AGS 3: The Stag Party (PUBLISHED)

9. Meet the Parents

My mom wasn't that kind of mom na girly. Although she likes to wear light and neon colors, she doesn't like dresses. Palaging shirts—V-neck, tees, tank top, halter top, sports-back bralette. She could even go outside wearing a bandeau top and cargo pants. Sa bottom, kung hindi shorts, sobrang laking cargo pants or joggers na hindi hindrance sa kanya kapag gagalaw.

Belinda Brias was one of the youngest senior officers in the national police, but she was also one of the early retirees. She was 32 when she left the PNP. Ang daming nanghinayang, pero siya, nope. No one could tell that she was once a senior inspector because at the age of 45, mukha lang kaming magkapatid. She's exercising daily, and she's maintained a healthy lifestyle kaya hindi na nakagugulat kung young looking siya.

She liked her straight hair long, at hanggang waist na iyon ngayon. During her inspector years, lagi 'yong maikli. Boy-cut na nga. She liked her eyebrows perfectly lined, and the rest of her face could survive without any makeup on.

Hindi naman talaga morena ang mommy ko, pero babad siya sa arawan kaya tanned ang skintone niya. Although that only gave her a fiercer look since her upturned eyes were piercing and something someone should avoid looking at. Mom has that resting bitch face even when she smiles. And once she does that "real smile," also known as her evil grin, no one can tell if she's genuinely happy or if she has something vile in mind. But she wasn't that scary . . . I guess? Or sanay lang siguro ako. Or maybe . . .

Siguro kasi nagpakasal siya sa gaya ni Daddy.

My dad, Adrian Chua, is a ray of sunshine, as per my mom's words. Kay Daddy ko nakuha ang monolids ko saka skintone na maputi—klase ng puti na parang anemic na. My mom stood at six feet, and my dad was three inches shorter than her, and I was the same height as my dad.

SPO pa lang si Mommy nang magpakasal sila. Si Mommy raw ang nanligaw. Si Daddy, natuwa lang sa effort ng mommy ko kaya sila nagkatuluyan. Dad was never intimidated by my mother, and he looked at her with admiration, not because she's a policewoman but because he sees her as a woman with virtues.

However, their marriage didn't last long.

Ang daming reasons na puwede kong isipin na dahilan kaya sila naghiwalay. They didn't really point out exactly what happened aside sa iba na ang preference ni Mommy pagdating sa relationship.

Then Gina came. Gina likes her hair short. Buong right arm niya, may full-sleeved tattoo. Marami siyang piercings sa katawan, pero sa left brow lang siya may hikaw pagdating sa mukha. I really thought na siya ang tomboy sa relationship nila ni Mommy, but she acted like a straight girl. Mas masculine pa ang mommy ko kaysa sa kanya. Same sila ng optimistic vibe ni Daddy, pero mas punky lang siya. Well, basically, she's the "punk girl" version of my dad.

Tita Hellen, the now-wife of my dad, is a modest lady, far from what my mom and Gina look like. Sobrang bait saka sobrang understanding niya. My dad loves her a lot. Daddy is so proud of Tita Hellen, and he would always brag about her to my mom kahit sobrang liit lang ng details na ikinukuwento ni Daddy. My mom was the one asking my dad how it was going with my father's new family. Ganoon ka-healthy ang relationship nila na kahit bago na ang family nila, they still get in touch at walang magseselos na bagong partner o asawa nila.

I couldn't say that I came from a broken family. My parents separated for good, and they lived happily with each other's new partners and spouses. Hindi ako nagkulang sa pamilya. Hindi ko naramdamang may kulang sa akin kahit hindi magkasama ang parents ko bilang mag-asawa.

But I guess it was never enough for me to keep myself in a stable place as their daughter.

Everyone was acting weird. First time din na dumalaw si Daddy sa Dolleton nang sobrang random na araw.