She was one of the few people I know to have a genuinely sweet smile. She barely complained about anything. Very simple. Barely noticed. Just an ordinary girl in her sweet sixteen. When we visited my mother's province last summer, she decided to tag along on our way home to Makati. She stayed in my aunt's house for therapy and for next year's college enrollment. She couldn't stay with us because some of my cousins weren't very considerate. They might ask her to take care of their children, thus, the possibility of worsening her situation.
I gave her a few clothes, the ones that I bought before I got married. My aunt said she was so happy to have them and she was very, very thankful. She even set a few shirts aside because she wanted to use them for special occasions.
The family was so heart-broken that month. We lost Kuya Banjo exactly a week before Jerica passed away. I didn't cry when I heard the sad news. I went to our bedroom and opened the white hanging cabinet. I should have given the clothes earlier. I noticed how the cloth-lines seem to dangle at the middle. I had so many clothes folded, waiting in vain for me to lose weight and wear them again... I could have made her happier even for a few weeks... I'm sorry... I didn't know... I noticed the colorful blur in my eyes getting bigger and bigger. I rubbed my eyes to see better but it just keeps getting watery...
She told one doctor, "Doc, gusto ko pong gumaling. Mag-aaral po ako. Gusto ko pong maging teacher."
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| Like a comet blazing across the evening sky... gone too soon... |
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