SAME TREE, DIFFERENT BRANCHES.
Life goes on in the annex branch of Café Moriartea. Maviel resumes her apprenticeship under Sigmund. Landice is still reading books at the barista's corner. Nikolai is still making sure that the shop is squeaky clean...
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MAVIEL
INAYOS KO ang aking buhok pagkababa ng motor. Nakahinga na rin ako nang maluwag. Every ride that I took with Sigmund on Nikolai's Romanov was putting my life in immediate danger. Muntik na kaming ma-sideswipe ng van kanina, mabuti't agad na naiwas ni Sigmund. That almost took my breath away, literally and figuratively.
"This is fun!" Sigmund exclaimed when he removed his helmet. "Maybe we can borrow Romanov every time we need to go somewhere."
"I'd rather walk a dozen of miles kaysa sumakay ulit sa 'yo," tugon ko sabay abot ng helment sa kanya. "Muntik na tayong maaksidente kanina!"
"It's not my fault! It's the van driver's fault! We're lucky that I managed to move away from them a split second before they hit us!"
"You don't know kung hanggang kailan tatalab ang suwerte mo!" Ayaw kong isugal ang buhay ko kung meron namang accessible na alternative. "Let's choose a mode of transportation that's way safer than that motorcycle."
"You're hurting Romanov's feelings!"
"I'm criticizing your driving skills, not him!"
Nauna na akong naglakad sa kanya papasok sa cafe. Sumulyap sa akin si Landice na nasa sulok as always habang nakaabang si Nikolai sa tapat ng counter na may hawak-hawak pang mop. Ngumiti ako sa kanya at nginitian niya ako pabalik. This time, mukhang pilit ang smile niya. Hindi naman siya gano'n, ah? Did something happen while we were away?
I looked back at the parking lot. May dalawang kotse na naka-park, pero wala sa mga 'yon ang sasakyan ni Manager Jameson. So why did he look a bit tense?
"May problema ba?" pabulong kong tanong.
"Mav," mahinang tawag niya, "may naghahanap sa 'yo?"
"Eh? Sino? Classmate ko ba o teacher?"
"Mama mo."
"Mama ko?"
Mariing tumango si Nikolai bago itinuro ang table kung saan nakatalikod ang isang babaeng may maigsing buhok. Halos lumuwa ang mga mata ko at nalaglag ang aking panga nang nakilala ang posturang 'yon. Kahit nakatalikod siya, alam kong siya 'yon.
What is she doing here? Paano niya nalaman na nandito ako?
"That's your mom?" Sigmund whispered. "You didn't know that she's paying you a visit here?"
I let out a long sigh. "I haven't told her about my part-time job as a waitress here. Only my dad knows. Kaya nga nagtataka ako kung bakit nandito siya."
"Mas mabuti kung kausapin mo na siya," payo ni Nikolai sabay nguso sa direksyon ni Mama. "Kanina pa siya naghihintay. Lumamig na yata 'yong in-order niyang African Sunrise."
Ano pa bang magagawa ko kundi harapin siya? That was the most socially acceptable approach in this situation. Ang sama ko namang anak kung ida-drag ko siya palabas ng cafe. Ayaw kong gumawa ng iskandalo rito.
