Change and Chances

Chapter 2 - Aramis Montereal

Our family driver fetched me in the pad at six in the morning.

It's an eight-hour drive from Manila to our province so I was asleep most of the time. May stop over din naman kami ni Manong so that he could rest for a little bit at para din makakain.

We then got into the place by three in the afternoon.

All I could see were trees, grasses and rice fields. Yun ang nadadaanan ng sasakyan namin and I was certain that were almost near at the Montenegro Mansion. Which is by the way, could already be seen from the road that we're in right now.

"Ma'am, pwede ho bang huminto muna tayo saglit? Bibili lang ho ako ng prutas pasalubong sa mga anak ko. Hind na ho kasi ako nakabili ng pasalubong kanina sa Manila e." sabi sakin ni Manong habang papalapit sa isang stand ng mga prutas.

I immediately grabbed by wallet para kumuha ng thousand bill and handed it to him. "Sana sinabi mo sakin manong para ako na ho ang bumili. Eto po oh."

"Naku ma'am wag na ho. Meron naman ho ako." Pagtanggi nya.

"Sige na, Manong. Treat ko na po." I told him with a sweet smile. Nahihiyang tinanggap ni manong yung pera sakin.

"Salamat ho, Ma'am." sabi nya saka ito bumaba ng sasakyan at namili na.

While I was waiting for him, my eyes started roaming around the place and I can't help myself but to take pictures.

The part of the province was somehow already populated than the last time that I was here. Hindi kasing dami ng tao sa Manila pero at least matao at hindi creepy.

Nakakita din ako ng isang malaking basketball court na hindi naman malayo sa kung saan naka-park ang sasakyan namin. It seemed that there was an on-going league because there were so many people watching and obviously, maingay.

"Aramis Montereal shoots and— he scores!!!" the emcee announced aloud and women started screaming their lungs out. Natawa ako ng bahagya dahil doon.

"Tatlong puntos na naman ho at Mukhang MVP na naman ho sya madlang pipol!"muling sigaw ng emcee at mas lumakas pa ang sigawan ng mga tao na naroon.

It seems the guy was that good and a crowd favorite.

Biglang bumukas ang pinto ng sasakyan at pumasok si Manong dala ang pinamili na nilagay lamang nito sa shotgun seat.

"Ma'am, okay na ho. Salamat ho ulit." sabi nito sakin.

"Wala ho yun, tara na po." sagot ko naman at agad din kaming umalis.

When we got to the Montenegro Mansion, agad akong sinalubong nina Mommy at Daddy, Lola at Lolo pati na din ng mga iba ko pang Tito at Tita. Of course, I gave them my respects.

"Habang tumatagal mas lalo kang gumaganda, hija." Lolo trailed off making me smile.

"Kanino pa ba magmamana? Of course, sakin." Lola butted in.

"I thought that you didn't want to come here?" Mom then queried.

"It was just an act, Mom. I wanted to surprise you all so I tried faking an argument."

I lied but, I sweetly smiled at them so they wouldn't notice and it always work naman kasi.