Ang Libro Ni Paeng

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It all started with a fish...and a portrait. My fish Lilac is peacefully swimming on his aquarium when my Grandma entered my office..err her office. Yes it is still her office and I am just a temporary occupant and yes, Lilac is a fish, a male flowerhorn fish at that.

Anyway, tahimik akong nagtatrabaho nung biglang pumasok si Grandma.

"Grandma." Tumingin lang ako saglit sa kanya at bumalik na sa ginagawa ko. Nasanay na ako na paminsan minsan ay dumadalaw pa din siya sa opisina kahit na retired na siya.

She didn't reply which is normal. Usually she would just sit in the sofa and ask me questions from time to time. Pero nakailang minuto na, nagtaka ako kung bakit hindi pa siya nakaupo at nakatayo pa din sa pwesto niya.

I looked at her and I saw her looking intently at the wall behind me. Unti unti nangunot ang noo niya.

"Raphael, where is my portrait?" Mas lalong naging pronounced ang kunot ng noo ni Grandma, naging obvious tuloy ang mga wrinkles.

"Your portrait Grandma?" I can feel it. I can sense it. There's a storm coming.I need to hide in order to survive.

"You heard me." Nakataas na ang kilay niya at halos nakikita ko na ang ipu-ipo sa itaas ng ulo ni Grandma.

"Your portrait...yes, your portrait. I put it in a very safe place. Para hindi manakaw at madumihan, nilagay ko po sa storage." Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Grandma. Wow! I often see women na nanlalaki and then tumitirik ang mga mata at nangyayari lang yun kapag...I looked at my Grandma and erase the pleasant thoughts in my mind because I can't imagine her in that situation. It's like ... I can't even describe it.

"Storage! My portrait! Ginawa mong basura ang portrait ko!" Tumaas na ang boses ni Grandma.

"Grandma, hindi basura. It's for safekeeping..." I am threading on dangerous waters and I need to watch my words.

"Safekeeping? Safekeeping ang tawag mo doon? Sa bodega mo nilagay at safekeeping ang tawag mo?" Sapat pala nagsinungaling ako ng kunti at sinabi kong sa safe ko nilagay o kaya sa museum.

"I can't find a more suitable term..." Ooops! She threw her purse at my back. Nasalo ko naman. Mahirap na, baka matamaan ang aquarium at magulantang si Lilac.

"At ano ang ipinalit mo sa portrait ko? Ang aquarium na yan? Ang isdang yan? I can't believe that you choose that fish over me Raphael!" She is now seething with anger. Ladies and gentlemen, ang bagyong si Gertrude ay pumasok na sa Philippine Area of Responsibility with a minimum sustained wind of 259 kpm and gustiness of 350 kpm. Isa na pong super typhoon si Gertrudes Villegas. Mag ingat, hindi na po maaaring mamangka sa dalawang ilog.

"Grandma, you know how important this fish is!" I tried to stay calm pero tumayo na ako at tinakpan ng katawan ko ang aquarium. Mahirap na at baka kung ano pa ang ibato kay Lilac.

"More important than me? You know what you just did? It's as if you wanted to kick me out of this office! Remember that I am still the owner and you are just the President!" Here we go again. Para namang siya talaga ang inalis ko sa wall, inilagay sa storage at pinalitan ng aquarium. Ang hirap talaga pag matanda na ang kausap.

"Grandma, it's not like that. It's just your portrait, for God's sake! Kung gusto mo ibalik natin. Walang problema." Hindi ko na naitago ang kunting iritasyon sa boses ko.

"Talagang ipapabalik ko yun whether you like it or not Raphael. That's insubordination and you're suspended indefinitely!" She raise her voice and I was shocked. Ano daw?

"What!! You'll suspend me just because of that fucking portrait?" Anong kalokohan to? Who would want to hang her grimacing portrait? Oo nga at sinabi niyang mysterious daw ang smile niya sa portrait na yun just like Mona Lisa pero kung tititigan talaga, it's obvious that she's grimacing.