"Nadz! Huy!"
I was back to my senses when my friend Ellie tapped our table.
Hindi ko napansin na nakatulala na pala ako at tahimik na umiiyak.
I immediately wiped it and just smiled out of embarrassment.
Hawak ko ang wedding picture ni Mommy at Daddy habang nandito kami sa isang coffee shop.
Daddy said that this was taken at Idelfonso where Mommy wants to get married back then.
Kakatapos lang ng ballet classes namin kaya dito namin naisipang tumambay muna habang inaantay ni Ellie ang boyfriend na si Damian.
"Ano na namang nangyayari sayo? Naalala mo si Tita Alanis noh?" Ellie asked and I slowly nod.
Not a day goes by that I do not miss my mom.
Mommy Aina died at the age of 43.
They said it's a miracle for her to last that long after what she went through.
Maswerte pa nga ako kasi naabutan niya pa ang 18th birthday ko. That was the happiest birthday of my life.
"Of course. I do. I wish she's just here." I sadly said.
"Huwag ka nang malungkot. Kailan mo siya dadalawin?" tanong ni Ellie bago sumipsip sa frappe niya.
"Next week is her first death anniversary. Uuwi daw kami ni Daddy sa Alberta after Tita Annika's taping kasi gusto niyang sumama. Tita Almira will be home from Idelfonso as well. Pati nadin yung iba ko pang mga Tito at Tita. You know mommy has a lot of friends. Ngayon nalang ulit kami makukumpleto." Tumango-tango naman si Ellie bago sumilip sakaniyang cellphone sabay balik ulit sa bag.
"Alam mo dati si Damian ang habol ng habol sayo. Ngayon ikaw naman 'tong hindi mapakali." Pang-asar ko sakaniya.
Nanlaki ang mata ni Ellie at inambahan ako ng palo kaya mabilis akong umilag.
"Hoy hindi 'yan totoo ah! Ang tagal lang niya masiyado baka mamaya hindi namin maabutan yung start ng movie. Kaasar! Teka hindi ka ba talaga sasama?" mabilis akong umiling at umirap.
"Ayoko ngang maging third wheel!" natawa kami parehas.
"Mag-jowa ka na kasi! Tapos sama kami sa Alberta para makapunta naman ako sa mansion at beach niyo dun!" excited na sabi ni Ellie.
"Ayoko nga noh! Sabi ni Mommy---"
"Kung hindi lang din tulad ng Daddy mo huwag na huwag kang magsesettle sa kahit kanino"
"Kung hindi lang din tulad ng Daddy mo huwag na huwag kang magsesettle sa kahit kanino"
Sabay naming sabi kaya nagtawanan kaming dalawa.
"Kabisado ko na yan! Kaso girl ang hirap nun! Ideal jowa yung Daddy mo eh." Puri ni Ellie.
Well, hindi naman sa pagmamayabang pero... totoo naman talagang Ideal man si Daddy.
At hindi ako papayag na hindi isang katulad niya ang mamahalin at magmamahal sakin.
~
You must be wondering how Ellie and I knew that my dad was an Ideal Man.
Of course, we weren't there when everything happened.
But my mom, as sentimental as she is created her own diary which she has written way back after their wedding. This is her gift to me along with the necklace that my dad gave her. She wrote every tiny piece from the day he met Uncle Theo (her first love) and then my annoying dad. I've read all of it.
