feast (completed)

41. rise

Because their family was growing bigger, Rj and Meng decided it was time to move out of the condo and transfer to bigger and more permanent structure.

"Why are we moving to a new house?" Dea asked when Rj announced that everyone was going to help pack the things in the condo. The family was eating breakfast.

"Well, there are too many of us here already. We need more space, don't you think so?" Rj replied.

"Hindi na tayo kasya lahat sa room namin ni Tatay..." Meng said as she tucked some of Dea's hair behind the girl's ear. Dea was seated across Meng at the table.

"You know what?" Dea began

"Yes Love?" Rj replied.

"I gising kanina kasi ChiChi make utot..."

"Wasn't ChiChi on her mattress?"

"Hmm...but she's likot like Chuckie so when I opened my eyes, her butt-butt was near my face na....baho!"

Everyone laughed as Dea fanned her face with her hand. Even the twins were noisily babbling on their high chairs.

"...in our new house, you will have your own room. The twins will also share a room until they are big enough to get their own rooms...." Rj said.

"My own room?" Dea exclaimed, wide-eyed. Dea had her own room in the two-bedroom condo but it was mainly used as the kids' closet and playroom. The kids slept on the floor in their parents' bedroom.

"Yes. You'll sleep in your own bed in your own room..."

"Wow!"

"What color would you like your room to be?"

"Hmm...I like yellow! Can it be a yellow room?"

"Of course! A bright, sunny yellow room for Ahtay. How about for the twins? What color do you think their room should be?"

"Hmm...green?"

"Oohh...nice choice. I was actually thinking of a light green room for them." Rj said.

"How about your room, Ahtay? What color will it be?"

"Mama?" Rj turned to Meng.

"Gusto ko din yung yellow kasi favorite ko yun pero siguro yung medyo light. Yung buong bahay gusto ko light at maliwanag..."

"We can have big windows all around" Rj said.

"Hmm...so siguro, pwedeng light gray yung master bedroom..."

"Hmm..." Rj smiled.

The rest of the morning was spent talking about plans on how to decorate the house.

In the late afternoon, Meng lounged in the kids' room and with Dea lying on her back on the floor in between the twins who were playing beside her. Dea squirmed and wiggled her body then sat up to check if her feet were aligned with Chuckie's feet. She lay back down and brushed her hand over Chuckie's head and touched her side. She did the same thing with ChiChi. Dea then stood up and went by the wall near the door. Dea went to put her hand on her head. Leaving her hand positioned on the wall, she moved away a little bit and looked at the wall where her hand was.

"Anak, anong ginagawa mo?" Meng finally said after a few minutes.

"Mama....I'm like this na o....I'm...what's this nga?" Dea said pointing to her hand on the wall then pointing to the door. She was imitating the height chart at her pediatricians' office.