Sweet Serendipity - [AU]

4. On The Way

RJ's phone rang as he walked towards his car. It was his mom, Rio asking him to take his Lola home to his Ate April's condo.

"At anak ha. Kung kasama nyo pa yung hinalikan mo kanina, isama mo na din dito. Gusto ko syang makilala. Ang ganda nya. Tama si Allan K. Bagay nga kayo."

"Ma, pati ba naman ikaw?"

"Hoy, Richard. Alam mong pareho kami ng Lola mo ng gusto. Ang magka-apo sa iyo. Yang Kuya RD mo, mukhang matatagalan pa. Kaya ikaw na muna mauna."

"Ma, ilang oras pa lang kaming magkakilala ni Nicomaine, baka naman isipi---"

"Nicomaine-- ang ganda ng pangalan nya, Tisoy!"

"Hay nako, Ma! I will not bring Nicomaine home. At least not yet." He paused to smile, realizing that whatever happens today, he still would want to see her again.

"Naku, naku, anak. Ramdam ko yung ngiti mo hanggang dito."

"Ah, basta Ma. Pupunta muna kami ni Lola sa bahay nila kasi nagagalit ang Tatay niya tapos saka kami didiretso kina Ate April."

"Don't worry, RJ. I'm sure you'll charm him. Basta pagkatapos dumiretso kayo dito sa condo at may surprise party tayo for Mama Linda. Magingat kayo ha."

"Opo, Ma. Love you."

"Love you too, RJ."

****

"Apo?"

"Yes po, Lola?" She asked as they wait for RJ to pick them up.

"Sana, next time, ikaw naman ang makilala ng pamilya ni RJ." Her wrinkled arm hooked around Nicomaine's.

Just then, RJ pulled over and got out of the car to assist his grandma. "Anong pinagkukuwentuhan nyo, La?" He asked skeptically, nervous that she might have said anything that could turn Nicomaine off.

"Tinatanong ko si Nicomaine kung pwedeng sa susunod sa bahay naman sya dumalaw."

"Lola, malay nyo po. May ibang pagkakataon pa naman po eh."

"Talaga apo, may ibang pagkakataon pa? Ibig bang sabihin nyan may pagasa nitong si Tisoy ko sayo?" The old lady beamed, clasping her hands together.

"La, ano ka ba? Wag nyo namang ipressure si Nicomaine." He smiled shyly, excited at the possibility of seeing more of her after today.

Lord, paano mo ba lamunin ng lupa? Pedeng now na po? She prayed, she wouldn't be surprised if her face was as red as his ears right now.

"Hay nako. Hala na. Tayo na. Nicomaine, Apo, pakibigay mo sa akin yung number ni Ark, ano. Mukhang bagay talaga sila ni RD e."

"Sige po, Lola. Single naman po si Ark." Lola could just be her new favorite person. Well except for RJ, but he belongs to a different category.

With RJ driving the car, lola insisted that she stayed on the backseat while Maine sat shotgun. It was a quiet ride until Lola linda cleared her throat causing RJ to grip his steering wheel tighter. "Naku, La, ha. nakakakaba ka. Ilalaglag mo na naman ba ako?"

Maine chuckled beside him. 'Grabe ka kay Lola. I, for one is interested to know what she has to say."

"Eh pano kasi, Ricardo, napakatahimik mo. Ako na lang makukuwento. Alam mo ba, Nicomaine, itong si RJ..."

"Lola, ako na po. sige na po. Magkukuwento na po ko!"

Maine couldn't help but me amused at how much RJ and his Lola adore each other. It was something she never got to experience growing up. "Buti ka pa nga, RJ you still have Lola Linda. Nakakatuwa kayo. Yung lola't lola ko sa side ni Tatay, nakabased sa California tapos yung parents nanan ni Nanay, wala na sila even before I was born."

"I'm sorry, hija. Don't worry. Pwede mo naman akong maging Lola e."

They felt more comfortable after that and on their own, they fell into conversation about their childhood, almost forgetting Lola Linda at the backseat. The old woman on the other hand, just sat back and smiled, all the more convinced that her grandson and this young lady did not just meet by accident today.

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A/N:

Eto na sya finally. I've written this a few weeks ago but I needed to iron out some kinks muna on how I want this particular scene (and those sa mga succeeding chapters) to go bago ko ipublish. Sa mga naghintay, thank you. Realidad and writer's block got in the way but thank you for still reading. 😘

@writingmaichard, this is for you. Thank you for your never ending suppoet and encouragement. Love you to bits. ❤

As always, let me know what you think by tweeting me at @bankingonkismet or commenting down below.