Nathan
8:30 am
Apartment
"So what are your plans today? Chino asked
He was cooking chicken pastel for our lunch habang kami ni Pibi nakaupo sa barstools at nakaharap sa kanya. Kakagising lamg nitong katabi ko mukang di pa sapat ang tulog nya kasi hanggang ngayon nakapikit pa sya.
Me: How could you sleep for 15 hours straight??
She glanced at me.
Pibi: I closed my eyes.
I rolled mine at her.
Me: Well, duh, of course.
She snapped at me.
Pibi: Anong "how" kasi?? Malamang pagod ako, puyat pa, ngayon lang ulit naging free ang weekend ko syempre sinulit ko na!
Me: But that may cause headache, right?
Pibi: I don't actually-
Chino: GUYS! NAGTATANONG AKO!
We both looked at him.
Nathan: What were you saying??
Chino glared at us, and removed his apron.
Chino: Nevermind. Nagtext na si Andeng, I guess my day is already booked.
He threw the apron straight on my face.
Chino: Ikaw na magtuloy nitong pastel ha.
And just like that, iniwan kami ni Chino.
Naluto ko naman ng maayos ang brunch namin ni Pibi, and we ate in silence. Pwera na lang kung may random na itatanong. We agreed na siya ang magligpit ng mga plato dahil ako yung nagluto.
Me: Pat, have you talked to our neighbors?
Pibi: You mean, the kid's parents?
I nodded.
Pibi: Yeah. Thank you raw for baby sitting him, apparently that night they called the nanny kaso hindi pala nakarating. Lucky them, we were here.
Me: Yeah.
I watched her wash the dishes. Alam ko I do look like a creep here, na nag oobserve kay Pibi. But she doesn't care at all so I continued to sit there in silence.
Pibi: Nga pala, nakalimutan ko sabihin. Your dad bought one of my paintings.
Me: He was there??
Pibi: Yes. Kaso nakaalis ka na non. He was with- anong pangalan nung head nurse nila?
I looked down on my palm. That's one subject I've been avoiding since I got back here.
Me: Leela.
Pibi: Right. Leela. Is she your dad's-
She noticed that my face became darker.
Me: secret affair? Yes.
Pibi: I was about to say, girlfriend.
I chuckled bitterly.
She just finished drying the plates, she stood right in front of me.
Pibi: Nate, is there something you wanna talk about? Free ako all day.
I guess I can't avoid this anymore. Maybe it's time to face the truth.
Me: Yeah. Let's take a walk
Andeng
10 am
Greenbelt
