“ARE you sure about this?” Istela asked Meika while watching her put on a shell necklace in front of the mirror on the hotel’s white vanity table.
“Of course, Istela. Ngayon pa ba ako aatras, e, nasabihan na ang anak ko na magkikita kami ngayon?” Meika smiled as she thumbed the pendant of her necklace.
The shell necklace is one of the necklaces that is close to Meika’s heart. It looked like Ursula’s necklace in the movie, The Little Mermaid, but smaller and gold-colored like its chain. It’s special because it reminds her of what it represents in that movie—that whoever wears that necklace possesses Ariel’s beautiful and powerful voice.
She wore this necklace today because she needed a beautiful voice, in a sense, since her aim is to capture her daughter’s heart through words.
Hindi biro ang mahiwalay dito ilang buwan mula nang ipinanganak ito hanggang ngayon. Hindi biro na hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa siya nakikita ng kaniyang anak. Sigurado si Meika na maraming katanungan na ang gumugulo sa isipan ng bata tungkol sa kaniya—kung ano ang hitsura ng nanay nito o anong klaseng tao ito—kaya kailangan niya ng boses na magiging maganda sa pandinig nito. She wanted to tell her daughter the truth, but that might be too much for a child to bear. So, she decided to sugarcoat some part of it, or what others call ‘filtering.’ Hence, her need for a ‘beautiful’ voice.
“I know. But we can postpone it. Are you prepared on how to explain to your daughter? How are you even going to introduce yourself to her as her mother and separate it from your image as a singer?” ekis ni Istela ng mga braso habang nakasandal sa hamba ng pinto ng kuwarto at pinapanood pa rin ang bawat kilos niya.
Meika stood up, slowly turned around and faced Istela. She looked gorgeous in her body contouring yellow ribbed dress with spaghetti straps and low v-neckline. The slightly mustard-like shade of yellow compliments her glowing brown skin so well. Her hair was tied up into a neat bun with a few hanging hair strands on both sides of her face.
She smiled. “Of course, I am prepared. E, ikaw? Handa ka na ba?”
Nagdududang nagtaas lang ng isang kilay ai Istela. “As you can see, I’m already dressed up.”
Pinasadahan niya ito ng tingin. Meika internally groaned because Istela was wearing her usual kind of attire—a white button-down blouse topped with an open, black blazer. Instead of a pencil skirt, she put on a pair of tight, black, cropped pants. And finally, a pair of black high heels. Her wavy, blond hair was tied in a low ponytail. She groaned because Istela’s taste in fashion is very different from hers. She respects it, but she felt a sense of superficiality about it. Hindi naman siya makapag-demand kay Istela na manamit kung paano manamit kapag hindi nagtatrabaho. Kung siya nga naman kasi ay pili-pili lang ang ikinukuwento rito, bakit pa siya magde-demand na magpakatotoo si Istela sa kaniya? Na manamit na parang wala ito sa trabaho o hindi nagtatrabaho?
“For Pete’s sake, when are you going to wear the accessories I bought for you?”
“Nah. Not gonna use them. They’re nothing but hassle.”
“What hassle?” reklamo niya habang nakaupo na sa dulo ng kama at nagsusuot ng puting peep-toe high heels.
“It’s hard to move with them.”
“Paanong ‘hard to move with them?’” Tumayo siya agad pagkatapos magsapatos. “They’re just accessories.”
“A ring, a necklace, a bracelet, a watch . . . they can get caught onto something.”
“On very rare occassions!” Hay, hindi niya talaga ma-gets itong si Istela. Hindi naman ito artista o stunt woman para problemahin ang mga ganoong bagay pagdating sa accessories.
