Chapter Text
"MA!!! MAMA!!!" a young teen shouted with all her might. She wanted to get the attention of the girl sitting under the mango tree.
Jhoanna looked around after hearing someone shouting. After a few seconds, she noticed the girl staring directly at their group. With a confused expression, she lightly nudged Colet's shoulder and pointed toward the stranger.
"Te, ikaw ata yung tinatawag nung babae," she said while trying to figure out if this was some kind of prank.
The more she looked at the girl, the more confused she became.
"Mukha na ba akong nanay? Mag-isip-isip ka nga, Jho," she replied while rolling her eyes dramatically.
"Tingnan mo kasi, sa'yo nakatingin," Jhoanna answered while pointing again. This time, her voice carried more curiosity than amusement.
The stranger wasn't looking at anyone else in the group. She was staring directly at Colet.
The group of friends turned around to look at the girl along with Colet, and the second their eyes met, the young girl felt her breath stop. She sprinted toward Colet, then hugged her tightly while crying.
The force of the hug almost made the older girl lose her balance. The teenager buried her face against Colet's shoulder and held on as tightly as she could. The moment she felt Colet in her arms, all the emotions she had been holding back came pouring out.
"Uy, te, sino ka ba? Bitawan mo 'ko," Colet said in complete shock while trying to pry the girl's arms away from her. Her voice was filled with confusion because she was certain she had never seen this person before.
She instinctively tried to push her away, but the teenager only tightened her grip. The younger girl's entire body was shaking from how hard she was crying.
"Mama," Sheena sobbed while pressing her face against Colet's shoulder. Her words came out broken because she could barely speak through her tears. "I miss you, Mama."
The amount of emotion behind her voice was impossible to fake. She sounded like someone who had been separated from a loved one for years.
Colet's eyes widened in shock. Everything happened so fast that her brain couldn't keep up. One moment, she had been sitting with her friends. The next, a complete stranger was clinging to her like her life depended on it.
The group fell silent almost immediately. Nobody knew how they were supposed to react. On one hand, the situation sounded ridiculous. On the other hand, the girl looked genuinely devastated.
Stacey glanced at the others, hoping someone else would handle the situation, but everyone seemed equally confused.
"Ate, kilala mo ba yung kaibigan namin?" Stacey finally asked after the teenager loosened her hug slightly. She spoke gently because she didn't want to make the crying girl even more upset. At the same time, she was desperately hoping for an explanation.
"She is my mama, Tita Staku," she answered proudly.
"Tita ka pala niya, Staks, eh... hahaha," Jhoanna said while trying not to laugh. The grin on her face grew wider, and the situation had become even more ridiculous than before.
"Manahimik ka nga diyan, Jho. Papansin ka na naman," Stacey replied while giving her friend an annoyed look.
Despite her response, she looked just as confused as everyone else. She had no idea why a complete stranger was calling her "Tita Staku."
Sheena wiped her eyes before looking around the group. A small laugh escaped her as she watched Stacey and Jhoanna argue.
"Cute. Ganyang-ganyan pa rin kayo sa future, mga tita. Mana sa inyo yung kambal n'yo, madalas aso't pusa."
"Miss, anong amats mo?" Jho said while holding back a laugh.
"Galing nga kasi ako sa future, and mama ko si Mama Colet," she explained while speaking as patiently as possible.
"Miss... mainit yung panahon. Huwag mo nang painitin yung ulo namin sa prank mo."
Colet's voice wasn't hostile, but she clearly didn't believe a single word.
"Nagsasabi nga kasi ako ng totoo. Paniwalaan mo naman ako, Mama."
Her frustration was becoming more obvious with every passing second. The more she tried to explain herself, the crazier everyone seemed to think she was.
"Ano pala yung pangalan mo, Ate?" Stacey asked.
"Sheena. Sheena Vergara," the teen answered.
"Hindi ba 'to prank lang, Miss Sheena? Social experiment?"
The group continued staring at Sheena like she had completely lost her mind. No matter how many times she insisted she was telling the truth, nobody seemed willing to believe her.
Jhoanna looked seconds away from laughing again, while Stacey appeared genuinely concerned for the teenager's well-being. Meanwhile, Colet remained quiet, still trying to understand why a stranger had run across a park just to cry in her arms.
"Sige nga," Jhoanna said while trying to hold back another laugh. She looked directly at Sheena and pointed a finger at her dramatically. "Kung taga-future ka talaga, ano yung winning lotto numbers bukas?"
Her tone made it obvious she thought the entire story was ridiculous. The rest of the group immediately nodded as if they had finally found a way to expose the lie.
"Malay ko. Hindi naman ako nataya sa lotto, Tita Jho, and I don't want to reveal that much galing sa future kasi baka magulo lang 'yon," Sheena explained.
"Sus, palusot."
Sheena opened her mouth before quickly closing it again. The problem wasn't that she didn't know things about the future. The problem was that revealing too much could completely change events. More importantly, she wasn't here to prove herself to Jhoanna. She only cared about convincing one person... her Mama Colet.
Her eyes slowly shifted toward Colet. The older girl was still staring at her with a mixture of confusion and curiosity. Unlike the others, she wasn't laughing anymore. She looked genuinely puzzled by the entire situation.
The longer Sheena watched her, the more she realized that no amount of arguing was going to convince her. Unless she revealed something impossible. Something only Colet would know.
Sheena hesitated for a moment before stepping closer. If she was going to convince anyone, it had to be Colet.
"Mama," Sheena said quietly while tugging on the sleeve of Colet's shirt. Her voice was much softer than before because she didn't want the others listening. "May sasabihin ako sa'yo, Ma. Ikaw lang puwedeng makarinig."
The request immediately made Colet raise an eyebrow.
Although Colet was so skeptical, she still leaned closer out of curiosity. At this point, nothing about the afternoon made sense anymore.
"You wrote a song for... mo—" she paused. "For Tita Aiah," Sheena whispered carefully into her ear. Her voice was barely audible. "Tapos hindi mo pinakita kahit kanino kasi nahiya ka. Ikaw mismo yung nagkuwento sa'kin no'n."
The moment the words left her mouth, Colet froze because it was some deep secret nobody should know: that she was in love with her best friend. And she never, ever let anyone know that she was writing songs for Aiah.
"Huy, te? Keri ka lang diyan? Natulala ka na diyan," Jhoanna called out after noticing the sudden change in Colet's expression. She sat up straighter while looking between the two of them. "Anong sinabi niya sa'yo?"
Her curiosity was becoming impossible to hide.
Colet didn't answer immediately. Her eyes remained fixed on Sheena as she tried to process what she had just heard.
"Wala," Colet finally replied while shaking her head. "May naalala lang ako."
Sheena remained quiet. She wasn't trying to prove she knew every detail of her Mama's life. The truth was that she didn't.
She didn't know most things that happened before she was born. Everything she knew came from stories, family conversations, and memories that started when she was old enough to understand them.
She only knew that this particular story existed because Colet had told it to her one night when she accidentally saw Colet's box of letters.
Colet stared at Sheena for several seconds before sighing heavily.
"Tara," she finally said to Sheena while adjusting her bag on her shoulder. Her voice was calm, but there was a clear seriousness behind it.
"Saan kayo pupunta?" Jhoanna asked.
"Basta! Balitaan ko na lang kayo," Colet answered with seriousness on her face.
The two started walking away from the group.
"Ma, saan tayo pupunta?" Sheena asked while trying, and failing, to hide her smile. Her tone sounded hopeful.
"Sa condo ko," Colet answered while narrowing her eyes slightly. She crossed her arms and pointed directly at the younger girl. "Huwag kang matuwa masyado. Marami akong tanong."
Sheena's POV
Tahimik lang kaming naglakad ni Mama palayo kina Tita Stacey at Tita Jho. Natutuwa ako kasi kahit papaano, kasama ko ngayon si Mama maglakad ulit.
"HOY COLET, BUMALIK KA DITO! WAG KA SUMAMA SA SCAMMER NA 'YAN!"
Rinig kong sigaw ni Tita Jhoanna.
Si Mama naman ay hindi na lumingon at itinaas na lang yung kamay niya bilang sagot. Halatang seryoso siya sa balak niyang pagtanong sa'kin mamaya.
Naglakad kami papunta sa parking area ng park. Habang naglalakad, paminsan-minsan ay tumitingin siya sa'kin na para bang may gustong itanong pero mukhang pinipigilan niya muna yung sarili niya.
Hindi na rin ako nagsasalita dahil alam kong marami nang iniisip si Mama. Sa totoo lang, sapat na sa'kin na magkasama kami kahit alam ko na nagda-doubt pa rin siya sa akin.
Pagdating namin sa pedestrian lane, bigla na lang hinawakan ni Mama yung kamay ko at bahagyang hinila ako palapit sa kanya. Hindi niya siguro napansin na ginawa niya 'yon, nakatingin kasi siya sa mga sasakyan habang hinihintay na makatawid kami nang maayos.
Napangiti na lang ako kasi ganitong-ganito rin siya sa future.
"Anong nginingiti-ngiti mo diyan?" tanong niya nang mapansin niyang nakangiti ako habang nakatingin sa kanya.
"Wala lang po," sagot ko habang umiiwas ng tingin. Hindi ko kayang sabihin na ginagawa niya yung eksaktong ginagawa niya sa'kin mula pagkabata. "Masaya lang po."
Mas lalo siyang napakunot ng noo pero hindi na siya nagsalita. Mukhang sanay na siyang wala siyang maintindihan sa mga sinasabi ko.
Ilang segundo lang ang lumipas bago kami nakarating sa parking area. Nasa isang sulok yung sasakyan niya at agad ko iyong nakilala.
Sa timeline ko, ilang beses akong nakasakay doon kasama siya. Ayun yung ginagamit namin pang-drive-thru kapag tinatamad sila ni Mommy magluto. Doon kami nagkukuwentuhan kapag may problema ako sa school. Doon din ako minsang umiyak matapos ang isa sa pinakamahirap na araw ng buhay ko.
Medyo naluluha lang ako nang kaunti. Kaunti lang.
Napansin agad ni Mama na natigilan ako.
"Sheena?" tawag niya habang hinahanap yung susi ng sasakyan niya. Medyo nag-aalala yung boses niya kahit hindi niya pinapahalata. "Okay ka lang ba?"
"Opo, Ma. May naalala lang po."
"Kumain ka na ba?" tanong niya. "Kanina ka pa umiiyak at mukhang pagod ka pa."
"Hindi pa po," mahina kong sagot kay Mama.
Agad siyang napabuntong-hininga.
"Hay naku, ano ba ang pinaggagawa mo sa buhay mo? Hindi ka pa pala kumakain. Kaya siguro kung anu-anong pumapasok sa isip mo," sabi niya habang nakakunot ang noo. Hindi siya galit pero halatang hindi siya natutuwa sa sagot ko. "Anong oras ka pa huling kumain?"
"Kagabi pa po."
Napapikit siya na parang sinusubukan niyang kontrolin ang sarili niya.
"Kagabi pa?" ulit niya habang nakatingin sa'kin. Halatang gusto niyang sermonan ako pero pinipigilan niya. "Tapos maghapon kang nasa labas? Jusko ka, Sheena. Tara, sumunod ka sa'kin."
"Saan tayo pupunta, Ma?"
"Dadaan muna tayo diyan sa 7/11 at bibili tayo ng pagkain mo, pasaway ka."
Yung tono niya ay yung tipong wala nang discussion. Kahit anong sabihin ko, alam kong hindi siya makikinig. Ganoon siya sa future kapag nag-aalala na.
Tahimik na lang akong sumunod kay Mama papunta sa 7/11. Habang naglalakad kami, napansin kong bumabagal yung lakad niya para makasabay ako. Maliit na bagay lang 'yon pero napangiti ako ulit.
"Anong gusto mo?" tanong niya habang nakatingin sa mga sandwich sa loob ng refrigerator. "Light na lang muna kainin mo dahil nalipasan ka na ng gutom. Mamaya ka na lang kumain ng kanin sa condo para 'di sumakit yung tiyan mo."
Normal na normal lang yung tono niya na parang hindi siya nagdududa kung scammer ba talaga ako o nagsasabi ng totoo.
"Kahit ano, Ma. Ikaw na bahala."
Agad siyang napabuntong-hininga.
"Meron bang kahit ano diyan?" reklamo niya habang kumuha pa rin ng sandwich, chocolates, at ilang snacks.
Kahit nagrereklamo siya, hindi naman siya tumigil sa pagkuha ng pagkain.
"Mama, sobra na yata 'yan," sabi ko habang nakatingin sa dami ng laman ng basket. Hindi ko alam kung matatawa ba ako o maiiyak.
May bottled water, crackers, chocolates, at dalawang maliit na tub ng ice cream. Hindi niya naman ako tinatanong kung gusto ko ba yung mga iyon. Basta na lang niya kinukuha at inilalagay sa basket na parang may sariling checklist sa utak niya.
"Nakain ka ba ng chocolate ice cream? Isa na lang kasi itong cookies and cream, eh."
Hindi niya ako pinansin sa sinabi ko at tuloy pa rin siya sa paglalagay ng food sa basket, pero hindi na niya hinintay yung sagot ko. Kumuha na siya at dumiretso sa counter.
Actually, favorite ko yung chocolate-flavored ice cream at favorite naman ni Mommy yung cookies and cream. At iyon ang laging laman ng freezer namin sa bahay sa timeline ko.
Comfort food ni Mommy yung cookies and cream na ice cream kapag pagod siya galing trabaho o kapag may pinagdadaanan siya kaya lagi kaming may stock.
Lumabas na kami ng 7/11 at medyo umaambon. Kailangan pa naming maglakad papunta sa sasakyan namin pero nagulat ako nang biglang ilagay ni Mama yung cap niya sa akin. Pinatong niya rin yung kamay niya sa ulo ko at pinamamadali ako dahil baka raw magkasakit ako.
Medyo may kirot lang sa'kin kasi ganitong-ganito si Mama Colet ko sa future, at miss na miss ko na maging ganito kami ni Mama ulit.
"Umiiyak ka na naman diyan. Tara na, bilisan mo."
Pagbalik namin sa sasakyan, binuksan niya agad yung pinto sa passenger seat para sa'kin.
Pagkaupo niya sa driver seat, agad niyang inabot sa'kin yung isang sandwich mula sa plastic bag at bottled water.
"Kumain ka muna habang nasa biyahe para hindi mabigla yung tiyan mo mamaya," sabi niya habang nag-i-start ng kotse. Hindi siya humarap sa'kin habang nagsasalita. "At ayoko marinig mamaya na nahihilo ka kasi hindi ka kumain."
Napangiti ako habang tinatanggap yung sandwich.
"Salamat, Ma."
"Wait nga lang. Huwag mo nga akong tawaging nang ganyan lalo na sa labas," sabi niya habang bumabalik ang tingin sa kalsada. Hindi naman galit yung tono niya. Mas mukhang hindi lang siya sanay. "Parang ang tanda-tanda ko. Kanina ka pa mama nang mama."
"Pero Mama naman talaga kita, eh."
Napabuntong-hininga na lang siya.
"Pero huwag mo na akong tawaging Mama sa labas."
Tahimik akong kumain habang nagda-drive si Mama. At si Mama naman, paminsan-minsang sumusulyap sa'kin kapag nakahinto sa stoplight. Mukhang may gusto siyang itanong pero hindi niya alam kung saan magsisimula.
Sa totoo lang, naiintindihan ko naman siya. Kung ako rin nasa posisyon niya, baka iniisip ko nang nababaliw ako.
"Ilang taon ka na, Sheena?" tanong niya matapos ang ilang minutong katahimikan.
"18 po."
Tumango siya nang bahagya.
"At sa kuwento mo... yung sa future," nagsimula siya habang nakatingin pa rin sa daan. "Ilang taon ako?"
Napangiti ako kasi alam kong unti-unti na siyang nagtatanong na parang may possibility na totoo yung sinasabi ko at naniniwala na siya sa'kin.
"47."
Halos mapreno siya sa gulat.
"Ang aga ko naman magka-anak. Sigurado ka ba diyan sa sinasabi mo? Eh hanggang ngayon single pa rin ako. 22 na ako."
"Sure na sure ako, Ma."
"Sige nga. Kung anak kita, sino yung isa mo pang magulang?"
"Si Dadd—"
Hindi ko na natuloy yung sinasabi ko dahil pinutol niya agad.
"Anong daddy? Hindi ka talaga galing sa future kasi hindi mo alam na 'di ako papatol sa lalaki. Baka hindi nasama sa script mo na babae yung gusto ko."
"Yung donor kasi, Ma. Ang OA mo."
"Hindi ko na nga ikukuwento para surprise, pero babae naman yung asawa mo, Ma. Kaya huwag kang OA diyan. At hindi ko na sasabihin kung sino."
I don't understand, pero parang bumabalik lang yung asaran namin ni Mama, katulad nung sa timeline ko.
"Maganda ba mama mo?" tanong niya.
Maganda si Mama. Kamukha nga raw ni Mama Mary, eh.
"Maganda kayong parehas." Sa totoo lang, sobrang things talaga ng mga nanay ko, kaso may mga bagay sa mundo na hindi mo mapipigilan. "Ayoko nang magbigay ng clue."
"Sige na. Iba na lang. Ano yung work ko sa future?" napansin niya siguro na medyo uncomfortable ako.
"Music producer at songwriter ka na, Ma. Tapos main producer ka ng BINI."
"BINI?"
"Basta girl group 'yon, Ma. Tsaka first all-Filipino act na nakapag-perform sa Coachella."
"Yung imagination mo ba walang limit? Parang impossible naman yang mga pinagsasasabi mo, eh."
Totoo naman kasi. Magta-thrive talaga silang group of friends in the future.
"Pwede pa ba akong magtanong sa'yo? Kahit hindi pa rin ako naniniwala sa'yo fully."
"Oo naman, Ma. Ano 'yon?"
"Alam mo ba kung anong nangyari kay Aiah?"