Pleasure BOOK #1 : A M B E R✔️

Chapter 11

                                                                 S I M O U N

Sunday evening was reserved in Onel's family as the large, traditional family dinner. All of his relatives, both distant and close, came pouring through the front doors right at six thirty. Amber and I came down promptly at six before being guided to two chairs right in the middle of the brood. And the chairs were a little too close for my liking.

His family was an assemblage of odd ducks, weird people with weird quirks I never found anywhere else except for in those families that came from old money. For instance, Onel's first cousin, Gina: she kept mindlessly twirling her finger around the rim of her crystal glass, making it sound off in the middle of the room while everyone yelled to be heard over it. Around and around her finger went, and my eyes followed it with a vengeance. I wanted to pluck her glass away from her and give her a plastic one. Did she not understand how annoying she was becoming?

"It's probably to drown out the snoring of her husband," Amber said.

Tumango sya, at nakita ko ang lalaki na halos matulog na sa mesa. Umupo sya sa tabi ni Gina, sumandal sya sa balikat ng asawa bago umayos ng upo. Panay ang bungisngis ni Amber, kaya napapatawa na din ako. Then, something else caught the corner of my eye.

The first dish was served, a beautiful soup that smelled delightful. And Onel's sister and her husband were at the other end of the table slurping their soup straight from the bowl, like the scene from Beauty and the Beast, where they just pick up their bowls, bring it to their lips, and down it in one go.

Pinanood ko lang sila habang si Amber ay mahigpit na nakahawak sa hita ko, pigil na pigil ang tawa.

"Onel, that chef of yours really knows how to make a wonderful soup," his sister said.

"Nalasahan pa kaya nila yun,"bulong ni Amber. I shot her a look before a chuckle fell from my lips. She smoothed her hand over my thigh as we settled into the first course. And then the second. And then the third. Food continued to pour out of the kitchen at a rate that was astounding even to me. Amber and I watched this entire family down full-sized portions of food without a second thought. Every time a plate was set in front of her, I heard her sigh, like she was gearing up for a marathon she hadn't trained for.

"No wonder they're Japanese. They need the exercise after meals like this," she whispered in my ear.

Kinuha ko yung tissue napkin sa tabi ko saka iyon inilagay sa tapat ng bibig ko para mahinang tumawa dun.

Alam kong nakakabaliw na katabi ko ngayon si Amber, pero ang mga jokes nya, nalilibang ako. Wala akong ideya kung paano ko tatabi sa isang babaeng gaya nya at huwag syang angkinin gabi gabi habang nanadito kami sa Tokyo. Her playful stare always caught my eye before her jokes had me stifling very rude laughter into my napkin, and yet I couldn't get enough.

And I knew if she came onto me like she did last night, I'd never be able to resist her. Not with those legs, not with that smile, and certainly not with that sense of humor of hers.

Dinner was an arduous affair. Onel's family yelled at one another across the table, and all of them bombarded Amber with questions. They didn't even attempt to address me anymore. They figured Amber did all the talking for me. Which was probably for the best because she obviously had a knack for spinning stories. Pero natagpuan ko ang sarili ko na nangangarap na sana totoo ang mga sinasabi nya. Katulad ng first date, yung kinuha ko sya sa gitna ng trabaho nya para lang dalhin sya sa Italy at kumain ng pasta. Or the first time she ever got sick, where I came over to her modest apartment and set up shop to take care of her all week. Dipping her into baths and washing her hair and feeding her food until she could feed herself.