Crazy Rich Bea (JiBea fanfic)

Chapter 3

"So, Bea invited me to have a vacation with her in Manila," Jia casually threw out the words in table when she's having dinner with her family one Sunday night. They also live in New York, but in a different borough. "And I said yes."

Her mother's face lit up. "Oh my God!" Then she held Jia's hand, examined it, and raised her eyebrow. "Ay akala ko nag-propose na."

"Mamu!" reklamo ni Jia. Her brother Jobok and her dad just laughed.

Growing up, it's hard being that kid who has the most strict parents. Even if they're in the US, her parents try to make them have the Filipino traditional values. She was not allowed to date until she was 18, and all her past boyfriends and girlfriends (thankfully, they didn't have a problem with her being gay) were scrutinized to the last strand of their hair.

She really can't remember how they transformed from forbidding her to enter any relationship to pushing her to be in a relationship because she was apparently getting too old. You can never count how many guys were reto-ed to her by her mom and her friends. Then now that she's with Bea, her Mom keeps on asking when they will get married. To be honest, Bea and her haven't discussed it before. They talk about the future randomly, with each one at each life's still. It's just that it's never too specific. For example, Bea once casually said how lucky their children would be since they wouldn't have to think about paying student loans since kids of university professors like them automatically get scholarships when they go to college.

"Yes lang kasi sa invitation na umuwi!" Jia added.

"So why do you look so problematic?" her mother asked.

"Bea is planning to stay there for a month because she wants to help with the wedding preparations. Well, first, I don't think I have enough money for that dahil dun sa mortgage ni Ate. Sabi ko kasi sakanya hindi ko pa naman kelangan so hindi niya dapat madaliin pagbabayad saken. I spent the remaining of my savings in data collection for my dissertation and I haven't refunded my expenses yet," Jia explained.

Her Mamu brushed her off, her Filipino accent obvious amidst the full English sentences. "Ay Jia, it's cheap in the Philippines! You can survive with just a dollar a day."

Jia has heard about that for so long. When they were doing groceries when they were kids, her mom made sure for them to hear her rant about this. Everything was way cheaper in the Philippines-- food, soap, gas, everything! Her mom is the one cutting their hair, because paying $20 for it is way too much. Apparently, you can get one in the Philippines for just sixty cents!

"Second, it's our first international travel together. You know it can make or break a relationship," Jia argued.

Her dad chimed in. "Ay, totoo 'yan."

"Papu naman! 'Di ba dapat kokontrahin niyo ako?" Jia argued.

"Anak, you've traveled with Bea naman na within US. Same lang din naman 'yung level ng stress either domestic or international travel. Trust me," her father assured. "Saka para namang hindi pa kayo nagsasama ngayon."

Jia looked surprised. Her Filipino values was so instilled with her that living together with Bea is something that she sometimes feel bad doing. "Papu, we're not living together!" she protested.

"Anak, we know. But what I mean was, you already spent most of your days and nights together. Wala namang masama dun. And my point nga was you knew each other so much already," her father said. "So why are you feeling afraid?"

Jia let out a sigh. "Well, you're right. But, third, I am meeting her parents for the first time! What if they won't like me for Bea? You know how awkward I can be!"

Her mamu, papu, and Jobok all answered Yes at the same time. Then they laughed.

Jia gave them their evil glare.

"Why wouldn't they like you?" her Mamu asked.

"I don't know. Actually, I don't know much about Bea's parents. Bea seldom talk about them," Jia confessed. The only things she knows is that Bea's dad manages a construction company and her mom is in the real state. Her brother is helping their dad with the construction company. Bea has many nice memories with them growing up. But their relationship was strained. From what reason? Bea always finds a way to divert the topic.

"Well, first things first, Bea's from Makati. Pero what are Bea's parents' province again? I've already told you before, people act differently depending on the province they came from," her Mamu said. "Those Ilocanos are kuripot."

Jia widened her eyes at her mom. "Mamu! That's so racist!"

"And Kapampangan are mayayabang," Papu added.

Jia rolled her eyes. "Didn't you grow up in Pampanga?"

"Kaya nga mayabang ako eh."

Jia thought about it. "I think pareho lang silang taga-Makati?"

"Ay salamat," her Mamu let out a sigh.

Jia raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?"

"Well, anak, sa Pinas, hindi ganito ka-liberal ang mga tao ha? Worried lang kami ng Mamu mo na baka they'll give you a hard time. Is Bea even out to her family? Do they even know that they're in a relationship with a girl?" her Papu explained. "At least kapag taga-Maynila, medyo hindi kasing-conservative sa probinsya."

Jia showed a disagreeing reaction. "Oh my God, Papu. Grabe 'yung generalizations mo!"

"Ay that's what you get from not learning much about the Philippines, Jia. Oh sige nga, san kayo matutulog? Share ba kayo ng room? Napaka-PDA niyo pa namang dalawa ni Bea, baka kelangan niyo mag-control dun," her Mom ranted. "Saka pano kapag tinanong kayo anong plano niyo sa isa't isa, anong sasabihin niyo?"

"We're just attending a wedding!"

Her mom shook her head. "Exactly, Jia. You're attending a wedding. You see, that's the first thing you have to be concerned about. In the Philippines, it wouldn't be as simple as attending a wedding."