"Are you ready Juan?"
" Yes po Nanay." he stopped playing with his Ninong and look up to me.
"Sigurado ka ba talagang kaya mong mag-isa Baby?"
"Oo nga Joshua. Kaya ko. Saka diba nga susonduin naman ako ni kuya Ruben." mapilit talaga.
"Pero kasi gusto ko lang naman na makasiguro. Pwede naman akong um-absent eh."
"Anong absent ka diyan! Batukan kaya kita!"
"Wow naman. Nagiging physical ka na this past few days Baby."
"Ikaw kasi eh." itinaas ko ang kamay ko. Yung Parang babatukan ko siya. He flinch. But I won't hit him naman. Kunyare lang.
"Uy." He put his arms up to cover his head. Nakakatawa ang itsura niya. Ay singkit. Ang cute mo.
"Joke lang. Alam mo naman hindi ka pwedeng um-absent. Compare niyo na. Kailangan mo nang ipasa yan ano. Wag ka na ngang mapilitan Joshua."
"Kayong dalawa, nasa ibang level na yan ah.. May physical na." Panunokso ni Lena.
"Ay naku, wag ka nga diyan Lena.. Lena the kapre." Pabulong na singsong ni Joshua."
"Hoy Joshua'ng singkit" ma lambing pero nanlilisik na matang tawag ni Lena kay Joshua. "Over due ka na sa law school. Halos lahat ng nakasabay mo nag graduate na o di kaya ay mga lawyer na. Masyado mo naman atang dine-delay yang graduation mo. Ano ba kasing nasa utak mo at parang ayaw mo atang gum-graduate huh?"
"Hindi kita kinakausap kapre." ang lambing ng bangayan nilang dalawa. Iba talaga pag nandyan si Juan sa tabi nila.
"Kayong dalawa, hindi na natigil yang pag-aaway ninyo. Ikaw Lena kung sakaling buntis ka malamang lalabas na kamukha ni Joshua ang anak mo. Sige ka" Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Lena sa sinabi ko.
And as usual Joshua noticed the change in Lena's facial reactions. "Ba't ganyan ang itsura ng mukha mo? Bigla ka atang namutla."
"W..wa..wala noh. Bakit ba?" Ohh oh did I hit a hot and malicious topic.
"Teka nga Ms. Lena Grace Viera. Ako wag mo akong gaganyanin huh. Magsabi ka ng totoo. Ginawa niyo na ba yan ni Will?"
Maagap namang sagot ni Lena ng malaking. "HINDI NOH! BALIW!" while namumula ang mukha. Nag ba-blush si Lena. Ang cute.
"Kahit in-love ka at alam kong reponsable at mabait yang Doctor na yan. O kahit gaano man siya ka expert sa mga contraceptives na yan. Iba parin pag may kasal muna. Kaya wag kang atat."
"Oo na po Lolo Singkit. Alam ko naman yun. Kung makapagsalita ka..." Lena wants to say something but shuts up. Bakiit naman kaya?
Or baka dahil sa akin. Dahil sa nangyari sa akin.
"Pero tama si Joshua Len, wag kang tumulad sa akin."
Biglang nalungkot ang mukha ni Joshua. " I don't mean that way Baby."
"Aysus. I know. I was just stating the fact. At para mas maging aware at mas careful sila." Just after I said that. Lena run to me and gave me a very tight hug. I know they don't want me to feel sad. They're very careful with everything they say about this matter. But honesty, I don't mind it anymore.
Joshua reached for my hand and squeezed it. And the way he looks at me. Its comforting and assuring. He stares at me with compassion and can I say, Love? I guess, since that confession that he did last Sunday he had been very vocal and showy with what he fells towards me.
Juan started to look confused with the scene. And the three of us decided to break the drama. Just in time that a red pick-up stopped in from of the house. And from there my cousin kuya Ruben went down with a very excited face.
