What If...

17: Brace Yourself

Seeing Tess worried and stern at the same time made me feel anxious too. The fact that she also invited Rina to join in our meeting is no small matter. As she grabbed the tin of cookies from the counter and sat at the head of the table, she requested me to sit on her right, while she invited my ex to sit across me.

   “Are these the cookies that you've baked?” Tess asked Rina while picking a piece of the baked stuff out of the container.
   “Yes, Auntie. I baked those for your son,” she confidently answered but cowed in her seat when she saw Tess giving her the death stare. I’m actually nervous that she might eat the soiled biscuits.
   “Guys, I have something important to tell you,” Tess announced while looking at both of us and holding her cookie. “Remember that I attended from this meeting after church. I've actually met with your father, Rina.”
   “What does he want from you, Mom?” I asked Tess while looking worried at what she will say next and if she will eat the dirty cookie.
   “He found out that you were out of the hospital yesterday. He actually wanted to meet both of us today to discuss on this matter, but I told him that you don’t have to go since you are still recovering from your accident,” my vessel's mother explained as she is about to take a bite of the cookie.
   “And why does he want to meet both of us, Mom?” I inquired further while trying to gesture to her not to eat the filthy nibble.
   She suddenly placed down her hand with the cookie and looked straight at me, “It’s about this video scandal with his daughter!” Rina immediately gulped upon hearing those words.
   “I’m so sorry about that video of me and Alex circulating online,” my ex apologized as she tried to reach on to the hands of Tess.
   “You’ve brought nothing but trouble to my son!” Tess chastised Rina while pushing my former gf's hand away. “I really didn’t like you, but I have to yield to my son for he truly loves you. I don’t want to argue and fight over petty things because he’s crazy over you! And this is how you repay him, by putting him in this grave situation?!”
   “I don’t know what you are talking about, Auntie,” Rina rebutted as she started to turn pale in humiliation.
   “Your father met with me this afternoon, along with this legal representative or something,” Tess narrated to her. “She said she works for your father’s publicist. Your dad told me that your video has spread like wildfire and it’s hurting his image to run for public office. That is why he scheduled a closed door meeting with officials at Montrose tomorrow afternoon. He also invited some media outfits to document this. Your father wanted my son to apologize for what happened and take full responsibility for spreading your video!” While saying that, she looks agitated that she started to raise her hand as she attempts to grab a bite of her gritty goody.
   “I’ve already told your son about that, Auntie. I warned him of my Dad's plans for tomorrow,” Rina cautiously mentioned to the lady with the cookie.
   Tess immediately dropped again her hand with the cookie and slammed us, “So both of you already know about this! You’re not only here to give my son this cookie, but also to inform him that he’s on the hot seat tomorrow! What else did you come here for?!”
   “Umm…that’s all,” Rina nervously answered while looking down in embarrassment.
   “I doubt it! Seeing you with your wet hair and smelling like my favorite shampoo tells me otherwise!” Tess rebuffed the shallow alibi she just heard. “I don’t want to know, for that’s what placed both of you in this sticky situation! I guess we have nothing to discuss between the three of us for both of you already know about this matter!”
   Rina held the hands of Alex's mother, gave that sincere look and said, “I’m truly sorry for putting your son in this compromising situation. I never wanted to repay his kindness and love with this!” My ex started to get teary-eyed while saying that, seeing in her that candor to get us out in this mess.

Suddenly, someone was calling on the mobile of Tess and she answered the call.

   “Hello... This is the mother of Alex Loyola. May I know who's calling?.. You're from Montrose? This must be urgent since you are calling on a Sunday... Yes, I've heard about it. We are currently discussing this with my son at the moment. What's funny is that I heard this first from Mr. Elizalde rather than from the school... I know this wasn't Principal Pfitz's idea. He could have given the decency to provide us a written notice for this meeting... Give me the details... Tomorrow, 3PM at Patron's Hall... Thank you for calling and see you tomorrow.”