Been Hunting Home | Suarez III

Chapter 23

"Why did you do that, Hunt?"

Señora Regina came the next morning. She probably heard what happened yesterday, how the abuelo almost lost his breath after what Hunt said.

"Kilala mo na ang abuelo. Alam mo kung paano umikot at maglaro ang mga salita niya. You know what type of person he is. You could've held yourself back."

"Hold my self back, Mom? Are you saying I could've let him disrespect Solen without doing anything?"

"No. Hindi sa ganoon, Hunt. Alam natin na mali ang ginawa niya. But your grandfather is already old, you could've been considerate."

"Mom, you're kind, I understand. Kindness can be blinding so I chose to be not. Abuelo disrespected Solen in front of me and there was no time for me to be kind."

Bumilog ang nguso ni Yuri at tumingin sa akin. Sinuklian ko ang nanunuya niyang titig.

"After Rad, I think I know who will leave the clan for a woman."

"Ikaw," ani ko.

"I don't think so. I won't leave. If they don't want my woman, they leave."

Nakasilip kami sa loob mula sa hardin. Kanina ay narito kaming apat, kasama si abuela. Nang dumating si señora Regina ay hinarap siya ni Hunt. Sumunod si abuela. Sa tingin ko ay para may aawat sa kanila.

"Hunt, your apology will fix this." Nilapitan ng ina ang kunot-noong anak.

"I will never apologize for doing what is right."

"Anak, mapagagalitan ang Daddy mo pag-uwi niya rito kapag hindi ka humingi ng tawad sa abuelo. Kahit ako ay baka kausapin niya para pagsabihan ka."

"Mom, I'm twenty-seven. I know what I am doing. He's in his eighties yet he acts and speak like a toddler."

"I didn't raise you to be disrespectful, Hunt."

He nodded. "You raised me to stand for what is right."

The frustrated señora held her forehead. "Hunt . . . Ayaw mo na bang bumalik sa paglipad? Tatanggalin ka ng abuelo sa trabaho kapag lumala ang galit niya. Iaalis ka niya sa linya ng Royale."

"I rather lose everything than turn my back on my principles.

"I will never apologize for hurting his ego, Mom. It is what it is."

"Hunt . . ."

Hinila ko na si Yuri palayo sa bukana. Sa tingin ko ay masiyado na naming inaagrabiyado ang praybasi nila. At isa pa, mangangawit kami kung manonood at tatayo ro'n gayong mukhang tatagal pa ang pilitan nila.

Hindi ko mapigilang sisihin ang sarili. Bakit ko pa kasi ginawa ang pigura gayong ayaw nga ng abuelo sa babaeng skulptor?

Hinila ko si Yuri nang akma itong babalik sa puwesto.

"Why?"

"Why?" I mocked him. "That's how you show respect to conversing people."

He sighed. Tila nais pa niyang ipagpatuloy ang pakikinig. "I have a new tsismis for Dolce Casa brothers."

"You're going to tell it to your cousins?"

He nodded. "In formal setting, that's what you call spreading awareness." Kumindat pa siya sa akin. "Besides, they will know it anyway."

Pasaring akong bumuntong-hininga. "Why did you go here so early?"

"I'm grateful that you asked. I came here to learn more Tagalog phrases with you."

Dios mio, por favor. Paano ko ba siya tatanggihan nang hindi sasama ang kaniyang loob? Napakahirap niyang turuan.

"I brought my notebook and pen." Ipinakita niya ang mga iyon sa akin.