Lena spent the next few days at her grandmother's house to avoid Cyrus. Alam kasi niyang pupuntahan siya nito sa bahay (or not-since he's probably busy with that other girl). She brought Bailey along para may katabi siya sa pagtulog.
Her grandmother was surprised to see her there. Matagal na siya nitong pinadadalaw sa bahay ng mga ito pero hindi siya nakakapunta. Their house was two hours away from the busy city, so parang nakabakasyon lang sila ni Bailey. Wala silang ginawa roon kundi kumain at matulog. Sakit na siguro ng mga lolo at lola ang walang katapusang pagpapakain sa mga apo nila. Her grandma smothered her with food. Hindi pa siya natutunawan ay may pagkain na namang nakahain. And she had no one to share the food with, except Bailey, dahil silang apat lamang naman ang nandoon.
One downside of her visit was that she's the only one around to talk to her grandmother, kaya hindi maiwasang mag-usisa ito. Nasa fishing trip ang lolo niya, nakaalis ito dahil nga nandoon siya.
"I heard you got yourself a boyfriend," nakangiti nitong sabi. "Kailan mo ipakikilala sa 'kin?"
"Saka na lang po siguro, La," sagot niya. "He's very busy."
"Kenna had been gushing about him. That got me curios. May picture ka man lang bang pwedeng ipakita?"
Nag-alangan siyang buksan ang phone dahil baka sumaktong tumawag si Cyrus. Nai-charge naman niya iyon. Hindi lamang niya binuksan simula kahapon. And she didn't intend to open it until tomorrow, for the expo.
"Okay," saw akas ay pagpayag niya. Saglit lamang naman niyang bubuksan. Hindi naman siguro matataon ang pagtawag ni Cyrus.
So she turned her phone on and showed her grandma their picture, iyong kinuha sa Hongkong. Nasa Kowloon Park sila noon, namamasyal. She zoomed the picture para nito ang mukha ni Cyrus. Seeing his face, even on the phone, made her somewhat upset again.
Iniabot niya ang phone sa lola at saka naghanap ng ibang titingnan.
Her grandmother had nothing but compliments. She forced a smile and said her thanks when she told her that she chose well. She wasn't sure of that now.
"Sa susunod na dadalaw ka rito, bring him with you. I'm sure you're grandpa would want to meet him too."
She nodded, although she wasn't sure if that will ever happen. Sino ba kasi iyong kasama nitong babae kagabi?
When her grandma returned the phone, she quickly turned it off and put it back in her bag. She didn't even read the messages that went in. Para makontak sina Vic at Sal, nakigamit ng telepono. Mabuti na lamang at agad niyang nakausap ang dalawa. It turns out na sa kabilang bayan lang nakatira si Vic, so nag-offer ito na isabay na lamang siya sa expo. She managed to dodge his question about Cyrus. Busy ito, dahilan niya, kahit alam niyang nilibre nito ang buong weekend nito para sa expo at wedding anniversary ng grandparents nito.
--
Kinabukasan, maaga siyang sinundo ni Vic para sa expo. Katulong din kasi ito sa pag-o-organize ng event kaya dapat ay maaga pa lamang ay nandoon na ito. Dumaan muna sila sa bahay niya para kumuha ng pwedeng ipangsama sa exhibit. She let him choose an artpiece.
"I like that chandelier," he told her. Itinuro nito ang pinakabago niyang gawa na nakasabit sa tapat ng work table niya. "Pwede mo rin syang ipagbenta kung gusto mo. May io-auction kasi kaming pieces mamaya. With your permission, we can sell that one."
"Uhm... that's not for sale."
"O? Sayang naman."
Ngumiti siya. "Kapag nakagawa na lang ako ng mas maganda, saka ko 'yan ibibenta."
That made Vic laugh. "All right. So, alin ang pwede?"
She pointed at her eggshell lamp. She was planning on making another one anyway. Pwede na niya iyong ipagbenta. Nagsasawa na rin naman siya sa hitsura nito.
