Turning Tables

Back to Reality

The drive home was quiet.

It rained as we were leaving Tagaytay and never let up.

I listened to the sound as it pelted the roof of the car.

The windshield wiper worked doubly hard.

I could barely see in front of me as Althea maneuvered the treacherous road.

I thought of our lunch.

Of how Althea served me food after the cute server girl left.

The serving spoon was suspended in the air when she realized what she did.

She blushed and put the spoon back in the bowl.

"Habit," she said apologetically.

To ease the tension, I asked her about her life, other than what I witnessed in the cemetery.

I started by asking what her real name was.

"I already told you, it's Althea." She scooped a serving of chopsuey and placed it on the edge of her plate, careful not to let the vegetable soaked in the oily bulalo soup.

"That's it?" I asked. "You only have one name?" I chewed on the stir-fried-shrimp that tasted sweet.

"Guevarra," she replied.

I stopped chewing the food and grabbed the glass of lemon-iced tea.

"Are you alright, Jade?" Althea was filled with concern as I downed the rest of the drink.

"You are The Althea Guevarra?" my eyes grew wide with astonishment.

"It sounds weird," she replied. "Hearing it from you,"

"No wonder you look so familiar," I couldn't contain my excitement.

"I can't believe I am face to face with the fiercest rival of our company," the words came out instantly and Althea's expression turned serious.

"I'm sorry," I said as soon as I realized what I did.

"It's weird to me how you never found out about the lie when I told you I was Liza,"

I shook my head.

"I guess you were right when you said that my father hated you," I replied.

"He never talked about business at home,"

"I thought it was odd because it's important to know what's going on in the world,"

"Now I know why," I wiped the side of my mouth with the cheap napkin.

My appetite turned sour all of a sudden.

Althea didn't ask me for the reason.

She probably figured it out on her own.

This was the thought running in my head as I put the pieces together.

If they all knew about my history with Althea, then, were they careful not to let me remember any of it by intentionally hiding things from me?

Were they afraid that a picture of her would bring back memories?

I bet if it weren't for Ama's deteriorating condition, my father wouldn't let us come back to the Philippines.

I missed Ama so much that going on Skype dates with her just won't do.

I begged my father to allow us to visit but he refused every time.

When I learned that Ama was confined at the hospital because she wasn't eating anymore and was rapidly succumbing to her dementia, I threatened my father that I would leave David and DJ in Canada and come home.