In Charge (ON-HOLD)

Chapter 5: City

CHAPTER 5: City

CALIBER'S POV

I'm on my way back to the city because the conference got canceled. The bomb threat incident yesterday scared the shit out of those oldies so they decided to cancel it for the sake of their safety.

I wouldn't mind if I stayed for another day there. I might see the soldier again. She makes my day and I don't know why. I haven't even known her for that long. Take note, she even embarrassed me in front of a whole crowd yesterday by calling me 'Mr. Bathrobe'.

It's already 7 in the evening and here I am stuck in Manila traffic. I hope the government finds a way to solve this problem instead of other things like the white sand they decided to put on Manila Bay which was washed away after a typhoon. I think that was a few months ago during the pandemic.

Siraulo lang? They wasted billions of pesos for white sand which vanished after 24-hours. Why haven't they used the funding to help the poor or maybe put some children to school or something productive.

"Oh gosh. This traffic is making me a politician." I opened my phone and called mom. After two rings, she answered.

"Oh anak. Asan kana?"

"Ma, I'm stuck in traffic and I don't think I'll be home by dinner. You should eat without me." She sighed.

"Ano pa nga bang magagawa ko? I can't ask your car to fly. I can't even ask those cars to make way for my only son." She is using the sad tone. She's attacking my conscience.

"Ma, totoo nga. I am stuck in traffic and please don't attack my conscience. I am not lying. I can even send you a photo right now if you want proof." She sighed again.

"Okay, akala ko nag sisinungaling ka nanaman saakin para maka skip ka ng dinner. I told you, you don't have to go under diet. Sa gwapo mong yan kahit mataba ka hahabulin ka pa din ng mga babae."

"Oo ma hahabulin, hahabulin ng babaeng gutom."

"Oo anak gutom sa isang mataba at mahabang ti-"

I ended the call without thinking. My mom and her green mind. Minsan talaga na papaisip ako kung sino ung magulang saaming dalawa. She acts like a teenager, I mean, it's cute and all but sometimes it gets annoying.

Its a great thing the traffic suddenly moved. I don't have to call someone again to pass the time.

*

After spending hours in the Manila traffic, I finally got home. It is already 10 in the evening. The lights are still on meaning they haven't gone to sleep yet but I am sure they have already eaten dinner.

I parked the car in the garage and entered through the door there leading to the kitchen. There was nobody in the kitchen so I assume they're all in the living room watching some k-drama or something.

"I should eat first then tidy up." I fetched myself a plate, a spoon and fork, and a glass of water. "I'm famished." I looked at the rice and dish in front of me. "Should I eat or not? Oh hell, I'll eat. I'm starving." I scooped some rice and adobo.

I sat on the dinning table and looked at the whole place. It feels lonely. I don't like eating alone because I always loose my appetite but I don't have a choice because my stomach is already complaining.

I was about to dig in when my youngest sister, Cathy, came in with an ice cream at hand. "Oh kuya andyan kana pala. Hindi man lang kita narinig. Pwede ka ng maging magakyat bahay." She joked then sat in front of me. "I know you don't like eating alone so I'm going to accompany you." I smiled and started eating while she ate her ice cream.

"Ma, pa, Andito na po si kuya Cal!" I heard my other sister, Cynthia, shout from the kitchen entrance. She sat next to Cathy and looked at me. "Kuya why haven't you informed us that you're home? Nasa sala lang kami, duh?"

"Hayaan niyo na si kuya niyo kayong dalawa at pagod sa biyahe yan," Singit ni mama habang papasok sa kusina kasama si papa. "At mukhang gutom." She laughed which made me look at my plate.

It is overflowing with food. I don't often eat this much during dinner but the heavy traffic made me famished. Not eating lunch didn't help too. I smiled awkwardly and scratched the back of my head.

"Well, what can I say Manila traffic sucks the life out of me." They all laughed at my remark. Mom and dad sat next to me. The whole family stayed in the kitchen until I was finished eating. They know me well.

"Anak I noticed you're in a good mood. What happened with the conference?" My dad asked. They know me too well.

"Uhm, well, it got canceled because a 9-year old boy decided to put a note saying there's a bomb inside the hotel. He told the soldiers he got bored in his room." My mom's eyes widened which made me frown.

"I remember last time we talked on the phone. May sasabihin ka dapat tungkol sa isang sundalo kaso hindi na natuloy dahil sa kapilyuhan ko." She wiggled her brows at me.

"Actually, yes. I was about to tell you about a beautiful soldier that time kaso naunahan ka ng pag ka isip bata mo Ma."

"Pasensya na anak. Pwede mo bang ikwento ngayon ung sundalo? At tinawag mo pang beautiful kaya sure akong maganda yan." My sisters shrieked in excitement while my dad smiled.

An image of a soldier with raven hair and a pair of hazelnut brown eyes flashed through my mind.

"Uy si kuya kinikilig! May pangiti ngiti pang nalalaman!" Kantyaw ni Cathy sakin na ginatungan naman ni Cynthia.

"Ihhh si kuya nag bibinata na sa wakas."

"Anak dali kinikilig na ako wala pa man." Parang lintang binudburan ng asin ang acting ng mama ko ngayon.

"Ma stop that," Natatawa kong sabi, "You look like a leech being poured with salt." Both my sisters and dad laughed while mom pouted her bottom lip.

"Ung anak ko talagang to hilig akong kontrahin. Papalampasin ko ngayon ung panlalait na ginagawa mo saking bata ka basta't ikwento mo ung sundalo dali." Kinikilig niyang sabi.

"I met her during my travel to the conference. Ma remember when I told you about the shooting incident?" She nodded. "The other soldier thought I was a medic so he brought me in the field to tend a wounded civilian and there I saw her. Sinigawan pa nga siya nung babae kasi sinabi kong hindi ako medic." My mom raised her right hand.

"Bakit ka pinag kamalang medic anak? Sa gwapo mong yan?"

"Ma ikaw ang pinapili ko ng damit that day. You chose a dark blue polo shirt paired with black pants so the soldier thought I was one of their medics." My sisters laughed.

"Ay oo nga pala. Pasensya na anak. I saw that polo shirt in your closet and I haven't seen you wear that so I thought I'd make you wear it for once." I ignored her explanation and continued telling the story.

I told them everything about how I got mesmerized with her eyes. How brave she was to actually run towards the gun shot. I even told them about the incident in the hotel about the bomb threat.

I didn't leave a single detail behind. We all had a good laugh. After telling them, my sisters began teasing me about love and whatnot, dad just smiled from ear-to-ear, while mom, gosh my mom asked for her name and everything which I wasn't able to provide since I haven't asked her. You know what she told me? Ang bagal naman ng manok ko. See?