"Umpisa na ba?"
"Bukas na yung bahay nila!"
"Nagluluto na kaya sila?"
These murmurs could be heard early morning sa labas ng bahay nila Veira. These were from kids who were also excited for the feast they were preparing.
You see, it had been spread all over their barangay kung gaano kasarap magluto si Veira. Of course, it spread from five madams and their family who were the first people in Barangay Rojo to have tasted her cooking.
If there's anything na confident si Veira bukod sa pakikipaglaban, it was her cooking. This is something she can be considered a genius! Isang beses lang niyang makita ang process ng pagluluto, she could already remember it all her life. During the time that she was a wandering soul, the only fun times she could consider was when she could watch other people cook.
And right now, she was ready to use this skill of hers.
This feast would be testing the waters for her. If this is successful, then she can confidently proceed to her next plan.
Anyway, the five madams came to help her, as well as some of their children and daughters-in-law.
Aling Freida brought Donna and her three daughters-in-law with her.
Aling Carmen just had her daughter, Isadora (nickname: Doray). She was even huffing mad when she arrived. When the other madams asked her why, she didn't answer. But Doray told them it was because she was asking her new daughter-in-law to come and help too but she pretended to be sick instead.
"Pah! Anong may sakit? Tignan lang natin kung may sakit pa rin siya kapag nagkakainan na mamaya!"
The other madams comforted her.
Aling Maria also brought three of her daughters-in-law. While the remaining two madams just came alone.
Well, Aling Rosa's children were still young so they joined the other kids outside who were playing while waiting for the time of the feast.
The men in their family na may oras na mailalaan ay tumulong na din sa pagkatay ng mga baboy at baka. They even brought pails of fish na maaari ring idagdag sa lulutuin.
What surprised Veira the most was the arrival of the wife of Kapitan Tunio.
"Aling Concha! Kayo rin ay naparito?" The madams quickly engaged her to the conversation.
"En... Buong barangay ang pakakainin nitong sila Veira. Kung hindi tayo tutulong ay baka abutin pa ng kinabukasan bago sila matapos sa pagluluto.
Veira, Nanay Onang, Lili and Lulu felt warm after seeing all these people to help them. Partida pa na maaga talaga silang nagsipagdatingan.
***
Around lunch time, she went out the house and told the kids out there na magtawag na ng mga kabarangay nila. Hindi rin naman nagtagal, people started to arrive in front of their house. They were even considerate enough to bring their own tables and chairs. Dahil alam nilang halos buong barangay ang pupunta, naisip na nila na hindi sa loob ng bahay nila Veira magaganap ang handaan.
When very much everyone had arrived, Veira began to serve the food. So that it would be easier to give them food, she had them line up where the big pots of food were. Lili, Lulu, Donna and Doray were the ones putting the put on their plates.
"Pwede po bang bumalik, Ate Veira?" Tanong ng anak ni Aling Maria na si Totoy.
"Susmaryosep na batang ito! Hindi mo pa nga nauumpisahan iyang nasa plato mo, pagbalik agad ang nasaisip mo!" Aling Maria scolded him which made them laughed.
Veira was chuckling too before pinching Totoy's cheeks. This kid was a bit skinny, which was to expect in this kind of rural areas.
"Of course, you can. Pero dapat ubos mo muna yang nasa plato mo."
"Yehey! Wag kayong mag-alala, Ate Veira! Uubusin ko tong lahat."
Aling Maria's face turned red because of his son's crass attitude. Though no one minded it and instead find it cute, she still felt a bit ashamed by how excited he was to eat meat. She ended up shooing him away. Out of sight, out of mind.
They all understood Totoy's excitement though. Pork and beef didn't always come in their dining table. So when they could, they always felt excitement to eat. Idagdag pa na mukhang masarap talaga ang pagkakaluto nila Veira sa mga pagkaing iyon. Aroma pa lang ng mga iyon ay halos mapagtulo na ng laway nila.
"You all should eat too." Veira told the madams and their families.
"En... Pumwesto na kayo sa mesa ninyo at kumain. Kami ay dito na lang din kakain para kung may umulit ay mabilis naming masandukan." Nanay Onang said na agad namang sinang-ayunan nila Lili at Lulu.
"Mama, saluhan niyo na sila Papa. Ako ay dito na rin kakain para makatulong din kung sakali." Donna said. Isadora told the same thing to her mother.
Hindi na rin naman nagpapilit pa ang limang ginang. They occupied a table and even their daughters-in-law joined them.
"Ummn... Veira! Bakit ang sarap mong magluto? Kaparehas lang naman ito ng pitahe ni Mama pero bakit mas masarap yung luto mo?"
"Hoy, Donna! Narinig ko yang sinabi mo ha!"
The antics of mother and daughter garnered laughters then.
"Totoo lang. Kahit ako ay masasabi kong may kakaiba dito sa luto ni Veira. Mas masarap din talaga kesa sa luto ko." Aling Rosa said.
"Mahal, maigi yatang wag ka ng magkumpara." Sabi naman ng asawa ni Aling Rosa.
Aling Rosa quickly slapped her hands on the table. "Pakiulit mo nga ang sinabi mo, Igno?"
The conversation and laughters echoed around there.
But a few moments later, the atmosphere started to change lalo na sa table nila Aling Maria.
It was because her daughter-in-law's arrival. Though her face darkened, Aling Maria had no intention to scold Juana in front of everyone.
But it didn't others wouldn't do it too. Lalo pa may kalapit bahay kayo na numero unong chismosa sa buong barangay.
"O, akala ko ba ay may sakit ka, Juana? Di ba nga at nag-aaway pa kayo nitong si Carmen kaninang umaga. Bakit naririto ka ngayon kung kelan nagkakainan na?" Malakas na puna ni Aling Wanda sa kanya.
Agad namang nagtinginan kay Juana ang lahat kaya kahit papano ay nakaramdam siya ng hiya pero agad ring iyon napalitan ng inis ng makita niya ang kanyang asawa na napatungo na lang din sa hiya.
"Aling Wanda, wala pa ngang sinasabi ang biyenan ko. Oras niyo na ba para punain ako? Isa pa, para namang may ambag kayo sa kainang ito eh pumunta nga lang rin kayo naman dito noong nagtatawag na ang mga bata."
"Bakit? Kagaya mo ba ako na pahilata hilata lang sa higaan at nagpapanggap na may sakit? Kahit naman di agad ako nagpunta, may rason naman ako. Sino gang tatao sa tindahan kung magpupunta ako dito, aber?"
"Dahilan ninyo, Aling Wanda. Kamuntikan na akong maniwala."
The two shrews could have continued their exchanged of spicy words kung hindi pa sinamaan ng tingin ni Aling Carmen ang kanyang anak na lalaki at agad itong lumapit kay Juana.
"Tara na at umuwi." Higit nito sa asawa. But of course, Juana would not go back that easily.
Alam niyang intensyon ni Aling Carmen ang pauwiin na lang siya. But she came here to eat too.
"Bakit ako uuwi, Carlos? Hindi pa nga ako nakakakain eh?"
"Ikukuha na lang kita. Umuwi ka na muna."
Juana was also about to fight with her husband there but Aling Carmen slapped the table with her hand. That instantly silenced her at labag sa loob na umuwi na.
***
