November 18, 2017
Tonight is the night!
With her schedule as a flight attendant and his crazy hours as an actor, meeting up for just two times in a month was like a suspense movie- never knowing until the last minute if their date will push through or not.
Their first date was on his last night in New York. They went out for dinner at Zenkichi, a romantic Japanese restaurant in Brooklyn. Each table had its own set of blinds which servers only opened when they were serving your meal or were summoned by the buzzer at the table.
More than the ambience, the company made the night extra special. They shared details about their families, their likes, dislikes, past relationships.
R: *surprised* Pareho pala tayo? My last serious relationship was 7 years ago as well. Sa ganda mong yan, imposible namang walang nanligaw sa iyo!
M: *laughs* Bolero! Meron naman nanligaw but I just wasn't ready to try. Saka nag-decide din ako to focus sa studies ko. I still went on dates din naman pero walang naging official na boyfriend.
(pauses for a while) E ikaw?
R: Anong ako?
M: Bakit wala kang girlfriend? And don't give me the showbiz answer!!!
Rj looked at her seriously and decided to share the truth
R: Muntik na sana. Pero mas inuna nya career nya. Saka ayaw sa akin ng nanay nya. Nag-decide ako na sa trabaho na lang ako magfo-focus. I'm happy to say na tama ang naging desisyon ko at libre ako ngayon kasi...
M: Kasi?
Rj stared into her eyes then held on to her hand before answering
R: Kasi darating ka pala sa buhay ko nang hindi ko inaasahan.
This has been the happiest 4 months of his entire life. Heck, it wasn't easy, but everyone knows that nothing worthwhile having is ever easy. He wouldn't want it any other way.
They were having a date - correction - planning to have a date later that day. He's going to pick her up in Bulacan by 6pm then he will have a special dinner set up at his condo unit with his cousin April as their chef.
He was in his room preparing for the evening when someone knocked on the door
R: Sino yan?
DB: *in a muffled voice* Daddy mo.
R: Tuloy po!
His dad went into the room and sat on the side of his bed.
DB: O, tuloy ba kayo ngayon ni Maine?
R: As usual, hindi pa sigurado, Dad. Nasa reserved list kasi sya, baka biglang tawagan sa airline kung kailangan sya. Pero syempre, as long as may chance na matuloy kami ngayon, susubukan ko pa rin.
Daddy Bae shook his head and smiled at his son
DB: Hindi pa kitang nakitang ganyan ka-aligaga sa ibang babaeng nagustuhan mo. Kahit dun kay Ju--
R: Dad! Huwag na natin yang pag-usapan. Hindi talaga kami para sa isa't isa.
Rj pauses for a bit then smiles as he remembers something
R: Si Lola yata ang pinakamasaya nung naghiwalay kami. Ayaw nya pala dun. Pero ngayon kay Maine, botong-boto sya!
DB: Ang mga babae, malakas makaramdam yan. *sighs* Kung nandito pa ang mommy mo, boto rin yun sigurado para kay Maine.
Rj hugged his dad then. He misses his mom terribly and is moved to tears from time to time when he remembers her. He can't imagine the sorrow his dad feels - how does it feel to have the other half of you ripped away from your life so soon?
R: Miss ko pa rin si Mommy, Dad. Sana nga nandito sya para nakilala nya si Maine. But I agree, for sure boto yun kay Maine if ever. Sino bang aayaw sa kanya, di ba?
Daddy Bae laughed at his son's reaction
DB: Tinamaan ka na talaga, ano, anak?
R: Sya na yata talaga, Dad. Di ko mapaliwanag e. Di naman namin pinlano pero pinagkikita talaga kami ng pagkakataon. Call it destiny or fate, basta ang importante nagkakilala kami.
Daddy Bae looked at Rj then asked point blank
DB: Nak, huwag mong mamasamain ha? Pero... ang bagal mo, Tisoy! Apat na buwan na kayong lumalabas, hindi ka pa rin ba nagsasabi?
Rj laughed out loud with his Dad's comment.
R: Dad talaga! Nagsabi na ako, uyyy!
DB: O, e ba't hindi ka pa sinasagot? Wala sa lahi natin ang mabagal ha! Stick to one, oo, pero mabagal, hindi! Sobrang boto kami ng lola at mga kapatid mo kay Meng, sayang naman kung pakawalan mo pa.
Rj turned beet red at this
R: Grabe ka sakin, Dad! Last week pa lang ako nagsabi habang nag-uusap kami sa FaceTime! Syempre hindi ko pinasagot dun kasi gusto ko tanungin sya ulit pag magkaharap na kami.
DB: *smiles* Ah, sige. Tama yan, anak. Gamitin mo yung kagwapuhan ng lahi natin para mapa-oo mo sya.
Rj laughed at his dad's antics
R: Kulit mo talaga, Dad! Ikaw na lang kaya manligaw?
DB: *scoffs* Kung ako nanligaw sa kanya, wala pang isang buwan, napasagot ko na yun!
*ring, ring*
Rj looked for his phone on top of his bedside drawer. The call was from Maine.
R: Dad, tumatawag si Meng.
DB: O, di sagutin mo.
R: *clears throat* Um, privacy please?
DB: Okay, lalabas na po. Basta, galingan mo mamaya ha! (thumbs up sign)
Rj just shakes his head then answers the call as soon as the door closed
R: Hello Maine?
M: Hi Rj! Um, I hope this isn't a bad time...
R: (Lord, please wag po sana ma-cancel) Nope, I was just getting ready to pick you up in a while.
M: Yes, about that--
Rj cut her off, trying to sound okay if Maine does plan to cancel the date
R: Do you need to cancel? Okay lang if ever. Maiintindihan ko.
M: Ay, ganoin? So if mag-cancel ako ngayon, okay lang kahit walang dahilan?
R: (scratches his head) Ah, ano, sana me dahilan pero... Ah, I spoke too soon, right? Shutting my mouth now.
Maine laughed at Rj's reaction
M: Yes, you spoke too soon and now, parang ayaw ko nang sabihin why I called.
R: Sorry na po!!! Promise, quiet na po ako tapusin mo lang yung sasabihin mo.
M: *laughs* Sige na nga. What I was trying to say earlier was...
Maine waited for Rj to cut in. Satisfied that he was keeping quiet, she continued
M: ... I might be running a little later than usual so can you let me know kung saan tayo pupunta mamaya? I'll just go there directly, no need for you to pick me up.
Rj breathed a sigh of relief that she wasn't cancelling on their date. Still, with his plans for the evening, he would prefer to pick Maine up from their home in Bulacan.
R: I'd still like to pick you up if you don't mind. Gusto ko din sanang sumaglit sa inyo para makapag "hello" man lang kina Tito at Tita, saka makipaglaro kay Matti.
M: Um, okay. Are you sure? It's not a big deal if I just drive myself over, at least you don't need to drive me to and from the house.
Rj replied with sincerity in his tone.
R: I really want to. Alam ko kaya mong mag-drive, pero mas gusto ko sana na sunduin at ihatid ka sa inyo. I want to spend as much time as I can with you. Bihira lang tayo magkita, kaya ngayon na may chance, gusto ko na makasama kita nang mas matagal.
M: Um, wow, okay. *uneasy laugh* So, I guess I'll see you at the house later? Mga 7pm na lang to be sure.
R: It's okay. Gusto ko lang malaman mo yung nararamdaman ko. I'll see you later.
M: Bye.
After they ended the call, Rj picked up the box containing his gift for Maine then took a deep breath.
R: Hindi ako panghihinaan ng loob. Tonight is the night! Wala nang atrasan ito, Rj!
And with renewed resolve, Rj continued his preparation for the special night to come.
BINABASA MO ANG
Airplanes and Shooting Stars
רומנטיקהWhat if Rj and Maine did not meet in Eat Bulaga? What if Maine did not pass her audition? How could destiny manage to make them meet up again? This story will try to explore "what could have been". It is set a couple of years from that fateful day...
