State of Grace

22

"Tita, nasaan nga po pala ang kambal?" Chiara asked her Tita Avery before reaching the egg sandwich that her step mom made for her as her breakfast.

Kakagising lamang nya pero nakaligo na sya para ayos na sya mamaya sa paglilipat nya ng mga gamit sa condo unit nya. It's moving day!

"Solana's probably with Nari again, Shiloh's with Juan because it's their bff day. It happens every friday, by the way" her Tita Avery explained. Nagluluto ito ng hindi nya alam kung ano ba. "Oh, alam po nila na moving day ko ngayon di'ba?" it's just feels different for Chiara that her siblings aren't there for her moving day. The twins are supportive most of the time for her.

"Yeah. Pero ayaw daw nila na makigulo sa paglilipat. 'Saka daw sila pupunta kapag maayos na" sagot muli sa kanya ng Tita Avery niya. She kind of agree with that.

"Kami lang po ni papa ang magbubuhat?!"

"No sweetie, I asked someone's help na. Don't worry" nagulat si Chiara sa pagpasok ng papa nito sa kusina. Nilapitan s'ya nito at hinalikan sa gilid ng ulo, bago lumapit sa asawa at hinalikan din ito. Chiara smiled on that sight.

Her papa's not in his usual attire right now. Hindi naka suit and tie na usual na suot nito sa tuwing papasok sa trabaho. Naka simpleng t-shirt lamang ito atsaka shorts na parang ready na ready na sa pagbubuhat ng gamit para mamaya.

"Oh, papa good morning! you called men na to help us?" natawa ang papa n'ya bago ito naupo sa dinning area para mag-almusal na din.

"Mukha ata akong kargador sa paningin ng anak mo, tito" halos mahulog si Chiara sa kinauupuan when some spoke behind her. She looked back and saw Saint standing. He looks fresh on his white tee and pants. Isama mo pa ang nakakalokong ngiti nito na dahilan ng paglabas ng dimples nito na hindi naman madalas magpakita.

"Ayan na ang tutulong sa atin, 'nak"

"Maupo ka na Saint, I cooked your favorite breakfast"

Chiara, on the otherhand looks so confused until Saint pulled a chair, and sat beside her. "Wow, thank you, 'Ta" he seems to have a lot of energy today, Chiara sighed at that thought. She's definitely not ready to be with Saint today. She's sure it'll be a long day for her.

"Saint likes hotdog and scrambled egg as his breakfast, anak" Chiara doesn't know why the hell her papa is telling that to her. "And what should I do with that information?" she asked with confused tone that made the people on the dining table laughed at her.

"Share mo lang kasi tito" Saint laughed.

"Yeah. Share ko lang naman, anak. Ako kasi I don't like scrambled diba? Sunny side up lang gusto ko kasi di ako nakain ng yolk" Chiara knows that but she still find her papa so random today. I hope he's not thinking something weird today, Chiara wished and focuses herself on her food.

"I thought you two will go to the same school pero nag-iba ang isip ni Chiara" napalingon sa kanya si Saint dahil sa sinabi ng Tita Avery nila.

"Ah, but it's better naman po di'ba na Chiara knows what she wants to do" Saint answer is so interesting for Chiara. Hindi n'ya akalain na makakapagbitaw nang ganoon na mga salita si Saint.

"Hmm, very similar with her mama" Avery agreed. "That's right babe. Minsan naiisip ko nga parang si Akira ang nakakausap ko kapag kausap ko si Chiara" Chiara wants to excuse herself on the conversation. She doesn't know what to feel, she doesn't understand herself why she suddenly feels so sensitive when she saw how her papa talked about her mama that casually.