c11

Several hours road trip by bus. Ipinaliwanag ni Kassey sa kanya na hindi ito marunong magmaneho. She was starting to learn how to drive then, pero naaksidente ang kuya nito while driving his own car and almost lost his life. Parang ito pa raw ang na-trauma sa nangyari at hindi na ito kailanman humawak pa ng manibela.

"At kung bakit naman ako lang ang sumundo sa 'yo, because it's a surprise." Dagdag ni Kassey.

Tumango lang siya at tumingin sa labas ng bintana. Nasa Maynila na sila. She never wanted to leave San Gabriel. But just this one time, she had to.

Paulit-ulit niyang nireremind ang sarili na gusto lang niyang makilala ang mga kamag-anak niya. Just know them and not make them a part of her. Kasi kahit bali-baliktarin man ang mundo, the fact that they caused her mother so much pain was irreversible. And they did that just for the reason na hindi nila ito kauri sa buhay.

"We're heading to our grandparents' house. That's where I live," sabi ni Kassey. "Actually, my family lives there. Mama, Papa, Kuya Kade, me and Kellen. Hindi sa wala kaming bahay na sarili. They just want us in the house. Favorites." Dagdag nitong amused sa sarili nitong kwento. "Isabella, you will love our family."

She offered a small smile just so Kassey won't feel na hangin ang kausap nito. Isa pa, wala itong kinalaman sa pangyayari noon.

*****

AS EXPECTED, sa isang malaking bahay ang destinasyon nila. Iyong tipong hindi magkakakitaan ang mga tao sa loob kung hindi sasadyaing mag-ipon ipon. That's the kind of house Hope never wished to live in.

Una niyang nakilala ang lola. Si Enriqueta. Itsura pa lang super nakaka-intimidate na. Iyon ay sa kabila ng katotohanan na may edad na ito. Kassey whispered to her na eighty years old na ito.

She was bracing herself for words she didnn't want to hear. Kaya naman nang bigla siya nitong yakapin ay natameme siya.

"Isabella, my granddaughter!" Her voice was surprisingly excited and overwhelmed. "At last..."

"Ma'am..." anas niyang 'di magawang gumanti ng yakap, this old woman hugging her is a total stranger to her.

"Oh please... Call me lola..." Kumalas ito at ikinulong ang mukha niya sa mga palad nito.

"Lola," mahina niyang bigkas.

"Forgive me," muli siya nitong niyakap. "I never thought that your mother would take you with her." Pakiramdam ni Hope may bahid pa ng paninisi sa kanyang ina ang tono nito. "You didn't deserve to live a poor life."

"With all due respect lola, maayos po akong napalaki ng nanay ko."

"Oh, that's not what I meant," marahil ay nakita nito ang hint of anger sa mga mata niya sa sinabi nito. "Of course, she raised you well. You are her daughter."

Hindi na nila pinalawig ang usapan dahil sumingit na si Kassey na pinagtatawagan na ang mga ibang myembro ng pamilya na nakatira roon na magsi-uwi na.

"On Saturday night, we'll have a family dinner," announced ng lola nila.

"I'm sorry, aalis din po ako agad," tanggi niya dahil Wednesday pa lang noon. Hindi niya gustong mag-stay ng kahit na ilang araw pang karagdagan sa malaking bahay na iyon.

"Nonsense. You just got here Isabella," tutol ng matanda.

"Hope po. Please, call me Hope."

Nakita niya ang pag-aalinlangan at pagtutol sa mukha ng senyora at ni Kassey.

"I prefer to be called Hope," dagdag niya.

"But hija--"

"And I am not staying further. Andito lang po ako para sabihin na ayaw ko sa mana na iniwan ng tatay ko. Give it to his wife. All of it."

Napahawak sa dibdib nito ang lola nila na agad namang dinaluhan ni Kassey.

"Isabella! Help me!"

Naguilty naman siya at nagmamadaling lumapit sa dalawa. Pinagtulungan nila itong maiupo habang iniutos ni Kassey sa maid ang pagkuha ng gamot ng matanda.

"I'm sorry!" Paumanhin niya, bahagyang kinabahan sa nangyari. Pag inatake ito kasalanan pa niya.

"Let's talk about that some other time, Isabella."

So wala siyang nagawa.

A couple of hours later. Nag-umpisa ng magsidatingan ang mga ibang myembro ng pamilya.

First to come home was Kassey's mother, Agatha, and daughter Kellen. They weren't as ecstatic to meet her pero hindi rin naman bitter. They welcomed her warmly. Next was the father, Edsel. Formal. Okay.

And then the grandfather, Agusto Fontanilla. Kung nakakatakot ang lola, mas lalo ang lolo. But gaya ng matandang babae, masaya itong makita siya. In fact there were tears in his eyes. Hindi niya ineexpect iyon kaya medyo lumambot ang puso niya.

"Where's the first born?" Kunot noong tanong ni lola Enriqueta when they were all seated for dinner.

Her very first with these people who were supposed to be her family.

"The doctor's running late again," Kassey rolled her eyes.

"Call your son, Agatha," utos ni lolo.

"Yes, dad."

Pinapanood niya lang ang mga ito. Sumasagot siya kapag kinakausap.

"He's on his way," saad ni Agatha pagkabalik nito sa hapag kainan.

"Let's start then."

For a while they were silently eating. Hanggang sa maumpisahan ang tanungan.

"What do you do, Isabella?" Lolo asked.

"I'm sorry... But please, I want you to call me Hope," sa halip ay sagot niya, napatingin ang matanda sa asawa nito na tumango lang.

"I don't understand, but if it is your wish, Hope?" Si Agusto ulit.

Maliit siyang ngumiti sa pagtawag nito sa kanya ng Hope.

"I'm a Chef... Sa maliit na hotel & resort sa San Gabriel..."

"A Chef," ulit nitong napangiti. "Anak ka nga ni James."

"Your father is a Chef, Hope," sabi ni lola na ginagap pa ang isa niyang kamay.

"Well, it's so timely. The restaurant needs new management. Sandra doesn't seem to handle the business well," singit ni Agatha.

"I'm also thinking of that," sabi ni lolo.

"I'm sorry but ---" she was going to express her disapproval when someone arrived interrupting her words.

"Sorry everyone, I'm late!"

She was seated with her back facing the door pero hindi niya kailangang lumingon para kilalanin ang may ari ng boses na iyon. It was the voice that even when mixed with thousand voices, mag-i-stand out at walang duda na makikilala niya.

Kaden Aragon announced his arrival. Dumiretso ito sa lola nito who was beside Hope para humalik at ganoon din kay Agatha na nasa harapan naman niya.

Pakiramdam ni Hope namutla siya at anytime ay mahuhulog sa kinauupuan niya. He was her cousin? As in??? And they're blood related?!

The only man she loved all her life was her relative?! She could feel every nerve in her body shaking in disbelief. She wanted to wake up from such a nightmare. It couldn't be!

Hope watched wide-eyed as Kaden took his seat beside his mother with a big smile on his face.

"So, you're Isa---" he was surprised, parang noon lang siya nito totoong napansin. "Chef Hope!" He broke into a bigger smile. "Whoah..." tumayo ulit ito at umikot sa kanya para halikan siya sa pisngi. Because she wasn't expecting the gesture, she moved awkwardly and his lips almost landed at the corner of her lips.

Good thing was, nobody else seemed to notice, except her and Kaden perhaps?

"H-Hi... Dr Aragon," she said, blinking away her tears.

"This is a surprise..." bumalik ito sa pwesto nito, well maybe he didn't notice after all. "What are you doing here? Are you with Isabella...?" He looked around. "Where's Isabella?" bago napatingin kay Kassey at sa kanya ulit as realization hit him. "Y-you're Isabella?" Hindi ito makapaniwala, the Doctor's handsome smile slowly faded.

Tango lang ang naging kompirmasyon niya. Kinailangan niyang yumuko para kunwaring kusutin ang mga mata. But in fact, she was trying so hard to hide her tears. Ang sakit.

"I--- didn't know that you're a Fontanilla," wala sa loob na sabi niya, still hoping against hope na sana hindi sila magkaano-ano.

"Dr. Kaden Fontanilla Aragon," singit ni Kassey. "Magkakilala kayo?"

Paulit-ulit na lang siya sa pagsasabing tapos na siya kay Rain. Pero heto, hindi man niya ine-expect that he would turn out to be his relative, dapat hindi na siya nasasaktan. But the idea that she fell in love with her cousin is haunting. She loved Rain. She kissed him. She almost married him! And for what? To learn later on that they're cousins? First degree!

"Yeah, we met. Several months ago in San Gabriel," si Kaden ang sumagot.

"Well, good!" Ani Enriqueta. "Now Hope's got a reason to stay. May kakilala siya rito."

No. Mas lalong ayaw niyang magtagal!

*****

MARAMI siyang silid na pwedeng ukupahin. But Kassey insisted that she would share with her. Gusto raw nitong mapalapit sa long lost cousin nito.

"Kuya is too slow. Imagine, he already met you and he had no idea na ikaw si Isabella," sumampa ito sa kama at nahiga na.

"Hindi ko rin naman naisip na pinsan ko siya," sabi niyang naupo sa tabi nito.

"Were you good friends? Because for a second I thought he was really happy when he saw you."

"Zoey and Kaden stayed at Myca's for a week."

Hanggang doon lang ang kaya niyang ikwento.

"So you also met Zoey." Kassey mentioned Zoey's name like she hated her.

"Yeah?"

"I don't like her for my brother." Bumangon ito at naupo at handa na sanang magkwento kung bakit nang istorbohin ito ng mga katok sa pinto. "I hate him, grrr..." iniikot nito ang mga mata sa paraang alam na alam nito kung sino ang kumakatok. "Dr Aragon, pasok ka na!" Napipilitan nitong sigaw tapos ay humalukipkip.

Bumukas ang pinto at iniluwa noon ang binatang pinag-uusapan nila.

"I'm wondering if I can talk to you, Chef," he said.

"We're talking and you're interrupting us," Kassey pouted pero wala rin itong nagawa kundi pumayag.

Bumaba sila sa garden.

"I still couldn't believe that you're my cousin," umpisa nito when they were seated on a bench.

"Me either."

"Hindi na kami nakabalik sa San Gabriel ni Zoey... Kumusta ka na?"

"Gano'n pa rin..."

"You know, Kassey never doubted for a second that she would find you. Even Uncle James gave up. She wanted so much to play detective. Alam mo ba na sarili niyang pera ang ginamit niya para mahanap ka?" Bahagya itong tumawa. "But don't feel guilty. Kasi may usapan naman sila ni lolo na ibabalik ng three folds ang nagastos niya kapag nahanap ka niya..." he stopped and looked at her. "I'm sorry that I didn't know that you're Isabella. You should've been reunited with us sooner..."

Umiling siya at matamlay na ngumiti. Mas mabuting hindi nito nalaman agad iyon. Dahil kapag noong napakavulnerable pa niya sa hiwalayan nila sumabog sa pagmumukha niya na pinsan niya ito, baka hindi niya nakaya. At least ngayon, hindi na sobrang sakit kahit na masakit pa rin.

"How's Zoey?" She asked, trying to sound as casual as possible.

"She's going to be Mrs. Aragon in two months time."

"Great..." 

'It wasn't.' She felt the truth slapping her face.

"How have you been?" Baling nito sa kanya. "I mean, are you in a relationship now?"

"No... But remember Kev----" she stopped when she realized that Kaden didn't meet Kevin "Ahm, I'm dating."

"Good... Good," tumango-tango ito but he didn't seem sincerely happy.

'Of course he's happy!' Her mind said. 'You're just hoping that he wasn't. Stop it, Hope. Kaden is your cousin...'

"Let's go back inside?" Tanong nito na tila nawalan ng ganang makipag-usap.

"Yup." Sumunod siya sa nagpatiunang binata.

Hinatid siya nito sa kwarto ni Kassey which she found really helpful since mawawala siya kapag siya lang mag-isa ang babalik.

"Doctor..." she called when he had said his goodnight.

"Hope..."

"I'm happy to see you again," Sabi niya. "I- I hope to see Zoey too," agad niyang dagdag. "I'm not staying long so if she finds time---"

"I will tell her," he smiled. "Good night, Hopie..." Tumalikod na ito.

Hopie!

He called her Hopie?!

She held a hand over her mouth and tried so hard not to break into a sob.

"Rain!" She whispered.