Ears and Rhymes

Chapter 23- THREE GIFTS

Mitch

"Merry Christmas!" I shouted when I opened the van door.

"Mitch," mostly the Overdrive shouted back.

I am wearing a freaking pajama while we gate crash a party, how cool is that?

Dad was staring at me the whole time... he does it a lot these days.

Maybe he was thinking, ano ang ginagawa ng babaeng iyan dito?

"Mitchie, pasok... pasok kayo." Si Tita Merjie ang sumalubong sa amin at niyakap agada ko.

"Boys, need help in here," Tita said loudly.

Brix is the one who ran first towards the van. "Good evening po," bati niya kay Daddy.

"Dad, you remember Brix? Okay he doesn't live in here—"

"Pero parang anak ko iyan," Tita Merjie added. "Mabait na bata. Ingatan ninyo ang pagbuhat, boys."

Sir Blaze and Kuya Jaxx also helped so Dad's wheelchair can lower down from the van. Ang daming tao sa daan. Ate Margaux wave at me from the other house.

"Mitch, after kina Jaxx dito naman," she shouted.

Nangingiti akong tumango.

Inside the house, I found Rose at the dining table, still eating.

"Hello housemate," I greeted her.

"Mitch..." She stopped when she saw my Dad behind me. "Ugh... kain kayo."

"Brix, ikaw na ang bahala kina Mitch. Mr. Salvacion, feel at home dito sa bahay namin. Kain lang kayo, maraming pagkain." Tita Mejie wink at me and naiwan na kami sa kamay ni Brix.

"Kain na po kayo." Brix looked stressed as my Dad stare at him. "Rose, usog ka para magka-space sa wheelchair."

"Nurse Linda, tara kain na tayo. Dad, what do you want to eat besides lechon, bawal sa iyo?"

I secretly smiled as Brix attended to my Dad.

"Mitch may mushroom soup—"

"Ako na ang kukuha." Rose immediately went to the kitchen.

"'Yong driver ninyo, hindi ninyo papakainin?" Brix asked me.

My Dad looked at me from the corner of his eyes. Helpers don't eat with us... sa bahay. But this is not our house so—

"I will call him. Wait lang."

I looked for our driver who's inside the car. I asked him to join us and he looked a little shocked.

Snob ba talaga kami dati para maging gan'to ang reaction ni Kuya?

Pagbalik ko sa loob ng bahay, kasunod ang driver namin, may soup na sa table at nakapaglagay na rin ng plates si Brix.

"Sumabay ka na sa kanila, Brix, hindi ka pa kumakain," Rose said then leave us.

"Great, can we say our grace?" I asked smiling pero parang may current sa paligid but anyway, who cares.

I give a short prayer and we eat. Dad tried to eat by himself using his left hand. He is quiet but not staring at everyone, thank God.

After we eat, sana nga nakakain si Brix, naki-join kami sa mini program sa labas. Ayaw pang matulog ni Dad. Nakikipagtalo pa siya kay Nurse Linda. He wanted to stay awake and I don't mind at all. Nag-eenjoy ako.

There is this game called three gifts. We need to put three gifts at the center of the table and since I have last-minute gifts I wrapped; I joined this game. The mechanic is easy, if you get Ace, two or three in a card you will get one, two, or three gifts respectively. If you get joker, the joke is yours, ibabalik mo ang gift sa gitna. Other card numbers will be zero.

"Tita Mej, any gift ba I can get. Even sa akin?"

"Yes dai, any gift jud, basta ba you get ace, two or three," sagot ni Tita Mejie. Natutuwa ako sa kanya, she's a conyo with three language. "Walang iiyak kapag walang gift na napanalunan."

She shuffled the deck and gave us one card at a time.

"Open your card in one, two, three..."

I open mine and I got ace. Napatalon ako sa tuwa.

"Ito, ito ang kunin mo, 'yang malaki," turo ni Tita Merjie.

"Huwag kang madaya Tita," angal ng Overdrive.

"Ate Margaux, where are your gifts?" I asked which made others laugh.

Namili na lang ako and when I got my gift I squeal in delight.

"Kay Brix talaga 'yong kinuha," tukso ni Kuya Jaxx.

"This is from you, hon?"

Nahihiyang napakamot ng neck si Brix. Cute.

"Can I open it na?"

"Noooo....." pigil nila.

So, we did another round and I got queen when Sir Blaze got three spades. I am pouting at the third round when I still got zero pero natuwa ako no'ng fourth round kasi nakabunot ng jocker si Sir Blaze.

Rose and I were laughing so hard, it almost made us cry. Ang bully lang namin.

Natapos ang game na iisa lang ang nakuha ko. Thankful pa rin kasi walang nakuha si Tita Merjie.

"Isa pa," I said that made them laugh.

"Dad, you wanna open?" I ask.

Dad just softly replied, "You go ahead."

So, I open it and I was touch by the figurine that was inside.

"I love this," I said to Brix.

It was a figurine of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I need this right now, someone who will pray for me.

"Here, buksan mo pa lahat if you want," Brix said to me and gave me his winning gifts.

Such a selfless man I have here.