Ride Home

twenty-one

"hey tins, kayo na bahala here ah?" I said, getting my bag, natanaw ko na kasi yung kotse ni tyler.

"sige po ate xavie, kami na po bahala" sagot ni tina habang inaayos yung table ng kaka-alis lang na customer, ngumiti ako when tyler went out of the car.

"ba't lumabas ka pa?" I asked him he removed his shades.

"i'll order coffee, masama ba?" he asked, I mocked him, umupo ako sa couch malapit sa door para pagkatapos niya mag-order is aalis na lang kami.

"thank you tins!" tyler said and waved at tina, ngumiti si tina at nagblush.

Pinalo ko si tyler sa balikat paglabas namin.

"ouch!" he said, I rolled my eyes, he opened the door for me kaya't pumasok na ako.

"sarap talaga gumawa ni tina ng kape" he said, I rolled my eyes again,

"kaya pinapa-fall mo?" I asked, his eyes widened, I laughed at his face.

"hey, hindi ko pinapafall si tina" sabi ni tyler, looking at the back para magreverse,

"sure you don't" sabi ko, at nagkibit balikat.

"plus, you make the best coffee, so bakit ko pa papafall-in si tina" Tyler joked as I sipped on the coffee,

"kalasa naman nung gawa ko ah?" I asked, he nodded, his eyes focused on the road.

"syempre ikaw nagturo diba?" he said, I nodded.

"by the way, ako magpapangalan sa baby." he said, nanlaki yung mata ko.

"who gave you the permission? Ang panget mo mag-isip ng name!" I exclaimed, tyler rolled his eyes.

"I think the name Tiger will suit the baby" he said, I made an action na parang nagpu-puke.

"ba't tiger?"

"para cool, Tiger Tio" he said, smiling widely, as if he's proud of himself.

"tapos what? You'll want the kid to go study in UST?" I asked tyler, he grinned and nodded.

"no way!" I said. The ride was silent na kasi I was checking my coffee shop's stocks sa laptop.

"anong feeling?" tyler asked, I looked at him,

"ng?"

"manganak?" he asked, I smiled, excited na talaga 'tong isang ito maging daddy ulit.

"sobrang sakit, I swear, para kang pinupunit, but when you see the baby, sobrang worth it." sagot ko kay tyler, he smiled and gave his pass to the guard para masundo na namin si xavier.

"ayaw niya talaga lumipat sa ateneo or sa xavier?" tyler asked, pinipilit niya kasi na lumipat na si xavi pero ayaw talaga ni xavier. 

I believe na he promised kasi kay javi na sa UP siya magplaplay ng basketball for college kaya until now sa UPIS niya pa rin gusto.

"hey, may dadaanan pala muna ako for gilas, okay lang? Bago tayo mag dinner?" he asked, I nodded lang.

Bumaba ako when I saw xavier, I smiled and waved pero busy siya sa pakikipag-usap sa friend niya. Napabuntong hininga ako, hindi na nga baby yung anak ko.

"hey love" I said, tyler smiled, si xavier kasi ayaw na nagpapakiss sa cheeks.

"hello mama" sabi ni xavier.

"pagod ka na ba?" I asked him, he shaked his head. Chatting someone on his phone, I sighed even more.

"no girlfriends ha" I said looking at him, xavier's eyes widen.

"wala pa nga ma!" xavier said, I rolled my eyes.

"grade three ka pa lang, bawal pa!" I repetead, tyler laughed.

"hayaan mo yung anak mo xavienne" sabi ni tyler, pinalo ko siya sa balikat,

"sus, tandaan mo, maaga kang nagka-anak, pag yang si xavier natulad sayo pag-uumpugin ko kayo" I said,

"mama no, wala pa akong plans maging tatay" sagot sa akin ni xavier,

"ayan, ganyan," sabi ko, sighing. Aware naman ako na gwapo si xavier, syempre gwapo rin naman si tyler, pero hindi pa ako ready na hindi na siya baby.

"i'll name your brother tiger, okay ka ba dun?" tyler asked xavier, xavier laughed.

"yuck, dad, please don't" sabi ni xavier, I nodded.

"sabi sayo eh, yuck." nag high five kami ni Xavier.

"the last time, I let you decide, ipinangalan mo yung bata sa'yo" sabi ni tyler, I rolled my eyes.

"syempre, hindi ikaw umire, sino kaya nag-labor?" tanong ko, xavier was laughing at us.

"fine, I won't name the kid tiger." sabi ni tyler.

"buti naman" sagot ko changing the song.

"mabilis ka lang ba?" I asked tyler pagka park niya, may kukunin lang naman daw siya for gilas, na paperwork, he nodded and bumaba na.

"mama, is that tito javi?"