Philippines
March 2017
"I hate you, Dad!!" she said pagbukas ng pinto para papasukin ang daddy niya.
"Idea yon ng mom mo, and actually, she's on the way here. Are you ready for a long sermon?" Elmer asked.
"Who says she will? I bought her pasalubongs. Look at the table, that's all hers."
Bea is so sure na madadala si Det sa pasalubong.
"Tiniran mo ko ng Baked Crabs?" tanong ni Elmer habang tinitingnan ang mga pasalubong ni Det, both from NY and Sudan.
"No." Tinaas ni Bei ang kilay niya. "You can go to The Grid any day naman eh," reklamo niya.
"So, he didn't ask you out?"
"He didn't see me."
"What? How?" gulat na tanong ni Elmer.
At sakto namang lumabas si Manang from the kitchen.
"Nagtago, Sir eh. Ako po nagbukas kay Chef kanina."
"Hala, buti hindi nagtaka."
"Ay, Sir, sobrang windang nga ata siya na nandito ako. Sinaraduhan ko na lang ng pinto agad pagkabayad."
"Good job, Manang," Bea praised her.
"Bad ka talaga, Beatriz," Elmer said at napailing na lang.
After a minute, Det arrived, and her daughter was right. She's happy to see all the pasalubong na nalimutan niya na Bea ghosted her and didn't tell her na she's been here for almost a week.
"So, anong nangyari sa meetup niyo after a month of ghosting him?" tanong ni Det sa anak habang kinakain ang pasalubong ni Bea na cookies from NY.
"Manang answered the door for me. Hindi niya ko nakita, Mom."
Det is not surprised. She knows Bea will do anything para hindi sila magkita ni Thirdy.
"You know that you'll see each other sa blessing, diba?"
"Kuya knows na ba na I'm here?" she asked both her mom and dad.
"No. He's busy," Elmer said.
"Oh, okay. I'll call him tomorrow na lang since Mom found out naman na."
"Let's go grab dinner?" Det asked.
"Where? The Grid? Kayo na lang," Bea said.
"Hmmm. Actually, I'll say The Pearl, pero parang I'm craving for Kare-Kare ng The Grid," Det teased her daughter.
Elmer chuckled while Bea rolled her eyes.
"Tara, Bei. Wala naman siguro don si Chef kasi he's meeting Loel for the menu sa blessing ng bahay eh."
"Everyone knows me there."
"So?" sabay na sabi ni Det at Elmer.
"They'll tell Thirdy."
"They know that you guys broke up."
"Ohhh, really? How?" she curiously asked because Thirdy isn't the type of person na nagsshare ng problems.
"Your dad will tell you the story if you'll join us for dinner."
"Fine, but not sa The Grid."
Nagtinginan ang magasawa and said, "Okay, fine."
And they drove out together with Manang.
Sobrang daming tao sa mga restaurants na pinupuntahan nila, causing them to leave and find somewhere else.
First, they went sa Misto in Vertis North, then they checked Victorino's, and next, Provenciano. Noong medyo gutom na silang apat, Manang asked,
"Bakit nga hindi tayo pwede sa The Grid? VIP kaya sila Mam at Sir don."
Napatingin naman si Elmer at Det kay Bea, waiting for her approval.
"Fine! Sige! They'll see me din naman sa house blessing, but I'll text Kuya na I'm here na ah."
Nagngitian ang magasawa because successful ang plan nila.
Bea texted Loel,
"I'M IN PH ALREADY. DINNER AT THE GRID WITH MOM & DAD. YOU'RE WITH HIM NAMAN DIBA SO HE WON'T SEE ME??"
After a few seconds, Loel replied,
"He missed you, so if one of the staff calls him to tell him you're there at di ko siya kayang pigilan, wala na ko dyan."
Bea sighed.
"Okay."
Ever since Bea left, hindi na pinapakielaman ni Loel si Bei. Kinokonsensya niya ang kapatid, but he also knows na kung ano man yung desisyon ni Bei, final na yon.
Pagdating na pagdating pa lang nila sa The Grid, Kristine welcomed them and hugged Bea.
"We missed you, Mam."
Bea smiled. "How are you, Tine?"
"Okay lang po. This way po, Mam, Sir."
And Manang was right. Kahit there was a waiting list, VIP table pa din yung binigay sa kanila.
Everyone's smiling at Bea, kahit mga bagong staff na hindi niya nameet.
Elmer was the one who ordered.
Bea asked the waiter, "What's your dessert for today?"
"Cheese Tarts, Turon Crepe, and Chocolate Fudge, Mam," the waiter answered.
"No pudding?" she asked.
"Uhm, Mam, wala na po."
Bea just nodded and ordered Banana Crepe.
When the waiter left them, Bea said,
"He removed pudding sa menu."
"Actually, pudding is the reason why all of them found out na break na kayo," Elmer said.
"Huh?"
"The day you left, buong gabi nagstay si Thirdy sa kitchen. He was making pudding and drinking beer. He said that YOUR pudding is his comfort food, and now that you left, he'll be the one to make it on his own. But my poor almost son couldn't get the same taste of your pudding, kaya ayon, medyo nagbasag si Thirdy ng ilang bowls. They saw him the next morning with swollen eyes, nakatulog sa kitchen habang may pudding sa floor."
Bea felt the pain. Yumuko lang siya, and sakto naman a waiter served their food.
"Don't worry, anak. He's fine naman na. Loel and Van helped him," Det said, trying to lift up her daughter's mood.
"That's good. I hope he's doing well now," Bea whispered.
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author's note
Cold weather, but I pray your heart finds warmth. Sending all of u hugs!!!
jayexx
