Ang Kasarian ng Pag-ibig

14 - CASAA Food Center

Nadatnan ko si Ma sa den sa bahay namin sa Green Meadows. Nakasuot siya ng long-sleeved cotton shirt at leggings at nakatayo sa ibabaw ng kanyang pink na yoga mat. Currently ay nasa Warrior II position siya. Dalawa lang ang ibig sabihin niyan pag nagyo-yoga si Ma. Either stressed siya o masaya siya. When she didn't smile when she saw me, medyo may idea na ako kung ano ang dahilan ng kanyang pagyo-yoga.

"Hi, Ma!" Pilit ko pa ring maging cheerful.

"Joshua Matthew." Binuo niya ang pangalan ko. Not a good sign at all. "Hindi ka sumipot sa birthday ni Tita Cynthia mo last Saturday."

Umupo ako sa nag-iisang sofa sa den na nakaharap sa nanay ko. "Ma, di ba sabi ko finals week namin at kailangan kong mag-check ng papers at deadline sa pag-submit ng grades last Saturday?"

"It wouldn't have made a dent in your schedule if you showed up for just one hour. At sa White Plains lang naman yun, on a Saturday evening!"

"It's not as if they missed my presence."

Nag-shift si Ma to the Triangle position. "They were looking for their government employee."

"Technically, contractual employee po ako as I am a project-based research associate and a part-time lecturer. So I take it dumating si Tita Doris?"

"Of course dumating si Tita Doris mo! She never misses a party. And she never misses checking the attendance."

Nag-recline na lang ako sa sofa. This might take a while.

"She also said she saw you and Dexter at UP Town Center the other week."

Bigla akong nanigas sa sofa. But I tried to act casual. "Yeah, we bumped into each other. Nagmamadali siyang umuwi. Baka manonood ng Forevermore?"

Shifting to the Tree position. "I don't think she watches such telenovelas."

"Come to think of it, she strikes me as the CNN-type. Business news."

"She notes you don't have a girlfriend." Yikes! Heto na.

"Hindi ko naman ipinagkakaila yun."

"She thinks she knows why. And she shared it with us."

Bigla akong napaupo. "I'm sure it's interesting. Pero punta lang muna ako sa kitchen to grab something to eat."

'Joshua, stay." Hindi nga ako umalis. Then nag-assume ng Bound Ankle pose ang nanay ko habang kami ay face to face. Huminga siya nang malalim. "Is there something you wish to say?"

"What do you want me to say, Ma?"

"Whatever you need to say, but I'd rather it comes from my own son."

Nag-staring game kami for a few seconds. Lagi namin itong ginagawa ni Ma nung bata ako, and I always lost. This time was no different as I blinked first. Pagkatapos ay napayuko ako.

"Bakit ka nahihirapang sabihin?"

"I—I don't exactly know. I thought it shouldn't matter. But now I'm terrified to think that I may have disappointed you."

"You've done splendidly so far."

Tumango ako. "Okay. Erm. Here goes." Breathe in nang malalim. "Dexter is my boyfriend."

Ma sat motionless for some time. Then nag shift siya to the Corpse position and waited for a few seconds bago nagsalita. "For how long?"

"Since February 14 pa."

"Valentine's Day??"

I grinned. "Hindi naman sinasadya." Sabihin ko sanang tinulungan ako ni Gloc-9, pero baka mahirapan pa akong mag-explain.