patag

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Early the next morning, Maine wakes up to her phone ringing.

"....Hello....Pangga...." Maine answers the Facetime call.

"Hi Pangga....sorry....did I wake you up?" a wide grin crosses Rj's face as soon as he sees Maine on his screen.

"Okay lang.....what's up?" Maine adjusts herself on the bed.

"...change of plans, Ga....let's go to Patag nalang today....."

"Wait...Patag?....sa mountains?"

"Hu-o....sa farm namon...."

"Hmm....wait lang, Ga...." Maine leaves her phone screen and goes out the room.

"Ahh Ga....wa-ay pa sina Tita kag Tito...ma-breakfast pa lang kami...."

"Ah okay....just let me know...."

"Okay..."

"I love you....I'll talk to you later."

"I love you....bye!"

Maine showers and joins her Tito and Tita at the breakfast table.

"Tita....pwede ko ka-upod kay Rj pa-Patag today?

"Farm nila?"

"Yes, Tito...."

"Sure, hija. Kabug-naw to....now pa medyo maulan...."

"Okay, Tita...Tito...Thank you."

"Pangga. Tito and Tita said yes. What time will you pass by for me?"

"Okay! I'll be there in an hour."

"See you."

"See you. Love you!"

It had been raining for the last couple of days. Patag was engulfed in fog when they got to Rj's family rest house up in the mountain.

"Wow! Pangga! This is beautiful!"

"....and you're just as beautiful...." Rj embraced Maine from the back as she was looking at the forest view from the balcony.

"......."

"Why? It's true man..." He said as he kissed her on the temple then rested his chin on her shoulder and looked out as well.

".....Inday....Toto Rj....didto lang kami anay sa garahe....panawag lang kamo kung may kilanlan kamo....i-ready ko lang ang panyaga....." (...we'll just be in the garage...just call if you need anything...I'll prepare your lunch...) Jane, the helper, broke their trance.

"Ahh...sige....salamat...."

"Uhmm....what's for lunch?"

"...Siling ni Toto Rj, ma-ihaw kuno baboy....dayon may monggo nga may gata....kag itlog pula kag kamatis....'To, butangan ta sibuyas?" (Toto Rj said to grill some porkchops....then there's monggo with gata ant langka....also itlog na pula and tomatoes....'To, do we put red onions?)

"...waay nalang sibuyas...sa dahon sang saging ta maka-on ha?" (...don't put onions anymore...we'll eat on banana leaves, okay?)

"Hu-o...nagpakuha na ko sang mga dahon kay Onyok....ato na sa babaw, ginapalimpyuhan na...." (Yes...I had Onyok get some already...they're there up in the garage being cleaned...)

"Okay...."

Jane left them. Rj and Maine decided to walk around the property.

"Wait lang...." Rj runs back to the house and brings back foldable lounge chairs. They are in a wooded part of the area where the wind blows gently and its quite relaxing.

They sit down and enjoy the breeze and quiet. Nature's symphony of crickets and birds chirping fill the air. Rj is soon lulled to sleep by the cool breeze and nature sounds. Maine decides to explore the area. She picks up a walking stick and walks around the property.

"....ahh so dugay ka na ga-ubra sa pamilya ni Rj?" Maine asked when she approached the helpers in the garage. (...so you've been with Rj's family for a long time...)

She was curious as to how things were run in Rj's family home. She also wanted to help in the food preparation.

"...hu-o...bantog ang pamilya nila sa banwa....ang Lola ko, ila man maid sang-una....ang Tiyo ko, driver....si Mamang, nag-ubra man sa ila nga pamilya....halos tanan sa pamilya namon, nag-ulubra sa mga pamilya sang Lolo kag Lolo ni Toto Rj....kung kis-a, ginapatawag ako sang Lola ni Rj para mag-yaya sa iya kung gapauli sila diri...." (yes....their family is popular in town...my mom also worked with Rj's family....almost all of my relatives worked with their family....sometimes, his Lola would have me called to be Rj's yaya when he would come home to the province...) Jane told Maine as they were cooking the porkchops. "Kami lang di 'day...." (we'll do this)

"Ahh...tu-od?....kamusta man sya sing bata pa sya?" (oh really?....how was he as a kid?) Maine said as she sat on the papag on one side of the garage.

"...hmmm....spoiled sa Lolo kag Lola ah....pero bu-ot man....tig-a ulo kung kis-a....dumduman ko....pirme na sya ga-ma-oy....hahahahaha! Ma-oy.....Oy-oy.....amo na tawag sa iya ni Rizza...ang manghud ya....nakilala mo na?" (hmm...spoiled by his grandparents but he was a good kid...sometimes, hardheaded....I remember him always throwing a tantrum....he earned the name "Oy-oy" because he was always being ma-oy...his sister Rizza calls him that....have you met her?) Jane continued.

"...hahahah! Hu-o.....nakilala ko na si Rizza....amo man ang hambal ya....nga Oy-oy ang tawag ya kay Rj...." (yes, i've met Rizza....that's what she said too...) Maine laughed.

"...maayo nalang naampawan na sya ah.....wa-ay na ga-ma-oy?" (So, is he still ma-oy?) Jane asked.

"...hmm...daw wala man....well, at least wa-ay sya ga ma-oy kung upuray kami...."

"...sang ga-ma-oy sya, ginapabay-an ko lang sya hibi....te, nakapuyan man sya gali...." (whenever he has his tantrums, I just let him cry...so, he gets tired and stops...)

"...nag-storya si Rizza na one time kuno nagma-oy sya sa birthday sang cousin ya....naghibi todo kag natulugan sa garden...." (Rizza said that he had a tantrum at their cousin's birthday party....he cried a lot and ended up falling asleep in the garden)

"...hu-o...amo na sya...ga-dalagan na sya sa garden kag maghibi....galibot-libot na sya na naga-hibi....daw buang...." Jane chuckled. (yes, he's like that..he runs around the garden crying like a crazy person).

The little farm kids came and were curious of Maine so they oogled at her. She found this amusing and tried to engage them in conversation. The kids were shy so they just smiled and hid around the corners of the garage. She finally won them over by inviting them to dance and sing. There was a radio playing some pop tunes nearby so the smaller kids were already dancing. With coaxing and teasing from the adults (helpers and farm folk), the other kids joined in. Soon, the garage was filled with laughter.

Rj woke from his nap to the sound of laughter and shrieks of little kids. He joined Maine in the garage. He hugged her from behind and kissed her temple. She patted his arms when he embraced her waist. The kids saw this and they started teasing the two, much to the delight of the adults. Rj and Maine just smiled and laughed along.

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