Never Fade Away

07

"This is my daughter, Zoey" pagpapakilala sa'kin ni mommy.

"Hello po!" I smiled and give her a hugged.

"Dalaga ka na! So beautiful!" Sambit ni tita Lauren.

Nginitian ko lang siya na parang nahihiya. Ngayon ko lang siya nakita e. I think she went somewhere else and then boom! She suddenly appeared.

"By the way, where are your sons and your husband?" Tanong bigla ni mommy.

"They're at home, don't tell or message them I'm coming home now. Because I intend to surprise them, huh." Mahinang sabi ni tita.

"Okay, okay" sabay zipped kunwari sa bibig ni mommy.

"Osge, I need to go. Let's bonding nalang next Saturday, are you free on that day? With fam sana" sambit ni tita.

"Yeah! See you!" Agad nagsalita si mommy at hindi na nag-isip.

"Good! See you, bye!" Paalam ni tita.

Nag-wave kami kay tita. Noong malayo na siya, tumingin sa'kin si mommy at nginitian ako ng pabiro.

"You think she would go with us, huh" pabirong sabi ni mommy.

Tumango lang ako at hinawakan siya sa braso para maglakad na. Then we went home after our bonding. My day has been so much fun since I'm with my mom, na-solo ko siya yey!

We had many presentations and projects during the week. Friday, I was with Ethan for lunch again. He suddenly invited me because he seemed to tell me a lot.

As usual, he brought us food. Wait! I haven't asked if he cooked it, he bought it or something.

"I haven't asked this yet. Who cooked it? Are you? or did you buy it?" Tanong ko bigla sakanya.

Agad siyang tumingin sa'kin at nginitian ako. Ano nanaman bang nakakatawa?! Nagtatanong ng maayos e!

"I cooked" sagot niya at ngumiti. Pala ngiti 'to!

Tumango lang ako at kumain. This time, kare-kare ang niluto niya. Hindi ko maitago ang reaksyon ko na nagnanamnam, sobrang sarap talaga. Iniisip ko nalang na buti pa siya marunong mag-luto. Katapos kumain, may natitirang time pa kami para mag-kwentuhan dahil nga sabi niya, madami daw siyang masasayang araw sa linggong 'to kaya gusto niyang i-share sa'kin.

"My mom is back in the Philippines!" Ngumiti siya.

"Where did she come from?" Tanong ko.

Napatigil siya bigla sa tanong ko at parang napawi din ang ngiti sa mukha niya. May mali ba sa tanong ko? Bakit?

"She went to the US to work there. She is a Chef. My grandfather owned a business there, so my mother also chose to work there first to take care of their business" Kalmadong sagot niya.

Tumango lang ako.

"Kaya naman pala magaling ka magluto!" Banat ko kaagad, malay mo ngumiti siya kasi bigla siyang nag-seryoso e!

"Really?" Tanong niya at napangiti naman siya sa sinabi ko. Yes! Ngumiti din siya!

"Oo!" Sabay ngiti sakanya. Ngumiti lang din siya sa'kin.

"So chef is your course when you go to college?" Tanong ko bigla.

Umiling naman siya kaagad. "No".