How To Have You (Professors Series #1.)

Chapter 19

"Mang Joey, what's this?"

Nandito kami ngayon sa loob ng bahay, he was fixing something sa may sala and I was roaming around the house. Si Cortez naman ay nasa labas kasama si Dexter, they are getting something.

Hindi ko na kasi siya kinausap simula kanina, I walked away from her after realizing what I've said.

"Ah, 'yan?" Tanong niya ng makita niya ang hawak ko. "Koleksyon ng asawa ko 'yan."

My eyes went back again on the box. "Is it okay if I open it?" Tumango naman siya.

Binuksan ko ang hawak kong box, nakita ko lang 'yon sa may lumang shelf and it caught my interest. When I opened it my eyebrows arched, the box was filled with different old colored albums.

Kumuha ako ng isang album doon at umupo ako bago ko 'yon binuksan. I saw pictures of many people when I opened the first page up until to the last of it, but one picture caught my interest, it was a picture of a kid.

"Who's this?" I asked, curiously. Kahit na may pakiramdam na ako kung sino 'yon.

"Ah! 'Yan ba? Si Amara 'yan noong bata pa siya tsaka si Emma," Sinalubong niya ako ng malawak niyang ngiti habang papalapit sakin. "'Kay ga-gandang bata, ano?"

Bumalik ang tingin ko sa picture, so it was Claine. She was wearing a pink dress just about her knee, may hawak siyang mga bulaklak habang nakangiti sa larawan at magkayakap pa sila ni Emma. Her hair was short and it was braided both sides.

Next picture was a solo picture of Claine. I was smiling because of her cuteness, If I'll ever have a kid I want her to look like this. Not the attitude though, she is annoying! I'm fine with the face.

"Mang Joey, do you have any copies of this?" Tanong ko sakanya, hoping that he would say yes nang maipakita ko sakanya 'yon.

I want to keep one, it just seems precious and I like that picture. First time kong nakita ang baby picture ni Claine, so I'll keep it. Memories lang.

"Ay oo naman! Bakit? Gusto mo ba 'yan?" Balik tanong ni Mang Joey sa'kin, I nodded without saying anything. "Sandali at kukuha ako, ha."

Mabilis namang nakabalik si Mang Joey dala-dala ang kaparehas na picture noong nasa album, but it was smaller, it was a wallet size.

"Thank you, Mang Joey!" I gave him my sweetest smile before staring back at the photo bago ko 'yon tinago sa wallet ko.

I put the box to where it came from, pagkatapos ay lumabas ako para tignan sila Claine, what's taking her so long? It's been about twenty minutes!

Nagpaalam ako kay Mang Joey bago ko binuksan ang pinto, I stepped out and my eyes directly saw Claine hugging a woman outside. Kumunot kaagad ang noo ko kasabay ng pagtataka ko kung sino na naman ang babaeng 'yon. It's like everywhere we go may babae siya!

Mabilis akong lumakad at pumunta sakanila, she noticed me before breaking the hug with the woman. Masama ko naman siyang tinignan at pinagkrus ko ang braso ko ng makalapit ako.

"Hala, 'uy! Sino 'yan?" Narinig ko pang bulong ng babae, halatang gulat na nakita ako.

"Emma, si Avery." Alanganing sagot ni Claine at pabalik-balik ang tingin sa'kin. "She's my—"

"I'm Avery, nice meeting you Emma." I lend my palm, tumingin naman muna siya sa kalapit ko bago nakipag-kamay sa'kin at ngumiti.

"Hello, Emma po." Nahihiyang bati niya. Bumulong pa siya ng bahagya. "Spokening dollars din pala siya, grabe! Wala akong baong english today!"