Nang makarating kami sa dining room nila ay agad na lumapit sa'min si Tita Cathy. Sana lang ay hindi ako mukhang haggard ngayon dahil pinagod ako ni Adrian kakadaldal dahil sa pangiinis niya sa'kin. And he was totally rude!
"Hi, mom," bati ni Adrian kay Tita.
"Son," ani Tita Cathy sabay beso kay Adrian. "Aleece," baling niya sa'kin nang may napakalaking ngisi at bineso rin ako. Nang bumitaw siya ay tumingin siya sa mukha ko. "I definitely knew you'd be able to drag him here. Did you enjoy the movie?"
"Absolutely," nakangising sabi ni Adrian. "What a great idea, Ma." Napaikot nalang ako ng mata.
It was hell being with him the whole run of the movie. Wala na siyang ginawa kung hindi pasanan ako ng mga pang-iinis niya.
"Let's eat?" dagdag niya tapos ay ginabayan ako sa pag-upo. I tried not fussing too much about it and focused on the table.
Umupo siya sa tabi ko. Bigla ko ulit naamoy 'yong chocolaty fragrance niya. I mean, there was a pinch of mint in there, pero amoy chocolate talaga.
Ughh! Stop thinking anything about him!
"So..." Tita Cathy started. "We have some important things to talk about right now, kids." She flashed her very wide grin.
"And it has something to do with my two-month leave?" parinig ko sa kaniya ngunit hindi ko siya tiningnan. Honestly, I really felt unrespected na inintrude niya pati ang trabaho ko para lang sa plano niya. But it's not like I can tell her.
From my peripheral vision, nakita ko siyang ngumiti nang napakalaki.
"Of course it has to."
"Two-month leave?" singit ni Adrian. "I really have to know what you're going to tell, mom."
"But for now, let's enjoy our meal specially cooked by me!" excited na sabi niya. "So what we have here is my chicken curry, turo pa 'to sa'kin ng mommy ko noon. It was the very first dish I learned to cook."
"And that was before you went to college sa Manila. Dahil mag-aaral ka sa malayo ay nagpaturo ka ng mga gawaing bahay that includes cooking because you never learned it before. I've heard it for the nth time, mom," ani Adrian, umiiling.
Me, too, have heard that story so many times.
"Hey, I'm trying to find something to tell!" Tita Cathy protests. "Anyway," bago niya tinuloy ang pagsasalita ay nilunok muna niya ang pagkain, "Adrian's company will be 2016's sponsor of my organization, Aleece. You definitely know EthCare, right?"
Tumango ako. Paminsan-minsan ay angvo-volunteer kami ng tatlong lalaki kong kapatid noon para tumulong sa mga reaching out programs nila. The organization is so on point. Gusto ko 'yong layunin nila.
Tumikhim si Adrian. "Bakit nasali ang sponsorship ko with that, mom?"
"We've desgined our plans for the next two months. We'll be building a new project specifically meant for the health of the ethnic people of several places. Adrian, as one of our sponsors, and you will be the ambassadors of that project." Ako? At si Adrian? Ambassadors ng EthCare?
"So...?" Kinakabahan ako sa maririnig ko. Parang 'di ko magugustuhan.
"You guys will be going with the organization for the whole two-months. Like the usual, like volunteers, but you'll be recognized and presented as the ambassadors."
Napaubo si Adrian habang ako naman ay agad na lumabas sa bunganga ko ang "Ako?! Bakit ako?!" I mean, as far as possible, I don't want to be rude to her kaso 'di ko mapigilan.
