RJ was about to sleep when he heard the gate bell ring. He looked out of the second-story window and saw her mom standing right outside the property. RJ sighed and went downstairs to let her in.
"What are you doing here, Mom?" he asked in an impatient tone.
"Well, I was hoping you'd let me stay for at least a week. Gusto ko lang makilala ang apo ko." His mom answered and RJ laughed a bit.
"You? Gusto mong makilala si Kirby? Ako nga di niyo kilala eh anak ko pa kaya?" he asked her. Annoyed by what was happening, RJ suddenly wished he didn't open the gate for his mother.
"Please, RJ ... you want us to correct our mistakes, right? This is me correcting MY mistakes. Please." His mom begged. RJ looked at her for a second before his thoughts started calming down.
"One week? NO. One day? YES." He told her and Mrs. Faulkerson's mouth fell slightly open.
"One day? Paano ko siya makikilala ng husto kung one day lang?" his mom questioned him.
"Well, that was definitely more than the time you spent trying to get to know me. You will stay here tonight in the guest room. And tomorrow ... before midnight ... I expect you to be gone." He told her.
"But RJ-"
"Enough ... I'm done talking." RJ said and walked away with tears welling in his eyes.
--
"Sigurado ka bang gusto mo pang bumalik dun?" Maine's mom asked her before they started eating breakfast the next day.
"Siyempre po. Bakit naman hindi? Ma, hindi naman ibig sabihin na may gusto siya sa akin eh may gagawin na siyang masama kapag kami lang ang magkasama. Kilala ko siya, hindi po niya magagawa yun sa akin ... baka ako pa po yung magyaya sa kaniya." Maine teased and received intense glares from both of her parents.
"Joke lang po yun! JOKE LANG!" Maine then yelled, quickly taking back what she said.
"Hoy Menggay, umayos-ayos ka ah. Hindi porke pinayagan ka namin bumalik sa trabaho mo ng isa pang linggo eh gaganyan ka." Maine's father told her. Her eyes widened and she shot him a startled look.
"ISANG LINGGO? Pa naman, biro nga lang yun."
"Meng, ayaw namin na ang kasama mo lang sa iisang bahay ay ang manliligaw mo. Hindi magandang tingnan. May isang linggo ka pa para maghanap ng trabaho, kapag wala kang nakita eh uuwi ka na dito. " He said with such finality in his voice that Maine decided not to argue anymore.
"Okay po."
After eating, Maine organized her stuff and placed them inside her father's jeepney. Her mind got filled with a ton of racing thoughts because of what her father said. Maine totally forgot about the possible consequences of RJ letting his feelings for her go out in the open. And because of that, she would have to leave her job in a span of seven days. Maine settled on the space next to her bags and bit her lower lip, wondering how she would tell RJ about what just happened.
"Okay ka na ba?" her mother asked. She looked up and nodded at her.
"Meng, alam kong gusto mo yung trabaho mo pero tama naman ang tatay mo eh. Hindi magandang tingnan na nakatira ka sa isang bahay na manliligaw mo lang at ang anak niya ang kasama mo. Strikto man ang tatay mo eh may dahilan naman siya. Tsaka para na rin pag nanligaw yung dalawa eh sa bahay na, mas makikilala natin sila. Wag mo na ring intindihin yung pera kung wala ka mang mahanap na trabaho, kami na ang gagawa nang paraan dun." Mrs. Mendoza said before sitting next to her daughter. Maine smiled and rested her head on her mother's shoulder. A few moments later, her father came and asked if she was ready to leave.
