Mrs. Araneta

Chapter III: Honey 🍯

November 1978

It's almost Imee's birthday and as anyone would have imagined, the household inside Malacañang are busy preparing for it.

Imee almost never throw a party for herself, but when she does, it's always something to look forward to.

'Imee, anak.. yung guest lists mo ba napa approve mo na sa Daddy mo?' Imelda asks her daughter.
'Yes mom. Last week pa, diba Dad?' Imee answered with a mouthful of bacon.

"Ate, gross. Yung pagkain mo naman!" Irene rolled her eyes.
'Bakit ang aga aga ang sungit ng bunso mo, sweetheart. Busog naman na yan, kanina pa yan kumakain ah.' Ferdinand lovingly looks at her daughter as she continues pouting.

'Kase Dad, nakita nya nasa guest lists ni Manang si Greggy.' Bong is now teasing Irene relentlessly, earning laughter from everybody.

'Problema mo, Irene? Bakit kasi hindi ka nag party nung birthday mo? Para ikaw hindi nag invite kay Greggy. Mabait naman yung tao ahh, tsaka friend namin yun ni Bonget, diba Bonget?' Imee realized what's going on with Irene now decided to tease her more.
'Oo nga. Pano kase Dad, na busted yan ni Greggy ehh. Ilang beses. Paulit ulit pa.'

'Enough. Mag aaway na naman kayo ha, yang bunso na naman nakita nyo. Tama na yan.' Imelda knew she needs to stop them before they started shedding blood. Her children loves each other dearly. But when they play fun over the other, it always end up with ugly cries and shouting match.

And Irene is always the victim of her siblings. She's the most loving and the sweetest of the three, but she's also the most sensitive.

"Daaaad. Si Manang at si Bonget oh!" Her siblings started to leave the table one by one as they knew that when Irene starts to use her "dad card", this sweet little sister will turn herself to the evil little sister.

Ferdinand knows her daughter's heart. Irene is open to her mom and dad about it, she always has been.
He also knew how Greggy feels towards her. He recently talked to him about her. But he also knows not to meddle in between the two. He will let them find their way back to each other, once again.

'Irene, bunso.. bakit kasi ayaw mo kausapin? Ginawa na lahat nung tao. Araw araw ka pa nga may red na tulips dyan oh. Also, si Peanut dadalhin mo sa vet. Isama mo yung tatay, mas close yang anak mo sa daddy nya.'
"Daaad ayoko nga kase! Mang iiwan na naman yun sa ere. I can take Peanut, ako na lang. Kaya ko naman, wala akong class Dad."

'Just in case, you change your mind.. eto number ng office ni Greggy.'

Ferdinand slip the paper to her daughter's hand as he stands up, leaving Irene as she contemplates on what she would do.

IRENE's POV:

Peanut is feeling under the weather lately. She is Greggy's gift to me when I was seven. She's with me now for 11 years and I am dreading to admit that it might be her time to leave me.

I lost her dad years ago, I cannot lose her too. Since applying for a slot at the College of Music in UP, I don't think I have ever been this grateful that I don't have anything to do this morning. At least I can personally see how Peanut is as I bring her to vet.

My heart is pounding as her vet starts to examine her. I am on the verge of crying when someone touched my back.

Greggy.

'Hey, your dad told me about P, how is she?'

I should not be mad at him. It's been years, but I still can't move on. After all this time, my heart knows.. si Greggy pa rin.
And the anger that I am feeling is, to my opinion.. the result of those sadness and longing that I feel because of him.