"Pabili po ng isang coke at isang bingo...."
"Kuya Jose?"
"...Miss Maine?"
"Opo"
"....dito ka pala nakatira...."
"Opo...tindahan po namin ito..." Maine stepped out of the store and joined Kuya Jose on the bench in front.
"Ahh talaga.....nasa Reyes lang si Rj...."
"Reyes?"
"Oo....yung therapy center sa kanto...."
"Therapy center...dun?" Maine pointed to the far corner of the street
"Oo....tuwing Sabado kami pumupunta dito...."
"...ahh talaga?.....pero bakit po sya nandun?"
"....nag-t-therapy.....siguro nga okay na sya....."
"Bakit naman po?"
".....simula nung dumating ka sa bahay.....di na sya masyadong masungit.....kanina nga, tahimik lang sya sa sasakyan....dati, laging nagsasalita mag-isa na parang galit...pag nasa bahay naman, sigaw ng sigaw na kala mo may sunog lagi"
"Ahh..." She knew this all too well. At first she was afraid of Rj. She didn't like him angry and shouting. She was thankful that she stayed in the home-office for most of the day and went on errands out of the house a lot so she avoided the brat in the house. Maine offered more snacks to Kuya Jose and they talk some more.
"....inaantay ko lang yung text nya para magpasundo....may lakad pa ata si Ma'am mamaya e...."
"Ah, ganun ho ba? Pero Kuya, bakit po nag-t-therapy si Rj? Gaano na katagal?"
"....dati pa yan nag-t-therapy tapos tumigil....tinamad e.....pero yung mga panahon na nag-r-regular ka na sa bahay, bumalik sa pag-t-therapy si Jay....hindi ba naikwento ni Caring sa 'yo?"
"Huh?"
"Naaksidente kasi yang si Jay nung bata pa sya..... naatrasan daw nung dati nilang driver, si Caloy.....sa likot ni Jay, tumakbo sya sa likod ng sasakyan habang palabas yung kotse sa garahe....di sya napansin agad ni Caloy hanggang sa nagulungan nya yung bata....nabali daw yung 2 binti.....kala nila di na makakalakad si Jay pagkatapos nun..."
"....." Maine could not believe what she just heard. She just kept quiet.
Kuya Jose's phone rang so excused himself to take the call. A few seconds later, he returned and bade goodbye to Maine.
".....si Miss Maine...." In the car, Kuya Jose talked about his "encounter" with Maine while waiting for Rj.
"Ano?" Rj didn't quite catch everything Kuya Jose was saying. He was lost in his thoughts.
"Ang sabi ko, taga dito din pala si Miss Maine...."
"Diba hinahatid mo sya pag gabi?"
"Sa may highway lang....ayaw nyang magpahatid sa kanila mismo...."
"Hmm.....eh kamusta naman sya? Anong suot?"
"....naka palda at t-shirt....simple lang....may sari-sari store sila na sya ang nagbabantay daw minsan tuwing Sabado at Linggo...."
"Maganda sya, no Kuya?"
"Oo naman....at mabait...."
"Sa sunod na therapy ko Kuya, punta tayo kina Maine?" Rj leaned forward from the back seat and tapped Kuya Jose on the shoulder.
"Okay...." Kuya Jose looked away from the rear view mirror and smiled.
"Kuya!" Pining called for Kuya Jose who was cleaning the car in the garage.
"Ay! Nahulog ang manok!" Kuya Jose said, startled by Pining's loud call.
"Saan?" Pining was also startled.
"Anong saan?"
"Yung manok...."
"Manok?....ano ka ba Pining?? Kung makasigaw parang ang layo ko e"
"Sabi mo nahulog yung manok....ahh....pinapasabi pala ni Ma'am na may kukunin ka daw kay Ma'am MaryAnn mamayang after lunch...."
"Ah okay....kakain na ba?" Kuya Jose said as he washed his hands at the faucet.
"Oo....kakain na tayo....tinatawag na tayo ni Lani" Pining says at they walk to the kitchen.
"....o Jose, kumain ka na at may kukunin ka pa raw kay Ma'am MaryAnn sabi ni Ma'am Chat...." Yaya Caring said.
"Sabi nga ni Pining......Caring....nahuhulog na yung manok natin..."
"Anong manok?"
"Nagtatanong si Jay tungkol kay Maine....gusto pang puntahan..."
"Ahh....Puntahan? Saan nyo pupuntahan?"
"Magkalapit lang yung lugar ni Maine sa kung saan nag-t-therapy si Jay..."
"Ahh talaga? Pursigido nga syang bumalik sa therapy.....matagal na rin na hindi sya nag-t-therapy e...."
"Oo nga....at di na sya masyadong masungit at pala sigaw ngayon..." Pining mentioned.
"At may kusa...kanina nga, sya lang ang kumuha nung tubig nya e..." Lani shared.
"....mukhang nagbabago na si Jay....nakakatuwa naman..." Yaya Caring said, hopeful.
