Housemates With Benefits [COMPLETE|PUBLISHED]

Sabrina (64)

Maluwag ang ngiting iginawad ni Señora Ynez sa naghatid ng kanyang tea habang tahimik kong pinapanood ang interaksyon.

"Thank you," saglit na tiningnan ng ginang ang nametag ng attendant na lumapit sa kanya, "Wes."

Hindi magkandatuto ang attendant sa pagpansin sa kanya ng señora.  Nabulol pa sa gitna ng kanyang sagot.  Eventually, umalis siyang namumula at panay yukod habang sinusundan naman siya ng tingin ng señora na may naaaliw na ngiti sa kanyang labi.

"Would you care for a cup of tea, too? " baling naman niya sa akin.

Nakangiti naman akong umiling. 

"Green tea are great for hangovers," dugtong niya.

"I did not drink a lot, Señora.  Just had a single glass of champagne," sabi ko.  

Tumango siya.  "Yes, I noticed," at tinapunan niya ako ng mabilis na tingin.  "It was Beatrice who was imbibing a lot tonight.  I wonder why is that, huh?"

She took a careful sip of her tea habang matiim ko siyang tinitigan.

Did she mean anything by that?  Or paranoid lang ako?

Dalawang linggo under her roof.  Attending parties with her family, accompanying them to event planners listening to the plans for their family's New Year's Ball, and I can't still even call her 'Tita Ynez' as Paige calls her.  There is still that wall between us na hindi ko alam how to scale and she doesn't seem to be interested in pulling it down.

Akala ko, noong matanggap ko ang Cartier earrings na pinadala niya, unti-unti na niya akong natatanggap para kay Oliver.  Maybe, this night started that way.  But it will end differently.  The Trinidad clan lit the match.  And the rest of elite society fanned the flames.  

By this time, imposibleng hindi pa maging aware ang mga San Martin at Mondragon sa totoo kong katauhan. Tita Adina is right.  As always.  Hindi kailangang marumihan ang kanyang mga kamay para makita akong bumagsak at magdusa.  My existence alone is enough to do all that.

Napabuntong-hininga ako sa aking mga iniisip at napatingin sa string quartet na nasa gitna ng lobby at natatanaw mula sa kinaroroonan namin ni Señora Ynez.  People slow down as they passes but the four musical virtuoso gave them no heed.  Lulong ang mga ito sa mundong nililikha ng kanilang musika.  

"Are you coming home with us tonight?" 

Napabalik ang aking atensyon kay Señora Ynez sa tanong niyang iyon.  Wala sa sarili niyang hinahalo ang laman ng kanyang tasa habang hinihintay ang aking tugon.  

Dahan-dahan akong umiling.  My brain is racing for a plausible excuse for why I won't be coming home with them pero naunahan niya ako.

"Oliver is staying too, isn't he?"

Napatango ako.  Hindi ko naman maikakailang iyon ang plano.  "But ,we can go back to the mansion tonight if you wish us to, Señora.  I'm sure Oliver will be okay with that."  I'm lying.  I'm sure Oliver will bitch about it.

I hate this.  Hindi na naman siguro ipinaalam ng baliw kong nobyo ang mga plano niya sa buhay sa kanyang nanay.  Kaya ako na naman ang nalagay sa hot seat ngayon.

Matipid na ngumiti ang ginang bago dahan-dahang umiling.  "I keep on forgetting that my son is already an adult who can make his own decisions.  One's child shall remain your precious baby no matter their age."  

Muli siyang sumipsip sa kanyang tsaa bago bumuntong-hininga at nilapag ang teacup sa saucer.

"Ang hirap maging  magulang, Sabrina," simula niya.  "Ang hirap maging ina.  On one hand, you want your child to be able to take care of himself very well that when you are no longer in the world, they will be fine.  On the other hand, you can't stand by and watch him wreck his future, his life, in the name of a fleeting fancy."  Tinitigan niya ako ng maigi.  "Do you understand what I am trying to say, Sabrina?"