Saturday afternoon and I was too lazy to do anything else other than lie in bed. I was supposed to meet someone in less than four hours but I wasn't in the mood to go to a spa to have myself prepped like my mother had told me to do.
Why are my parents in such a hurry to marry me off? My God, sa panahon ngayon, uso pa pala ang blind dates? I'll only be turning twenty-seven, may career, may ipon, at higit sa lahat ay may plano sa buhay. Akala yata nina Mommy ay thirty-seven years old na ako kung madaliin nila akong mag-asawa.
"Ate!" I heard someone call out.
I sat up. Imposibleng si Enid 'yun kasi ang alam ko ay nasa labas s'ya...
"Ate!"
I got off the bed. "Enid?" I called out as I opened the door. "Enid, I'm in my bedroom!"
"Ate!"
I was surprised to hear my sister crying. As the youngest she's doted upon and spoiled rotten. Crying wasn't part of her repertoire.
"Baby, what's wrong?" I asked going down the stairs. "Ano 'yun? Bakit umiiyak ang baby namin? Who made you cry?"
Enid is a menopausal baby. My mother was already in her early forties when she had my sister and I already had my debut when she was born.
"Ate, come with me, please....samahan mo ako..." my sister said, her lower lip trembling as if she was trying to contain a pain that was too great for her. "Please..."
"Saan tayo pupunta?" I asked as she took my hand in hers before pulling me along with her. "Teka lang, nasaan si Yaya? Bakit mag-isa ka?"
"Yaya is with Mommy. She has an appointment with our dentist..."
Oo nga pala. Sinamahan nga pala ni Mommy si Yaya Cora sa dentista dahil sumasakit ang ngipin n'ya.
"Teka lang naman, saan ba tayo pupunta? I am not dressed properly. Look at me, I haven't even washed my face or combed my hair and my shorts are too short. Plus, I'm just wearing a sando."
"Ate, please, we have to hurry. They're at the playground..."
"Sino?"
"Basta..." Enid replied vaguely.
I stopped walking.
"Ate, halika na!"
"I can't go out looking like this, Enid. You know that. See, the straps of my bra are visible from under my camisole. Remember what Mommy told us about not leaving the house without being properly dressed—"
"I know what Mommy said!" My sister stomped her foot before she cried harder. "But, I need you now. Ate, please..."
I inwardly groaned.
"Please..."
"Okay..." I finally relented.
"O, saan kayo pupunta? Lalabas kayo?" Manang Mely, one of our house helps asked. "Bakit gan'yan ayos mo, Ayn? Lalabas kang nakagan'yan?" she added.
"Nagmamadali, eh," I replied as my sister let my hand go to run out the door. "Sabi ko nga magbibihis muna ako pero ayaw pumayag. Hindi ko nga po alam kung sino ang hinahabol namin."
"Magagalit ang Mommy mo kung lalabas kang 'yan lang ang suot. Teka nga, d'yan ka lang...mabilis lang ako..." she said before leaving.
When she came back, she was carrying clothes with her.
"Ano 'to, Manang?"
"Blusa at palda. Isuot mo na muna. Sa akin 'yan, bagong laba."
"Ate! Halika na!" Erin yelled from outside the house. "ATE!"
