Chapter 6: Reminiscing

The crunch of dead leaves under my feet echoes through the air as I walk towards our old mansion. The sound, a stark reminder of the passage of time, is the only noise in the otherwise silent surroundings. The mansion, once a symbol of our family's prosperity, now stands as a testament to the memories we've left behind.

Hindi ko lubos akalain, na abandonado na ang mansyon na ito.

The mansion looms ahead, its grandeur faded with time. The windows, once brightly lit, are now dark, mirroring the emptiness inside. Each crunch of the leaves under my feet feels like a step back in time, a journey into the past.

Kinapa ko ang malamig na metal ng kandado na nakabitin sa gate. I saw how this created being protected from people trying to get inside, na kahit ang dating nakatira ay wala ng karapatan pa.

At the top of the main gate, words were etched into the metal, “de bon augure” which means giving hope of success in french. It is quote that had been passed down through our family for generations. It served as a constant reminder of our family's values and the legacy we carried.

I remember how my mother told me about this. “Darling Hestia, each letter was carefully crafted, it held a piece of our family's history, a testament to the strength and resilience that defined us”. She said while we are sitting on the bench.

Even as I stood alone, those words offered a sense of connection, a reminder that I was a part of something bigger.

However, because we are in depth debt at hindi na kayang bayaran ng aking mga magulang, naiwan na lamang ang lumang mansion na ito. Weeks after umalis sila ng bahay for a business trip, I received news, they met with an accident.

Pero hindi pala aksidente, they are planned to be killed.

“Kailangan ko ang tulong mo,” pagsisimula ko. Pagkatapos ng ilang segundo, narinig ko ang boses sa kabilang linya.

“I already know what kind of help you need. My mother already informed me.” Sabi niya sa malamig na tono.

Yesterday, matapos ang masinsinan naming pag uusap ng sekretarya ng parents ko, binigyan niya ako ng numero ng kanyang anak. He was a local detective; I will use her knowledge to uncover the truth behind my parents' sudden death.

I know how hard it is to find justice but for my parents, I will sue those killers kahit pa saang sulok sila nagtatago.

“Kailangan nating magkita, I'll just text the details.” Hindi na ako makapaghintay na..."

Hindi ko natapos ang aking sinasabi dahil sa biglaang pag-atake ng emosyon. I immediately turn off my phone and wipe my tears flowing fast on my cheeks. Ang pangungulila, ang galit, at ang pananabik ko sa aking mga magulang bilang anak ay naglalaban sa aking dibdib.

Sa pangalawang pagkakataon, naglalakad-lakad ako sa paligid ng labas ng mansion. Alas-singko na ng hapon, at narinig ko na ang huni ng mga ibon at mga kuliglig.

This is the ambiance I used to hear, years ago.

The cold breeze wraps around me, as if offering a comforting embrace in the midst of my solitude. It rustles through the trees, creating a soft symphony that fills the silence. Each gust seems to whisper words of encouragement, reminding me that even in the darkest times, I am not alone. Despite the chill, there's a strange warmth in the breeze, a silent promise that better days are ahead.

With a sense of finality, I turned away from the mansion and walked towards my car. Each step felt heavy, as if I was leaving a piece of myself behind with the mansion.

As I reached my car, I took one last look at the mansion. Despite its emptiness, it still held a special place in my heart. It was a part of my past, a part of who I was.

With a deep breath, binuksan ko ang pinto ng aking kotse. I quickly start the engine at tuluyan ng pinaharurot ang sasakyan.

And shocks. I almost forgot. Ngayon pala darating si Zari galing Paris.

She was texting me last night asking if I could be able to catch her up in the airport. And malay ko bang maging busy ako sa araw na’to.

Habang nagdadrive ako kinuha ko ang aking phone na nasa purse ko, hinanap ko agad ang kanyang numero and I immediately called her.

Bigla akong napatalon sa aking upuan nang bigla siyang sumigaw. God, this woman is getting crazy.

“Alam mo ba kung ilang oras na akong naghihintay dito? Sobrang stressed na ako," reklamo niya. I can really sense her frustration.

Kung gaano ka babaw yung pasensya ko, well, pinaka mababaw ang sa kanya.

I remember way back when we were still college students. We were planning to do our assignments in a cafe but because of my ka kikayan, na late ako ng 30 minutes. So ang gaga, lumipat ng café ni hindi man lang ako sinabihan.

“Wait…chill, breath and relax. I'm on the way, okay?” I answered calmly. I cannot imagine how many times she rolled her eyes at this moment.

“Pwes, dalian mo! Where are you naba? I'm so jetlagged na here.” Sabi niya sa maarteng tuno.

Wow! After magliwaliw sa paris ng ilang weeks, stress agad just because hindi ko siya nakuha ng maaga?

“Malapit na ako, Zari. Kung nag taxi ka nalang sana, edi nasa bahay kana”. Sabi ko in an annoyed tone. At lumipat na pala kami from apartment to their house dahil tapos ng na renovate ito.

Pagkatapos ng ilang minuto, narito na ako sa airport. Pinarada ko ang aking kotse at nagsimulang maghanap kay ZarI.

After a few minutes, I found myself at the airport. I parked my car and began to search for Zari among the hustle and bustle of the arrivals area.

And then, there she was. I spotted Zari in the crowd, waving energetically in the air as she caught sight of me.

I could see the frustration etched on her face, perhaps dahil sa byahe. Well, medyo nag-iba ang itsura niya ngayon. Maybe because of her new hair color; from black to ash gray which is bagay sa kanya.

“OMG! Besttttt akala ko I'm the most haggard na tao here sa airport, meron pa palang ikaw!” Sabi niya at humagalpak ng tawa. I wonder what happened to this woman in Paris. Is the food containing too many toxins?

She walked up to me and wrapped her arms around me in a comforting hug.

"Well, I'm kind of stressed these days, Ms. Aning pero mas maganda parin ako sa’yo!” Sabi ko sabay pitik ng kanyang noo.

Zari pulled back from the hug, her eyes filled with concern as she looked at me.

“I'm just trying to warm you up, I know you're stressed most especially that you're alone here.” I could see her mind working, trying to figure out how she could help.

It was in moments like these that I was reminded of how lucky I was to have her in my life.

Kinuha ko ang isa niyang maleta at sabay kaming pumunta sa kotse.

“I can't wait to share my chikas to you, Best!” Hindi ko mapigilang mainggit habang nakikinig kung paano siya nag enjoy sa kanyang bakasyon sa paris.

Siguro kung sana lang ay…nevermind.

The road ahead is lit by the soft glow of the streetlights, guiding us through the darkness of the night. As I navigate the familiar streets, I can't help but to reminisce about all of the happy moments we had when they were still alive.