The Adventures of Peter Valentine

November 7

On the Saturday of October 2, Luke had a busy day attending to his lockdown meal delivery business, which was really a cooked-to-order scheme, whereby he announces to his neighbors via social media and text messaging the menu for the following day, he gets their non-refundable orders, and cooks only enough for the reservations he has received so that he doesn't waste any food, time, or energy.
At around 7 p.m. in Metro Cebu, Philippine Standard Time, he messaged Valentine to greet him good morning, and give the Marylander, who was just waking up on the other side of the planet, a heads up that he wanted to talk again later after he has showered and relaxed for a little bit.
Valentine got out of bed smiling, and started his morning coffee listening and bouncing to Bette Midler's It's the Girls! album played by Alexa on his echo dot smart speaker. He was feeling happy and giggly amorous like a high school girl humming to "One Fine Day." He even slow danced to "Be My Baby," and "Baby, It's You," before finally dancing crazily in love by the time Bette was vamping through "Bei Mir Bist Du Schon," and "Tell Him."
He also had the extra energy to dust around and tidy up his kitchen, so he did just that. But at 11 a.m. EST, on the dot, the Ochenta y Seis girls rang him up. He picked up the Messenger video call to remind the girls that it was a Saturday. But they insisted to talk because they said they were terribly bored. And besides, they asked, what would occupy him instead anyway?
"Luke," he told them abruptly and carelessly.
The girls teased him, which made him blush like a bruised peach. And then they suggested that Luke can be added to the group chat when he calls so that they can also meet the new Mr. Lover Boy. Meet, greet, and evaluate—that was their plan.
And that was what actually happened. Not ten minutes in the group chat, Valentine got a call from Luke. He declined the call and texted Luke to explain that Ochenta y Seis is in session. And that the girls would like to meet him.
Luke was apprehensive, reluctant to meet Valentine's friends so early in their relationship, so he texted, "I don't know. I'm rather shy."
But Valentine was persuasive. "You will have to meet them sometime anyway," he texted, "so it might as well be now. I know we are proceeding at the speed of light, but don't you feel everything is feeling all so right?"
Luke's reply came rather slow. Valentine read a hesitance to it. "I'm embarrassed," Luke texted, "I don't know what to say. I'm sure I will be judged by your friends."
But Valentine pushed some more, "The opinions of these girls will matter in our future together, and your opinion of them will also color my future dealings with them. I want you to find support in my girl friends. And in a way, I want them to support us in our relationship. Don't worry. I think they will really like you."
Long story short, when Luke was added to the group chat, the girls showered Luke a warm welcome. There were the usual sentiments of "we are happy that you make our friend happy," and "our friend deserves to be happy, don't you dare hurt him," but in the end, the girls took Luke's side more than Valentine's. They adored him!
And for a little bit, Valentine regretted his idea of introducing the young, good looking Luke to his Gorgons—the vipers, witches, harpies, and vultures that were his high school girl friends, Class of '86.
Milan uttered the first betrayal. Diosa was pretty straight-forward when she said, "You are very young, Luke, but do not let Valentine control your relationship. You also have to assert your yourself."
Lisa of Vancouver chimed in, and with more venom than any deadly snake, "My friend has money. What has he promised you this time? Because he seems to rush into relationships thinking that money can buy people and love."
And Jennifer, the most level headed of the girls, gave the gravest warning, "Just don't hurt my friend. Or I will hunt you to the ends of the world."
Feeling Luke's embarrassment more than his own, Valentine gave him an opening to leave, and announced to the girls that Luke had a long day and needed to rest, that he only wanted to be courteous and say hi so as not to be considered rude or difficult especially since the girls insisted to meet him.
Valentine said goodnight to Luke. For a moment, he caught Luke's eyes, and Valentine silently formed his lips I-love-you for Luke. Then, Luke said goodbye to everyone before leaving the group chat.
Left with his merciless girl friends, the maleficent villainesses and assassins of his germinating love life, Valentine just wanted to die. Or kill the Gorgons!