Be Mine

7

Carlos finally arrived at their family home at around seven in the evening. Their house is located on the other side of the street opposite of their family-owned resort which is facing the beach. He parked his car and when he got down, he can hear his Mom screaming his name. He ran up the stairs to reach his family.

Once he got inside, he saw his brother trying to feed his Mom. It's dinner time after all.

"Ma, sige na. Kain ka muna. Padating na si Kuya.", his brother pleads.

"Ayoko. Sino ka ba? Gusto ko si Caloy.", his frustrated Mother answers back.

From a far, Carlos can see how his brother frowned. Maybe the thought of having your own Mom forget about you offended him. He saw Christian put down the spoon on her plate.

He saw his father come out from the kitchen, "Wala pa ba ang Kuya mo, Christian?"

"Malapit na siguro yun, Pa.", you can hear the desperate voice from Christian.

He pulled a smile on his face, ready to face his family, "Nandito na ako!", he says.

His Papa and brother both looked at his direction and let out a sigh of relief.

"Kuya! Buti na lang dumating ka na."

He approached his Papa to make mano, ruffled his brother's hair, and gave his Mom a kiss on the cheek.

"Ma!", he sat on the empty chair beside her to see her on an eye-level, "Nandito na ako! Nandito na si Caloy."

His Mom faced him, observing his face, and smiled, "Caloy, anak. Nandito ka na. Saan ka nagpunta? Ang tagal mo naman kasi."

He gave her the sweetest smile back. He missed his family especially his Mom. His mom caressed his face, thinking if her son is really in front of her.

"Kuya, ayaw kumain ni Mama. Ikaw ang gusto."

He nodded, "Ma, nagugutom na ako."

"Gutom ka?"

"Opo, Ma! Gusto ko kumain."

"Sige, magluto si Mama, gusto mo yon?"

"Hindi na, Ma! Ito o!", pointing at the table, "ang daming ulam!", trying to pursuade his mom more.

"Sige, kain ka na!"

"Ay, nako, Mama!"

"Bakit? Ayaw mo ng ulam natin?"

"Gusto ko. Kaso ang gusto ko, sasamahan mo ako kumain. Pwede ba yon?", he replies with his charming smile.

"Pwede! Sige. Sabay tayo, anak!"

Carlos puts food on both their plates and started eating so his mom would eat, also. He looked at his father and brother both looking satisfied at the mother and son scene.

"Kayo, kumain na?", he asks his brother and Papa.

"Kanina pa, Kuya. Usually nauuna ang isa sa amin para may magpakain kay Mama."

He looked at his mom happily eating on her own. He feels happy and heartbroken at the same time. Corazon Concepcion, once the independent, sociable, cheerful, and a hardworking woman is now in this state. They were all in denial at first, but when they observed how their Mama Cora keeps on forgetting where she put some important things, then names and people, and most of all, misplacing some money of the resort. They decided to bring her to the hospital to have her checked. The diagnosis was early on-set of Alzheimer's. Jaime, his Dad, was the one who got hurt the most. He knows how he loves their Mom so much.

They were almost done eating when his brother blurted out, "Kuya, wala ba akong pasalubong?"

Carlos chuckles, fished the key from his pocket and threw it towards Christian, "Ikaw talaga, seventeen ka na pero naghahanap pa rin ng pasalubong."