My Boyfriend is a Freak (Published under Pop Fiction)

48: Vren

I couldn't believe it when I learned it was Mom — my very own mother — who urged Vira and Vince to humiliate me in front of my employees by forcing me to have a birthday party.

Am I not too old for this kind of shit?

When we finally arrived at Ayala Hall, I was completely mortified to find it already in full capacity. My siblings and my girlfriend, on the other hand, were clearly pleased at the sheer number of people who wanted to celebrate my special day.

"Mom is so brilliant, isn't she?" Vira giggled. "She called me a week ago, reminding me of your upcoming birthday. And she encouraged me to enlist Vince and Mira's help in planning a surprise party for you."

I groaned. "Did you really have to do it, though?"

"Come on, bro. Don't be such a party pooper." Tumawa si Vince.

"Easy for you to say. You're not the one being humiliated," I mumbled. "Hey, please tell me it wasn't Vira who did all the cooking. I don't want my employees to suffer from food poisoning."

"¡Tonto! Of course I didn't cook." Vira rolled her eyes. "Ever heard of catering, Vren Andrei?"

"You should've just donated everything to Angels' Cradle. Mas natuwa pa sana ako sa inyo."

"'Wag kang mag-alala. Pupunta rin ngayon ang mga bata," nakangiting sagot sa akin ni Mira.

"Seriously?"

"Uh-huh." My girlfriend chuckled at my reaction. "Ako ang nakipag-usap kay Sister Amy para imbitahan sila. Actually, malapit na raw sila dito."

"So, this is really a full-pledged birthday party." I sighed. "Someone slap me to wake me up from this horrible dream."

"You're not dreaming, bro." Si Vince naman ngayon ang tumawa. "Look." He pointed to Ayala Hall's enormous doors. "Your little visitors have arrived."

"Kuya Vren!" My mini-me, Vren Andrei, came running towards me, followed by a bunch of other kids.

"Hey! I missed you, kiddos." I knelt down to level with them, grinning, my aversion to birthday parties already forgotten.

"Happy birthday, Kuya Vren!" the kids chorused in their tiny voices. I managed to catch a glimpse of Sister Amy, who was trailing them, before the little ones had engulfed me in a group hug.

"Dito ka po pala nagtatrabaho, Kuya Vren?" one of the kids asked.

"That's right." I patted him on the head. "At masaya ako na nakadalaw kayo rito."

"Pwede po bang dito rin ako magtrabaho paglaki ko, Kuya?"

"Ako rin, Kuya Vren! Gusto ko ring magtrabaho rito."

"Sama ako! Ano bang gagawin natin dito?"

I let out a hearty laugh and heard Mira and my siblings do the same.

"Lahat kayo, pwedeng magtrabaho rito. Pero kailangan niyo munang mag-aral nang mabuti. Maaasahan ko ba 'yon?"

"Opo, Kuya!" sabay-sabay nilang sagot.

Suddenly, a high-pitched voice filled Ayala Hall. It was magnified by a microphone, which made it ten times more painful to the ears.

"¡Hola! Ladies, gentlemen, and kids, please take your seats dahil magsisimula na ang program natin. Kaya gora na, karaka-raka! Baka maubusan pa kayo ng upuan! Wiz tayong pinlano na Trip to Jerusalem para sa araw na ito."

"Please tell me this is just a mistake," I said, eyes widening in panic. "No way will Alexia be emceeing my party."

Pinagtawanan lang ako ng mga kapatid ko at ng girlfriend ko.