Say My Name

Chapter 9-MuTur's Dad

Rina was over the moon for having MuTur. She asked her friends way back in high school on what food should her turtle eat. When she finished talking to them, she opened her browser and started searching the internet on the what-to-do-list if you have a turtle pet.

She saw vegetables, fruits, flowers and greens were in the engines. She frowned. This turtle looks like a high maintenance person who is on diet. MuTur is probably giggling right now if the pet can read what's on Rina's mind. 

She needs to do groceries for MuTur. She might as well look for it's house. A simple turtle tank will do. MuTur is still young. Much more, the boarding house doesn't have much space for a big turtle house. Tita Mary might freak out if she buys a big and expensive house just for the turtle. 

Moments after, she heard a knock on their room. She quickly opened the door and saw one of the girl boarders who is occupying the other room.

"Rina, papasok ka ng school? Sabay na tayo." Ann said. Hindi talaga yun ang pangalan ng babae. It's her nickname. Gaya niya ay mahaba din ang pangalan nito. Ayaw pa niyang tawagin siya sa full name nito.

Rina inwardly chuckled at that thought. "Sure thing. I'll just take a bath and we're good to go. Can I bother you to wait for me?" 

"Oh, no worries. Nag-aayos parin naman ako."

Rina went to the bathroom. After she took a bath, she quickly did her hair and put on her organizational shirt. It's the university's rule to use the org shirt or department shirt during Fridays and Saturdays. More often than not, students forgot to use their department shirts during Saturdays since only few courses have classes during that day.

"Let's go, Ann. By the way, do you have anything to do after the program?" Rina asked. Alanganin man siyang magtanong pero nagbakasakali pa rin baka pwede si Ann mamaya.

Ann hesitantly replied, "May pupuntahan ka ba? May mga plates pa kasi ako. Alam mo na, CivEng. Don't worry, I'll ask one of our boardmates para samahan ka."

Rina nodded. That would be enough. Mahirap ang Civil Engineering na course ni Ann. Ayaw niyang maabala ito lalo at plates iyon. Hindi naman siya marunong mag drawing para sana ay matulungan niya ito if ever na aabalahin niya.

Nang makarating sila sa school ay nagpaalam na rin sa kanya si Ann. Siya naman ay hinanap na ang department nila para makapagpa attendance. She saw the student officers of her department and asked for an attendance badge. May QR code kasing nakalagay dun at yun ang ipapa-scan ng per student sa organizational president nila for attendance. One QR code per student yun kaya mahirap mandaya.

Matapos siyang makapagpa-attedance ay may binigay sa kanyang waterproof sticker paper na proof na nag-attend nga siya ng program. May instructions dun na dapat ay mag-stay siya sa loob ng kahit two hours lang and she's good to go. Napangiti si Rina ng mabasa yung instructions. Saglit lang para sa kanya yung two hours. She took her camera from her mini backpack and walked towards the students who are busy rehearsing. She took pictures, mostly candid photos. She took as much as she can.  May mga pictures pang kahit mga tambay lang na students sa mini park. 

When she got tired, she went to the canteen to buy a refreshment. She found a mini store near under the shade of a tree. Pinili niyang dun muna tumambay at bumili ng maiinom. She's already drinking ng lumapit sa kanya ang isang pamilyar na bulto. Jade casually sat beside her and ordered a the same refreshment, a BUKO juice. 

"Hi Rina! Bakit mag-isa ang bunso namin dito? Where's Ann?" Jade asked her.

"Paano mo nalamang kasama ko siya? She left after we sat foot in the campus."

"Is that so? Dapat sinabihan mo ako para nasamahan kita. You're probably bored now."

"Okay lang. Naglibot na lang ako after ng checking of attendance. Isa pa, baka busy ka sa activity niyo." 

"We've wrapped up. Unang bahagi kasi kami. We're the welcoming committee." Jade answered. Half truth yun pero hindi pa talaga tapos ang gagawin nila. Kay Jade napunta ang part ng welcoming tapos nag assist sa kanya ang mga kasama. Yung ending ay sa iba pero dapat din ay mag assist siya.

A young lady offered them a cheese-egg roll. Na-curious si Rina sa lasa and bought two orders for her and Jade.  Nang makuha ay agad na kumain si Rina. Natawa si Jade sa inakto ng dalaga. "This is an ordinary snack Rina. Don't tell me, it's your first-time eating this. Sa'yo na rin tong isa kung gusto mo pa." Jade carefully offered.

To his surprise, kinain talaga ng dalaga ang pangalawang roll. She looks happy while eating. Pati BUKO juice ay nakadalawa ito. Jade watched her eat. Mukha ngang di nagbreakfast ang dalaga.

Nagpupunas na ng bibig si Rina ng magsalita ulit si Jade. "Did you like my gift?"

"Yes, thank you. I love it." Sabay silang napatingin sa cellphone nila ng tumunog ito. A notification in their messenger.

Ann added Rina to the group...

"May gc tayo?" Rina asked. Natawa naman si Jade.

"Meron. Nagtatanong nga si Ann kanina kung sinong available later kasi mukhang may pupuntahan ka raw. Kuya Joseph and Kuya Jim offered pero mukha ng malabo yun kasi may activity ang fourth year mamayang hapon. The two of them are in-charge."

Rina put her phone in her bag. Naisipan nitong mamaya nalang mag backread sa gc. Nanlulumo siyang tumingin sa harapan.

"I have. Gusto ko sanang mag-grocery para kay MuTur kaso wala akong kasama."

Sumama ang mukha ni Jade. "Sino si MuTur?"

"The turtle you gave me.  Sabi mo kasi sa card, ako na bahalang magpangalan. Ayun, MuTur short for Mumu Turtle." Rina explained.

Bumunghalit ng tawa si Jade. "And why is that?"

"Because the turtle looks like mumu when I looked at it's eyes."

Tumatawa pa rin si Jade pero nauunawaan na niya ang rason ni Rina.

"Don't laugh at the turtle's name. After all, you are MuTur's dad." Pagalit na sabi ni Rina na may kasama pang pag-irap. Hindi niya nakita yung amusement sa mga mata ni Jade dahil sa sinabi niya.

"I am?" So, you're MuTur's mom, then. Sa isip nalang ni Jade iyon dahil hindi niya kayang isatinig.

"Of course, you are. Ikaw ang nagbigay sa kanya." 

"Since I am MuTur's dad, ako na ang sasama sayo sa grocery store. I'll inform my group. Sabihin mo na rin sa gc na may kasama kana. Baka mag-alala mga yun. Hindi na ako makapagsend ng message doon since wala akong data. " Mahabang paliwanag ng binata.

Sinamahan ni Rina si Jade sa grupo nito para magpaalam pero hindi na siya pumasok sa booth nila. Nakita niya nalang na nag thumbs up si Kate at isa pang babae kay Jade ng lumabas ito.

"Tara na Rina. Kate and Asha said they can handle everything here. Darating narin naman mamaya si CJ at Clarkson."

"Sige, nag inform na rin ako sa gc. Balik daw tayo ng maaga para di ma-traffic pauwi." 

Rina and Jade went to a grocery after that. Nagkukwentuhan sila habang naglalagay ng mga pagkain ni MuTur sa cart. Naglagay na rin si Rina ng mga essentials niya para sabay ng ma-punch. 

Naglibot din sila sa pet shops para bumili ng bahay ni MuTur. She picked a mini-sized glass aquarium, bought some rocks, a wooden bridge that is bigger that the size of her turtle and some plants for the decoration.

Rina's smiling the entire moment they are picking the things she needed to build MuTur's house. She's imagining how she will decorate it. Panay ang turo niya sa mga gusto niyang kunin. Her eye's been sparkling. Gusto man ni Jade na pigilan ang dalaga ay ayaw niyang ma-badtrip ito.

After she's done, she asked the shop owner to wrap up everything she ordered. Tigdalawang kamay nila ang may bitbit ng mga pinamili nila. Kinailangan nilang mag hire ng isang tricyle para makauwi. 

"Thank you for today, Jade."

"Welcome. I will always support whatever that will make you happy, Rina. I promise." 

A/N: Promises...that's you're first promise Jade. I hope you won't break it.

LawyeRen [ R E N ]