flipflop (completed)

18. crushes

"Mano po, Mama..." Thirdy greets Ricci. The Faulkersons like to hang out in their living room. Ricci had just come in from the kitchen this late afternoon. Diego is reading a book.

"Hi anak....o, what's that?" Ricci asks after seeing Thirdy snatch the paper he was writing.

"Uhmm....ehhh.....nakakahiya...." Thirdy hides his things and scratches his head. He is blushing. Years have passed and Thirdy has grown into a fine young man.

"Uuuyyy....si kuya...."

"Wag ka nga!" Thirdy tries to shush his little sister, Charmaine. She was playing quietly in the corner when Ricci came in. She blesses Ricci's hand and gives her a hug. Charmaine moves up to the sofa where Ricci and Thirdy were now sitting.

"Ano yan, Kuya?" Diego puts down his book and asks Thirdy. He transfers to the sofa so they're all seated beside each other.

"Wala po, Dada....wala po...."

"Eh bakit namumula yang ears mo....para kang si Mama e...." Diego teases as he touches Thirdy's ears.

"Huh?" Charmaine sits up and looks at her parents.

"...namumula ang ears nya na parang chicharon pag kinikilig...." Diego explains.

Diego and Charmaine giggle. Ricci covers her ears and giggles. Thirdy tries not to smile.

"....hmm....I think I know why...." Ricci teases. ".....may crush na si Kuya...."

"....ahh..ehh.." Thirdy tries to hide his embarrassment.

"Ano ang name nya?" Ricci asks.

"Scarlet!" Charmaine blurts out.

"Chuchay!" Thirdy reprimands his little sister.

"Scarlet? Hmmm.....yung daughter ba yan ni Vicky?"

Thirdy doesn't react.

"Si Scarlet nga!.....lumipat po siya sa school namin.....pareho silang grade ni kuya...." Charmaine explains.

"....classmates?" Ricci asks.

Thirdy nods slowly.

"Hmm.....nililigawan mo ba?" Diego asks.

"....parang...." Thirdy answers hesitantly.

"Anong parang?"

"Ehhhh....."

".....Dada, I think, nahihiya pa si Thirdy....." Ricci says, tussling her boy's hair.

"Ahhh.....basta pure ang intentions mo, you're good.....show her that you're a good person...." Diego advices.

Thirdy shares that he was smitten by Scarlet when he saw her at school. Diego looks at Ricci and raises his eyebrows at her. The "scenario" described by Thirdy was "oh-so-familiar" to them. Ricci smiles, trying to hide her giddiness.

"Mama?" Charmaine speaks.

"Yes, baby?"

"Paano po kayo niligawan ni Dada?" Charmaine, who is now 8 years old, asks.

"Hmm....he wrote me letters....."

"Letters?" Charmaine repeated.

"Oo...."

"......Chocolates? .......Flowers?" Thirdy asked.

"Minsan meron din....pero mas maraming letters....." Ricci shared.

"Hmm....ano naman yung laman nung letters?" Charmaine is curious.

"Secret na yun...." Thirdy says. "....mahaba ba yung letters?" he continued.

"....hindi rin....yung iba, note lang.....meron pa nga na sinulat lang sa pinunit na paper...." Ricci recounts, giggling.

"....eh kasi.....wala akong gaanong budget nun e...." Diego says in his defense. "...noon, madalas akong humingi ng paper kay Ninang Mai or Nongnong Joey...." Diego added in a loud whisper.

Everyone laughed.

"Okay lang naman....it's the thought and the message that counts naman e...."

"...ahhh.....eh.....where are the letters?" Thirdy is curious.

"....secret nalang yun...." Ricci smiles.

".....I still give Mama letters and notes...." Diego shares.

"You do?!" Charmaine and Thirdy speak at the same time, astounded by this "revelation".

"Oo.....kasi I can't always express what I want to say to Mama.....but I love her very, very much....."

"Kuya, susulatan mo din ba si Scarlet?" Charmaine asks Thirdy.

"....hmmm...." Thirdy thinks

"....just be honest with her and with yourself....respect her the way you respect your Mama and Lola and yourself..." Diego says.

"....most importantly, be yourself....let her get to know the good person you are...." Ricci seconded.