"Miss A??" tawag ni Caryl pagkapasok nya sa aking opisina
"Yup? What is it?" tanong ko habang gumagawa ng isang article para sa June issue
"Uh, tumawag po si Ma'am Cecilia, tinatanong nya po if makakapunta po kayo mamayang 7? Hindi daw po kasi kayo sumasagot sa tawag nya..."
Chineck ko naman ang digital clock sa desk ko at nakalagay doon na alas kwatro na pala ng hapon.
I grab my phone from one of my drawers at nakalagay doon na merong 3 missed calls mula sa aking byenan.
"Uhmm, I think I'll just gonna call her personally. Thank you Car. And also, can you grab me a 15 year old wine from Barcino?? Alam mo na kung anong brand. Then you may go!"
"Okay po Miss, Welcome po!!" and off she go
I unplugged the cord from my phone na nakaconnect sa king powerbank at dinial ang number ni Mommy Cel. Wala pa mang tatlong ring ay sinagot na nya ito
'Hello hija! Naku I thought you'll never call!!'
"Sorry Mommy, I forgot my phone at the office last night and I've been charging it the whole time! Sorry Mom.."
'That's okay sweetie, so are you coming or not?! Your macarons are waiting!!'
"Of course Mommy, I'll be going!! I'll bring Daddy Dong's favorite wine!"
'Oh my! Don't spoil your Daddy too much! But he will love that!! Sweetie I have to go the paella is starting to simmer, See you!! Bye!!'
"Bye Mom!!" at binaba nya na
I just finished my article at agad nang kinuha ang aking bag at lumabas na ng opisina...
On my way out ay nakasalubong ko si Caryl habang hawak-hawak ang red wine na pinabili ko. Kinuha ko na ito mula sa kanya at nagpatuloy na papunta sa Carpark ng Building.
It's already 4 p.m. at kailangan ko pang makabalik sa king condo at makapaligo. On my way home ay dumaan ako papunta sa isang flower shop para bumili ng isang bouquet na favorite ni Mommy Cel na white carnations.
I didn't take my time at mabilis lang naligo. I also didn't put much make up besides lipstick and mascara. At 6:45 ay nasa labas na ko ng village namin. I really think nasanay na rin talaga akong magmanage ng arrival time since I was in college.
At exactly 7:00 p.m. ay narating ko na ang premises ng aking mga in-laws. The guards are already familiar with my Audi kaya hindi ko na kinailangang ibaba pa ang heavily tinted kong bintana.
I got of my car pagkapark ko sa harap ng kanilang garahe. My loose hair are blown by the cool air of tagaytay highlands. Mommy Cel and Daddy Dong are very lucky to have a view of Taal lake as the backdrop of their mansion.
"Uhmm, Ma'am Apples, akin na po yan, hinihintay na po kayo nila Madam sa dining room..." mahinahong salubong ng isa nilang katiwala sa kin na agad kinuha ang dala kong bulaklak at wine
I just nod at her at tuluyan nang pumasok sa loob. Mommy Cel is an architect slash interior designer so no shock if their house is a grand. They have a grand staircase in front of the main door like in our house.
Their house is Classic Renaissance/Rococco inspired while our house is an all white Slightly Modern Neoclassic type kaya isipin nyo na lang kung papaano ka-grand ang nakikita ko ngayon!! Parang may nakatirang maharlika dito!!!
After admiring my surroundings ay dumiretso na ko sa dining room ng pamilya. I was about to enter ng makarinig ko ang pagtaas ng boses ni Daddy Dong mula sa nakarasaradong pinto
"Are you really disrespecting me Olivio?!!!"
"Eduardo!! Oh God! Your blood pressure!!!"
"No!! Sabihin mo dyan sa magaling mong anak na paalis yang babaeng yan or else..."
"Or else what, Dad?! Or else anong gagawin mo?! SHE COMES WITH ME, SO SHE WILL STAY!!"
"ANONG SINAB---"
"Good evening folks!! Am I so late?!" agad kong sabi ng hindi ko na napigilang pumasok
And tama nga ako. She's here. The girl seating next to Vio. The girl from our past...
"Oh, Ella?! I didn't know you're coming..." I said to her na hindi pinapahalata ang pagkabigla ko.
"Ate App---"
"Apples, hija, this is such a mess and---"
"Mommy it's okay! I'm sure Manang wouldn't mind adding a new set of utensils at the table, right Manang?" naka ngiti kong baling sa isa matagal na nilang katulong na sya namang tumango lang sa kin
"Daddy?!" mahinahon kong batik ay Daddy Dong habang sya'y nakatayo pa rin mula sa kanyang silya. Lumapit ako sa kanya at hinalikan sya sa pisngi. Ganoon din si Mommy Cel na medyo nanginginig pa ng madampian ng pisngi ko ang sa kanya
I sit next to Mommy and opposite sa natungo ngayong si Ella. Hindi na ko nagabala pang tignan si Vio dahil baka hindi lang masamang tingin ang maipukol ko sa kanya ngayon. At the coorner of my eyes ay na obserbahan ko syang umupo na ulit mula sa kanyang silya tulad nang ginawa ni Daddy Dong.
All in all, I should conclude that it was the most silent feast I have ever been in my entire life. Mommy cooked all of my favorite European food by courses pero ni isa, hindi ko man lang tunay na nalasahan sa bibig ko.
It's like there is a vile in my mouth at wala akong ibang maisip kung gaano napaka seryoso ng paligid. Mommy and I usually talk about how my work go and how good she cook the food but right now, ni isang complement ay hindi namin masabi sa isa't-isa.
I know they knew. Alam ko rin na hindi sila tanga para hindi malaman na ang babaeng kasalo namin ngayon ay sya ring babaeng namamagitna sa nalalapit naming ugnayang ng kanilang anak.
'....K-kami na ate Apples!! Mahal nya ko!!'
At napakurap na lang ako dahil sa biglang pagbalik ng ala-alang iyon.
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BINABASA MO ANG
Not to Wed (On Hold✋)
Romansa"Do you, Alicia, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?" the priest said as the people from beh...
