Bagwis
We loved trying out new things.
I took her to see a movie and she exclaimed after, "It's parang how Ama shows me something! So galing."
We went to a carnival and tried the ferris wheel and roller coasters. I got annoyed when I couldn't win a prize for her in one of the games that required you to put a ring in one of the cones. I had a great aim so I didn't understand why I got nothing.
"It is okay lang," Siena said. "You still have marami pogi points."
While headed home, she stepped on dog poop and it was the first time she got to smell it. "Uuuuuugggghhhhh! That's kadiri."
"Siena, bakit ganyan ka magsalita?" I asked chuckling.
She shrugged. "I noticed that people mix their Filipino and English. I like it. Why?"
"Wala naman."
"Ayaw mo ba?"
"No. I find it adorable."
She beamed.
As much as she seemed to be enjoying herself, I could tell that so many things about how people lived were bothering Siena.
At one fast food chain I brought her to, I asked if she had ever tried some of the offerings here. Her reply, "No, but I've seen a lot of their packaging. Some of my whale friends ate those. They didn't do very well."
Silence passed between us.
We decided to walk around the mall for a little bit because it had a garden in the middle and Siena had taken a liking to trees.
Sitting on one of the benches, we saw a couple arguing. "Bakit ko hindi magugustuhan yun? Eh siya malambing. Ikaw? Wala. Pagod parati. Busy ka nalang parati. Puro trabaho yang iniisip mo wala ka ng oras para sa akin," the guy was saying.
I stared at the woman, who was obviously distressed. "Ganun na lang? Yung ilang taon nating pinagsasamahan?! Itatapon mo para sa babaeng yun?"
"Matagal na tayong tapos. Hindi mo lang napansin kasi busy ka."
When her companion took his leave, I turned to Siena. "Saglit lang ha? Do you mind if I check on her?"
She shook her head. "Please do."
I approached the woman. "Okay ka lang ba, Ma'am?"
The woman was surprised and started to scramble away.
"You deserve better," I said to her retreating figure.
She stopped, turned to me... and smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Thank you."
I walked back to Siena, who was now chewing on her lip. "I hope she's okay."
"Not yet but she will be... I hope."
I took her to a salon to experience having her hair done. "I hear those scalp massages are also great!"
Unfortunately, it didn't turn out as good as I wanted it for her. She was quiet from the moment I picked her up until we got home. "Anong iniisip mo?"
"That woman we saw. The one who the man left for another? The lady who did my hair said the same thing."
"Said what?"
Siena proceeded to tell me that in their conversation she mentioned that she was "Ako yung boss in my place".
"Yung asawa niyo po?" The lady doing her hair asked.
"Oh... uhm... how ba? He's... he's nagbabantay ng mga people. Make sure they're safe."
"Ay parang bodyguard! Naku. Mahirap yan, Ma'am!"
Siena frowned. "No, he's not mahirap. He has pera naman?"
"Pero sigurado po ako mas marami kayong pera kasi boss kayo. Eh kapag mas mataas ang babae, malaki po ang chance na magloko ang mga lalaking yan."
"Magloko? My Mahal is not very funny."
(Of course, I protested this)
"Naku, Ma'am, basta po. Ingatan niyo si Sir. Baka maghanap ng ibang babae yan."
We were at the couch now. "I just have one wish," she said. "If you find yourself wanting someone else, I wish to be told upfront. No hiding."
I turned away and clasped my hands. My jaw was ticking as well. Her lack of faith hurt. "Millions of years and you doubt me because of a few interactions with humans."
"I do not doubt you. But I am aware of my shortcomings. And I don't see things getting better. My oceans are in trouble! There is a lot that I need to do."
I nodded. "I understand this. I have understood it from the moment I met you. I have never asked for anything, have I?"
"That's it. You never have and I worry that you'd just leave because I've neglected you too much."
I looked at her forlorn face, cupped it and knelt before her. "The issues those women had are regrettable— it is regrettable that they had men who are not worth their time. I have visited here long enough to know that it was not the women's work or lack of time that was the problem. It's those men. I am not like them.
"I don't need to be taken cared of like a child. All I need is to know that I still own a part of your heart and I am good. I do not know yet how to make us better but I know that it takes working on this with you."
Siena sighed and kissed my nose. "You have my heart, Bagwis. Next to Bathala, I love you most."
There were still a lot of problems we had to face, but that night, we sealed our bond with many kisses and thanked our lucky stars.
And yes, Tala interrupted us to say, You're welcome!
And
Yun na? Walang SPG na ganap? Babaduy niyo.
