anyang utak sa dalawa'ng gabi'ng wala siya halos itinulog. The only thing that sustained her through the long, early-morning drive to Sant Pol de Mar was the thought of her mother,

Her small car sped along the scenic coast of Canet de Mar

kanilang villa sa tuktok ng isang burol, labin-limang m

was

asama habang paakyat sila sa mabato'ng

pagkuwa'y nahihiya siya'ng binalingan. "Debes e

arama. "Pero no se desculpe." Sagot naman niya

tion, dahil hinabol nila'ng maka-uwi ng Sant Pol de Mar ngayo'ng araw. After dropping everything in the shop, they went straight to her apartment to collect her car and set -out to her hometown in Barcelona before three in the

lapsing in exhaustion. Saglit sila'ng naghintay matapos niya'ng bumusina bago awtomatiko'ng bumukas a

ng kotse. Itinaboy siya ni Roseta nang magt

r. Now that she was home, she did not

ot-noo siya nang wala siya'ng datnan doon. Pasado ala-siet

he wide terracota staircase. Diretso siya sa silid ng ina nang maka-akyat sa ikalawang pala

iya sa kanyang presensya, nguni

illa? Pipi'ng ta

dito, asking her to come home as soon as she was available. There was somet

ya'ng naitanong matapos n

lla, she could see rows of colorful houses stretching from both sides. Across the road, boats of different colors and sizes were moored by the shore. Sa malayong dako ng baybayin, payapa ang karagata'ng kasing-bughaw ng maaliwalas na

n the kitchen preparing her meal. With that thought, Anika left the room and skipped down the stairs. Wala din do

katulong na abala sa pagliligpit ng kusina

ingo'ng bulalas n

iya dito. "Estoy b

gpunas ng kamay sa suot na

ang hardin. She could hardly wait to bask in the comfort of her mother's care.

I'm

y in the morning breeze. But Anika's smile faltered when her mother turned to look at her. Wa

-aalanga'ng l

sa mga susunod na araw pa ang dating mo." Anito na hind

. "'Namin'? Sino'ng--" Hindi na niya naituloy ang sasabihin at tuluyang nabura ang

si Marcela Santiago - ang babae'ng naging dahilan upang maghiwalay ang mga mag

're going on a trip to the gall

a'ng sagot sa kaibigan, who was seated beside her

unds ung

Philippines loomed over her like a shadow, making her brisk and snappy. At napag-bubuntunan niya ang mga tao sa kanyang paligid. It wasn't

sorry." Hilot niy

"If you are in this state, chiquita, it might be a good idea to cancel this trip." Suhestyon

late for

nd the plane." Pabiro

k smile, unable to forc

-aalala'ng simu

n." Putol

n full evidence on his sharply angular, Hispanic features. Naiintindi

ttled with crippling depression. Umabot iyon sa punto'ng inakala niya'ng hindi na siya kailanman makakaahon pa doon... kaya siya nagtangka'ng

the moment we land in Doha. Hindi mo kailanga'ng tumuloy ng Pilip

lupa. As they rose towards the sky, muling nanumbalik ang mga agam-agam na gumulo sa kanya sa mga nakalipas na buwan

continued after the plane reached its target a

t is behind you. It cannot touch you anymore... unless you touch it first." Inabot ni

a ang nakatali sa kanya sa nakaraan. At malakas ang pakiramdam niya'ng hind

pite her misgivings. "... right after I make peace with my past

d against it. Mataman muna siya nito'ng tin

nito. "At susuportahan ko ang desisyon mo. Na

uld ever express her gratitude for one of her

k tops. Malaki ang Maynila, kasing-laki niyon ang posibilidad na hindi kami magkasalubong doon ng

r and settled back on his plush seat."But you're hop

ite, even for the osciettra caviar that Raoul ordered as her appetizer. She asked for a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon instead, and was glad when Raoul didn't try to s

rways first class provided complimentary pajamas to their passengers and Anika gratefully

to Rauol as she sat an

s editing on his laptop. "I only a

a ang unan pagkuwa'y muli'ng binalingan

a Belliza shoot. I still have a lot of ground to cover and Telva

niya tinanggihan ang alok nito'ng samahan siya pag-uwi ng Pilipinas dahil kailangan ni

nito sa kamay habang ang mga mata's=y

much, Rao. F

then. "Get some

at ng talukap ng kanyang mga mata. But if she thought tha

i'ng nanumbalik sa