to do that because she doesn't want to forget us. Ang sabi niya pa sa akin noon na kahit naghiwalay kami ay hindi niya parin inaalis iyon.

And now, it's not around her neck anymore, because she already forgot us, literally.

"Wala pa rin po, e." dismayado kong sinabi.

"Nakausap mo na ba siya?" tumango ako. My father looks surprised. "Kailan?"

"Kahapon po."

His forehead creased. Tinagilid niya ang kanyang ulo.

"You went inside the house she's currently living in?" hindi niya makapaniwalang tinanong. Natawa naman ako nang dahil doon.

"Of course not. She went out with her "friends" yesterday. I followed them."

He looks surprised again. Hindi siguro makapaniwala na may anak siyang stalker na ngayon. Well, I never thought that I'm capable of doing that until I followed Sam in New York a few years ago. I didn't know I had such skills.

"Nakita ka ba niya?"

"I purposely made her see me."

Napangiti siya nang dahil sa sagot ko. Hindi parin siya makapaniwala sa ginawa ko kahapon.

"Son, hindi ko alam na may kakayahan ka palang ganyan." He chuckled. Napangiti naman ako.

"I'm just desperate to talk to her again."

Tumango siya at mukhang naiintindihan na ngayon. Siguro, kung siya rin naman ang nasa pwesto ko, may posibilidad ring gawin niya 'to. I can see how much she loves our mother. Mahiwalay lang ng sandali sakanya, akala mo buong buhay na siyang nawala kung hanapin niya.

"Ano ba iyong pinag-usapan niyo?"

"Nothing really important. She only asks some questions about herself."

Nagulat na naman si Daddy nang dahil sa sinabi ko. I licked my lips bago ko tuluyang ipaliwanag sakanya ang nangyari.

"I mean, she asked me if I have a girlfriend."

"Why would she ask that?"

"I don't know."

"Maybe she's attracted to you again!"

I chuckled with my father's answer. Umiling ako.

"It's impossible. She still thinks that Timothy is her real boyfriend."

Naalala ko noong sinabi ko sakanila ang tungkol kay Sam at Timothy, si Daddy ang pinakanagulat. Kilala niya kasi si Timothy at hindi niya rin inakala na magagawa ni Timothy ang bagay na iyon.

"But it doesn't make sense. Bakit niya biglang itatanong ang bagay na iyon?"

"Maybe she's curious." His eyes widened a little.

"That's the start, son. That's the start. If she's curious about you, maybe she remembered something. But she isn't sure if it's you."

Napaatras naman ako nang dahil sa sinabi niya. Ang alam ko, businessman siya at hindi psychiatrist o doktor.

"Where did you get that?" I asked, medyo natatawa pa.

"Uhm... I watched a movie before where the lead character has an amnesia."

"Dad..."

"What? That can happen in real life! That can happen to Sam!"

Napangiti nalang ako. My father is being impossible right now. I can't believe it.

"Let's not base what's happening right now in a movie. What's important is that I'm doing my best to make her remember everything again."

He sigh. Tumango nalang siya bilang sagot sa huli.

"Wait. Pero ano ang reaksyon niya noong sinabi mong may girlfriend ka?"

"I said I don't have a girlfriend." His eyes widened again. "But I told her that I do have a fiancée."

Ngumisi siya ng dahil doon. He patted me on my shoulder like he's very proud of me.

Natapos lang ang usapan namin nang tawagin na kami ni Mommy dahil nakahanda na ang mga pagkain. Ryan and Tony helped her with arranging everything. Ngumiti sila kay Daddy nang pumasok na kami sa kitchen.

Naupo ako sa tabi ni Katarina at ni Mommy. Walang anu-ano pa'y nagsimula na rin naman kaming kumain.

Nasa kalagitnaan kami ng pagkain nang bigla kong maramdaman na nagvavibrate ang cellphone ko. Kinuha ko ito sa bulsa ko at tiningnan kung sino ang tumatawag.

It's Isabella.

My forehead creased. Pinasadahan ko ng tingin ang hapag at nakitang busy sila sa usapan na kanina pa umiikot dito.

I excused myself.

"Excuse me but I have to get this."

I went outside to answer Isabella's call.

"What do you want?"

"Well... hello to you, too, Zach." Bati niya sa kabilang linya.

"What do you want, Isabella? I didn't answer your call to have a little chit chat with you."

"But what if I tell you that I called because I have a little chit chat to tell you?"

My jaw clenched. Diniinan ko rin ang pagkakahawak ko sa aking telepono. When is this girl going to stop? Hindi pa ba siya nasisiyahan sa mga pinaggagawa niya ha?

"What do you fucking want?! Just tell me!" I almost shouted.

"Oh... please be a little patient, Mr. Dela Merced."

"I swear to god, Isabella! I don't have time to accept any of your bullshit right now. Just fucking tell me what you want!"

"Well... I want you? And I want you to think twice about the answer you gave me before. That's a good offer actually. Kaya kung ako sa'yo, pag-iisipan ko ng mabuti iyon."

"I don't want you, okay? And I will never want you. Kaya hindi ako papayag sa kung ano mang gusto mo!"

"But what if I tell you that Timothy is planning to propose to Sam? Papayag ka na ba?"

Natigilan ako nang dahil sa sinabi niya. My mouth parted.

"What?"

"Well, Timothy is planning to propose to your oh-so-lovable Sam at the end of the month. So, you basically have three weeks to think again of your answer."

Why is he planning to propose to her!? What the fuck! That can't happen! I won't let that happen!

"Fuck you, Isabella! How could you let that happen huh!?"

"You probably know the answer to that. Kaya kung ako sa'yo... pag-iisipan ko na talaga ng mabuti ang sagot ko. Dahil kung papayag ka sa kundisyon ko, I'll help you stop Timothy with his plan of proposing to Sam."

"Hinding-hindi niya gagawin 'yan dahil hindi ko siya hahayaan!"

"Well, good luck to that." She laughed devilishly before she hangs up the call.