34: Home 1

Madaling araw na nakauwi si Serafina mula sa pagbisita sa puntod ng kaibigan niya. Sa bundok pa kasi ito nakalibing kaya naman inabot siya ng ganitong oras.

Inaasahan niyang tulog na ang mga tao sa residence nila kaya hindi niya ineexpect na sa pagbukas niya ng pintuan ay mabubungaran niya ang anak na may kasamang babae sa salas nila.

The room was dimlighted dahil lampara lang ang ginamit ni Sebastian pang-ilaw sa kanila.

"Ma, saan ka galing? I thought you were already sleeping." Tanong sa kanya ni Sebastian when he stood.

Then he looked at the girl beside him na hirap na tumayo. Agad niyang inalalayan ito.

"You don't have to stand."

"I have to greet your mother." Then she faced Serafina na napasinghap when she recognized her.

"Oh, it is you again." Dali dali siyang nilapitan ni Serafina. At doon lang nito natingnan ng maayos ang itsura ng dalaga. "And you are wounded again."

"I am sorry to intrude, Madam."

"No, no. You are most welcome here. And don't call me Madam. Aunty will do."

Hindi naman alam ni Emy kung paanong magrereak dahil doon. Sebastian made her sit again saka binuksan na yung pinakailaw ng sala. Pinatay na rin niya ang lampara.

"Ma, can I ask you to make Emy some food to eat?"

"Your highness, your mother doesn’t have to do that. Mukhang pagod din siya sa byahe."

Serafina smiled. "It's alright, Emy. Minsan lang humingi ng pabor yang si Sebastian so you don't have to worry about it." Saka niya tiningnan ang anak niya. "Go on and treat her wounds. You can use my medicines if you have too."

"Thank you." Saka naupo na si Sebastian sa harap ni Emy na nakatingin lang sa kanya at mukhang nahihiya.

She smiled at her assuringly.

***

"So dito mo ako dinala noon when you helped me." Emy asked Sebastian.

"Actually, I found you sa mismong loob nitong compound namin."

Napatango si Emy. Even for her, that night was in blurry. Hindi niya alam kung paanong sa dinami rami ng courtyard na babagsakan niya ay sa compound pa ng binata. Pero okay na rin na ito ang nakasagip sa kanya. Kung iba yun baka matagal na siyang wala.

Tinignan niya ulit si Sebastian. Seryoso ito habang ginagamot ang kabilang braso niya. He just finished plastering her wounds on her right arm bago dumating ang Mama niya.

She took an ice pack saka iyon inilapat sa pisngi niya.

"Your mother is nice."

"She is."

"How come hindi ka nagmana sa kanya?"

Sebastian looked at her and raised an eyebrow. She just chuckled.

"Your family are nice too. But you are nothing like them also." Ganti nito sa kanya.

Inirapan niya lang ito. Sebastian chuckled saka nagpatuloy na sa paggagamot sa kanya.

Siya naman ay tumingin na sa paligid niya.

She was actually surprised that the residence of the fourth wife of the Emperor would be this humble. Napakasimple lang nito kung ikukumpara niya sa residence ng First family.

Madalas siya noon kanila Marco dahil palagi siyang iniimbitahan ng Mama nito. Alam din naman ng Empress na may gusto sa kanya ang anak niya.

Bigla namang umabot sa pang-amoy ni Emy ang niluluto ni Serafina. Her stomach immediately made a sound.

Sebastian laughed.

Inirapan niya itong muli.

"Ikaw kaya ang hindi kumain ng ilang araw." Singhal niya sa binata.

Tumigil naman sa pagtawa si Sebastian. Pero nakangiti nitong hinawakan ang ulo niya.

"Poor Emy."

She removed his hand on her head annoyingly.

Napangiti naman si Serafina when she saw her son like that. She never heard him laughed like that magmula ng magbinata ito. He used to be a fun boy. But when he grew up, he started to be serious.

Kaya naman hindi makapaniwala si Serafina sa inaakto ng anak niya sa harap ni Emy.

Napailing na lang siya saka nilapitan ang dalawa.

"This is chicken soup. I need to feed you lightly for now. Baka mabigla ang tyan mo." Sabi niya kay Emy.

"I am grateful, Mad--" Emy stopped as soon as she saw the look on Serafina's face. "...Aunty."

Agad na nginitian siya nito.

"Eat that habang mainit pa."

She nodded.

"Well, as much as I want to stay awake with you two, napagod na rin ako sa byahe ko. Let's just talk mamaya kapag sikat na ang araw."

"Goodnight po."

"Thank you, Ma."

Serafina looked at the two of them gently bago ito pumasok sa kwarto.

"Let me eat first." Emy told Sebastian na tumango lang sa kanya.

***

Sebastian took care all of her wounds including the one on her chest at sa mga binti niya. Medyo awkward but she realized that he is quite good in handling her wounds.

After that ay inutusan nito ang dalawang maid nila para tulungan siya na makapagrefresh. At doon lang siya nakatulog ng ayos.

Afternoon na ng magising siya.

Inabutan niya ang Mama ni Sebastian na nasa sala at busy sa pagdidildil ng halaman.

"Aunty, pasensya na po at ngayon lang ako nagising."

"It's alright." Agad nitong binitiwan ang ginagawa niya saka ito tumayo at lumapit sa kanya.

Serafina made her seat beside her. She took her hand saka iyon hinawakan.

"My dear, nasabi nasa akin lahat ni Sebastian." Serafina told her while there was a pity on her eyes.

"Lahat po?"

Tumango si Serafina.

Hindi naman makapaniwala si Emy. Hindi niya inaasahan na sasabihin ni Sebastian iyon sa Mama niya.

"He never hides anything for me, in return, I never hinder him to do what he wants."

Emy was at awe.

Serafina smiled at her and then her eyes looked at Emy's cheek na namumula pa rin hanggang ngayon. Then on her neck na may dalawang plaster.

She knew na may hiwa din ito sa magkabilang braso at sa may chest. Then her eyes fell on her wrists. She carefully caressed them.

"You experience too much brutality lately. Only cruel people can give this kind of scars to a lady like you." She sadly looked at the youth in front of her.

Then she touched her cheeks. Malabot na ang mga iyon but it was still sore for sure.

"Sebastian asked me to take a look on your waist and knees. He said you fell."

Tumango naman siya at saka hinayaan ito na inspeksyunin siya.

"Wala ka namang bali pero may bukol ka since you landed with your hip bone and knees. It will cause discomfort for days."

Emy nodded.

"I am sorry to be a burden, Aunty."

Napangiti ito sa kanya. "My son seems not to think that you are a burden so I am not going to think that too."

May panunukso sa ngiti nito pero inignore lang iyon ni Emy.

"Say, Emy, do you have a boyfriend?"

"I have no time for that, Aunty."

"Sure, sure." Pero hindi nito maitago ang ngiti niya.

Emy was the first girl na dinala ng anak niya sa bahay nila. Ngayong ikalawa na, she was hoping the next time she comes here ay in-law na niya ito.

It was just her wishful thinking pero who knows...

***