That Summer When She Cried

Those Days Of Summer

Life has surprising ways to make us smile and laugh. One moment, you're parting ways. The next blink of your eye, you're saying hi. It goes around and I realized that when you open yourself into giving, you receive more.

-Andie

--

"Manang, pakilagyan pa po ng isang quail egg. Yun po," Jeric instructed their cook. He was holding a container with his hand while their cook was filling it.

It was a Wednesday morning and still having classes that final week, agad na nagpaluto si Jeric ng pagkain sa kasambahay pagkagising.

They were still filling the contents of the container when his mother appeared on the kitchen and saw him standing in front of the stove.

"May milagro ba at ganyan ka kalapit sa kalanan ngayon?"

Jeric looked where the voice came from and saw his mother. He took a step backward and kissed her. Matapos ilagay ang pagkain, he had it covered. Jeric went back to the dining room and joined Almira for breakfast. Sasabay ito sa kanya pagpasok.

"Something cheesy is going on," she said the moment he took a seat. "Laging wala sa bahay at nagdadala ng pagkain. Ligawan 101 all over again, after the breakup stage."

Jeric looked at his sister. "Was that for me?"

Patay malisyang nagkibit-balikat si Almira.

"I'm not courting anyone."

"Bakit hindi mo yan ipakilala samin?" his mother started asking, taking a seat. "Pinakilala ni Jeron yung girlfriend nya, bakit ikaw hindi?"

"Guys, I'm not courting anyone and I do not have a girlfriend," he said firmly. "May kaibigan lang ako na dapat puntahan sa ospital kaya lagi akong wala."

"Hindi pa ba nakakalabas yan until now? Isang linggo na yan di ba?"

"Nakalabas na po," he answered while eating.

"So what's the food for?"

"Dinalhan ko para makabawi sya. Girls, why is it a big deal? You bring food for your friends too kahit walang okasyon, di ba? May pinagdadaanan yung tao, bakit naman hindi?"

Almira smiled at him. "Defensive mo," she said. "Pakilala mo yan samin next time."

--

He found her on the hallway of the building walking while she was on the phone. He called her name but Tanya didn't seem to have heard him kaya tinakbo na lang nya ito. She raised her hand to keep him quiet while she was on the phone.

"Napadaan ka?"

"I brought lunch for us. Kain tayo," he said and pulled her straight going to the cafeteria. Pagdating sa kainan, Jeric took a seat beside her saka inayos ang pagkain nila.

"Nagluto ka?" she asked him.

"No. Pinaluto ko lang yan sa helper namin," he said and opened the small tupperware. There was a mix of pork and squid on it.

"Jeric, I'm so sorry but I don't eat squids," she told him when she saw the contents. He paused, somehow disappointed.

"Allergic?"

"No. Ayoko lang talaga," she admitted. "I don't like the way it looks."

"It's okay. I have a second one anyway," he said and opened the other one. May laman naman itong chopsuey. "This is her specialty and you'll like it."

"Dalawa dala mong pagkain?" she asked, almost wanting to laugh when she saw the second container.

"Oo. Masama ba? Kailangan mong bumawi this time sa kain after being on the hospital most of the time," he said and he started serving her food.