moirai

arrival

Rj hadn't been in any relationship where he had a certain kind of attachment to anyone. Sure, he might have loved the girl he was dating but somehow, he had a deeper, unexplainable connection with Maine. Was she "the one"? Was she his "it" girl?

She had to go to Bacolod for work. They had just sealed their relationship as boyfriend-girlfriend and now she had to go away. He felt bad that he wouldn't be picking her up from work for a while or that no one would bug him about stuff – his collar always popping up ("80's kid ang peg, Pangga?" she would say as she fixed his clothes); no music in the car ("Haaay! Ga-mongho ka nanaman?" she'd say while plugging in her iPhone into his car stereo) and other little stuff. So, he just thought their daily Facetime "goodnight" rituals which they did after he'd bring her home.

Good thing it was a short drive from the airport to home. Rj was already feeling the sepanx of not having Maine in the driver seat beside him. He was thinking of just driving fast and getting home right away but then the nagging thought and Maine's voice in his head kept on saying, "Drive safely! Don't be a beast on the road!" He turned on the radio instead and listened to some random station.

Maine arrived in Bacolod on time. She didn't have a hard time finding who was going to pick her up because Pauleen's shrieks could be heard up to the tarmac despite the drone of the airplanes! The girl was all too excited that Maine was finally with her again after they were separated for a couple of months.

Pau seemed to have adjusted pretty well to provincial life and was as bubbly as ever. She helped Maine with her bags and then introduced Maine to the driver.

"Maine, this is Manong Jun. He'll be your driver here."

"Hello" Maine smiled at him

"Kilala ko sya, 'day Pau....ang Daddy ya, gin yayahan sang una ni Mamang ko.....Maayong ugto, day! Akon na imo dala." (I know her....my Mamang used to be your Daddy's yaya....Good noon, Inday....I'll take your things....) Manong Jun replied and got Maine's bags to put them into the car's trunk.

"Oh wow! Tuod ka?" (Oh wow! You're not kidding?)

"Hu-o day....gahampang pa gani kami ni Daddy mo sa uma kung mag-bisita sila ni Toto Molo, Lolo mo bala..." (Yes, Inday....we used to play with your Daddy when he visited the farm with Senor Molo, your Lolo)

"Ahhh..." Maine said, smiling in amazement.

The 2 girls rode in the back seat as Manong Jun took his place at the driver's seat. He looked at them through the rearview mirror.

"Manong, duon tayo makadto sa house ni Tita Jeannette sa 17th..." Pauleen said in broken Ilonggo which Maine found amusing. Manong Jun nodded and then drove.

Maine called Rj right away but he didn't pick up. It was around noontime so Maine thought that maybe he left his phone somewhere and was just having lunch.

Maine was going to stay at her Tita's and cousin's house in Bacolod City. The company had provided her with a car and driver to use. Pauleen became her semi-tour guide as some of the places they passed had changed since Maine had not been able to go back to the province since her Lola passed away several years ago.

Tita Jeannette was her mom's cousin and she owned a dance school which was in the same compound as the house. The house was big – it was sort of like a modern ancestral home as this was where Tita Jeannette and her siblings grew up with their parents. Now, it was Tita Jeannette's family who grew up and lived there plus a few helpers and their school staff. It was a busy home but it seemed like a lot of fun.

Maine saw different "new" things mixed in with the familiar "old" stuff. There were malls where sugar cane fields were once the view and plots deemed as subdivisions were now being developed into something else. Since it was lunch time, they went straight to Tita Jeannette's house. There was a feast! Even if it was just Maine who arrived, the food spread was like there was a whole clan coming! Tita Jeannette was just too happy that Maine was finally "home".

Nanay Femia showed Maine to her room. It was once the room of her Tita Jette. Tita Jette, Tita Jeannette's sister, now lived in a different house also in Bacolod and frequented Manila because her kids were now living there.

After lunch, Maine tried calling Rj again. He didn't pick up the call so she just texted him that she already arrived in Bacolod and was staying at her Tita's house. Work would start on Monday and that she was happy that Pauleen was there.

Pauleen toured Maine to different places around the city. They visited The Ruins in Talisay and enjoyed merienda at the iconic Roli's near La Salle. Maine remembered the street where the school was because down the road was St. Scho where her female cousins went. She remembers tagging along when they would enroll for school. Maine requested if they could have chicken inasal for dinner so Tita Jeannette and Pauleen brought her to Manukan Country. Both ladies didn't want to overwhelm Maine with too many sights and activities yet. She had a lot of time for that.

Just before bed, Maine's phone rang. It was Rj calling on Facetime.

"Hi Pangga! Good evening.' Rj greeted.

"Pangga! Good evening."

"Te, how was the flight? Sorry ha, I forgot my phone sa car kagina..."

"Ah, okay. Maayo man ang flight. It wasn't delayed. I got here around lunchtime. And sus! Si Pauleen, grabe! Hahahahha!! Miss ya gid ko guro....I could hear her screaming in excitement pagka-open pa lang sang doors sang plane! Buang gid ya!"

"Hahahahaha! It's good to know na okay ka man da. You're staying with your Tita? Sa Bacolod?"  She then she gave him a "tour" of her room.

"Yeah....cousin ni Mommy....the company provided me with a car and driver....kasadya gani because Manong Jun was my Dad's playmate sang gamay pa sila! Ang Mamang kuno ni Manong Jun ang Yaya ni Daddy!"

"Wow!"

"That's what I said also!"

"Hahahahahaha! Haay, Pangga! I miss you na!!" he says as he puckers up for a kiss.

"Ako man...I miss you too..." she "kisses" him back

They talk for over an hour about different things – how things have changed in Bacolod from what she last remembered it to look like and how he was driving on automatic from the airport because he missed her. They both teared up but assured each other that distance would not be a hindrance to their love for each other.

"O, Pangga, its past midnight na...sleep ka na..." he said as he kissed his screen.

"Good night, Pangga....I love you...."

"I love you too....close your eyes na...." he said. They promised that this would be their "ritual" even when they were miles apart. She propped her phone on her phone stand and closed her eyes. He watched her sleep. When she looked like she was in deep slumber, he would end the call and her phone would just automatically switch off.