PAGPIHIT ni Mason matapos niyang maisara ang pinto ay nakita niya ang dalawang taong papalabas ng elevator.
His neighbor was being carried by a man in his arms and seemed unconscious. Nakakapit ang isang braso nito sa leeg ng lalaki at nakasubsob ang mukha sa dibdib nito.
Humakbang si Mason papasok sa elevator bago pa iyon magsarang muli. Pinanood niya ang dalawa hanggang makapasok ang mga ito sa unit na katabi ng sa kanya, siya namang pagsara ng pinto ng elevator.
Bumaba siya sa basement parking lot at sumakay sa kanyang kotseng nakaparada roon. Aside from his Ducati, he also owned a couple of cars. Some of it was in his house in California.
Mabilis niyang minaniobra ang kotse paalis sa lugar na iyon.
Humigpit ang pagkakahawak ni Mason sa steering wheel nang sa kung anong dahilan ay hindi niya mai-alis sa kanyang isipan ang nakita kanina. Hindi dapat iyon ang iniisip niya ng mga sandaling 'yon. May mahalagang bagay siyang kailangang asikasuhin. Her younger sister was suffering from depression right at that moment and he needs to snap her out of it.
He was sleeping when his father called him and said that Xylona-his seventeen-year-old sister and her only sibling, harmed herself again. She cut her wrist using the shattered piece of the mirror.
She was his half-sibling. Magkaiba ang kanilang mga ina. Xylona's mother was the PNP chief's wife. Tita Xiara was dead years ago and Xylona has suffered since then. Something happened to his sister the night her mother died.
Mabilis na ipinarada ni Mason ang kotse sa labas ng bahay ng kanyang ama.
When he entered the door, he saw Armado Clarkson sitting on the sofa. Tumayo ang matanda ng makitang pumasok si Mason.
"Follow me," he said and walked towards his office. Naupo ito sa swivel chair at walang paligoy-ligoy na nagsalita. "Xylona should be in another environment, away from this house that reminds her of her mother. Can you take her in?"
"Where's her doctor? Anong ginagawa nila?" he said and anger was evident in his voice.
"They are doing their best, but Xylona won't cooperate. Maybe you could talk her out. Take her and let's see if she'll progress," his father commanded. Mason doesn't like the tone he used.
"You never really care for us, do you? Your job is more important than your daughter!" His face was grim as he held back his anger. He headed out of his office before his anger burst. Armado was a good policeman and a government worker, but he wasn't a good father. For him, for Xylona. Lalo na noong mawala ang asawa nito.
And now, Armado was using Xylona's condition to get rid of his own daughter!
TINAMPAL niya ang pisngi ng pinsang nakahiga sa kanyang mahabang sofa.
Kagabi, nang malaman niyang nasa isang bar na naman ang binata at umiinom ay roon siya dumiretso pagkatapos ng kanyang trabaho upang samahan ito. She understands that he was grieving and he hadn't moved on from the past, but his way of forgetting those painful memories wasn't the best option to take.
Imbes na ito ang malasing ay siya ang tinamaan ng alak na nainom kagabi. She had low tolerance for alcohol compared to her cousin who seemed immune to it. Why not, if he's drinking every single chance he got. He was killing himself! And seeing him in that state pained her.
Muli niyang tinampal ang pisngi ni Achilles at sa pagkakataong iyon ay mas malakas.
"What?!" iritadong asik nito sa kanya sabay mulat ng mga mata at tinapunan siya ng isang masamang tingin.
"Don't what me, idiot! Thanks to you, I have a massive headache!" Bahagya niyang hinila ang buhok nito na humahaba na. "Get up! Fix me something to eat and you'll drive me to work later. Now, Aki! Paglabas ko at wala ka pa ring naluluto, I swear I'm gonna kill you, my idiot cousin!"
"That's good!" Walang kabuhay-buhay na sagot nito sa kanya. He agreed to the idea of her killing him. He was a nut case!
Pinandilatan niya ito ng mga mata at hindi niya napigilan ang sarili at nasampal ito. Hindi nagbago ang posisyon at emosyon sa mukha ni Achilles. Nakahiga pa rin ito sa sofa habang nakatingin sa kanya ang walang-buhay nitong mga mata. "Tatanda ako ng maaga sa 'yo!" Frustrated na singhal niya at mabilis na pumasok sa kanyang silid upang maligo.
Napangiti si Niccola nang makalabas siya ng kanyang silid pagkatapos niyang mag-ayos. Nalalanghap ng kanyang ilong ang samyo ng pagkaing niluto ng kanyang pinsan.
Achilles was silent as they were eating the breakfast he made. Pagkatapos nilang kumain ay bumaba na silang dalawa at inihatid siya nito sa kanyang pinagtatrabahuan.
Niccola tried to talk to him about his situation. "You should marry, Aki. Find a nice woman, get to know her better, marry her, and have children. You're thirty-one. Pumasok ba ang bagay na 'yan sa isipan mo?" panimula niya at tinantiya ang sasabihin.
"Instead of fretting about me, why don't you find yourself a man? You're not getting any younger, woman," balik nitong tanong sa mapait na tono.
"Your kind are a pain in the ass. I doubt if I'll marry someone," saad niya at napairap dito.
"You are a strong woman, Niko. Way too strong that you can bruise a man's ego. Your superiority can make a man feel unwanted and inferior. Yes, a man wants their woman to be strong, but we also want them to lean on us and ask for our help."
"You know why is that, cousin? Because your kind cannot accept the fact that women are your equal. We can do what you can and I don't need to be vulnerable to have a long-lasting relationship with a man. If they can't handle me, well, they better piss off!" She doesn't need a diffident man. What she needed was a man strong enough to keep up with her steadfastness. "'Wag mong ibahin ang usapan. We are not talking about me, okay...?" asik niya rito ng mapansin ang ginagawa nitong pagda-divert ng kanyang atensiyon. "You are killing yourself, Aki."
"What?" He was trying to avoid the topic and Niccola hated it.
"You know what I mean! You've been drinking as if it was just a hobby for you. You are an alcoholic, my god! What are you doing with your life?" she said in a mixture of annoyance and terror.
"I'm not an alcoholic! I can control it! And I am living my life the way I want it to be, thank you!" He was sarcastic and exasperated.
"Do you? Really? Why are you so selfish? Hindi mo ba naiisip ang mga taong nagmamahal sa 'yo? Your parents? Siblings? Our family? And your daughter?! For Pete's sake, you have a daughter, Achilles Sanford! She needs her father!" singhal niya nang maalala ang anak nitong babae na napapabayaan na ng binata. Ang anak nito na tatlong taong gulang ay nasa pangangalaga ng mga magulang nito.
Nakita niya ang pagdaan ng guilt sa mga mata ng pinsan ngunit bigla rin iyong nawala. "Wake up! Patay na si Claud at Mark. You're still here, you're alive! Move on, Achilles!"
"I am trying!" singhal din nito pabalik sa kanya. "Don't you think that I am damn trying? Damn it!"
Galit na si Achilles. Naramdaman ni Niccola ang pagbilis ng takbo ng sinasakyan nilang kotse.
Kung galit ito ay galit din siya! She was done seeing her cousin like this, miserable and with no hope left. "Try harder! You may be trying but you are holding yourself back. You are still damn trap in the past!"
Marahas na tumigil ang kotse sa tapat ng presintong kanyang pinagtatrabahuan.
Mariin niyang tinitigan ang pinsan na mahigpit paring nakahawak sa manibela habang nakayuko ang ulo. Hindi nakaligtas sa kanyang paningin ang pamamasa ng mga mata nito. Lumambot ang puso ng dalaga ng makita ang kalagayan ng pinsan. Bigla-bigla ay nawala ang galit na kanyang nararamdaman.
Marahan niyang kinalas ang mga kamao nitong mahigpit ang pagkakahawak sa steering wheel. Inangat niya ang mukha ni Achilles gamit ang mga kamay at ibinaling sa kanyang direksiyon.
"Live... Life is not just about Claudine and Mark. Your parents, brothers, cousins, I and our relatives, we are still here, Achilles. Can't you see us? If you can't live for yourself, then live for us, for your daughter." If that's the only way he'll survive. "She needs you. Visit her. Carry her in your arms and stroll her around the garden. Brianna likes that. Okay?" masuyo ngunit mariin niyang sabi.
Tumango ang pinsan sa kanya. "Okay. I'll try... harder."
"Good. Try harder this time." Tumaas ang kanyang daliri patungo sa pisngi ni Achilles at marahang inalis ang mga pumatak mula sa mga mata nito. "Drive safely." She kissed his cheek before heading out of the car and entered their precinct. Niccola sighed deeply.
LALONG nangunot ang noo ni Mason nang makita ang dalawang taong papasok sa isang kotse. The man stayed last night? For some strange reason, Mason felt angry at what he's seeing at that moment. Hanggang makaalis ay nakasunod pa rin ang tingin niya sa papalayong sasakyan.
"Snap out of it, Xylona!" hindi mapigilang singhal niya sa kapatid ng sa kanyang pagpihit ay nakita na naman niya itong tahimik na umiiyak. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout.... Stop crying already." Pinahid niya ang luhang pumapatak sa mga mata ng kapatid, kinabig niya ito at ipinaloob sa kanyang mga bisig.
Ilang sandali pa ang lumipas ay naging pantay ang hininga ni Xylona. She fell asleep. He looked at her pale face. Para bang may dumagang mabigat na bagay sa kanyang dibdib habang nakikita ang kapatid sa ganoong kalagayan.
Dumako ang kanyang tingin sa kamay nitong nakabenda. She broke a mirror and used it to cut her wrist. Mabuti nalang at hindi malalim ang pagkakahiwa nito sa sariling kamay at nakita kaagad ng katulong.
Bumaba si Mason sa kotse at pumihit sa kabilang gilid. Binuksan niya ang pinto at binuhat ang kapatid hanggang sa kanyang condominium unit. Halos hindi niya maramdaman ang bigat nito dahil sa payat at maliit nitong katawan.
Maingat na ibinaba ni Mason ang dalagita sa kama. Ookupahin nito ang isa pang silid ng kanyang bahay.
Umupo siya sa kama at pinagmasdan ang mukha ni Xylona. He was responsible for her now. Nasa pangangalaga na niya ito at sisiguraduhin niyang maaalagaan niya ito ng mabuti. Sasamahan niya ang kapatid sa laban na kinakaharap nito hanggang sa makita nito ang liwanag. She had suffered a lot since she was eight.
Hinaplos niya ang buhok nito na napansin niyang hindi pantay-pantay ang pagkakagupit. Masuyong inilapat niya ang mga labi sa noo ng kapatid bago tumayo.
Inilibot ni Mason ang tingin sa loob ng banyo at sinimulang kuhain ang lahat ng mga bagay na maaaring magamit ni Xylona para saktan ang sarili. Maging sa sala, kusina at ang kanyang silid ay kanyang sinuyod.
Nang wala nang mahanap ay itinago niyang maigi ang mga gamit na kinuha.
He took a shower and then after, he laid his exhausted body on his bed. Nakatingin siya sa kisame ng kanyang silid, isang mukha ang nakikita niya ro'n na tila ba nakaukit sa kanyang kisame.
He had been thinking about her often this past days. Makailang beses na itong sumusulpot sa kanyang isipan.
Hindi maipaliwanag ni Mason ang galit na kanyang nararamdaman sa tuwing naiisip na magkasama ito at ng lalaking nakita niya sa buong magdamag.
Naputol ang pag-iisip ni Mason nang tumunog ang cellphone sa nightstand. He sighed then answered the call.
"Clarkson. What's the update? Have you made your decision?" walang sere-seremonyang tanong ng nasa kabilang linya.
"I will be busy for a couple of months, Sir. I am declining the offer," diretso niyang sagot at agad na pinatay ang tawag.
"Clark-"
When he arrived in the Philippines after he resigned from the US Navy, he received an offer from the Philippines Navy admiral. The official offered him a position in the Navy. He was considering the idea of joining the Armed Forces of the Philippines, but with his sister's condition right now, he can't.
Sa tingin niya ay mas makabubuti na rin iyon para sa kanya. He was tired of seeing people killing each other. He was tired of seeing children and women brutally killed during a war.
He had seen a lot of terror in the country of Afghanistan and some Middle East countries. He had seen his men killed in the war.
Malalakas na ungol ang pumutol sa pag-iisip ni Mason. Napabuntung-hininga siya at mabilis na tinungo ang silid ng kapatid na dinadalaw na naman ng bangungot.