From maichardism 's prompt on Twitter. Thanks for lending this to me 😊
—
Four cups of water.
Boiled.
Pound two inches of ginger roots.
Put in the water.
A teaspoon of honey.
One seed of a watermelon.
One guava leaf
Entwine the hairs of the two potential lovers and add to the mix.
"Ang kadiri pa din ng pag-add ng buhok, Abuela!" Maine commented, while watching her grandmother mix this brew for another client.
Her grandmother was known in their province as skilled in making potions. Manggagayuma, she is often called, but sometimes "manggagamot" as well. With the advent of modern medicine, some people have been more skeptical and a lot more mean with them.
Maine had always loved her grandmother and from an early age, was fascinated with the different brews that her abuela would come up with in her rustic kitchen. Some would have minty scents, some a little bit stronger and less appealing to her olfactory glands, but all of these Maine was curious with because she loved being with her lola and hearing the stories of what those potions are for.
Her grandmother would brew cocktails for healing everything from a sore throat to a broken-heart.
As she grew older, she started to get teased by her classmates about her lola. Though her Lola Mameng had never been ashamed of her trade, doing this for free and only to people who were desperate for help, she chose to become lowkey about her business when Maine came home crying one day after being bullied by her classmates because, according to them, her lola was a mangkukulam and Maine is surely just as weird.
It was one thing for her to hurt, but Lola Mameng refused to have her beloved granddaughter hurt, too.
So, she pulled back.
But, as Maine grew older and with the clamor of society for organic everything, she found a new fascination for her grandmother's work and they would often spend a few weekends together so that Maine could learn her recipes.
Today, Maine was watching her abuela brew a love potion for a client.
Lola Mameng chuckled at Maine's disgust at reading the last part of the recipe. "Kailangan yan para magkagusto yung taong mahal ng kliyente natin," she explained.
"Ha? Wala pa bang gusto yun? Kung iinumin nung lalaki yan, kahit hindi niya alam kung ano yung pinapainom sa kanya, may gusto na yun sa babaeng yan," Maine countered, flipping her hair.
"Apo, ilayo mo nga yang buhok mo! Baka mapunta dito sa niluluto ko. Ilang beses na ba kitang pinagsabihan niyan?"
She would rarely listen when her grandmother told her to make sure that her hair is tied and in a net when she cooked, whether for meals or for potions. "Sorry, Abuela. Patapos na po ba tayo? Gutom na po ako."
"Ito na malapit na ito. Ayusin mo na yung lamesa."
With one last look at the potion, Maine asked, "Abuela, sigurado ba kayong gayuma yan?"
"Oo. Bakit?"
"Wala po. Mukha kasing salabat."
*
"Menggay, sige na please? Tulungan mo naman itong kababata ko. Desperado na eh."
Maine looked at her good friend Kaye. They were currently on their coffee break and was chatting at the pantry. Friends since high school, they were both working at an advertising agency based in Makati. "Yan ba yung nakatira din sa bayan natin tapos pinagtawanan din kami ng lola ko noon?"
"Ehhh, umm, well, hindi naman siya nambully. Pero nakitawa siya sa mga nanunukso sayo," Kaye said, honestly.
"Ugh. And I should help her because?"
"Because you're nice? Sige na, Maine. She's changed. I can vouch na bumait na siya. One gayuma potion. That's it."
Maine sighed. "Kaye, alam mo naman that I'm still new at this, right? Nung nagpagawa ka nga nung juice para sa sore throat mo, gumaling nga pero naging sipon."
Kaye chuckled. "Alam niya na hindi guaranteed but she just wants to try this kasi hindi talaga siya pinapansin nung gusto niya eh. Soon? I requested her to get this balm for your Lola, yung sabi mo helps her joints? Pero hindi available dito."
Maine knew they weren't supposed to accept payment but it was Kaye who asked, so maybe that was okay? "Hay nako. Sige na nga. Tell her I need her hair."
"Ha?" Kaye's eyes widened.
"Hindi ko kailangan lahat, gaga. A few strands should do. Pati na din yung buhok nung guy na gusto niya."
"Okay, sabihin ko sa kanya to leave some before she leaves from the US. May project kasi siya dun for the next month."
It was now Maine's turn to be shocked. "Ha? Aalis pala siya eh, bakit niya ako minamadali?"
"Baka sakali lang daw in love na sa kanya si Alden when she gets back?"
"Alden?"
Kaye nodded. "Oo. Alden. Alden Richards, yung head nung Finance natin? Nameet daw nung kababata ko sa isang conference at ayun, nagustuhan niya. Kaso nga lang, deadma sa kanya."
Yes, Maine knew Alden Richards, head of their Finance unit. The guy was tough on them and everyone was on edge whenever they would send out of budget requests, because they were sure to be grilled by the guy before any approval is given. The guy was a known workaholic and didn't date, despite the fact that he was good looking and has even been asked to appear in a few of the ad agency's tv or print campaigns.
"Fine," Maine said. "Gagawin ko na. Basta ipadala niya yung buhok." She said, cringing, still loathing the thought of having to drink someone's hair, even if she won't be the one doing so.
"Ayun pala, Meng."
"What?"
"Since aalis yung kababata ko, baka pwedeng ikaw na yung kumuha ng buhok ni Alden. Tapos, ikaw na din magpa-inom sa kanya?"
"What?! No. Kaye! Come back here!"
