Aurora Borealis

Chapter 28 - Sour Gumball

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What battled the silence that shrouds the dining room are the irking sounds of the utensils crashing on each other's plates.

No one dared to utter a single word. At this moment, the movements of our eyes held more meanings than that of our lips. Depending on how often this happens, I already noticed the underlying patterns that I know everyone here with me in the dining room also is wary of.

The resulting sound from friction of the chair's legs moving apart called everyone's eyes.

Nauna nang tumayo si Lola, dala-dala ang sarili niyang plato at para bang sinadya nito na padabog itong ibagsak sa lababo.

"Wanna bet how long she'll be cranky?" pabulong na tanong ni West kay Storm.

Siniko na lamang ni Claudia si West at sinenyasan ito na tumahimik dahil malakas pa rin ang pandinig ni Lola sa kabila ng edad niya.

Our grandma right now, fosters eight of her grandchildren in this house. That includes me and West. We've been here ever since we're kids. As for the others, they didn't warm to their parents for one reason; almost everyone of grandma's children are business-minded people.

Nakarinig kami ng padabog na pagbaba sa hagdan. There we saw our Lolo bringing down a pillow or two with a blanket.

My eyes trailed to his direction as he proceeded to go on the sofa and place his things there.

As for Lola, she went upstairs without saying a word.

"Sino na naman ang magiging tulay ngayon?" pabulong ni tanong ni Storm. "Ako na 'yung gumawa nitong huli. Hindi puwedeng ako na lang palagi. Ikaw naman ngayon, West."

"Not a chance. Nakita ko kanina yung mga bagong biling hanger na nasa sampayan sa labas. Alambre 'yon, dude. A-lam-bre." he even syllabized the word to prove his point.

"So, you're saying na ako na naman? Marami nang hanger 'yung nasira sa pang-upo mo. Sigurado naman akong immune na 'yan."

"As if it would! The previous hangers were made of plastic so I managed to tolerate it. This one's a different case."

"You can do it. I heard you took that barbaric Wendy as your girlfriend at a wedding. I'm sure you can figure it out since your situation doesn't do much of a difference."

"What are you saying? Grandma's reasoning is irrational while Wendy— actually, nevermind. I'm still not going to do it."

Sabay kaming umalis ni Claudia sa hapag upang hindi na makasali sa turuan ng dalawa. The four other boys younger than us were just silently listening to them.

"Do you think a miracle will happen and one of them will lower their pride for the other?" tanong ni Claudia at kinuha ang dala kong plato upang hugasan ito.

"I don't know. I haven't caught up with the context. Napansin ko na lang na parang may mali kanina noong kumakain tayo." sagot ko sa kaniya.

"Uh, about that..." she placed those washed utensils on the dish rack. "I heard them arguing as to which one of them loves greater than the other."

Over a trivial thing?

"If you're thinking that it's not a big deal, I must tell you. Pinagkukumpara pa nila kung sino ang mas marami ang nagawa sa relasyon nila. Oh girl, they kept me up all night listening with their debates as if they're still kids."

They're both in their seventies, but there's truth in what Claudia just told me. As one grows older or way past the prime of adulthood, that someone eventually approaches closer to their second childhood. Very much the same thing where one is already close to dying once they're born in this world.