Mak
She did not make things easy for me. The entire night, she kept creeping into my mind whispering things like
"Can I sleep beside you? Or pwede din let's not sleep?"
"Lamig dito! I need some heat!"
"Do you want to know what I'm doing to you now in my imagination?"
Pambihira.
Nanghaharot, hindi naman nagsasabi na in love na siya sa akin. Aba, hindi pwedeng walang commitment. Kung magtatanim ako, dapat may aanihin!
Naks, perfect motto ba para sa Crop King?
Jusko, nahahawa na ako kay Tala.
Anyway, I went out when the Sun was up and was immediately greeted by two little angels.
"Good morning, Uncle Mak!"
Lakan and Mayumi, Mayari's children, greeted me. Lakan was holding a portrait of me, Mayumi of Tala. Then, they made the pictures kiss.
"Punta na po kayo sa dining room! May handa po si Tita Tala!"
I followed the two giggling angels out.
True enough, the table had all kinds of food from different parts of the Earth that we liked.
"Good morning!" Tala said.
"Uncle Mak, sit down na po! Nagprepare po si Tita ng breakfast niyo!"
When I sat, the three of them fussed around to get the food out. Mayumi and Lakan would whisper to each other, "Will they get married na?"
"Will those fruits make them love each other?"
"Sabi ni Ina aalis na tayo kapag magkikiss na sila!"
Then, they would giggle again.
There was one moment when Tala took long in the kitchen, the children stood with arms crossed facing me, faces in a pout.
Lakan asked, "Will you break Tita Tala's heart? If you hurt her, I will tell Ina to battle you."
"If Tita Tala cries, I will fight you, Uncle Mak... but I will say sorry because sabi ni Ina bad mag-fight." Mayumi.
"Lakan? Mayumi? IF Tita Tala loves me, I promise to take care of her. Do you know how many stars are there in the sky?"
"Billions. Madaming madami yung galaxies and madaming madaming stars yun," they said.
"That's how much I love her. Eh, paano naman si Uncle Mak kung hindi ako love ni Tita ninyo?"
They launched themselves to hug me. "We will love you still, Uncle."
"Lakan? Mayumi? Tawag na kayo ng Ina ninyo," Tala said.
Just before they left, they both whispered, "Love ka ni Tita Tala! Hihihihihihihi!"
When it was just the two of us, I asked, "Bakit tayo may breakfast?"
"Ano... so... so I can propose."
"Ha?"
"Hindi ko na yata kayang maghintay until tonight eh. Mamamatay na ako sa kaba," she said.
"We don't die."
"I know. You know what I mean."
Before we could debate, I circled back to what she said, "Wait. You said you'd propose...?"
She cringed and bit her lip.
"I'm not the Sun... or the Moon.. extra lang talaga ako sa kalangitan eh, sure I make it more beautiful but kahit wala ng makitang stars bukas, I doubt people would mind."
I frowned, but she prevented me from interrupting.
"But, when I'm with you, I feel like I'm just as important as my brother and sister. I don't know how to be a girlfriend and I have a lot to learn about being in a relationship with another god who has been my friend for literally the longest time, but I'd think I'd like to pass on that."
My shoulders slumped and my heart broke. Looking down at my clasped hands, I was surprised when I saw Tala's face suddenly appear.
She was kneeling.
"I'd like to pass on being a girlfriend... But I would like to move on to being your wife. Ayoko na yung maraming arte and I'm not in this temporarily. I want something permanent."
My eyes widened in shock.
"Mak? Will you marry me and allow Bathala to bind your heart to mine for the rest of our existence?"
"Tala, seryoso ka ba?"
"Oo. Mukha ba akong nagjojoke? Hinaharot lang kita kasi tigang na ako pero mahal kita."
I cupped her face. "Totoo ba 'to?"
"Oo nga. Masakit na yung tuhod ko 'no? If you're going to decline, can you say so already?"
"Paano kung mag-no ako?"
She rolled her eyes, and I pulled her up so she could sit on my lap. "Plan B, involves me without clothes. If that doesn't work pa din, I'm going to ask Bathala na itwist yang golden rod mo patagilid at idikit sa katawan mo. Tingnan ko lang."
I laughed and stared at Tala. "Mahal mo talaga ako?"
"Oo nga."
"Tala?"
"Yes, Mak?"
"If I say yes, pwedeng may Plan B pa din?"
She beamed. "Parating kasama yun! So... you'll marry me?"
"I'd be honored to."
*
For a week, scientists were unable to explain why the stars seemed to randomly give off bursts of light, sometimes it appeared golden.
Farmers, on the other hand, were also curious but thankful that the soil seemed fertile and a lot of seedlings were doing well.
In heaven, Tala and Mak had been holed up in their space and have not allowed anyone to bother them. Tala insisted that it was time for Mak to plant golden seeds and he did so happily... over and over and over again.
THE END
