moirai

provinces

Dinner was fun for both. They discovered that they both liked ramen and that she liked to drink the broth directly from the bowl (like the way it should be...Japanese style). After dinner, they decided to take a stroll around Greenbelt 3. They then went to CBTL for coffee. While they were ordering their drinks, the rain suddenly poured outside. It was a good thing they chose to sit inside the coffee shop because the people outside were now scrambling for cover which they found quite amusing.

"Rj..." she spoke as he was looking at the people coming in from the rain.

"Uh...yeah?"

"You said your parents are from Bacolod?"

"Yup!" he looked at her curiously.

"Uhmmm....Ilonggo man ako...." she said shyly...

"Hmmm..." he smiled. "Kabalo ko..."(I know...)

"Huh?" She looked at him, quite puzzled.

"Well...you said, 'mapuli' earlier when you spoke on the phone...I don't know anyone who uses that unless they're Ilonggo...." he explained.

"Ah" she giggled. "Pero, diri na ko ginbata kag nagdako (but i was born and raised here)...we speak Ilonggo at home..."

"Ah okay...Kami man, Ilonggo sa balay pero English or Tagalog sa gwa....Taga diin kamo?" (Ah okay...us too, Ilonggo at home but we speak English or Tagalog outside....Where are you from?)

"Si Mommy, taga-Bacolod, si Daddy, taga-Iloilo...pero diri na sila nag-college kag nagkilalahay...sang gamay pa ko, every summer, ginadala ko ni Lola sa Bacolod..." (Mom is from Bacolod, Dad is from Iloilo...they met in college here in Manila...when I was younger, my Lola used to bring me home to Bacolod every summer...)

"Te, nakapuli ka na recently?" (Have you gone home recently?)

"Hmm...sang Holy Week lang..for 3 days lang...work e"

"Ah...pareho ta gali (we're the same)...I was born and raised here in Manila but went home to Bacolod during summer vacations..."

They were both quite engrossed with their conversation that they were surprised to find out that the rains had already stopped. Her phone rang. When she pulled it out to answer the call, her expression changed from laughter to fear. He looked concernedly at her.

"H..hello Mom?" she said cautiously. "Yes...sa Greenbelt lang...nag-text ko kay Dean kagina na indi na ako pagsugaton...yes.... yes....mapuli na ko...okay Ma....yes....goodnight...." (Yes....Greenbelt....I texted Dean earlier to tell him not to pick me up anymore...yes...yes...I'm going home...)

"Your mom?" he asked...

"Yes! Puli na ko kuno...grabe no? 21 na ko pero daw baby man gihapon (Yes! She says I should go home already....Imagine, I'm already 21 but still treated as a baby....)...I have to go na...Thanks for dinner..."  she stood up and collected her things.

"Te, how are you going home?"

"Ma-cab, e..."

"Ahh...indi ko mag-sugot...I'll take you home nalang...kalapit sang Bel-Air..." (No, I won't allow it...I'll take you home...Bel-Air is so near)

"Sure ka? It's easy to take a cab or ma-Grab nalang ko..."

"Indi na..." (don't) he stood up, picking up his bag from the floor as he did.

He lead her back to the car, opened the door for her, went around and got in. "Just lead the way..." he turned and smiled at her.

They hardly talked in the 10minute drive from Greenbelt to Bel-Air. She had turned shy all of a sudden; which made him wonder if he did or said anything stupid...

At the village gate, she leaned to his side of the car so that the guard could identify her then she gave directions how to get to her house. Once there, he told her to wait as he got down to open her door. He waited as she opened the gate and got in.

"Thank you, Rj." she said with a smile.

"You're welcome. I'll see you soon?" he smiled back.

"Halong....good night..." he said.

"Goodnight" she nodded ever so slightly and entered the gate, then closed it.

She heard him get into the car and drive off. She walked to the front door of the house and got her house keys to open the door. Just as she was about to turn the key, the door opened. Yaya Maring was at the door. She was smiling.

"Ta, sin-o to?" (Ta, who was that?) her Yaya asked with a smile.