Maine entered Rj's dimly lit room upon Mommy Chat's request. He had not come down for breakfast and it was just Tuesday.
She slowly approaches the figure on the bed snuggled under the covers. "Rj....J.....Yabs....Love...." She gently shakes Rj's shoulder and strokes his head, calling him repeatedly. He doesn't budge.
She gives him a few minutes more while she studies his fine features in deep, peaceful slumber. Then, she hears a faint tooting sound coming from under the thick comforter. Rj stirs and turns to face the opposite side. Another long, and louder toot can be heard.
The slaps his arm hard which jolts him awake.
"Ano ba!?" He sits up, rubbing his eyes.
"Naman! Diba dapat Happy Hearts Day? Eh ginawa mong Happy Farts Day e! Kadiri ka!"
"Good morning?" He offers a dry smile.
"Kadiri ka!" She moves and turns away from him.
"Eto naman....parang you don't fart e....." He reaches out to hug her. "Good morning, Sungs!"
"....."
"Don't get mad na...please...." Rj sits up and rests his chin on Maine's shoulder after kissing her on the cheek. "Happy Valentine's Day! Why are you here so early?"
"It's Tuesday, February 14th. It's a weekday and there's work to be done...." Maine moves to stand up.
"Ah....can be mamaya nalang?" Rj tightens his embrace.
"Anong mamaya? It's already 9:00am! Don't you have deliveries and stuff?"
"Hmm...."
"Ay ewan ko sa yo! I have to go down to start work....take a shower na....I'll see you in a while...."
Rj lets out another loud fart as he stands up from bed.
Maine rolls her eyes as she pulls the door handle, "Damak!" ("kadiri!") she says as the goes out of the room.
An hour after, Rj peeps into the home-office to find Maine busy at her desk. He kisses her on the head just as she lets out a loud burp.
"Excuse me...." Maine automatically says. "
"Now....who's damak?"
"....at least my burp isn't baho...
"Oy! My utot is not baho no?"
"Ah really?"
"It's not!"
"Ay ambot sa imo! (Ay! Ewan ko sa yo!)....wala namang utot na hindi mabaho ah...." Maine stands up to fix some papers in the cabinet on the side.
Rj just chuckled and kissed Maine again on the cheek, "Bye na....I'll see you later....Love you...."
"Love you....Take care...." she replied.
Since they got together, Rj has shown more responsibility in many aspects of his life. He left the house to attend to his business which he did more regularly now. Mommy Chat and Daddy Ricky were very sure that Maine's arrival into Rj's life was the biggest reason for the change.
"Maine, Iha...."
"Yes po? Good afternoon po, Sir..."
"Tito Ricky...."
"Uhh...Tito.....you have a meeting with Sir Benjie later at 4pm at Starbucks...."
"Yes...He messaged me...thank you...."
"For you...." Tito Ricky gave Maine a bouquet of flowers.
"Thank you po" Maine said, a little surprised.
"That's not from Rj, ha? That's from me and your Tita Chat. We can never thank you enough for helping Rj become a better person...."
Maine nodded and blushed.
"....you know naman what he was like.....before you came, we had a very hard time disciplining him.....but you, you changed him....360!....."
Maine smiled.
"Eh iha, does Rj bully you? I heard you arguing in his room this morning...."
"....ah no po....pinapunta po ako ni Tita Chat sa room ni Rj to wake him up....eh Tito....utot ng utot....kadiri!"
Tito Ricky laughed. "....sira ulo din yang anak ko e....what did you do?"
"I swatted his arm lang....tapos iniwan ko na po sya dun...."
"....hahahahaha! sana hinampas mo ng unan....haaay...." Tito Ricky chuckled, shaking his head. "That just shows how comfortable and trusting he is of you....we guys are like that.....when we're comfortable with our partners, we don't hide anything anymore....." Tito Ricky smiled at Maine.
"...sabagay...." Maine remembered how they'd have "burp-fests" to see who could burp the loudest.
"O, are you guys going out on a date tonight?"
"Ah no na po Tito....nag-date na po kami last Saturday...."
"Ah talaga?"
"Yes po....we went out to have isaw....street food"
"Street food? Rj ate street food?!"
"Opo! Medyo hesitant sya mag-try nung una pero he ate a lot! I was afraid nga that he would get a stomach ache e...."
"Hahahahaha! Matakaw yang batang yan.....ayaw lang ipakita......pero good....good.....thank you talaga for all you've done for us....for Rj....Your parents sure raised a fine, young lady.....speaking of parents...."
"Uhmmm.....Tatay is an OFW in Italy and Nanay owns a small sari-sari store in front of our house....I have a younger sister, Mai....."
"I see....O sige....finish your work na so you can relax some more before Rj comes home....I'll tell Caring that you'll have dinner here...."
"Po?"
"Have dinner here na....then Rj can take you home after....I'm sure ma-traffic din sa labas kasi Valentine's day ngayon...."
"Oh....okay po...thank you po...."
"Okay....I'll leave you here muna and meet with Benjie....he's organizing our HS reunion kasi.....I'll see you later..."
"Sige po...."
