SAUDADE

dalawang pu't tatlo

Third Person

Alfonso, Andy, Luis, and Xandra were present in the living room as it was a Sunday. It had became a tradition to always be present on Sunday for a family dinner and a little liquor night.

Issa came down the stairs and had a huge grin on her face when Andy's face beamed as she descended. "Aco*!" He exclaimed and left his Nintendo on the couch to hug his aunt.

"Hello, Anding!" She ruffled his hair and giggled, "Laro tayo?" She asked him and he nodded.

"Ui, teka, teka..." Luis raised his hand, "Andy... Aco* will join you later, ha? We just have to talk about something..." He smiled at his niece.

Andy only smiled and nodded, "Okay po..." He then went to get his Nintendo and went to the kitchen, at least his grandparents were there.

Issa frowned and looked at her brothers and sister-in-law. "Bakit? May problema ba?" She asked.

"Come here... Sit down..." Alfonso patted on the single vacant couch with a smile. "Ooookkaaayy?" She prolonged the word as she sat on it.

"So...?" Xandra started, looking at her while grinning from ear to ear. As soon as Issa got the thought, her shoulders dropped and her head shook.

"What?" Luis scrunched his face, "Hindi mo pa sinabi?" Her voice grew quite louder and it resulted to Xandra hitting hit leg lightly.

"Hindi ko masabi..." Issa groaned. "Ano sasabihin ko? Dada, Mommy, may nangliligaw sa akin. Alam niyo naman yung tagapag-mana ng Sol Real Estates and Management diba? Yung kacompetensya sa business natin?" She widened her eyes at them.

"Alam mo..." Luis breathed out, "Anak ka talaga ni Mommy." He sighed and palmed his face.

"Ang rash naman siguro pag ganiyan? Sugar coat mo nalang..." Alfonso chuckled.

Xandra smiled at Issa, "Alam mo, don't listen to your kuya's. Calmly tell it to Ma and Da na you have a suitor and his family is on the other side of the boat... Make them understand when and where you both met... And I think naman they'll be okay with it... Alam mo na, your Lolo and Papi were on the opposite sides rin, but because your parents love each other, napabigyan naman." She smiled at Issa.

"Oh, ano na Luis? Parang di naman tayo kailangan dito eh, tara na." Alfonso jested with a sly grin on his face. Luis only shook his head, "Tinrade na pala tayo, noh?"

Issa only rolled her eyes at her brothers, "OA niyo."

"You try to tell it later sa dinner..." Luis smiled. "We'll back you up naman, so don't worry." Alfonso assured her.

"But Kuyaaaaaaa's!!!" She whined. "No but's. Mas okay nang sa'yo nanggaling yung information na yan kesa sa iba pa..." Luis looked at her and she knew that look.

She could only nod and sigh.

❘༻༺❘

"Issa?" Irene called her, this time, her eyes darted towards her mother, "Po?" She said in a small voice.

Knowing looks were shared within the table between Alfonso, Luis, and Xandra. "May problema ba? Kanina ka pa namin tinatawag ng Dada mo... Tulala ka lang... Is there something wrong, love?" Irene calmly asked her.

Issa smiled and shook her head, "Wala, Mommy... May iniisip lang." She reasoned out.

"Ano yun?" Her mother asked her, worry written all over her face.

"Ehem... Sino..." Alfonso faked cough and corrected. Issa glared at her brother who was sitting beside her and kicked his feet under the table. "Aw!" He yelped.