Jef the Mother

XXXV

JEF'S POV

Monday, ang pinaka patay na araw sa talyer.
Wala masyadong customer na nagpapagawa o nagpapalinis.

Maya maya, may pumasok na kotse.
Bumaba dito ang isang babae na sobrang pamilyar sakin.

Foreigner sya at blonde ang buhok.

Lumapit sakin si Edgar, "Ma'am, ikaw na makipag usap. Mukang english lang naiintindihan nyan eh."

Nilapitan ko ang babae.
Nang nakita ko ang mukha nya ng mas malapitan, feeling ko nakita ko na sya dati.
Hindi ko lang matandaan kung saan.

"Hi! What can we for you?"

Ngumiti naman agad ang babae.

"Oh hi, actually I won't avail any of your services."

Hindi mag a-avail? So ano?
Ginawang parking lot ang talyer?

"I'm sorry, I was just looking for Gail Basco. Do you know him?"

"And you are?"

"Uhmm.. I'm Lauren. I trained him in New York."

"Oh yes, well I'm his wife, Jef." nakita ko kung pano nag iba ang expression ng mukha nya nung sinabi kong wife ako ni Gail, pero agad ding ngumiti ulit. "Actually, he's at work today. Do you want to wait for him?"

"Is it okay?"

"Yes, let's wait for him at our house."

Sakto naman na nag tricycle lang ako papunta dito kaya naki sakay na lang din ako sa kotse nya.

Pagdating sa bahay ay inalok ko syang pumasok pero ininsist nyang sa garden na lang sya mag iintay habang nag la-laptop. May mga kailangan lang daw syang gawin. Kaya nag decide akong mag trabaho na lang din sa laptop ko sa tabi nya.

Mga 7pm.
Dumating na si Gail.

"Babe! I'm home. May bisita ka pala." Tumingin ito sa nakatalikod na Lauren.

Lumingon naman agad si Lauren nang narinig ang boses nya.
Halata ang pagka gulat sa mukha ni Gail nang makita si Lauren.

"Babe, pasok muna ako sa loob para makapag kwentuhan kayo ha? Kunin ko na bag mo." Tumango naman si Gail at hinagkan ako pero di pa din maalis ang tingin neto kay Lauren.

Pumasok na agad ako.

GAIL'S POV

"Hi, you're here."

Tumayo ito sa kinauupuan at bineso ako.

"Surprise!"

"Why are you here?"

"Are you not happy to see me?" Umirap ito sakin, "can we just sit first before I tell you the whole thing?"

"Anyways, I'm currently on vacation and I decided to visit the Philippines since I got so curious through your stories. That's why I visited you directly at your house and not at the office."

"Oh really," actually ang awkward talaga ng feeling ko ngayon dahil ang last nga naming kita ay hindi maganda.

"Okay I get it. This is because of what happened the last time right? But I won't apologize for it, really, because that's what I really like to do." Natatawa pa ito habang nag e-explain, "and I also came here to do it the right way."

"What do you mean?"
Do it the right way? Ano? Maglalasing sya ng tama?

"I will court you."

Wala akong masabi.
Ano bang pinagsasabi nitong babaeng to?

"Don't you have anything to say? I'm not joking here."

"You are fully aware that I have a wife, right? And she was with you earlier, right?"

"I know. But.. I just can't help it anymore. I just feel that I need to do something with this."

Di ko na talaga alam anong ire-react ko.

"I'm sorry but that won't change anything, I am very happy with my wife and my daughter."

"Turned down again for the second time. Okay, I'll leave for now but expect it that this is not the ending."

Agad nyang inayos ang gamit nya. Lumakad na ito pero huminto sa harap ko.

"Reminder, this is not the ending." Bumeso pa ito bago ito lumabas ng tuluyan.

Ano na naman ba to.