Seven Marias

Seven Marias - 6/25/2011

“Momwy, yuk whut I found!”

Sabik na tumakbo papalapit sa akin ang apat na taong gulang kong anak na si Norah. Inabot niya sa akin ang isang lumang papel. Marahil ay iyon ang una niyang nakita sa halip na ang kanyang paboritong princess gown.

“Binuksan mo nanaman yung baul 'no?”

Biglang namula ang matatabang pisngi ni Norah. Pagkatapos ay nahihiya siyang tumango.

“Momwy, whut’s dut?”

Tinignan ko ang papel na nakita niya. Hindi ko mapigilang hindi mapangiti dahil sa mga alaalang nagbalik nang masilayan ko ang kapirasong papel na ito.

“Gusto mo bang makarinig ng story, anak?”

“Fayweytail?” Nagningning ang bilugan niyang mga mata.

“Oo, Norah, fairytale.” Sinuklay ko ang kulot-kulot niyang kulay tsokolateng buhok.

“Yehey! Wait, I want to dwess like a pwincess, Momwy!”

Hinanap namin ang gown niya mula sa mga baul. Agad naman niyang sinuot yun pagkakita namin dun.

“Momwy, whut's weetten on the payper?”

Kinarga ko si Norah tapos ay naupo kami sa isang lumang couch doon sa attic.

“Let me tell you a story about the seven princesses.

Once upon a time, there lived a couple blessed with seven beautiful children. With fair skin and lustrous mane, they look like royalty -- king, queen, and princesses among the crowd.

But their life is no fairytale.

There were no knights to guard their kingdom, no servants to do their chores, no unicorns to make them smile. And instead of a beautiful castle, the family lived in a more special place called home.

And taking a peek inside that home, one will forget that we're even talking of a faraway place from a faraway time…”

Nahiga sa kandungan ko si Norah. Bakas sa mga mata niya ang pagkainip.

“Momwy tell me about the seven pwincesses now!”

Napangiti ako. Napakamainipin talaga nitong batang ito. I wonder kung kanino siya nagmana. (lol)

“Let me start me start with the fourth princess. She’s the grumpiest one among the sisters. One day, she and her sisters decided to throw a surprise party for their parents' wedding anniversary...”

The fourth princess went down from her room, her face pink in fury. She reached the family room, her eyes darting back and forth quickly. Her eyes landed on the telephone. She angrily dialed the number to her twin sister---the fifth princess’---studio.

* * *

Somewhere in the middle of metropolis, a pale-looking girl passed coins to wrinkly hands. There goes the third princess, who is fondly called after a Chinese food, for craving the said delicacy most of the time. As the third sister stood back, she sneezed. The younger one groaned. Her younger sister is too grumpy for her own good. Her sister shouldn't have bought her phone if she would just ignore it, should she?

She felt a hand on her shoulder. She almost jumped. “Hey!” she slapped her sister's shoulder. “Wag ka ngang manggulat. Ba't ngayon ka lang?” She sneezed.

“What’s that smell?” she sneezed again.

“What?”

“Your perfume.”