SHE smile while looking at her cousins playing on the field that was covered with thick snow. Umulan ng niyebe kagabi at malamig ang panahon. "Careful, babies," sigaw niya sa mga ito.
Itinaas niya ang kamera at kinuhaan ng larawan ang pinsan at mga pamangkin. Ilang buwan na sa pangangalaga niya ang kamera, nang dumating siya roon at makapagenroll ng crash course sa photography ay agad niyang iyong binili.
She left her old digital camera. Hindi niya kayang dalhin iyon dahil hindi iyon makakatulong sa kanyang pagmo-move on. Napakadaming larawan ni Red doon at alam niyang hindi niya mapipigilan ang sarili na pagmasdan ang mukha nito. Sinubukan niya ngunit hindi niya kayang burahin ang mga larawan nito kaya iniwan nalang niya.
After taking a couple of shots on her relatives, she focused the lens on an old couple sitting on the bench across her. It was her mother's neighbor, Mr. and Mrs. Heather, a pair of cute old-timers looking sweet and young. They looked good together. They've been married for years and even though they don't have children they are still together all these years.
The couple looked at her direction and wave their hands on her. Cameron can tell that the old couple fancied her, she chatted a lot with them over a cup of tea. She waved back and smiled.
Muli niyang sinuot ang gloves na hinubad niya kanina, kapagkuwan ay tiningnan ang mga kinuhang larawan. Mr and Mrs Heather will be delighted if they'll see the photos.
Mula sa tinitingnan ay napaangat ng ulo si Cameron. Luminga siya sa paligid dahil sa pakiramdaman na may nakamasid sa kanya. Kanina pa niya iyon nararamdaman ngunit binabalewala lang niya.
Wala naman siyang kakaibang nakikita sa kanyang paligid. Humugot siya ng malalim na hiningi bago inayos ang earmuffs at tumayo. "Kids, let's go inside," aniya nang makitang namumutla na ang mga labi nang mga ito.
"You have a package delivered earlier, Rain, it is already in your room," salubong ni Cassandra pagkapasok nila ng bahay.
She kissed her mother's cheek and walked towards the furnace. "It's probably the photograph I've bought on Limiore's exhibit." Isa ito sa mga instructor niya sa photography, naging kaibigan niya si Limiore at kailan lang ay dinaluhan niya ang one-man exhibit nito. Ngayon darating ang larawang binili niya kaya iyon marahil ang dumating.
Umupo siya sa tapat ng furnace upang mainitan ang katawan. Inilabas niya ang cellphone mula sa loob ng jacket at tinawagan ang mga kaibigan. "How's the honeymoon?" she asked when George answer the phone.
"Perfect, darling." After George and Oliver got married here in Canada, they flew to Bahamas and spend their honeymoon in the Caribbean. They've been married a week after they arrive at Canada. It was almost three months ago. Halos tatlong buwan na rin siyang naroon sa bansang iyon.
Sandali siyang nakipagkuwentuhan sa mga kaibigan bago umakyat sa kanyang silid at naglinis ng katawan. Noong araw na dumating siya rito sa Canada ay hotel ang kanyang tinuluyan, ngunit nang magkakilala sila ng ina ay iginiit nitong doon siya manirahan. Malaki ang bahay nito. Kasama ng kanyang ina ang kapatid nitong si Cathy at ang mga anak nito. Ang isa niyang pinsan ay may pamilya na rin na nakatira sa bahay na katabi ng sa kanyang ina.
Humilata si Cameron sa kama pagkatapos magbihis at tumitig sa kisame. Napukaw lang ang kanyang pansin nang tawagin siya para sa hapunan.
She always felt good eating with them on that big table. Hindi kagaya noon na mag-isa lang siya o dalawa lang sila ni Pauleen na kumakain. Maingay dahil may mga bata ngunit masaya dahil marami siyang kasama.
"Wala ka bang boyfriend na naiwan sa Pinas, Rain?" si Tita Cathy.
Natigilan sa pagsubo ang dalaga sa itinanong nito. Iniwas niya ang paningin sa mga mata ng mga kaharap na tila ba interesadong marinig ang kanyang isasagot. "W-wala po." She wanted to slapped herself from stammering.
Dramatikong napabuntung-hininga ang mga ito na tila ba dismiyado sa isinagot niya.
Bigla-bigla ay nawalan ng gana si Cameron dahil muli na naman niyang naaalala ang lalaking iyon. Hindi alam ng kanyang pamilya ang tungkol kay Red, maging ang kanyang ina ay hindi niya nagawang sabihan.
Pagkatapos kumain ay muling bumalik si Cameron sa silid na inuokopa at umupo sa kanyang kama. Ilang sandali siyang nakipagtitigan sa dingding bago nagpakawala ng malalim na buntung-hininga.
Nang madako ang kanyang mga mata sa isang panig ng silid ay agad niyang nakita ang nakasandig sa dingding. She sat on the floor and started to take off the cover of the photograph she bought.
Nang matanggal ang kalahati ay napakunot ng noo si Cameron nang makita ang kulay niyon. Limiore's masterpiece was vibrant and flowery, it was a field full of flowers and there was a sun behind it. "This is a painting!" bulalas niya nang mahawakan ang larawan.
Mabilis niyang tinanggal ang natitirang takip at nang makita ang kabuuan niyon ay nalaglag ang kanyang panga sa pagkamangha, kasabay ng mga katanungang nag-uunahan sa kanyang isipan ay ang mabilis na pagdagundong ng kanyang dibdib.
Kasabay nang pagtaas ng mga daliri ni Cameron sa painting ay ang pagbagsak ng mga luha mula sa kanyang mga mata. Hinaplos niya ang bawat bahagi ng painting.
It was her. Her nose, her lips, her face was painted impeccably, even the strand of her hair on the pillow.
It was the day when they made love, for the second time, on her house—on her bed. She was sleeping soundly with a satisfied smile on her face. Ang kumot ay nasa itaas ng kanyang dibdib, ang isa niyang kamay ay nasa unan habang bahagyang nakabaling ang kanyang ulo pakaliwa. "R-Red..." Ito lang ang naiisip niyang may-gawa niyon. It was only him who saw her in that state.
Cameron throat tightened at the sight of her.
Mga katok sa pinto ang kumuha ng pansin ng dalaga. "Rain, someone's looking for you. We'll be waiting downstairs."
Nanginginig ang tuhod na tumayo siya mula sa pagkakaupo sa lapag. Ang lakas ng tibok ng kanyang puso at sumasama ang kanyang tiyan dahil sa kaba at antisipasyon.
Was it him?
Pinahiran niya ang mukha at inayos ang mga nagulong buhok. Her trembling hands open the door slowly.
Nalaglag yata ang puso niya nang mula sa ikalawang palapag ng bahay ay makita niya ang lalaking nakaupo sa sofa sa ibaba kausap ang kanyang ina.
Natigilan siya sa paghakbang habang tinititigan ito. Nakalarawan ang pagkasabik sa mga mata ni Cameron habang nakatingin sa binata.
Nang mag-angat ng tingin si Red ay nagsalubong ang kanilang tingin ng dalaga. Agad itong tumayo mula sa kinauupuan, gusto niya itong akyatin at yakapin ng mahigpit ngunit pinigilan niya ang sarili.
Sa nanginginig na mga binti ay muling humakbang si Cameron. Mahigpit ang pagkakahawak niya sa balustre habang pababa ng hagdan. "W-what are you doing here?" Her lips shivered as she came face to face with the man she loves.
"I came to collect what is mine."
"And what is that?" she asked without breaking their eye contact.
He wore his emotion bare and Cameron almost jumped into him when she saw how the corner of his eyes glimmered as tears started to form. "You took my heart with you, Rain. And I want you to compensate for it." His voice cracked and tears were threatening to fall.
"W-what compensation?"
Humakbang palapit si Red sa dalaga hanggang sa gahibla nalang ang lapit nila. "Love me. Now and for eternity. Love me, Rain Cameron Montgomery."
Muling tumulo ang mga luhang hindi maubos-ubos mula sa mga mata ni Cameron. "Do you love me, Tyson Red?"
"I was foolish not to realize it sooner..." he said dramatically and cupped her face. "I love you."
"But, Dianne, you love her. I saw the paintings and I heard you talking to Tyler."
"She'll be forever in my heart. I thought that I would never love another woman after she died. But you came into my life, you are the love of my life now and for always, Rain. Dianne was in the past, you are my present and the future... You never heard everything I said to Tyler, you never heard how I take back my own words, how I told him that you changed my heart and mind." He kissed her forehead as flood of tears gushed down his cheek.
He brushed the tears on her cheek as their eyes stayed locked together. She believed him. She believed his eyes that says a thousand of words. Cameron looped her arms around his neck and press her lips on his. She gave her all in that kiss.
Tila nawala ang mga tao sa paligid at sila lang dalawa ang naroon. Hindi pa sana maghihiwalay ang mga labi nilang dalawa kung hindi tumikhim si Cassandra na nakangiting nakatingin sa anak at kay Red.
Mahigpit na iniyakap ni Cameron ang mga braso sa binata bago humarap sa kanyang pamilya na kanina pa nakatingin sa kanila. Nakita pa niya ang mga pamangking nakatakip ng mga mata. Namula ang kanyang magkabilang pisngi nang makita ang ngiti sa mukha ng mga ito.
"Si... si Red po."
"Go ahead, talk. We could do the introduction later," saad ni Cassandra na nakangiti sa dalawang pareho ang kislap sa mga mata.
Hinawakan ni Cameron ang kamay ni Red at hinila patungo sa kanyang silid. Umupo sila sa kanyang kama habang magkahawak ang kamay. Isinandig niya ang ulo sa balikat nito habang nakatingin sa painting. "Who made that?"
"I did," Red answered and drop kisses on her hair.
"You... you made those paintings in your house?" tanong ng dalaga na may panibugho sa dibdib.
Ngunit agad din siyang napayapa nang marinig ang isinagot ni Red. "You are the only woman I painted, Rain. Dianne's paintings were made by Tara. When you left me, I often have sleepless nights, if I couldn't sleep I drew you, you were always in my mind and I need to take it all out or I'll go insane."
Oh, how it felt so good hearing those words from him. Ang puso niya ay umaawit sa saya at pagmamahal. "How many paintings did you make?"
"Fifty? Or more than that. And that's the biggest," sabay turo sa painting na nasa kanilang harapan. "I found my courage to confess when I saw this," dagdag nito, sabay labas ng lumang kamera mula sa bulsa ng jacket.
He browse the photos until he reached the last photo she took. Her heart thumped violently when she saw the last picture. It was her doodle, she made that and took a picture the day before she left the Philippines.
Nag-angat ng paningin si Cameron at tinitigan ang mga mata nang binata na kumikislap sa pinagsama-samang emosyon. "I love you, Red," isinatinig niya ang mga salitang nakalagay sa doodle na kanyang ginawa.
"As I love you, Rain Cameron. Always and for eternity."
Red smiled at her and caress her cheek passionately. Then he frowned when he remembered something. "Who was that man?"
"Who?"
"The man in your house, who was he?" he asked again. She can see how his face muscles hardened as if he's controlling his jealously.
Cameron giggled when she realized what he was asking.
"You're laughing at me, huh!"
She flinched and laugh when he tickled her. She kept on dodging his hands while he kept on asking her who was that man. Oliver will surely laugh if he will hear how Red was jealous of him.
Her laughter filled the room. Parang kailan lang ay umiiyak pa siya dahil sa kasawian ng puso. Life was truly unpredictable.
In some point of our lives we struggle and strive hard to survive, we may have our rough days but we'll pave our paths to victory. Nasaktan man siya, nagluksa at ilang balde ang iniluha ay hindi niya ipagpapalit ang buhay na ibinigay sa kanya. She will live her life with him, for eternity.
Red symbolize the color of love and she got the love that she wanted. She was blessed and she was loved. Her life was beautiful and worth living.
WAKAS