The Travel Buddy

Chapter 14 - The Fight

          "You should be the one cooking for a man, Bea, and not the other way around.  Look at you! Aren't you ashamed of having Enzo cook for you? My God! What would have happened to you had Enzo not come here?  That Roberto will have an earful from me when I get back home. Entrusting you with the hotel staff?! Good thing, Enzo just came here right on time. And speaking of time, what time is it already? You are still in your pajamas?! Enzo's already dressed up to the nines."

          "Tita, Tita, calm down. I got this, okay. It's just bacons. " Enzo paused from his cooking and went to encircle his arms around Mom's shoulders. "And Bea here had been the best companion these past few days." He winked at me as he pulled a chair for her to sit on.

          Mom. She had just barged into my room the moment Enzo opened the door for her, as if she was a hundred percent sure that I'm still on the bed.  My mother surely knows me too well. And now she was pacing around the kitchen while I slouched in front of the counter supporting my drowsy head with my hand.  Enzo had actually readied the breakfast before he tried waking me up this morning. But on my way to the kitchen following him and my yakking mom, I whispered that I wanted some bacons. Hence, he lovingly obliged.

"No! She has to learn. You, too, should stop spoiling her, Enzo. I will not tolerate this high-hat attitude of hers the moment she became a teenager.  She is still under my authority. My way or the highway!"  Mom was gabbing in between sipping her coffee, which of course was prepared for her by Enzo, while I was gulping down my breakfast on the double. I'm doing it in a hurry so that I can get out of the room. "And you, young lady, don't you even know how to take care of Enzo, huh? I told your Dad not to let Doris come here with you so that you will learn how to fend for yourself while Enzo is not here yet... Blah... Blah... Blah..."

"Mom, am I your daughter here? Or is Enzo your son now?" I hurled back without hearing the last of her words. "Because I feel like I'm being obliged to gratify him." I added snootily as I dropped my spoon and fork on my plate. Oh, yes, mothers and daughters always had the best fights and I'm just ready to give her one this morning.

          Mom and I had been bickering for so long that I feel like it's straining our relationship. She's such a pain in the ass especially when I make excuses of not going out of my room, not gracing the parties she wanted my presence in, and not answering phone calls when I don't feel like doing so. I know it was always Enzo who was calling.

"Oh, don't give me that tone, Beatrice." Mom said pompously. "You are getting so spoiled by your father." She stood up and began walking towards me.

"Whoa! Tita..." Enzo positioned himself between Mom and me, and he was muttering something to her which I cannot hear. Then he slightly turned his head towards me who was about a few feet away from them. "Baby, go to your room, take a bath and get dressed, okay? We're going to Disneyland today, aren't we?"

          I stomped my way out of the dining and headed to my room, which by the way, had become Enzo's room for the past week that he was here in Hongkong. Just like the old times back at home, he was doing something with his laptop while I was reading books, and he would often end up falling asleep with me. But his things are still in the other room.

          I was not in a hurry to go out of my room and face mom, so I made myself a bubble bath and lounge in the tub.

          I closed my eyes and contemplated on what transpired outside a while ago. Mom had been acting weird for the past months.  She not even on her menopausal stage yet. Wait!!! While Enzo is not here yet... Enzo came here right on time... Don't know how to take care of Enzo... Baby, go to your room... Baby, go to your room... Baby, go to your room... Did he just call me "baby" in front of Mom?!  Did they plan on his coming here? I told Daddy I wanted Yaya to accompany me and not him. Did her father really fell from the carabao that she had to go home? And why had Enzo arrived exactly the day Yaya Doris went home?  What is going on here?!