Note: Hi! I wasn't able to update yesterday because I got a headache but I'll try to make up for it today. 😊
—
"Uncle Mak, maybe dapat bring mo si Tita Tala sa dates. Ganun yung mga people na napapanood ko eh."
I stared at Lakan, who was furrowing his brows and pouting. He was deep in thought trying to come up with ideas for me. He wasn't Cupid for nothing.
"Oo nga eh. Pero ano pa? Kailangan special kasi matagal-tagal ko na din dine-date si Tita mo pero hindi niya napapansin na love ko na siya."
"Hmmm... how about yung sa mga computer computer? Yung may thumbs up ka lang tapos girlfriend na."
I chuckled, but before I could say more, Tala came in ranting.
"Wish ng wish manalo sa lotto... EH TUMAYA KA KAYA!"
"Ano na naman issue mo?"
"Nakakainis kasi yung isang nagwish. Gusto manalo sa lotto. Pero kapag nanalo yan balak niya iwan ang asawa niya. HMPH."
Lakan gave me a little nudge and pointed to his aunt and made a hugging gesture then gave a sly smile as he tiptoed away. The little angel was too innocent to interpret what he knows, he was just going by what he often saw. "Si Ama palagang yakap si Ina kapag nagagalit."
Oo nga, pero in love ang magulang mo, kid. Kapag niyakap ko bigla si Tala, baka tunawin niya ako sa inis. I am after all a minor god compared to Tala. I approached her as Lakan took his leave. "Init ulo. Tara, bili tayo ng gelato sa Italy?"
I was positive her eyes burst with fire. "Ayaw ko ng gelato!!!!"
"Eh anong gusto mo?"
"Sorbetes."
*
We found a sorbetero and purchased the biggest cone and asked for numerous scoops that made it so tall. Now, she was happily eating it.
"Thank you, Mak."
Oops I forgot to tell you, Mak nga pala yung parang nickname ni Tala para sa akin. She found Earth nicknames cute and one day told me she wanted one for me. It was either that or Laks or Baks. I went with Mak.
"You're welcome, Tala. Wag na kasing mainit yung ulo."
"I'm a star. I am naturally hot."
"Oo, hot ka talaga," I muttered.
"Ha?"
"Ha? Sabi ko, ikaw ang goddess ng star, hindi ikaw ang star."
She rolled her eyes. "It's the same thing."
"Pero bakit si Apolaki. Siya naman yung araw pero hindi ganyan ka-init ulo?"
"Malay ko! Iniinis ko ba talaga ako?!"
I laughed. "Oo!"
She wrinkled her nose and pouted. Then, suddenly looked up to the sky. "Awww there's a little girl making a wish."
I searched the sky for the same little girl she was listening to. "She is ill."
Tala looked at me with sad eyes. "She will pass soon?"
I nodded sadly. It is painful to be the healer of diseases and not be able to do much.
"Is there anything you can do? Ease her pain at least?"
I agreed and checked the little girl's body riddled with tumors, found one that was causing the most pain and healed it. I had to stop myself from touching the others.
She still felt weak and had a difficult time because I cannot heal all of it.
Turning to Tala, "What is her wish?"
"She wants to have wings like a butterfly," she smiled. "I cannot give her a real one... but I will make her dream so life like that she'll think she had a pair."
"Good. Make her wings the most beautiful, okay?"
She nodded and started on it.
Because she was so busy making the little girl's dream the best one yet, her ice cream melted. "Natunaw —"
I handed her another cone, just as tall as her previous one. "Your reward for being a good star."
She giggled. "Mak, gusto ko mag playground!"
And so we spent the rest of the Earthly day, transporting from country to country, playground to playground.
