Siena
"Sana ginawa mo na lang na Angelo ang pangalan niya kasi anghel siya. Tapos ikaw si Ina kasi sirena ka. Para sakto dun sa plot na nagmamahalan pero magkapatid... napanood ko na yang teleserye na yan eh. In fairness ha, patok yun," Tala said to me telepathically as I sat by the pool that night.
Bagwis hasn't said a word to me since that afternoon he landed. It had already been two changes of Apolaki and Mayari, who both checked up on me, and still Bagwis said nothing.
"Anong gagawin ko?"
All the stars in the night sky twinkled and I knew Tala was rolling her eyes at me. "Mag-sorry! Sira ka din eh. Asarin mo ba naman yung isa pang tigang. Mag-sorry ka na. Sabihin mo na hindi naman kayo magkapatid diyan."
"I shall tell him we are... housemates?"
"Ay Kuya! Dios mio. Ayaw mo na bang kausapin ka ni Bagwis forever?!"
"Tala, I am shy. What if he finds me too forward for asking Bathala if we can live as husband and wife while we are here?"
The stars twinkle again.
"Tala, stop rolling your eyes at me."
"Nakakainis ka kasi eh. Naglakas loob ka ngang hingin kay Ama na yun ang set up tapos kay Bagwis hindi mo masabi? Naka-drugs ka ba?"
Tala was right.
"I shall speak to Bagwis. But, one more thing Tala."
"Ano?"
"I wish to learn to speak more like you and less like Apolaki. What do you suggest I read?"
Tala told me go on the internet, which I had recently discovered and search for the words: Beki lingo.
And, of course, Tala being Tala, the first words she told me to look for were the dirty ones.
*
I was still trying to learn to cook but from what I read, this a good way to get to a man's heart. Maybe it will also work for a male angel.
The black contraption in the kitchen did not emit fire though. I pressed a button that looked like a fire... but nothing. So I touched the center.
"Ooooouuuuuuucccchhhhhh!"
In a split second, Bagwis was beside me. "Anong nangyari?"
I explained what happened. "Bakit mainit? Wala namang apoy!"
He smiled quietly. "Ganyan na yung mga bagong gamit nila dito. Induction oven yung tawag nila diyan."
I looked at the shiny black surface quizzically. "Makakaluto yan?"
Bagwis nodded. "Bakit ka ba magluluto? Hindi naman tayo nagugutom na nilalang?" He asked while continuing to massage my palm and slowly heal it. "Bakit ba kasi ginusto mo pang maramdaman din ang nararamdaman ng mga taga-lupa."
"Gusto ko magluto kasi baka sakaling hindi ka na magalit sa akin kapag nagustuhan mo yung pagkain. Di ba sabi natin dati, susubukan natin ang mga pagkain nila dito kapag may pagkakataon?"
I saw a small smile at that.
"Naisip ko pala... nais mo bang palitan ang pangalan mo habang nandito tayo? Napansin kong bihira ang gumagamit ng 'Bagwis'."
He pondered on it. "May isang pagkakataon na bumaba ako at may nakakita sa akin. Tinawag niya akong Gabriel."
I wrinkled my nose. The name was good but I just wasn't used to calling him by anything else.
"Pwede naman sigurong Gab? Yung mga letra nandun din sa pangalan ko, baliktad lang. Parang yung ginawa ni Tala kay Lakambakod. Hindi ba 'Mak' ang tawag niya?"
I nodded, practicing calling him Gab silently.
He looked at me. "Ano bang mas gusto mong tawag sa akin?"
Automatically, I answered what I always called out to him whenever we met. "Mahal ko."
He looked like he was desperately trying (and failing) to keep his smile.
But before any of us could say anything, a voice broke through our thoughts.
ANG SWABE NUN, SISTER! PROUD OF YOU POHWZ!!!!
Tala, lumayas ka nga dito!!!
