(Un)Match Made in Heaven © (Wattys 2015)

Chapter 7: Disclosure

May 2014

James opened Kaylie's side of the door. As soon as she stepped out of the car, Kaylie noticed that they were in a sprawling compound. A huge two-storey house made of stone was surrounded by a few houses. Even from afar, she could see Mrs. O'Neil's smiling face. She also saw a bunch of people waiting for them. Suddenly a knotted feeling took over her stomach. She held it with one hand then grasped her shirt tight to try to pacify it. She looked over at James and she was glad that he was one step ahead of her. She blew out an air to calm herself and tucked an invisible hair behind her ears.

But James turned around and reached out for her hand. Kaylie shook her head multiple times but James ignored her as he grabbed her right hand. With false bravado, she allowed him to lead her towards the front of his grandmother's house. James only let go of Kaylie's hand when he hugged his mom.

"I miss you honey." Mrs. O'Neil was still beaming. "Your lola's been waiting since last night." She scolded her son.

"I know, I'm sorry. But we're here now," James apologized for both of them.

Mrs. O'Neil tapped James' right shoulder then turned her attention to Kaylie. After she kissed both her cheeks, she said, "I'm so happy to see you."

"Hi Mrs. O'Neil," Kaylie greeted.

"Oh please, call me Tita Evelyn."

James bent down to kiss his maternal grandmother next - lola Doray. Her light brown eyes shone bright as she saw James. Her white hair tied behind in a bun. She looked frail, her shoulders slumped as she sat on her wicker rocking chair. Her light skin pinkish from the sun, behind the wrinkles was an ageless beauty that was passed on to her daughter. "You're hair is getting long," she said.

"I'll get a hair cut soon," he replied. As James introduced Kaylie, she placed the back of lola Doray's hand on her forehead. Her thin hands touched both Kaylie's cheeks. "So pretty...what a natural beauty. Unlike your ex-girlfriend, full of make-up."

That aroused laughter from the people present. Kaylie looked at James, afraid that it might have offended him. But his face did not display any emotion. "Of course she's pretty. Will I date someone who's not?" James winked at Kaylie. She raised her lips on one side.

James introduced Kaylie to his entire family - the Garcia clan. They're huge. Evelyn was the oldest in a brood of eight - five girls and three boys. However, she got married a few years later than the second in the family, a brother - Ramon. All of his mom's siblings live in Pampangga with their respective families. She tried to keep up with all the names of his cousins but they're just too many. The oldest was Jake, married with two girls.

One by one they kissed Kaylie as if it wasn't the first time meeting her. They talked to her as if they have known her all her life.

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As she entered the house, Kaylie noted that most furnitures were made of solid wood. Mrs. O'Neil explained that the house was built in the 1950s but the facade has since been renovated, and inherited by her brother, Ramon.

For lunch, a feast was laid on the large dark brown wooden dining table. The crispy lechon in the middle were surrounded by an array of traditional Filipino dishes; dinuguan, sisig, nilagang baka, laing, pork barbeque, relyenong bangus, pansit canton, mechado, sinigang na hipon, fried chicken, taba ng talangka, burong isda and chopseuy. James' grandmother was helped at the head of the table by her two sons.

Marilou, Mrs. O'Neil's younger sister and third in the family, commented, "She's better than your ex, she eats everything."

"Ah not everything...I can't eat anything too spicy," Kaylie said looking at James who was busy stuffing his face with so much food.