November 18, 2017
Why am I so nervous tonight?
After ending the call with Rj, she can't shake off her nervousness. Well, she's also excited but she doesn't understand where the nervousness was coming from.
She felt that whatever Rj said to her earlier has a deeper meaning, "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: Ano bang meron ngayon? Bakit ako kinakabahan? Kalma lang, Menggay. Wag masyado kiligin!
They've been going out (as schedule permits) for four months since that fateful day when they met on that flight to New York. She wasn't even supposed to be attending to Business Class passengers on that day - it just so happened that she was asked to fill in at the last minute.
Flight attendants have schedules based on seniority. New attendants are usually on a reserve schedule while tenured flight attendants can bid on the lines that they want to go on. She usually gets 8-10 days off in a month but she can still be called to work on her off days if needed.
Her crazy schedule and factor in Rj's life as an actor, it was really a twist of fate that they met and are still going out until this time.
She can still remember their first date in New York. Zenkichi was a really romantic restaurant. More than the restaurant, it was the company that made her realize that Rj is truly different and worth getting to know better.
Plus, he gave her a bouquet of carnations when he picked her up. He didn't know that she loved carnations - it just caught his eye when he passed by a flower shop. Destiny at work again?
M: Wow, carnations! How did you know they're my favorite?
R: *surprised* Um, I honestly didn't know. It just caught my fancy when I passed by the flower shop. (teasing tone) May guardian angel siguro ako na tinuruan ako kung anong bibilhin!
He always gave her flowers, either carnations or roses, when they had a date. If they had to cancel due to a sudden conflict in their schedule, she still receives a bouquet at their house in Bulacan.
She suddenly remembered her discussion with her Nanay earlier today. That "talk" is actually the cause on why she's running late for her date with Rj.
As she was admiring the yellow carnations she received from Rj, her Nanay sat down beside her on the sofa
ND: Consistent ang manliligaw mo, anak! Laging may pabulaklak.
M: *blushes* Si Nanay talaga. Ganyan din naman yung mga nanligaw kay Ate at Coleen dati.
ND: Oo nga, pero itong si Rj ang pinaka-consistent sa mga manliligaw mo. (pauses) Hindi mo pa ba sinasagot? Boto naman kami pero magsabi ka muna sa Tatay mo ha?
To say Maine was surprised was an understatement. In her past relationship and suitors, her parents have never been this vocal about their approval.
M: (jokes) Nay, matanda na ba ako? Kaya boto kayo agad kay Rj?
ND: *raises her brow* O sige, ayaw na namin kay Rj, mas gusto mo na yun?
M: (hugs her) Biro lang, Nay! Seryoso, Nay? Gusto nyo si Rj? Nagsabi na po kasi sya nung huli kami nag-usap pero hindi pa po ako makasagot e.
ND: *puzzled look* Bakit naman? Hindi ka ba sigurado? Mukha namang gusto mo sya.
M: Gusto! Pero...
ND: Pero?
M: Pero parang mahirap kasi, Nay. Halos hindi na nga kami magkita para mag-date, paano pa pag naging kami? Mas lalo kami dapat panahon sa isa't isa, di ba?
Nanay looked at her intently
ND: Anak, eto lang masasabi ko. Kung gusto, may paraan. Pag ayaw, maraming dahilan. (pauses) Ang tanong, handa ba kayong gumawa ng paraan?
M: Kung sa akin po, handa naman po.
ND: Kung ganon, ano pa hinihintay mo? Basta, magsabi ka lang sa Tatay mo, kung hindi kukurutin kita sa singit!
Her Nanay left her soon after their impromptu heart to heart talk. Soon, she'll start to prepare for her date. But first...
Heading into her Tatay's home office, she found him busy with paper work as usual. She knocked on the door to get his attention
M: Tay, pwede pong pa-istorbo?
He looked up from the papers he was reviewing and motioned her in.
TD: O Menggay, bakit?
M: Tay, lalabas po kami ni Rj mamaya.
TD: Nagpapaalam ka para makipag-date? Naku, anak, beinte-dos ka na, matagal ka nang pwede mag-date.
Maine laughed then scratched her head because of what he said
M: Tay naman, parang komedyante. Syempre hindi po, nagsasabi lang. Saka may isa pa po sana akong sasabihin.
Her Tatay patiently waited for her to continue
M: Tay, nagsabi na po si Rj sa akin na gusto daw nya po akong maging girlfriend. Magsasabi lang po sana ako na BAKA sagutin ko na po sya mamayang gabi.
*PAK*
Tatay hit the table with sudden force.
M: Tay? Bakit po? A-ayaw nyo po ba kay Rj?
To her surprise (she seems to be getting a lot of surprises today), her Tatay suddenly started laughing
TD: Sa wakas nagsabi na rin! Naiinip na kami ni Pare e!
M: Pare? Sino po?
TD: Tatay ni Rj! Napapag-usapan namin kayong dalawa minsan. Naiinip na kami, ang bagal umamin e!
M: *wide eyes* Kayo pa talaga ang naiinip? And pare na agad?
TD: Anak, sya na yata ang pinakamatiyaga na nanligaw sa iyo. At talagang bumibisita dito sa bahay, ipinapakita na may respeto sya sa iyo. Noong una, aminado ako na ayaw ko dahil artista. Pero mabait na bata. At maalaga talaga sa iyo.
M: Okay, so... wala akong masabi sa totoo lang.
TD: Oo lang sabihin mo sa kanya, maiintindihan na nya yun.
Maine suddenly laughed out loud. Tatay looked at her as if she was crazy
TD: O bakit ka tawa nang tawa dyan?
M: (catches her breath) E kasi po, ako yung may duda kanina if sasagutin ko na ba sya. Pero kayo po ni Nanay, botong-boto na talaga. Ako na lang pala ang naiwan.
Her Tatay waited for her to calm down before answering her in a serious tone
TD: Anak, ang sabi mo kanina, iniisip mo na syang sagutin. Kaya naman nagsabi ako na boto ako sa kanya at sagutin mo na. Pero kung may duda ka pa, huwag mo muna sagutin. Hindi naman kami ang magiging nobya nya, ikaw.
Maine looked at her Tatay and answered truthfully
M: Hindi po kasi ako sigurado kung kakayanin namin magkaroon ng relasyon na bihira lang kaming magkita. Pero sabi naman ni Nanay na kung gusto may paraan, kung ayaw may dahilan. So, depende po sa mapag-usapan namin ni Rj, yung magiging huling sagot ko.
TD: Tama yan. Pag-usapan ninyong dalawa. Basta kami ng Nanay mo, magaan ang loob kay Rj, boto kami sa kanya.
Maine hugged her Tatay tightly.
M: Salamat, Tay. *deep breath* Sige po, maghahanda na ako, susunduin daw po ako ni Rj maya-maya.
Maine left her father's office and started to prepare for her date. Try as she might, this thought kept niggling on her mind
M: Sasagutin ko na ba talaga sya? Kaya ko na ba ulit mag-commit with the possibility that I can get hurt again with false promises?
Should Maine say yes to Rj and take a chance?
________________________
A/N: How do you think their date will their date go? Are you excited? Anything you want to see in the next chapter?
I'll have the next part up tomorrow.
Succeeding chapters after tomorrow's update will be posted next Saturday and Sunday.
BINABASA MO ANG
Airplanes and Shooting Stars
RomanceWhat 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...
