Tú Eres Mi Sol

XLVII

Richard steps out of the shower. He just landed in Manila a few hours ago. He puts on his clothes, combs his hair and checks in the mirror.

He goes out of his bedroom, knocks at another door and opens it.

"Mom"

"RJ, Hijo. Welcome home! Anong oras ka dumating? I thought later ka pa. How was your flight?"

Richard walks to his mother, kisses her cheeks and hugs her.

"Kanina lang, Mom. Okay naman, though tiring."

"Are you okay, bubba RJ? You don't seem yourself?"

"Ganoon na ba ako ka-transparent, Mom?"

"No, Hijo. Maybe not to the rest of the world. But your dad and I raised you. You know you can tell Mom anything."

Richard nodded and continued to hug his mother.

***

"Faulkerson, kailan ka dumating?" a series of handshakes and fist bumps are exchanged

"Kanina lang. Gutom na ako, pakainin niyo naman ako!"

"Hay naku, Sam, kakarating lang nito, nagpapalibre agad." Je tells Sam.

When people would ask how they'd met, they'd say they met in elementary, well that was correct technically.

Richard was plagued by asthma as a kid, a physician advised Rose that swimming would be good for the kid. The clubhouse in the village offered summer swimming classes, she wanted to enrol Richard when he was 6 but he suffered from asthma that year and the next year, too. Finally, he was enrolled when he was 8, it was Dei and him who were enrolled in class. Dei, younger than him joined another class but it was the same time and day.

It was Richard's first time to do exercise of sorts and engage in sports. He was frail, lanky and shy kid. The swimming coach taught them breathing and kicking exercises, he didn't know if maybe he was new at it, he was slow in grasping the lessons. It may have been what annoyed the kid next to him.

The next day, the kid starting kicking him underwater when the coach was not looking. A young Jerald and Sam saw it. They told the coach but the other kid feigned innocence. Sam and Jerald invited Richard to move to their side instead which he did. There he would meet Rodjun, Mark and Kristoffer, who he would learn later have been taking swimming classes as a group and they started three years ago.

The next few weeks, Rose noticed that Richard was developing friendships with the five other kids. Rose was very pleased with this development as she feared for the development Richard's social skills compared to his siblings. She was also able to make friends with the other kids' parents as well.

At the end of the course, Richard was comfortable and close to the other kids. Rose would ask the kids to come over their house. But since the other kids were in elementary school, she'd organise playdates for Richard and the other kids during holidays, weekends or school breaks.

Over the years, the five guys would become a fixture in the Faulkerson home.

"Ang sarap talaga ng pagkain niyo dito! Na-miss ko to!" Richard said

"Syempre! Pero teka, kwentuhan mo naman kami ni Je tungkol doon sa girlaloo na nagtatago noong nagvideo call tayo."

Richards eyebrows furrowed

"Naku, Sam, kahit ata i-torture natin to si Faulkerson, walang mangyayari."

"Wait lang Je, anong oras na ba?" Sam checks the clock on his phone and then types something on his phone.

"Samuel!" a woman's voice could be heard

"Dei, andito din si RJ at si Je. Magsusumbong ako"

"Bakit?" Dei's voice sounded sleepy still

"Alam mo bang si Faulkerson may inuwi na babae sa apartment niya?"

Upon hearing that, it was like cold water was splashed on Dei's face. She became awake in an instant

"Babae? Saan? Kailan?" she asked

"Hoy, Sam. Anong pinag-chichismis mo kay Dei, baka maniwala yan!" Richard said.

"Totoo, Dei. Naka-video conference ko yan si RJ, nakita din nga ni Je e!"

"Bakit ako nadamay?"Je said

"Noong nasa San Francisco itong si Faulkerson, yung babae Dei, itinago ni Faulkerson sa ilalim ng kumot!"

Dei was trying hard not to laugh.

"Tapos, nakita niyo ba kung anong itsura?" she asked pretending to be serious in asking

"Hindi nga e. Magaling itong magtago."

"Hoy, parang wala ako dito ah! Kung makapag-usap kayo" Richard butted

"Dei, wala ka bang nakita? Sabi ni Auntie pumunta ka daw para bisitahin ito e" Sam said pointing at Richard

Dei now a little flushed and trying to hide it.

"Wala e, Sam. Wala ngang evidence. Siguro nag-general cleaning yan yung nalaman niya na padating na ako!"

"Hahaha. Dei, possible."

"Hoy, Faulkerson, Be responsible ha? Be safe. Pwede ang mga dates pero don't make babies just yet. I will personally go there to whack you on the head. Baka mahimatay si Auntie Rose!" Dei said.

"Talaga ba pwede magdate?" Richard asked

Sam gave his phone to Richard. Seeing that Richard was the only one on the screen, hers eyes became as wide as saucers as if giving him a warning

"Sabi ko nga. Good boy ako." Richard added.

"Bye na! Behave kayong tatlo ha? I need to go to the shower and go on a date." She ended the call. Richard whose expression now changed, clearly bothered by what Dei said.

"Hoy, Faulkerson. Kanina ka pa tulala, pansinin mo naman kami ni Je!"

"Narinig kasing makikipagdate si Dei, ayan yung animal instinct niya lumabas" Sam said and laughed.

"Uwi na ako! Salamat sa late lunch!"

"Tingnan mo to, sinabi lang ni Dei na may date, uuwi na. Je, pigilan mo"

"Family dinner kami sabi ni Mom"

"Ayun naman pala, Samuel. Sige, alis. Mapagalitan pa kami ni Auntie Rose. Dismissed ka na!"

They all laughed, Richard stood up and left the restaurant.

In the car, he sends a message to Dei.

Richard: Date, is that serious? 😭

Dei: Yup! 😍

Richard: Why? 😭

Dei: I want to have fun 😘

Richard: Are you making fun of me?

Dei: Of course not. I have a date. I'm going to be late. I'm sure I will have fun with my date. And I'm spending the weekend in London. 💃🏻

Richard: What? Weekend in London? Dei, don't play with me. 😡

Dei: I'm not kidding you I have a date!

Richard: I'm gullible at the moment. I'm hopping on the next flight.

Dei: You're usually calm and collected, almost zen. It's strange seeing this side of you. Did you ask who I'm going on a date with?

Richard: No. 😢

Dei: My grandparents are in town and they want to see their favourite grandkid. Opa is going to take me on a date as he always does for afternoon tea while Oma shops. Then we'll all have dinner.

Richard: I'm sorry. I can't help it when it comes to you. 😔

Dei: Buddy, You don't have a choice. You're stuck with me whether you like it or not 😝

Richard: I like! I like! 😋