Veira's thought wasn't wrong at all. In fact, she was really on point.
The adopted son of Kapitan Tunio and Aling Concha was the same lad she saved in the forest that night.
He was called Diego. And right now, he was having tea on the balcony of his room, listening to James, his right hand person, report about Veira.
"That lady is called Veira Tan. Bagong dayo lang siya dito sa barangay ninyo eight months ago. May kasama siyang isang matanda at dalawang mas batang babae sa kanya."
"They are all girls? No man in the family?"
"En..."
"Continue..."
James told him about what was known background of Veira and her family, as well as lahat ng nangyari nitong nakaraang buwan including their food cart business and their disagreement with the other families.
"Hmmn... That's all?"
"Yes."
"Something's not adding up. You also witnessed her... knife skill right?" Diego originally was going to say sword skill but he couldn't as James also confirmed to him that night na kitchen knife nga ang weapon na dala ng dalaga noong gabing iyon.
"Well... She cooks for a living, so..." James wasn't sure what to say next. It was really a weird weapon but it worked well with her. "Do you want me to have someone investigate their lives before coming here?"
"En... It is better be sure than sorry later."
***
As promised, Nanay Onang visited Kapitan Tunio's house when she had free time and was welcomed by Aling Concha. She brought Lili with her dahil noong araw na iyon ay nasa eskwelahan si Lulu at si Veira naman ay nagpunta sa bayan upang magcanvas ng mga materyales na gagamitin nila para sa renovation ng pinaplano niyang restaurant. She had Fernan drove her there kaya hindi na rin niya pinagtinda si Lili ng hapon na iyon.
Anyway, agad na naghanda ng makakain si Aling Concha at inihain kanila Nanay Onang at Lili. She also had someone called her son.
"Pursigido na pala talaga si Veira na magpatayo ng sarili ninyong restaurant sa may port." Aling Concha commented after Nanay Onang explained kung bakit silang dalawa lang ni Lili ang nakabisita ng araw na iyon.
"En... That child has so many ideas in her head. We can only let her do what she wants to do."
"Mabuti at open minded ka sa mga ganitong bagay, Nanay Onang. Some people are afraid to take a risk."
"Although there are risk pero nagsusuri naman munang maigi si Veira bago tuluyang gawin ang plano niya. Isa pa, we can only trust her. Magmula ng magdesisyon kaming sumama sa kanya upang mangibang bayan ay hindi pa naman kami talagang napapahamak. She always finds ways to protect us. Kaya kung may magagawa kami para sa kanya, even if just as little as not meddling with her plans, we let her be."
"En... We are lucky to follow Ate Veira." Dagdag naman ni Lili.
At first, Aling Concha was surprised after hearing Nanay Onang's statement but she smiled quickly after what Lili had said.
Hindi naman lingid sa lahat ang dating estado nila Nanay Onang, Lili at Lulu. They were maidservants of Veira. After freeing them, they still decided to follow her but this time, as her family.
This is one thing na hinahangaan niyang lubos sa pamilya nila Veira. They never hid their identities even it might cause others to look down on them. But then again, Veira did well when it comes to protecting their little family.
When registering their home in Barangay Rojo, she listed Nanay Onang as the head of the family while Lili and Lulu as her siblings. When she started business, she made sure na hindi lamang siya ang aangat but as well as those three in her family. And lately, even those families na close sa kanila ay naaambunan na din ng grasya nila.
In Aling Concha's mind, they were indeed lucky to follow that young lady. She was very resourceful and had many ideas.
If Veira would know her thoughts so, she would agree and disagree to her. Yes, they were lucky but so she was. She might become a lonely divorcee kung hindi sumama sa kanya ang mga ito.
Or she could have not chosen to settle down in this barangay and might have decided to join a crew ship and remain in the ocean instead.
That's not a bad idea. But her life right now together with Nanay Onang, Lili and Lulu were very good.
Going back, their discussion was cut off when Aling Concha's son arrived together with another lad.
"Ah, Diego, James... Halikayo rito at ipapakilala ko kayo sa ating mga bisita."
The two lads joined them on the table and nodded amicably towards Nanay Onang and Lili.
"Sila si Nanay Onang at Lili. Sila yung nakabili ng dating tirahan ng mga Lopes. Sila rin yung may ari nung food cart na naglalako ng mga masasarap na pagkain.
"Nanay Onang, Lili... Eto naman ang anak kong si Diego na galing sa army at nakwento ko sa inyo noong isang araw. Siya naman si James. Kaibigan niyang military doctor na inatasan ng nakatataas sa kanila upang tulungan siya sa kanyang pagpapagaling."
"Magandang hapon po." Bati ng dalawang binata.
"Magandang hapon din."
"Ang pagkakarinig ko ay apat po kayo na bagong lipat dito sa aming barangay." Diego tested.
Pagkapasok pa lamang nila sa receiving area ay hinanap na agad ng mga mata niya ang dalagang sumagip sa kanya noon. But he only saw two out of four from that said family.
"Tama ka ng rinig, hijo." Then Nanay Onang introduced the two missing ladies and muttered a short explanation as why they were not there.
"I see. Natikman ko po ang mga tinda ninyong pagkain kahapon at nacurious po talaga ako sa nagluto ng mga iyon. Kakaiba po at napakasarap." James praised. "Sayang nga po at hindi makakain ng mga ganung putahe itong si Diego ngayon dahil sa mga injuries niya."
"Nakupo! Si Veira ang nagluluto ng mga paninda namin." Nanay Onang was a simple old woman so kada makakarinig siya ng papuri para sa kaniyang pamilya, higit lalo kay Veira, ay talaga namang walang pagsidlan ang kanyang tuwa. "Napakagaling magluto ng dalaga naming iyon. Hayaan niyo at sasabihan ko siyang magluto ng putaheng mainam para sa may mga injuries."
"Aabangan po namin iyan, Nanay Onang!"
On the other hand, Lili, who was listening to their conversation on the side, felt suspicious about these two men. They seemed to have extra curiousity towards her Ate Veira. She decided to report what happened today to the lady later.
***
