XXIII-Heaven

JOHN

It's been a week already since our trip from Palawan, Philippines and here we are ni Evan quietly laying in bed naked. Ginawa kong unan ang kanyang chest habang hinahaplos ang tyan nya.

Ang weird lang kasi di na sya gaanong nag sasalita, napaka tahimik parang may gumugulo sa isip nya. Tumingala ako sa kanya, at tiningnan nya rin ako at hinalikan sa noo.

"Are you okay, dear?" Tanong ko sa kanya tsaka hinaplos yung mukha nya, ramdam ko tuloy ang mga tumtubong beard nya.

"Why'd you asked?" Tanong nya rin pabalik sakin kaya dahan dahan akong napabangon at tiningnan sya sa mata.

"Napapansin ko lang, it's been a week simula nung trip natin sa Palawan since then ang tahimik mo na, ni halos di kana nag sasalita sakin. So can you tell me, may problema ba?" Marahan kong tanong sa kanya. Pero instead napa buntong hininga sya na parang senyales na ayaw nyang pag usapan.

"I'm fine" sabi nya at umiwas ng tingin sakin and I just rolled my eyes.

"Fine, sabi mo eh" sabi ko sabay tumayo na ako, napansin ko rin na napabangon sya mukhang napansin nya atang galit ako.

Yes I'm mad as fuck! Boyfriend nya ako at may karapatan akong malaman kung anong problema ang dinaranas nya ngayon. I just want him to tell me what he's dealing right now para maintindihan ko sya. Pero ayaw nyang sabihin eh, parang wala syang trust sakin nakaka dismaya.

"I know you're having trust issues right now kasi bago pa tayo, but what's the point of living together in the same roof kung ayaw mong sabihin sakin problema mo? Ano ba ako sayo?" Malungkot kong sabi sa kanya pero yumuko lang sya.

Di ko kayang magalit sa kanya ng sobra, yung tipong gusto ko syang sermonan pero kahit anong gawin ko yung boses ko kumakalma lang pag sya kausap ko.

"I'm sorry I made you feel guilty again I didn't mean it that way, just tell me when you're ready okay?" Sabi ko sa kanya habang papalapit ako sa kanya at binigyan sya ng kiss sa labi at tiningnan sya sa mata.

"Go take a shower while I make our breakfast, okay?" Gentle kong sabi sa kanya habang hinahaplos ko pisngi nya bago tuluyang lumabas ng kwarto. Nag tungo agad ako sa kusina at nag simula ng mag luto.

While cooking bigla akong may naramdamang yumakap sakin sa likod at hinahalik halikan ako sa leeg kaya napangiti ako.

"I'm sorry" sabi nya kaya hinarap ko sya.

"It's fine dear, I understand why you don't want to talk about it. But I just want you to know that I'm here and you can tell me everything because I'm your boyfriend and it's my job to make you feel better" I said at hinalikan sya sa labi.

"I want to talk about it" sabi nya as soon as natapos ko syang halikan, at nakita ko rin na mukhang malungkot sya.

"Right now?" I asked at tumango lang sya.

"Okay sure" sabi ko at pinatay ang stove at hinarap sya.

"I-I want to know about my parents, during our trip to Palawan Hanz and I talked. He was curious about me and asked me if we're somehow related because both of us share the same last name and I felt the same.

He asked me who my parents were and I told him na pangalan lang ang alam ko kasi I grew up with my Grandparents and I don't have any interest in knowing them kaya wala akong alam sa background nila.

So I told him my parents names and I was shocked when we both found out na mag pinsan pala kami" sabi nya na medyo malungkot ang tono.

Medyo di ako makapaniwala sa narinig ko kaya umupo kami pareho.

I was about to say something ng biglang tumonog yung doorbell kaya napatayo kami pareho.

"You didn't tell me you have guest today Dear, ako na mag bukas, mag bihis ka muna" utos ko sa kanya at nag mamadaling nag tungo sa kwarto para mag bihis, naka boxers lang kasi.

Agad kong binuksan ang pinto at nagulat ako sa nakita ko.

"Attorney Ian?"

Ngumiti lang si Attorney Ian sabay pinapapasok ko na sa loob ng bahay. Kilala ko Si Attorney Ian, kasi sya lang naman ang nag iisang lawyer ng buong angkan ng Waldorf clan.

"Naparito ka Attorney?" Tanong ko sa kanya sabay pareho kaming naupo.

"I'm here to see Mr. Evan Waldorf" sabi nya.

Gets ko na kung bakit sya narito, he's here to see Evan para sabihin ang tungkol sa parents nya. I've been married with Hanz for five years pero wala akong alam sa parents ni Evan.

Maya maya lang lumabas na si Evan at tumayo naman si Attorney Ian para igreet si Evan.

"Good morning, Mr. Evan Waldorf I'm attorney Ian" pagpapakilala ni Atty. Ian kat Evan at nag hand shake sila sabay naupo.

"Ahmm Mr. Fernandez may I talk with Mr. Evan alone?" Sabi sakin ni Atty. Ian kaya tumango ako at akmang patayo na sana ng bigla akong hinawakan ni Evan sa kamay.

"Let him stay, I don't feel comfortable with this" sabi ni Evan

"I'm afraid I cannot allow that Mr. Evan, this is a family matter between Waldorf clan and I was tasked to not let anyone know about this matter. And besides the both of you are not yet marrie-" hindi natapos ni Atty. Ian ang kanyang sasabihin ng pinutol ito ni Evan na syang ikinagulat ko.

"Even if we're married di mo parin hahayaan malaman ni John ang tungkol dito, c'mon we both know Attorney that John was once married with Hanz Waldorf for five years and yet he doesn't know a thing about this, because if he did I wouldn't have bother anyone to tell me about everything. So let him stay dahil pamilya ko na si John, sya nalang ang meron ako as he deserves to know about this too, and If you won't allow it then you better leave. It's not like I'm interested to know about goddamn parents anyway" galit na sabi ni Evan at hinigpitan ang pagkaka hawak sa kamay ko.

Ngumiti naman si Attorney Ian ng matamis at nag shrugged ng shoulders nya.

"You're different from the rest of your clan Evan, am I right John?" Sabi ni Atty. Ian at tiningnan ako.

"Obviously yes" natatawa kong sabi kaya kumonot ang noo ni Evan confused ata sa nangyayari.

"So mag sisimula na ako" Atty. Ian said at may nilabas na mga papers sa briefcase nya kaya pati ako nagulat.

"Let me tell you about your parents Evan, your parents names are Elizabeth and Albert Waldorf and your Grandparents names are Aimee and Donald Hixson your mom's parents. So let me get straight to the point, your parents are no longer alive Evan. They died on a car crash, which obviously you had no memories about it kasi baby kapa simula nung pumanaw sila.

That story was kept because what happened to your parents was not an ordinary accident. Your parents was ambushed by one of your clan. Your relatives decided not to make noise about what happened, kasi they were scared that it may ruin the clan's reputation and image.

As you know, malaki ang impluwensya ng clan nyo sa iba't ibang industriya sa buong mundo, and one mistake can literally pull them down." Ian said sabay abot nung papers kay Evan.

EVAN

Di ko maintindihan after all this time, my parents are long dead na pala. I expected pa naman na makikita ko sila, pero mukhang huli na.

Nakakapag taka lang di ako nasaktan sa narinig I'm more like disappointed kasi I haven't got a chance to see them, at kung sino man ang may gawa nun sana mamatay sya gaya ng ikinamatay ng magulang ko. I lost my family because of someone's wrong deeds!

Namuo ang kamao ko knowing na this is my life now, no Parents and no Grandparents. Suddenly naalala ko si John, he is my family now I won't lose this one again.

"This is your parents' will Evan, if you sign this everything about what they owned will be yours" Napatingin ako kay John at tumango sya ng nakangiti.

"It's up to you dear" Sabi nya sakin at hinaplos mukha ko. Letting him do this makes me calm so much, those soft and warm hands is one of my favorite.

Binalik ko ang aking pansin sa will at akmang pipirmahan na sana ng may ni slide si Attorney Ian na envelope.

"I've been sending you letters Mr. Evan, pero mukhang di mo ata binasa at itinapon mo lang. But it's alright those are just copies of your mother's final letter for you, and here is the original you might want to read that before signing the will" sabi ni Atty. Ian

Kaya agad kong binaba ang pen at binuksan ang letter.

Dearest sweetest boy,

I adore seeing you develop (from above) since you are such a blessing in my life. You're only now starting to exhibit your incredible personality, and I am so proud of the young man I see you becoming into. You are more ideal than I ever could have imagined when I learned that we were having a boy like you, I still remember your smile and laughter even when you were still just a baby.

I'm sorry my boy, I wish I could undo some of the difficult events that have already occurred in your young life. I wish we were in a world where tragic events didn't affect helpless youngsters. However, I cannot undo the past, and despite my best efforts, I am powerless to shield you from any harm.

I'm writing this letter for you to know, that we died. Your father and I died, and If you're reading this now we wished we could kiss you on the forehead like we used to. I love you and your Dad loves you too. You are the best thing ever happened to me my boy, and will always be my number one.

I want to tell you about your dad.

The definition of kindness was your father. He was a lovely and funny man who brought joy to everyone he encountered everywhere he went. Son, you possess the same kind disposition and heart as your father. When life gets challenging, remember that.

Son, I know someday you will encounter situations in life where it would be easier for you to run away, hide, or bury your head in the sand than to face the obstacle. I know because I've been there done that, and I'm glad I met your father to help me get through with it. He was the best, and I know you are too. I know that we will never be there during your hardships, but I hope you'll find someone who will help you get through with it just like your father did to me.

I never could have imagined how much your Daddy loved me. He never put himself before me or my needs, and he was more interested in my happiness than his. Son, your father had a self-sacrificing kind of love for me. Like your Daddy loved me, I want you to love your future spouse. Be faithful and show that person the utmost love you can muster. Your Daddy's last words to me were that he loved me more than his own life, which was among his last statements. And I'm sure he did. That love is something I will always treasure.

But when you came to us everything changed, your father and I realized that you're our world since the day you were born and we love you more than ourselves. Yet we're so sorry for leaving you behind, we always love you, we always do. But the only thing to save you was to keep you away from the family of psychos.

I'm so sorry again my Lovely sweet boy, We love you so much.

Love, Mom and Dad

Suddenly I felt tears running down my face, kaya bago pa ako tuluyang umiyak agad akong napayakap kay John at binuhos lahat ng luha at lungkot ko sa kanya.

All this time I've been so bitter towards my parents without knowing their sacrifices for me..

I'm sorry Mom and Dad, I love you..

Maya maya lang tumigil na ako sa pag iyak at pinirmihan na ang will. Agad namang nag ligpit si Attorney Ian at bago pa sya maka alis niyaya ko syang samahan kaming mag umagahan at pumayag naman sya.

Sabay kaming tatlong kumain nag usap and he and John even comforted me about what happened. And it helped so much.

Nung oras na para umalis sya hinatid namin sya palabas ng bahay.

"It's nice meeting you Evan, And I got to be honest among the Waldorf clan you're the most likeable one. You're different from everyone, and I admire you for it. I'll see you around" sabi nya at nag paalam na samin ni John.

Pumasok naman kami sa loob ni John at nag usap.

"Ano ibig sabihin nyang different from everyone?" Tanong ko kay John kaya tumawa sya.

"Kasi yung Waldorf clan strikto eh, mapagmataas at mapang husga. Kaya komportable sayo si Ian kasi sa lahat ng na encounter nyang Waldorf ikaw lang talaga may mabuting kalooban. That's why I love you" sabi nya at hinalikan ako sa labi.