Bunch of MENDOZAs

Chapter 10

Xyzzy's POV

"May allergies ba kayo?" Tanong ko kila Zahir at Raven na nakatayo lang at naghihintay ng utos.

Malamang wala silang alam sa kusina.

Zahir shook his head. "I don't have. But I hate tomatoes."

"I'm allergic to raw foods or half cooked. While kuya doesn't have." Raven answered.

I faced them and smiled. "Eh yung ibang pinsan niyo, alam niyo ba allergies nila?"

Sa totoo lang alam ko naman na lahat ng 'yon but I want to have conversations with them, and this is a topic I know they will answer.

"Kuya Aki's allergic to chickens. Or anything that has wings." Raven said.

"Kuya Breii and Brile doesn't have allergies." Zahir said too.

Marunong naman pala gumamit ng kuya ang mga 'to.

"Kuya Zaine's allergic to strawberries." They both said.

I stared at them. "I'm really sorry for what I did."

"Yeah. I know I deserve those. Just like what they always say." Zahir said and looked away.

"Nakikinig naman talaga 'ko, especially to kuya but I don't know why he's not correcting me." Mahina namang sabi ni Raven.

"Zahir, Raven... I will always listen to you. To all of you. I promise that."

Then slowly, I saw their smiles.

"I want you to know that you cook good." Raven said. "Ate." He added.

I smiled and ruffled his hair. "Will you slice these tomatoes?"

And he nodded.

I looked at Zahir.

"I never get to cook with a woman like this as much as I wanted to know how to cook." He whispered and played with his hands.

"Then we will always cook." I smiled.

And for the first time, I saw his most sincere smile.

"Now, slice these onions." I said and gave him the onions.

"Yeah. Better than tomatoes." He said. "What are you gonna cook?"

"We will cook pork sinigang with lots of vegetables." I answered.

"Oh eh bakit hindi ka nalang nag pinabet?"

I faced Raven and chuckled. "Pinakbet 'yon."

"Sounds like naman."

"Are you gonna put broccoli?" Tanong naman ng isa. "It gives me nightmares." He added when he saw me raise a brow.

I laughed. "No."

"Are you gonna always cook for us?" Rain asked again.

"Hmm, yes. But, gagawan ko kayo ng schedule kung sino ang gagawa ng tasks in a day. It means, lahat kayo, magluluto, maghuhugas ng plato, maglilinis. And so on." I said while fixing the plates on the plate rack.