My Chef

Chapter 1

"Ano po ang iyong masasabi tungkol sa usap-usaping kumakalat ngayon sa social media Mr. Marcos na puro pakitang tao lang ang iyong ginagawa?" Tanong ng reporter , i looked at the crowds swarming over me at huminto, mas lalong nagkagulo "tumutulong ako dahil gusto ko ay dun ako masaya, kung sa tingin niyo po ay pakitang tao lang lahat ng yon ay hindi ko kayo mapipilit na paniwalaan ako, dahil nga tayo ay may kanya kanyang opinyon sa buhay" tugon ko at nag lakad na papunta sa sasakyan na naka handa na para sakin, binuksan naman ito ng bodyguard ko at nagpasalamat muna ako bago sumakay. "Good job dad" rinig kong sabi ni sandro na nasa passenger seat, di na ako sumagot at ngumiti lang.

I got back to my office while sandro went to the mall with his brothers. I heard a knock "come in" i said and the door opened, Martin went inside the office with a paper bag on his hand "what's that?" I asked pointing at the brown paper bag he was holding "lunch niyo po sir" sabi niya at nilagay sa mesa ang pagkain, tumayo naman ako at nag lakad papunta sa sofa at umupo "kanina pa po kayo inom ng inom ng kape kumain ka muna kaya?" Martin is my friend and also my secretary, he's a good one. I'm still wondering why he's still single, well kahit nga ako pogi na, mayaman, matalino, lahat na sakin na iniwan parin. "San mo to na bili?" Tanong ko sa kanya at binuksan ang food container

"Dun sa restaurant na kinainan ko, masarap kaya na isipan kong dalhan ka" sagot niya habang naka tuon ang attensyon sa cellphone. Kumuha ako ng kutsara and took a small amount of the food, pero i don't like the taste, the texture and all. Dinura ko ito "ayaw mo parin?" Tanong niya i at tumango naman ako. Napa buntong hininga nalang ito "ano sabi ng doctor?" Tanong niya "stress at kulang sa kain" sagot ko naman, i've been diagnosed with eating disorder for 4 years now. And sa totoo lang nagugutom talaga ako kaso nga lang nahihilo akonsa tuwing kumakain o di kaya ay nasusuka.

"Wala naba akong meeting? Pwede naba akong umuwi?" Tanong ko sa kanya at tumayo naman ito "mabuti pa at umuwi kana at mag pahinga, ako na bahala sa ibang trabaho dito" ngumiti naman ako at tumango. Kinuha ko na ang bag at lumabas na ng office, nag aantay na yung sasakyan sa labas kaya agad naman akong sumakay.

....

"Dad come join us" sabi ni vinny "what is it?" Nasa hapagkainan ang tatlong magkakapatid kumakain. "Sandro bought some foods for us" sabi ni simon, umupo naman ako sa tabi ni sandro "here dad pinakbet diba you like this?" Sabi ni sandro, well yeah my kids don't have any idea about my illness.
"Of course give me some" i said at nilagyan naman nila anh plato ko. At first i was afraid to take a bite but the kids were all waiting for me to taste it kaya bahala na. Took a small amount of the food and shoved it in my mouth, i closer my eyes waiting for my body to react with me eating the food "so? How was it?" Excited na tanong ng mga anak ko. Surprisingly, hindi ako naka dama ng panghihilo o ano pang sintomas. "Dad? Are you crying? Ganun ba kasarap yang pinakbet na yan para maiyak ka?" Tumawa naman silang tatlo. "Where did you get this sadro?" I asked and took another bite, but now with the rice. "Oh me and my friends went to bulacan kasi may pinuntahan tapos we saw this small restaurant pero aesthetic ha and so we gave it a try and boom! The best food i've ever had" he said and i smiled hearing him telling the story.

"Here dad try their sinigang, i would sell my soul for this" vinny said "oa ka din vinny no?" Sabi ng kuya simon niya, inirapan niya lang ito ay ngumiti sakin "sure akin na" tinikman ko ito at oo nga masarap.

After eating i went straight to my room to get some rest, i was laying in my bed just looking at the ceiling above me. Parang nabilang ko na lahat ng linya na nasa ceiling ko "how weird" i said to myself. This is the first time na kumain ako but hindi na suka o nahilo man lang. i didn't even felt any guilt while eating.

Ting! My phone lit up signaling that there's a notification. Kinuha ko ito from my bedside at binuksan, it was a message from Martin saying

Martin:
Good evening sir, you have a Meeting tomorrow at 7:30 am with the governors. Don't worry everything is all good all you have to do is wake up early and dress up then wait for your car. Thank you sir goodnight

I closed my phone after reading the message and went to sleep. Haysss buhay politiko nakakapagod.