L A B I N G S I Y A M
"Good morning."
Nakangiting bati sa akin ni Vienna ng idilat ko ang mata ko. Naupo ako sa kama habang naghihikab at napansin ko namang suot niya ang t-shirt ko. "Morning."
"Let's have our breakfast."
"I'll just take my clothes on. You go first."
Nauna na siyang lumabas na may ngiti sa labi at nagsuot naman ako ng damit ko. Paglabas ko ay nakaupo na siya at hinihintay ako. Naupo ako sa tapat niya at kumuha ng tinapay.
Dito siya natulog last night kasi sabi niya. Nothing happened. Ang totoo nga ay parang naging mas seryoso na si Vienna sa meron kami. Sabi niya sa akin, we just have to pretend. That's all.. Pero kapalit noon ay kailangan kong iwan lahat just to make it more real. So I agreed. And if I won't, she will spill everything on Margarette. Lahat ng kalokohan namin, sasabihin niya.
"Grocery tayo mamaya. Wala ng laman yung refrigerator mo. Wala ka ng stocks."
"Sure. After we eat."
"Great! Then let's visit mom. She wants to meet you." nakangiting pahayag niya at kumagat sa tinapay niya. Tumango naman ako bilang sang-ayon. I just have to deal with her stuffs. Kung hindi ay mag-aaway kami. Unlike Margarette, when I say no, she'll stop insisting the idea.
Vienna grew up without her mother. She grew up with her father. They're very close - as she describe her relationship with her father. But it was change when she and her mom became very close.
After we ate, like what the plan, we went to the grocery store and bought the stuffs that I needed.
"Cereals? Are you eating cereals?" I smile a little and shook my head. "No."
"Oh.. I see." ngumiti rin siya ng alanganin at ibinalik sa racks ang cereals. I know she's trying her best to know me more. Pero mahihirapan siya at mahihirapan din ako. May mga panahon na gusto ko ang pagkain in seasonally and there's a food that I wanted to see everyday at my unit. And it's apple. Margarette and I are big fan of apple. Di baleng maubos ang laman ng ref, wag lang apple. And that what makes me hard for me. Si Margarette lang nakakaalam ng gusto ko. Hindi ko alam kung maiintindihan ni Vienna iyon.
"How about tuna?"
"It's fine." Sagot ko at sumimangot siya. Ibinalik niya ang can ng tuna sa lalagyanan at itinulak ang cart paabante. Kumunot ang noo ko at sinundan siya. "Bakit mo ba binalik?"
"You didn't say yes. So you don't eat tuna." I heave a sigh and stop her in walking. "Listen. You have to know this." I look at her in the eyes. It was 5 minutes. And still, I was just holding her in her arms. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko sasabihin. But in the end, I still find the words that I wanted to say...
"There's.. A time that I eat tuna. And there's a time that I don't. Kahit ako ay hindi ko alam kung kailan ko bibilhin ang mga pagkain na minsan ko lang naman matipuhan. And.. There's only one person who can do that, Vienna."
I know she already get what I want to say. Ayoko man sabihin iyon, pero kailangan niyang maintindihan iyon. Hindi madali para sa akin. I was on the process of adjustment and.. Moving on.
Even though she got hurt on what I said, she still managed to look happy with me. She's still asking, trying. Atleast that's enough. Kung iba iyon ay baka iwan na ako dito dahil sa sinabi ko.
"Inutusan nga lang ako ni mommy. Sundin mo na lang yung nasa listahan. Jusko naman, MJ."
"Oo na. Mainit agad ulo? Eto na nga di ba? Kukuha na ng mushrooms."
