Chapter 79
Paglabas ni Kairi ng elevator, agad niyang naramdaman ang bigat ng eco bag na hawak niya, reminding her why she was there.
Hindi dahil gusto niyang bumisita at hindi rin dahil bigla siyang naging ready na makita si Ella after everything that happened.
Pinilit lang siya ng nanay niya.
Marami raw kasing natirang pagkain from lunch, apparently too much for their family to finish. At dahil naman daw on the way ang condo ni Ella, si Kairi na ang naatasang maghatid ng na-packed na pagkain.
Tumanggi siya pero ngumiti lang ang nanay niya.
And the discussion had ended exactly the way it always did.
Ngayon, nakatayo siya sa labas ng unit ni Ella, with homemade food in one hand and an awkward conversation waiting on the other side of the door.
She hadn't really spoken to Ella since that night.
After everything that happened, after walking into that bar, and seeing Gianna standing there after almost three years, everything had moved too quickly.
Sobrang daming emotions. Sobrang daming questions. At napakaraming bagay na hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin alam ni Kairi kung paano i-process.
And Ella knew.
Iyon siguro ang pinaka-nakakainis para sa kanya.
Alam ni Ella na naghihintay si Gianna sa bar habang naglalakad si Kairi papunta roon without the slightest idea kung ano ang naghihintay sa kanya.
Kairi understood why Ella did what she did.
Alam niyang gusto lang nitong tumulong. She knew Ella had spent years watching both of them hurt and had finally decided to do something about it.
Pero hindi ibig sabihin noon na nagustuhan ni Kairi na bigla na lang siyang isinabak sa ganoong situation.
After everything she'd learned yesterday, the feeling of walking into another situation na lahat ng tao ay may alam maliban sa kanya left a sour taste she couldn't quite ignore.
She unlocked the door and stepped inside.
"Ella?"
Tanging katahimikan ang sumagot sa kanya.
Bahagyang kumunot ang noo ni Kairi habang inilalabas ang phone niya mula sa bulsa.
Nandoon pa rin ang huling message.
Mahinang napabuntong-hininga si Kairi.
"Of course."
She locked the door behind her before heading toward the kitchen.
"I'll just leave the food here," tawag niya. "And before you start explaining yourself again, huwag na muna. I'm still deciding kung naiinis ba ako sayo or what."
Walang sumagot.
Nananatiling tahimik ang buong condo.
"Seriously?"
She reached the kitchen at inilapag ang eco bag sa counter.
The familiar smell of her mother's cooking escaped the containers as soon as she opened the bag.
"I'll put these away," pagpapatuloy niya, assuming na nasa loob lang ng condo si Ella, baka naka-headphones o naliligo. "Otherwise, kukulitin lang ako ni mama and ask if you actually ate anything."
She opened the refrigerator.
There was already barely any space.
"Honestly," bulong niya habang inililipat ang ilang bottles sa ibang shelf. "Between my mom and your mom, I don't think either of them believes na kaya mong pakainin ang sarili mo."
She reached for another container.
Behind her, footsteps crossed the living room.
Hindi na siya lumingon.
"They're probably going to start delivering groceries next."
No answer.
That finally made her glance over her shoulder and the words died before they could leave her mouth.
It wasn't Ella.
Nakatayo si Gianna ilang hakbang lang ang layo sa kanya, equally surprised na makita siyang nandoon.
For a second, neither of them moved.
Neither of them had expected this version of the afternoon.
Kairi recovered first.
"Miss, what are you doing here?"
The question slipped out more abruptly than she intended.
Gianna blinked once before answering. "Ella had to step out."
Kairi looked toward the living room, as though Ella might suddenly appear.
"She left?"
"A little while ago. Pero she told me you were coming."
Agad nanigas ang balikat ni Kairi.
She closed the refrigerator a little harder than necessary.
"She did."
Narinig agad ni Gianna ang pagbabago sa boses niya.
"I don't think she meant to-"
"I know."
Kairi exhaled through her nose bago muling tumingin sa kanya.
"I know she wasn't trying to trick me."
Sumandal siya sa counter, crossing her arms.
"I'm just getting tired of walking into situations na lahat ng tao may alam na except me."
The sentence settled between them.
Hindi agad sumagot si Gianna.
Yesterday, beside the river, Kairi had told her exactly what disappearing had done to her. Kung gaano kasakit na may ibang taong gumagawa ng decisions para sa kanya.
And standing in Ella's kitchen now, Gianna recognized the same hurt wearing a different face.
"I should've told you."
Bahagyang kumunot ang noo ni Kairi. "You?"
Tumango si Gianna. "I've been staying here."
Natahimik si Kairi.
Muli niyang tiningnan ang paligid ng condo, this time noticing details she hadn't paid attention to when she first walked in.
"The guest room. Gaano na katagal?"
"About two weeks."
Napatingin nang diretso si Kairi sa kanya.
"Two weeks, huh?"
Muling tumango si Gianna.
"I arrived before Ella's birthday."
Pieces began fitting together one after another.
That strange video call. The one Ella was talking to.
Kairi let out a slow breath.
"So that was you," Kairi said, rubbing a hand over her face before letting out the smallest laugh. "I cannot believe neither of you told me."
"We wanted to."
Muling tumingin si Kairi sa kanya.
"Then bakit hindi niyo sinabi?"
Gianna didn't defend herself. "Because I was afraid you'd feel cornered."
Matagal siyang pinagmasdan ni Kairi.
Yesterday, that answer would've frustrated her. Today, she understood where it came from, even if she didn't entirely agree with it.
"I wish somebody had trusted me enough to decide that."
Ibinaba ni Gianna ang tingin niya.
"I know. I'm sorry."
Bahagyang napailing si Kairi. "I've been hearing that a lot from you, Miss."
"I'll probably keep saying it."
That earned the faintest smile from Kairi.
"I figured."
Pero mabilis din na nawala ang ngiti sa mukha niya.
Muling bumalik ang katahimikan sa pagitan nila.
Nanatili ring bukas ang refrigerator sa pagitan nilang dalawa, half-filled with containers na hindi pa naayos ni Kairi.
Tumingin si Gianna sa counter, then back at Kairi.
"Can I help?"
Kairi looked at her. "What?"
"The food," sagot ni Gianna habang itinuturo ang mga containers. "Can I help arrange them?"
Ilang segundo siyang tinitigan ni Kairi.
Kahapon lang, magkatabi silang nakaupo sa tabi ng ilog, pulling apart years of silence until there was almost nothing left to hide.
Ngayon naman, Gianna was asking if she could help organize leftovers.
It was such an ordinary question that it almost caught Kairi off guard.
"Sure."
Gianna walked over without another word.
Ilang minuto silang nagpatuloy sa pag-aayos ng pagkain nang halos walang nagsasalita.
Si Kairi ang naglalagay ng mga lalagyan sa refrigerator habang inaabot naman ni Gianna ang mga ito isa-isa.
Napakasimpleng bagay lang. Something neither of them would've thought twice about before.
Pero ngayon, every ordinary moment felt unfamiliar.
Kumuha si Gianna ng isa pang container at pinagmasdan ito. Bahagyang tumaas ang kilay niya nang mabasa ang handwritten label na nakadikit sa takip.
"Your mom really made all of this?"
Napalingon si Kairi at napatawa nang mahina.
"Parang gulat na gulat ka, ah."
"I am," Gianna said, looking back into the nearly full bag.
"This is enough for..." She paused, counting the remaining containers before giving up. "I don't know. Six people?"
Kairi smiled as she slid another dish onto the shelf before accepting the next one.
"That's actually normal for her. Parang hindi marunong magluto ng pang-apat na tao lang. Kahit ordinary lunch, parang family reunion lagi ang ending."
Napangiti si Gianna. "So she just keeps cooking?"
"Pretty much. Minsan, we'd have leftovers for three days straight."
"Did anyone complain?"
"My dad pretended to," Kairi said, closing the refrigerator before immediately opening it again to make room for another container. "Pero every time na sasabihin ni Mama na kontian na lang niya ang lulutuin, bigla niyang maaalala na mas masarap daw ang adobo the next day."
Napatawa si Gianna. "So he was part of the problem."
"Oh, definitely."
"And your sister?"
"Well, si ate Lara pa nga ang pinakamalakas magreklamo," natatawang sabi ni Kairi. "Lagi niyang sinasabing sobrang daming pagkain. Pero siya rin ang nauuna sa kusina kapag tinatawag na kami ni Mama for dinner."
Gianna shook her head, amused. "So everyone in your family complains habang kumakain."
"Exactly."
"I like them already."
Natural lang lumabas ang mga salita that neither of them reacted at first.
Nang mailagay ni Kairi ang isa pang container sa refrigerator, saka lang siya natigilan.
Dahan-dahan siyang napalingon kay Gianna at mukhang doon lang din nito na-realize ang sinabi niya.
A faint flush crept into Gianna's cheeks as she gave an embarrassed little smile.
"I mean," mabilis niyang itinama ang sarili. "They sound nice."
"They are."
The answer came so easily that it surprised Kairi.
Bago pa siya makapag-isip pa tungkol doon, muli siyang humarap sa ref at inayos ang kaaayos lang na container.
"You should try some."
Gianna blinked. "Really?"
"Mama would probably be offended if you didn't."
Napatawa ulit si Gianna. "Would she?"
"She genuinely believes food is best shared."
Gianna tilted her head. "Even when you're not hungry?"
"She'd still put some on your plate," Kairi admitted with a faint smile. "She doesn't take no for an answer."
Gianna laughed softly. "I can imagine that."
A few minutes later, the refrigerator was finally full. Iilan na lang ang natitirang containers sa eco bag, the ones Kairi intended to bring back to the apartment.
She loosely tied the handles together and rested both palms against the counter.
Muling bumalot ang katahimikan sa condo.
Sumandal si Gianna sa kabilang counter, watching Kairi absentmindedly trace circles over the knot she'd just tied.