The Wild Flower by Elve O. Gumanit
_It is almost six o’clock in the evening .A sixteen-year-old lad rushed
into their backyard. He just hangs his faded uniform polo shirt over the
fence. He started to reach for the ax and work on the piles of cut
woods. It seems he could not carry the tools because he is thin and
looked pale. A haggard face filled with perspiration, sweat all over his
slender body. With his bare hands, he grabbed the tray of foods that
his four-year old stepsister handed to him.
“It’s getting late brother, why are you still here?” her cute little step sister asked him.
“I have to finish working on this so we could buy foods.” Nardo replied and then sighed for a moment.
“Your cell phone is ringing.” she ran toward Nardos’ knapsack.
“All right give it to me my dear please.” Nardo requested excitedly.
“Thank you for the meals and for giving the cell phone sis, you’re such a nice kid.” tapping the girl’s shoulder.
“Ger…lie…!”
It was his mother’s voice which suddenly calling for his stepsister to enter the house. The scared child ran quickly inside. He remained fixing all the things. Almost the pile of woods been finished. While taking a rest on the bench, he keeps on staring on his gadget again, smiling and reading the messages repeatedly, seems he is memorizing every line of it. All a sudden he heard his stepsister crying.
“I’m sure, mother scolded and spunk her, how pity!” he said to himself.
“Blag…!” the door opens.
Nardo frowned as he is looking at his stepfather kicked their door. He tried to be calm.
“Krasshh…!” kitchenware and glassware smashed.
After several hours, the house is in peace again. That is a normal scene to him, the smashed and scattered pieces of kitchen wares and the deformed furniture is not new to his eyes. He quietly entered into his room but he could not sleep tight. He went outside the house bringing with him the two innocent children- away from their parents, away from chaos. They went to the rice fields and rested on the nipa waiting shed. It breaks his heart upon seeing the children full of fears and still weeping. He immediately seeks for a guava leaves and chewed then placed to the wound of his six-year old stepbrother. Blood stopped to flow and when he look at the wound, its not that big, so he feels relieve. The two innocents slept on his lap as he is rested his back on the big tree beyond, the wilderness. He dialed his cell phone.
“Niña I could not bear these situations anymore.” Nardo told Niña.
“Nardo don’t give up, don’t leave them.” replied Niña.
“I think there’s no room for me to stay in our house any longer, situation always seem complicated besides they’ re not my family.” said Nardo.
“Not a family? Are you sure? how about your mother? Family is not only through blood relation…” Niña added.
Their conversation ended. Niña was Nardo’s text mate for five months. They become more than just a friend, Niña seems to be his girlfriend although there was no formal courtship, and they never meet yet. A long distance relationship that’s what they are. She always advices him to continue his study and become more patient to face any trials in life. It is Niña who makes his world colorful, he always dreamed of having a family with Niña his queen. He fell in love with the lady. Really inspires while going to school everyday. Hope, ambitions, and aspirations –everything is centered for Niña only.
It was dawn already and the three returned home as if there’s nothing had happened. He dialed again….
“Hello Niña I know you are still awake, you are right. I want to see you this coming summer vacation.” said Nardo.
“How I wish we will meet soon, by the way I send my picture, please do drop by in the post office. Please inform me as soon as you will receive it okay?” said Niña.
“Yes I will.” said Nardo
“Nardo please promise me that you will continue your studies no matter what happen and never stop dreaming.” Niña added.
“Yes mam, I will do as you say. “said Nardo.
The following morning his parents had a fight again, her mother nagged at him too, so he went to his friends to calm down his temper.
“Hey Felix, since its vacation time, we have to spend our days to my Uncle Roy in Marcelo, Bohol. The fare is not expensive; we have to use our ID to avail privilege.” Nardo
“Sound exciting. I’ll inform Joseph I’m sure he want to go with us. Hey is it your uncle that you are going to visit or your girlfriend rather? Felix said.
“Both of them, I decided to elope Niña.” Nardo told him in a low voice.
“Are you out of your mind? getting married is not the reason to solve or to escape your problem.” Felix added.
The three friends went to Marcelo, Bohol. Nardo wanted to surprise Niña. When they arrived at his uncle, Nardo asked the address and picture given by Niña. He was surprised the way his uncle had told him.
“It’s a big impossible! That’s not true uncle we have just talked one week ago.” cried Nardo.
“My son, go with me, I’ll show you what you need to know about her.” his Uncle explained.
They went to the place of Niña. Nardo screamed and cried. The tears started to flow on the leaves of the wild flower.
“I’ll keep my promise, my dear.” Nardo whispered.
“It’s getting late brother, why are you still here?” her cute little step sister asked him.
“I have to finish working on this so we could buy foods.” Nardo replied and then sighed for a moment.
“Your cell phone is ringing.” she ran toward Nardos’ knapsack.
“All right give it to me my dear please.” Nardo requested excitedly.
“Thank you for the meals and for giving the cell phone sis, you’re such a nice kid.” tapping the girl’s shoulder.
“Ger…lie…!”
It was his mother’s voice which suddenly calling for his stepsister to enter the house. The scared child ran quickly inside. He remained fixing all the things. Almost the pile of woods been finished. While taking a rest on the bench, he keeps on staring on his gadget again, smiling and reading the messages repeatedly, seems he is memorizing every line of it. All a sudden he heard his stepsister crying.
“I’m sure, mother scolded and spunk her, how pity!” he said to himself.
“Blag…!” the door opens.
Nardo frowned as he is looking at his stepfather kicked their door. He tried to be calm.
“Krasshh…!” kitchenware and glassware smashed.
After several hours, the house is in peace again. That is a normal scene to him, the smashed and scattered pieces of kitchen wares and the deformed furniture is not new to his eyes. He quietly entered into his room but he could not sleep tight. He went outside the house bringing with him the two innocent children- away from their parents, away from chaos. They went to the rice fields and rested on the nipa waiting shed. It breaks his heart upon seeing the children full of fears and still weeping. He immediately seeks for a guava leaves and chewed then placed to the wound of his six-year old stepbrother. Blood stopped to flow and when he look at the wound, its not that big, so he feels relieve. The two innocents slept on his lap as he is rested his back on the big tree beyond, the wilderness. He dialed his cell phone.
“Niña I could not bear these situations anymore.” Nardo told Niña.
“Nardo don’t give up, don’t leave them.” replied Niña.
“I think there’s no room for me to stay in our house any longer, situation always seem complicated besides they’ re not my family.” said Nardo.
“Not a family? Are you sure? how about your mother? Family is not only through blood relation…” Niña added.
Their conversation ended. Niña was Nardo’s text mate for five months. They become more than just a friend, Niña seems to be his girlfriend although there was no formal courtship, and they never meet yet. A long distance relationship that’s what they are. She always advices him to continue his study and become more patient to face any trials in life. It is Niña who makes his world colorful, he always dreamed of having a family with Niña his queen. He fell in love with the lady. Really inspires while going to school everyday. Hope, ambitions, and aspirations –everything is centered for Niña only.
It was dawn already and the three returned home as if there’s nothing had happened. He dialed again….
“Hello Niña I know you are still awake, you are right. I want to see you this coming summer vacation.” said Nardo.
“How I wish we will meet soon, by the way I send my picture, please do drop by in the post office. Please inform me as soon as you will receive it okay?” said Niña.
“Yes I will.” said Nardo
“Nardo please promise me that you will continue your studies no matter what happen and never stop dreaming.” Niña added.
“Yes mam, I will do as you say. “said Nardo.
The following morning his parents had a fight again, her mother nagged at him too, so he went to his friends to calm down his temper.
“Hey Felix, since its vacation time, we have to spend our days to my Uncle Roy in Marcelo, Bohol. The fare is not expensive; we have to use our ID to avail privilege.” Nardo
“Sound exciting. I’ll inform Joseph I’m sure he want to go with us. Hey is it your uncle that you are going to visit or your girlfriend rather? Felix said.
“Both of them, I decided to elope Niña.” Nardo told him in a low voice.
“Are you out of your mind? getting married is not the reason to solve or to escape your problem.” Felix added.
The three friends went to Marcelo, Bohol. Nardo wanted to surprise Niña. When they arrived at his uncle, Nardo asked the address and picture given by Niña. He was surprised the way his uncle had told him.
“It’s a big impossible! That’s not true uncle we have just talked one week ago.” cried Nardo.
“My son, go with me, I’ll show you what you need to know about her.” his Uncle explained.
They went to the place of Niña. Nardo screamed and cried. The tears started to flow on the leaves of the wild flower.
“I’ll keep my promise, my dear.” Nardo whispered.