Huwebes pa lang ay excited na ang mga bata para makakita ng penitensiya. Pinangakuan kasi sila ng Kuya Tootie nila na dadalhin ng maaga sa Sta. Rosa (katabing bayan namin, mga 20 minutos lang ang biyahe) dahil marami ang nagpepenitensiya doon. Ako naman, ilang beses na kong nakakita ng ganun nung bata ako, kaya hindi na rin ako nagplano na sumama pa. Hindi na ako interesado masyado, kumbaga.

Teka, parang nanunumbalik sa akin ang alala nung mga panahon na inaabangan namin ni Tootie at ni Kuyang ang penitensiya. Kadalasan si Daddy o si Tito ang aming kaalakbay sa mga ganitong pagkakataon. Ngayon ako naman at si Tootie ang nagbibitbit sa mga anak ni Tito kung saan-saan. Tingnan mo nga naman ang ikot ng mundo. Noon kabataan ako, mas marami ang nagpepenitensiya sa lugar namin. Maghihintay lang kami sa kanto at siguradong may makikita na na grupo ng mga lalaki na nagpepenitensiya. Minsan ay dalawang grupo pa nga, may maliit at may malaki. Kapag sobrang suwerte, dumadaan pa mismo sa harap ng bahay namin.

Ay naku! Ang dami namin pamahiin tuwing santo-santo (Lunes santo, Martes santo…). Siyempre, bawal ang kumanta, dapat malungkot, kasi namatay si Kristo. Kahit konting tunog ng radyo ay bawal na bawal. Ang matigas na ulo na Kuyang ko, nahuli minsan ni Lola na nakikinig ng radyo. Ayun, tinawag siya tuloy na Hudyo. At pag nagka-sugat ka daw sa linggo na ito, hindi na gagaling. Eh nung isang Martes santo, nasemplang ako sa bisikleta ko, na-gasgas ang tuhod ko. Sobrang takot ko na baka hindi gumaling. Gumaling naman siya. Siguro dahil gasgas lang at hindi sugat haha. At ang pinakakinakatakutan namin ng mga pinsan ko—ang matalansikan ng dugo ang balat namin ng mga nagpepenitensiya. Hindi kami takot sa dugo, takot kami na malipat sa amin ang kasalanan ng mga nagpepenitensiya. Ganun kasi yun. Ang haba na ata ng munting kuwento ko, balik na tayo sa pangunahin istorya.

Alas-siyete ng umaga, nambubulabog na si Billy sa kuwarto ko. Mangyari kasi, si Babyline at si Eduard ay sa kuwarto ko natutulog. Aalis na pala sila sa ilang minuto. Napakahirap gisingin ng dalawa, pero pinilit ko. Sayang naman ang pagkakataon na magkakasama sila na makikita ‘to, lalo na at si Billy ay sa Qatar na nakatira. Kaya makalipas ang ilang saglit, hindi pa man nakakaligo, umalis na sila upang manood ng pinaka-aabangan na penitensiya.

Para sa mga takot sa dugo, hindi para sa inyo ang mga susunod na litrato.

Even the adults yelling to mischievous kids seemed funny (at times) to me. Everything’s happening in the terrace. Instead of staying in the kitchen, Lola slices meat and vegetables in the terrace. Sometimes she also does marinating or whatever food preparation not requiring heat. We also had a TV in the terrace, so all can just watch there while doing all sorts of things. I enjoy watching Eric and Eduard bathing and playing in the inflatable pool I gave them around 5 years ago in the garden area near the terrace, while Lola continuously tells them not to waste water (and raise the bills!) hehe. At times, I butt in to conversations or to disputes between adults, between kids, and between adults and kids. Most of the time though, I just listen and watch intently while lying in the sofa. I just savored every word, every joke, every disagreement, every moment.

Just before lunch, Dad said he saw a penitensiya near our street, and he thought it might pass by at our street corner, as it sometimes does. As I was pretending not sick at all, and as the kids urged me to go to our street corner and wait for the penitensiya, I and the kids went out of the house and walked under the scorching heat of the noontime sun. Really, I’ve never hated the sun so much. hehe. They also raced each other, and I, too, joined the race. Ouch, my muscles hurt! After 10 minutes of waiting, we realized that the “parade” went a different way, and so we went home. This time, no race. I couldn’t walk fast, even if I wanted to. hehe.

During lunchtime, Dad noticed I was sick. If it was my voice, my slow movement, or my face color which gave me away, I don’t know. He got a thermometer, and it was confirmed, I had a fever. It’s been a long time since I had one, and I forgot how hard it is to have one. And when mom found out I was sick, well, I guess you know what she said. hehe.

After lunch, my parents made me rest. I also want to sleep. So I went straight to my room. Eduard soon followed, with medicines in one hand and water in the other. Touching. I told him that they can watch TV or play around my room, but they can stay only at the sofa bed as I didn’t want them to also get sick. He only nodded and left. I graciously slept until before dinner.

I wasn’t totally healthy when I woke up, but it felt like I needed that long afternoon sleep, and it reenergized me. The kids didn’t disturb me, not even once. That’s a first, not that they’re a disturbance. hehe.