Under a Night of Fire

Chapter 18

"Kuya, ayoko! ang baho!" I complained. Kuya Klyde's here in Shia's condo, binisita niya kami ni Shia and he's cooking adobo right now. It's already 5 in the afternoon.

I'm already in my 3 months. My baby bump is still not visible, sabi ng ob saakin ay baka sa 4-5 months ko pa raw dahil first pregnancy ko 'to.

"Ayaw mo yung amoy?" He asked.

"Oo! nakakasuka po!" I said, narinig ko siyang tumawa.

"Okay, anong gusto mo kainin?" He asked me in a soft voice, tinakpan niya yung adobo para hindi ko maamoy. I've been really sensitive to smell these few months.

"Uhm.." I looked around while thinking. I had gulay yesterday so.. "Liempo, please? I want to dip it with sour cream sauce!"

"What the fuck," I heard Shia mumbled, kakalabas niya lang ng kwarto. "That sounds gross!"

"For you! But for me, no!" I said, "Wala kang taste! it's so mouth watering kaya!"

"Pass, Nicolai! My goshes!" She said kaya pareho kami napatawa ni kuya.

Hindi ko alam kung san nagpabili si Kuya ng liempo, nung dumating yun ay agad kaming kumain. Shia was looking at me weirdly when I was dipping it sa sour cream sauce. Thankfully, kuya was just eating peacefully.

After kumain, nanood kami ng movie ni Shia. She wanted to watch horror pero sabay kami napasabi ni kuya na hindi naman niya kaya at titili lang siya the whole time.

While me and Shia were watching a movie biglang tumunog yung phone ni kuya at first hindi niya nasagot kasi he was doing the dishes. He's been like that since then, yun ang sabi ni Shia. Tatapusin niya muna gagawin niya before answering a phone call para wala na siyang iniisip while talking to someone.

Nagring ulit yung phone niya saktong kakatapos lang niya maghugas ng pinggan. I glanced at him while Shia was busy watching the movie.

"Hello." I heard him greet the person on the phone. "What do you need, Jaelyn?"

Nanlaki yung mata ko sa narinig ko, I glanced at Shia to see if she also heard it. She was also looking at me.

"Oh my gosh." We said in sync, shocked.

***

It was 2 in the morning, I woke up and looked around. Sabay kami natulog ni Shia kanina. Mga 10pm palang tulog na kami. I got my phone and scrolled down my contacts to see who i can call.

Jae was probably asleep, nakausap ko siya kanina, although hindi ko tinanong yung narinig namin kanina. I'll wait for her to say it. She looked so tired from managing her business kaya since off niya, she'll probably sleep the whole day. herself.

Cleo was also the same, I can't wake Shia up since ganon din siya. They were all tired from work and I was getting shy na kay kuya but I had to choice to ring his phone.

[Hello?] He answered right ahead. [You need anything?] I pouted. He always knows.

"Kuya.." I said, softly. "Gusto ko ng melons.."

I heard him laugh, narinig ko rin yung mga upuan. He was probably studying again.

[Okay, I'll bring it there.] He said, I heard him getting his car keys and the door being opened. [Anything else?]

"Wala na po," I answered. "Thank you, kuya! Best cousin ka talaga ever! Love you!"

[Hay nako, Ri..] I heard him laugh again. [Nangbobola ka pa. Sige na bibili na ako ng melons na gusto mo.]

I bidded goodbye before ending the call, while waiting for him to arrive I scrolled through my social medias for a while.

"Huh.." I mumbled as I saw an article.