feast (completed)

38. combine

Dea has been attending preschool and is being prepped for 'big school'. Although she still speaks in a language "of her own", she amazingly shifts from English to Filipino depending on who she's having a conversation with. She speaks to Meng and Meng's family, Melay, and the staff mostly in Filipino, but shifts to English when speaking to Rj.

"Ahtay, you eat benjtambols?"

"Yes, I do..."

"What your peborit benjtambols? Chicher Sesame (Teacher Stephanie) say we ask our Mommy and Daddy yung peborit benjtambols..."

"Oh. Let's see...I like carrots, beans, potatoes, asparagus, and mushrooms..."

"Andami-dami naman...weyt...I write..." Dea says and gets a piece of paper and pencil. After having Rj repeat most of the vegetables he mentioned, Dea went to ask Meng. After a while, Dea returned to the living room and was extremely quiet for some time. Meng peeped from the kitchen and saw her hovered over her paper, writing.

"Mama?" Dea said, looking up from her writing. Meng had joined her in the living room and sat on the sofa. Dea transferred and sat beside Meng.

"Yes Love?"

"Ma-i-eat din ng benjtambols am babies?"

"Sana..."

"Para grow sila big and strong, diba?"

"Yes! Anong vegetables ang papakain mo sa babies?"

"Uhmm...masis! Peborit ko yun e...saaare kami"

"Kamatis? Hindi pwede ang mga baby sa kamatis...pag mas malaki na sila, pwede na. Pero I'm happy na gusto mong mag-share sa kanila..."

"Saaaaring is good, diba Mama?"

"Tama!" Meng said. Suddenly she jerked and held on to her belly. "Ugh!"

"Wahapen Mama?" Dea looked at Meng with concern.

"Sumisipa e..." Meng said. Dea put her hand on Meng's belly and gently caressed it. "Babies, be good..." she said. The activity on Meng's belly soon settled.

"Na-d-dance siguro sila..."

"Dance?"

"Opo...sing kami kanina sa school...yun song about benjtambols..."

"Ah...sige nga, parinig..."

Dea stood up in front of Meng.

Bahay kubo, tahit munti

An hamaman doon ay sari-sari.

Singtamas at talon, sigarilyat at mani

Sitaw, bataw, pakani.

Tundol, patola, upo't kababasa

Ataka mayroon pa labanos, mutata,

tibuyat, kamasis, bawan at nuya

sa paligid-ligid ay puno na lima.

"Ang galing naman!" Meng said as she clapped her hands.

"You like the song, Mama?"

"Yes! Ituturo mo ba yan sa babies pag malaki na sila?"

"Hmm...en tinkel tinkel...en ABC...en madami-dami song! Stand up ka Mama....sing ako tapos dance ikaw....dance ka with the babies!" Dea pulled Meng to stand up just as Rj passed by.