Undercover Queen

Chapter 48

Nasa harap namin ngayon ni Trevor si Tito June na walang humpay sa pagkwento patungkol sa lovelife nila ni Tita Mary. Nakaupo kaming tatlo sa gitna ng mini bar nila kung saan overlooking sa malaking floor to ceiling window ang infinity pool dito sa second floor. Sa dulo ng infinity pool ay matatanaw mo ang garden nila.

Kausap ko kanina sa phone si Chai pagkalabas ng kwarto ni MJ. Sinabi kong may nadiskubre ako pero sa personal ko na ikukwento. Nabanggit niyang nagkausap kanina si Charles at Sung Ryeong sa may lobby ng hotel. Ngunit saglit lang. Buong araw lang daw nasa hotel si Charles. Si Sung-Ryeong naman ay nanggaling lang sa training ng mga kandidata.

Muling tumawa si Tito June. Namumula na siya dahil sa alak at mapungay na din ang mata. Napakamot lang ng batok si Trevor ng lumagok si Tito ng scotch mula sa baso niya. Muling niyakap ni Tito 'yung urn ni Tita na nakapatong sa tapat niya. "And then for fourteen years of our relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend, I finally had the guts to ask her to marry me," matawa tawa niyang kwento. Actually, pangatlong beses na niyang nakukwento 'yan ngayong gabi.

Inabot ni Trevor 'yung baso ni Tito June at nilayo sakanya. "Dad, I think we should go get some rest now. It's already 12 midnight."

"But I'm not yet done having a chitchat with my soon to be daughter-in-law, son," Tito June said. "Eh, what are we talking about again?" tanong niya sa akin ng nakangiti. "Ah! About my kids! Yes, my four precious kids. You know, Summer, Charles and Trevor are completely different. Trevor is like his mother. He got her mother's artistic and musical inclination. And of course her mother's big heart. What he only got from me is his skills in business. While Charles is... more like-" nangalumbaba si Tito June at napasinok, "me... I see myself on my second son. He's more competitive and determined. Just like me. The only thing he got from his mother is her skills in cooking. Damn, they both cook superb dishes. I want him to be trained well and be well-rounded. But of course to be that successful, he needs to start from the bottom. That's why I want Trevor to train him well; to be his mentor. I want Trevor to teach Charles the things I taught him."

He sighed and scratched his nose. "But I didn't know where did I go wrong," malungkot niyang sabi. "Mary and I both question ourselves, have we failed being parents?" Tahimik lang kami ni Trevor at pinanood si Tito habang nakatitig siya sa kawalan. Pinatong niya ang baba niya sa urn at pumikit. "I miss you so much, honey."

"Sa tingin ko kailangan na natin siyang dalhin sa kwarto niya," bulong ko sa katabi ko.

Tumango naman si Trevor at tumayo na. Kinuha niya ang braso ni Tito at nilagay sa balikat niya. Kinuha ko naman 'yung urn ni Tita.

Inalalayan ni Trevor si Tito paakyat sa kwarto nito habang buong ingat kong bitbit ang urn. Inihiga ni Trevor ang tatay niya samantalang nilagay ko sa dulo ng bedside table, malayo sa kama, 'yung urn.

Napatambay kami ni Trevor sa tapat ng pinto ni Tito June pagkalabas ng kwarto. Parehas naming tinignan ang isa't-isa.

He looks tired. I am tired. Good God, we are soulmate. I smiled at my random crazy thought. Then he smiled too. Oh di ba, soulmate nga kami.

"Do you want a fries dipped in sundae on the middle of the midnight?" he asked.

Mas lalo lang lumawak 'yung ngiti ko. Tumango tango ako na parang asong nakadisplay sa dashboard ng kotse. Kinuha niya 'yung kamay ko saka kami bumaba at lumabas na ng bahay.

But instead of driving off to McDonalds by a car, napagkasunduan namin ni Trevor na gamitin 'yung bike ni Chris at MJ ng parehas kaming mapatingin dito pagpunta ng parking lot nila. Katabi kasi ng pinagparadahan ni Trevor 'yung bike racks.

We ride the bike under the moonlight in the middle of the night. Bukod sa wala ng gaanong sasakyan at tao, ang presko pa ng hangin. Imbis na ginagaya namin 'yung mga pa-sweet moments sa movies habang naka-bike, nag-racing na lang kami.