ONE LITTLE KISS (AshRald FanFic)

Chapter 5 - A Glimpse of the Past

"Manong Cris!" Gerald exclaimed, tagging Sarah along, and walked immediately towards the man seated in a bamboo-made long chair in front of their house. The house was also made up mostly of both Bamboo and Narra trees. It has big a door and windows, letting the house be filled with fresh air from the outside and sunlight.

The person he called Manong Cris, in his mid 50s, looked at him; he widely smiled as soon as he recognized the young man who called him. "Gerald?" He immediately put his coffee aside and sat up to meet him.

"Manong Cris! Kumusta po?", Gerald excitedly asked and walked double time. They hugged and patted each other's back. "Gwapong gwapo pa din ah".

"Hahaha! Ikaw talaga Gerald, di ka pa din nagbabago" Manong Cris laughed and placed his hand on Gerald's shoulders."Nagsasabi ka pa din ng totoo! Hahaha!".

"Ang tagal na po nating di nagkita. Kumusta na po kayo?"

"Maayos naman! Maayos. Naku mabuti at napadalaw ka? Kumusta ka na? Ang mommy at daddy mo kamusta na sila? At nagkita na ba kayo ulit ni..." He stopped when he noticed Sarah who is standing behind Gerald "...nag-asawa ka na pala?"

Gerald smiled.

Manong Cris move forward a little and bend his head to the side to have a better view of the young woman standing behind Gerald. Sarah smiled at him. "at napakaganda ng misis mo".

"Paano na si Sarah?" Manong Cris whispered silently at Gerald.

Gerald laughed and moved a little to his side; giving way for Manong Cris to be able to look at Sarah closely. He smiled, "Manong Cris, hindi nyo po ba siya namumukhaan?"

He looked back at Sarah. "May kamukha nga siya..." His eyes widen, he moved his eyes between them, then finally settled to Sarah. His eyes grew bigger as well as his smiles. "Sarah?!" He walked in front of her. "Sarah! Ikaw nga!" He happily said. "Tignan mo nga naman! Sinabi ko na nga ba, kayo talagang dalawa ang magkakatuluyan!".

Sarah smiled. "Hello po...M-manong Cris." Sarah said shyly.

"Naku Sarah anak, kumusta ka na? ang ganda ganda mo lalo ngayon, natutuwa akong makita ka ulit". He looked at Gerald and punched his chest lightly. "Napakaswerte ko iho! Sa wakas, natagpuan mo na ulit siya, kaya pala ang tagal mong di nakabisita"

Gerald laughed and held Sarah’s hand. "Oo nga po Manong Cris, napakaswerte ko po.” He looked at Sarah who is curiously looking and smiling at them.

“Naku mga anak, matutuwa si Manang Bikbik nyo nito!”, Manong Cris said, still ecstatic.

“Nasaan po si Manang Bik-Bik, miss na miss ko na po siya at ang chicken curry nya”

“Ayun nasa loob, tamang tama, nagluluto, dali pasok kayo pasok, dali”. He goes inside their house and excitedly called out his wife “Marivic!! dali, halika dito! May bisita tayo! Naku matutuwa ka!”

“Si Manong Cris tauhan ni Daddy dati and si Manang Bik-Bik, his wife, siya yung nag-alaga sakin nung bata pa ako. When Manong Cris decided to retire, dito na sila tumira. Dito kita unang dinala noon, and almost every weekend pinupuntahan natin sila. Minsan kasama ang mga kaibigan natin, pero madalas tayong dalawa lang”. He explained; an answer to the questions in her eyes. Sarah smiled. He guided her inside the house.

“Dali pasok kayo, maupo muna kayo dyan at tatawagin ko lang ang Manang Bik-Bik nyo”.

They sat and he held Sarah’s hand. “Are you ok?”, he asked.

“Yes, nakakatuwa naman si Manong Cris at kahit di ko na matandaan, napaka-warm ng pakiramdam dito. Thank you”. She said.

"Wait till makita mo si Manang Bik-Bik, napakamaalaga nun sa atin" He smiled at her.