Mai:
"Yes, Tito. Bye. See you later." I saw Jeremy hang up the phone.
"Si tito Jeron mo?" I asked.
"Yes, mommy. He said he's on his way to pick us up." He said while walking his way to the breakfast nook where I was preparing his snack.
Kumunot ang noo ko. "Us? Bakit? San tayo pupunta?"
"Mom?!" He sat at the chair in front of me. "Nakalimutan mo na? We're going to the National Library. Remember?"
"Ngayon ba yun?" I asked again. I've been busy with household chores kaya nakaligtaan na ang araw at hindi ko naalala na ngayon na pala ang usapan namin na pupunta kami sa National Library para sa going-down-memory-lane project namin.
"It's today, mommy. And you better get yourself ready 'cause tito is on his way."
"Pero wala pa ang daddy mo. Saka I'm sure, pagod na naman yun after training. Sa ibang araw na lang kaya, anak." Bumalik na kasi si Jeric sa training ng team nila after getting a go signal from his doctors and therapists. Kaya lagi na siyang pagod whenever he comes home.
"But mommy?! Tito is on his way already. And si tito naman ang magda-drive not daddy." Mapilit talaga si Jeremy. You'll never win an argument against him. Manang mana sa daddy niya.
"I'm home." Speaking of the devil.
Jeremy and I looked at the door. Jeric went in. He dumped his gym bag to the sofa and slammed himself beside it after. Ganito ang hitsura niya araw-araw. Pagod na pagod. Dahil siguro sa haba ng pahinga niya after the accident, hindi pa sanay ang katawan niya sa grueling training. Start na ng eliminations so he must catch up with his teammates.
"Gusto mo ng water o ng juice?" Yun naman ang una kong sinasabi whenever he comes home tired.
He just looked at me. Yan naman ang lagi niyang ginagawa pag inaalok ko siya ng maiinom pagdating niya. He will just look at me. Stare at me na parang may gusto siyang sabihin but always chooses not to say it. He'll just rest his head on the couch and say, "No, thanks."
Nasanay na ako na lagi siyang tumatanggi kaya pinagpatuloy ko na lang ang ginagawa ko.
"Dad, mag-change ka na ng clothes. Baka malapit na si tito Jeron." Sabi ni Jeremy sa kanya paglapit nito sa kanya.
"Why? Where are we going?" He didn't even look at Jeremy.
"We're going to the National Library. Remember? Stand up na, dad." Jeremy pulls his dad up.
"Kayo na lang." Jeric went back to the couch. "I'm not going."
"But dad?!"
I knew Jeremy wanted to say more to his dad pero pinigilan niya ang sarili niya when his dad glared at him. Mainitin ang ulo nila pareho pero mas mainitin ang ulo ni Jeric since he went back to training.
