"Po?" Maine asked, shocked that her father already knew that RJ was courting her. Mr. Mendoza scrunched his face in concentration and stared at his daughter closely, causing Maine to fidget awkwardly.
"Siya ba yung Ivan?"Maine's father questioned her. She turned around and saw RJ smiling at them awkwardly.
"Tay ... boss ko 'yan." She whispered at her Dad.
"Ah ... Kumusta po kayo, Ser? Pasensya na iho, pag-sasabihan ko lang yung anak ko saglit." Her Dad told RJ, making Maine even more embarrassed.
"Okay lang po yun. Balik lang po ako sa kotse, nice to meet you po." RJ replied and walked back to the car. Maine faced her Dad and smiled a bit.
"Kanino niyo po nalaman yung tungkol kay Ivan?"
"Narinig ko kasi si Cherry tsaka yung Tita mo na nag-uusap. May manliligaw ka na daw, Ivan daw pangalan. Nasan na yung mokong nay un?" her father asked and Maine just sighed.
"Tay, siyempre nasa bahay niya. Totoo naman po yung sinabi nila, manliligaw ko nga po siya kaso nung isang araw pa lang nag-umpisang manligaw eh. Pupunta nga po siya sa bahay sa lingo daw para magpakilala sa inyo." Maine answered.
"Ganun ba? Oh sige, may ilalabas ako sa bodega mamaya."
"Ano po yun?"
"Yung baril ko."
"Tay naman eh!"
--
Later that night, after eating dinner, Maine and RJ went out of the house for a quick talk. They sat on the garden bench and stargazed together.
"Nakaka-takot pala tatay mo no? Kawawa sigurado yung mga manliligaw mo dati." RJ said after a few minutes of nothing but awkward silence.
"Hindi naman po."
"Bakit naman hindi?"
"Eh wala naman po kasi akong manliligaw noon eh. Dalagang Pilipina ako." Maine replied, surprising him.
"You? Dalagang Pilipina? WOW." said RJ in disbelief. Maine rolled her eyes and pushed him away playfully.
"May reklamo ka?"
"Wala ... WALA ... by the way, bakit nga pala pumunta dito yung tatay mo?"
"Ah, nalaman niya kasi na nanliligaw si Ivan. Sinabi ko na rin sa kaniya na pupunta si Ivan samin sa weekend para magpakilala." Maine answered. RJ's heart skipped a beat. He looked at Maine with wide eyes.
"What? Pupunta si Ivan sa inyo?"
"Yes, Sir ... este RJ. Sinabi na niya nung isang araw."
"Then I'm going to cancel all appointments next week." He said before pulling out his phone to text his assistant. RJ felt slightly mad that Ivan didn't tell him he was going to meet her parents. But at the same time, he completely understood his friend's move because they were both in a competition for Maine's feelings.
"Bakit po?"
"Isn't it obvious? Hindi naman pwede na si Ivan lang ang makikilala ng parents mo. Dapat ako din. Mas gwapo tsaka husband material kaya ako kesa dun."
"Ah ... emeghed."
--
"Mom, I can't believe you allowed RJ to do that! He's courting the maid! THE MAID! For all we know may nangyari na sa kanila at three months from now meron na namang bagong anak yung mokong na yan." RJs' father told Lala after she gave him a quick recap of everything that happened since Kirby came in their lives.
"Nakita mo ba kung gaano siya kasaya ngayon? Richard, ang gusto ko lang ay maging masaya si RJ .... Yun lang." Lala replied.
"But Ma ... we all know naman na impulsive si RJ. Baka kung ano naman ang magawa nun." Mrs. Faulkerson then told her.
"Eh di haharapin niya kung ano man yun. Ang hirap kasi sa inyong dalawa, hindi niyo kilala yung sarili niyong anak.Yes, he's impulsive and childish pero underneath all that nakikita niyo ba lahat ng good qualities niya? Yung performance niya sa office eh maganda kaya maluwag ako sa kaniya. Alam niyo ba kung ano yung sagot niya nung tinanong ko kung niya gusto mag-trabaho sa family business? Sabi niya gusto niya kayong ma-impress. Para naman daw mahalin niyo siya kahit papano. Ramdam na ramdam ko yung sakit sa boses niya. Kaya patawad kung sa tingin niyo kunsintidora akong Lola." Lala said hurtfully.
"Ang gusto ko lang naman eh-"
"That's enough, Richard! Hayaan niyo na lang siya sa gusto niya, okay? Ni hindi nga kayo pumunta nung na-ospital siya last 2013. He could have died that night ... he was so down and yet nasan kayo? Nasa America nagpapakasasa sa yaman ng pamilya natin." Lala yelled at her son. RJ's parents stopped talking and they just kept their heads down.
"Dapat nga mahiya kayo sa sarili niyo. Magulang kayo pero iniwan niyo yung anak niyo dito dahil hindi kayo magkasundong mag-asawa. Tama nga siguro yung sinabi ni RJ sa'yo, Richard. Mas mabuti nga siguro na umalis na lang kayo."
--
"Meng ... ikaw na talaga ... ikaw na ikaw na ... bigyan ng jacket yan!" Cherry yelled after Maine told her RJ's plan of properly introducing himself to her parents next week.
"Hoy! Baka marinig ka na naman! Gaga ka talaga!"
"Sorry naman. Teka, meron akong importanteng tanong tungkol kay Ivan."
"Ano yun?" Maine asked before closing the door to the maid's quarters.
"Ano yung foods na dadalhin ni Ivan?"
"Baliw ka talaga." Maine said and they both laughed.
"Nga pala ... kumusta ka diyan? Kinakaya mo pa ba? Pogi na nga yung boss/manliligaw po tapos meron pang isang gwapo din." Cherry asked her.
"Okay lang naman pero shet ... ang dalas ma-trigger nung pagiging marupok ko. Pogi nila eh." Maine answered, making her best friend laugh.
"Patay ka niyan ... sinong pipipiliin mo?"
"Mahal ko o mahal ako? Emeghed."
"Gaga ... si Ivan ba o si RJ?" Cherry questioned her.
"Wala pa."
"Sure ka? Memetey?"
"Ikaw kayang patayin ko? Wala pa nga eh."
--
"I don't think that's a good idea," Carter said through the phone.
"Why not?" RJ asked. He just told his best friend that he was going to introduce himself to Maine's parents next weekend.
"Dude ... kasi kapag nalaman nila na si Maine ... their daughter .... Is being courted by her boss, siguradong papaalisin nila yun sa'yo."
"Why?"
"Hello.? You're with her 24/7, they're not. Siguradong iisipin nila na she's in danger kasi you like her ... may pagnanasa ka sa kaniya." Carter replied and RJ grunted her.
"Pagnanasa? It's not pagnanasa, you idiot."
"I'm just saying, bro. Are you ready though?"
"Ready for what?"
"To lose her just in case?"
"I don't know, I still want her around," RJ answered.
"Okay. By the way, bro ... I have to tell you something."
"What is it?"
"I'm currently at the airport waiting for my flight to Singapore and I saw someone," Carter said.
"Who?"
"Kristine."
"Oh."
--
Surprise! A double-update! stay tuned for more! :)
