Closing Time: 11 PM

9. Clarity Defined

Our lives are made in these small hours

These little wonders, these twists and turns of fate

Time falls away but these small hours

These small hours still remain

-Little Wonders, Rob Thomas

#

Kara was looking at the guy beside her.

It was early Saturday morning and she woke up early to prepare sandwiches for them. She took a liter of water from her ref and placed them all in one bag.

They were on their way to her home.

When Chad asked her to give a good reason why he couldn't come with her, she wasn't able to win against him. She ended up calling her parents to tell them she would be home with her friend.

Chad had his eyes closed, covered with eye patches so as not to see any light. He hired a driver and so they were seated together at the back.

Stop doing this to me.

After staring at him for a long time, she rather looked ahead and gave instructions to their driver. Sleep was waving at her and she could no longer resist. She doesn't know how long she fell asleep but when she woke up, she was already leaning on Chad's shoulder while his arms were wrapped around her.

He felt her move. He slowly opened his eyes and saw her looking around to figure out where they are. She gave the driver another set of instructions and slightly moved away from him.

"Did you sleep well?"

She nodded politely. "We're near."

"Good. I want to stretch," he said.

"I told you. You didn't have to go with me," she said.

"You can say all you want but we're already here and I want to see everyone," he answered. After ten more minutes, she told the driver to take a left turn and stop at the first house on the right. He did as instructed.

"We're here," she told him.

She opened the car door and went out while Chad followed her. There was a woman outside cleaning the yard. She seemed to be on her early fifties.

Kara pushed the small gate made of wires and wood open. It took the attention of the woman and the chicken roaming freely around the area. The woman was surprised when she saw who came.

"Kara! Anak! Ang aga mo naman dumating! Akala ko naman mamayang hapon ka pa," she happily greeted her daughter while Kara paid respect. "Ang ganda ganda mo naman ngayon. Bagay sayo iyang gupit mo. Aba e nag-asawa ka na ba at ganyan na itsura mo?"

"Nay, si Chad po. Kaibigan ko po," she introduced him. Chad smiled and took the old woman's hand. "Chad, Nanay Criselda. Nanay ko."

"Magandang umaga po," he greeted her.

"Kaibigan mo ba talaga ito anak o baka naman ka-ibigan?" she teased her own child.

"Nay naman," Kara laughed. "Magkaibigan lang po kami."

"Kagwapong bata," she admired him which made Chad blush. "Sigurado ka bang kaibigan mo lang ang anak ko? Ayaw mo bang ligawan? Ipinapamigay na namin itong panganay namin."

Chad laughed. "Pwede po ba ibalik kapag ayaw na?"

"Ay iyon lang anak, pag kinuha na e di na pwede ibalik," she laughed. "Malay mo naman matagalan mo. Tyagain mo na at ng magka-apo na ako."

"Nay! Ano po ba yang sinasabi nyo? Magkaibigan lang po kami. Nakakahiya!"

"Nahiya ka pa e inuwi mo nga dito sa atin," she observed her daughter. "Halina kayo sa loob. Ipagluluto ko kayo ng almusal. Kumakain ka ba ng lutong probinsya anak?"