Chapter Eight: Part Two

After getting her clothes from the closet, Leni paused for a while and stared at her scrapbook. She enjoyed the company of the people there especially after the production. But, she wasn’t sure if she already got over with Red.

At this point, all she wanted was to move forward with her life with or without him.

A few moments later, her aunt knocked at the door.

“Leni, what time are you leaving tomorrow?”
“I would take the six am trip, so that means that I have to leave by five.”
“I see, I’ll ask Aldo to go with you to the terminal.”
“Tita, you don’t have to. I could go there all by myself.”
“No, I insist. Besides, it’s not that safe to travel that early.”
“Okay. What’s that?” Leni asked pointing to the jewelry box that Aunt Juana was holding.
“Oh, before I forgot, I would like to give you this. Buksan mo.”
“This belongs to Ate Agatha, right?”
Her aunt nodded and said.
“I want you to have them Leni. Ingatan mo lang ha. They have been passed from generations.”
“Thanks Tita, hindi po ito mangongolekta ng alikabok.”
“Ok, once you’re finished packing, we’ll have dinner.”


The next morning, Leni took a bath, ate breakfast and grabbed her belongings. Then, Aldo came and covered her eyes.
“Hulaan mo kung sino”
“Oo alam kong ikaw yan Aldo. Itigil mo na yang kaartehan na yan.”
“Ito naman, aalis na lang, suplada pa.”
“Sorry, nagulat lang ako.”
“So, paano, tara na?”
“Oo, sige, magpa-paalam lang ako kay Tita Juana.”

She kissed her Aunt for the last time and said.
“Tita, thanks for everything. Hopefully, I’ll be back in December.”
“Ok, call me when you got home. Mag-iingat ka ha.”
“Yes Tita, I will.”

When they reached the terminal, Aldo handed her a paper bag.
“Sa Maynila mo na yan buksan,galing yan sa amin.”
“Salamat, ang bigat naman.” Leni said chuckling.
“Sana magustugan mo yan.”
“Oo naman, basta may pagkain.”
“Meron yatang nilagay si Dana diyan.Ang takaw mo talaga. Mabuti na lang, hindi ka tumataba.”
“Oo nga eh. Paano ba yan? Kailangan ko nang sumakay, baka maiwan pa ako.”
“Leni mag text ka pag dating mo sa inyo, ikumusta mo na rin ako kay Tita Emma at Gino ha.”
“Oo sige, sasabihin ko sa kanila. Pag pupunta ka sa Maynila, sabihin mo sa akin para makapag-merienda naman tayo. Tapos, dalaw ka sa bahay namin para makita mo na rin sila.”
“Okay. Basta, pag may problema ka, text o tawagan mo lang ako ha.”
“Sige.”
Before stepping inside the bus, she rushed back to Aldo and embraced him.

“Leni, what was that for?”
“Nothing, I’m going to miss you kasi.”
“Sus, ano ka ba? Hindi pa ito ang huling pagkaka-taon na magkikita tayo ulit. Basta, wag kang mawawala ha.”
“Oo naman. Akyat na ako ha.”
“Sige, ingat.”

She once again, mimicked Kiko Matsing’s voice

“Paalam, hanggang sa muli.”

Aldo laughed and waived at her.


Leni sat beside the window and smiled at him. When the dispatcher tapped her back asking for her ticket, it was then that she realized that she was grinning the whole time.

“Neng, in love ka ba?”
“Hindi po masaya lang po ako.”
“Akala ko, iniisip mo yung kasama mo kanina. Ang tagal mong naka-ngiti eh.”
“Ganun ba? Kuya ha, ma-chika ka. Eto na po ang ticket ko.”