Ansherina
Wearing a light pink cocktail dress with a black stiletto pair of heels I stride my way towards the restaurant gracefully. I just barely managed to walk straight up to the reserved table because of my shaking legs.
It's a rectangular six-seater table minus the table's head. I guess that was intentional, well at least, to maintain a status quo between families.
Naroon na ang bawat pares. My parents, and probably the man's parents who are just sitting adjacent to them.
Nang makita akong palapit ay nagsitayo sila upang pormal na bumati. I kissed both of my parents' cheeks first before formally turning to the other pair of couple.
"Good evening, ma'am/sir." I greeted formally with a strained smile.
"Flora, Reigan,-"
Napakunot-noo ako. Reigan?
"-this is our daughter, Ansherina." Mom introduced.
Oh, it's Flora's husband!
Ngumiti ang babae sa akin. She looks familiar.
She extends her right hand with poise. I also extend mine to meet hers. "Nice to meet you, Ansherina. You are such a beautiful lady."
"Thank you, ma'am."
Tumawa siya ng bahagya."Oh, no. You can call me tita. And, well..." Nagkibit-balikat siya. "It can be mom in the future."
The oldies laugh but I didn't. Hindi ko kasi mawari kung ano ang nakakatawa sa sinabi niya.
The husband, Reigan also extended his hand to shake mine. Napakunot-noo pa ako nang maramdaman ang kakaibang ngiti at haplos niya sa kamay ko. Binalewala ko na lang iyon at kaagad na binawi ang kamay ko.
"Let's take our seats." Anunsyo ni Dad matapos ang introduction.
Pinakatitigan ko ang dalawang nasa harapan nila Dad and Mom. Maganda ang babae at singkit ang mga mata. She's fair white and I think she has a Korean blood? Or Chinese? Or Japanese? Oh, well, singkit kasi siya. She seems nice, though.
The man named Reigan screams confidence yet his menacing eyes seem off. Naalala ko sa kanya ang mga mata ng Reigan na kilala ko, only that, his are not gray and there's something in the way he looks that can make you cringe. I can't figure it out. But, I don't like looking at him. Mukha siyang may masamang binabalak.
Tahimik lang ako nang magdesisyon ang mga naroon na umorder na dahil ilang minuto na rin kaming naghihintay sa anak kuno nila. At sana nga, di na iyon dumating. I will probably pray for him every day for not showing up tonight. Tatanawin kong utang na loob sa kanya ang hindi niya pagdating ngayon.
Please...just please, don't show up.
"Oh! He's here! Third!" Maligayang anunsyo ni Tita Flora.
Napapikit ako ng mariin at napayuko na lang. Why? Why can't the heavens help me?
"I'm glad you came." Rinig kong salubong ni Tita Flora sa anak.
"Yeah, I'm glad I came." A familiar playful baritone voice answered.
Dumagundong ang malakas na tibok ng puso ko kaya napamulat ako at biglang napaangat ng tingin.
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang bumungad sa paningin ko ang kulay abo niyang mga mata. May bahid ng ningning sa mga iyon. Ang mapupula niyang labi ay nakatikom ngunit halata ang multo ng ngiti na tila nilalabanan upang hindi makawala.
Oh, heavens! Is this your kind of help?
Narinig ko ang langingit ng upuang kinauupuan ng dalawang tao sa gilid ko. Nanatili akong nakaupo at nakatingala kay Reigan na nakatitig din sa akin nang mga sandaling iyon.
BINABASA MO ANG
Dark and Wild 2: The Devil Inside
RomansaAnsherina Ruiz Mendell was born as an heiress. She is living a comfortable life and worry is not in her dictionary. Not in her life, but she only does with the people around her. She loves the people, the services she can render to them, the happine...
