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Chapter Sixteen


ALEXANDER

I was playing with the sign pen on top of the desk, spinning it over and over again, as I thought about what happened yesterday at the orphanage. I can vividly remember the smile on Blythe's face as she watched the kids play with one another. She lights up every time she talks about them, and when we got home, she told me stories about the kids, her childhood, and how her foster parents raised her.

"Son."

She told me how Sister Gertrude caught her sneaking past curfew to watch a movie on the living room which resulted to her getting dishwashing duty for a week. She mentioned how Sister Aurelia reprimanded her for hiding in the laundry room for half an hour because she didn't feel like playing the occasional board game on Fridays.

"Alexander."

"Yes, Dad?" My train of thoughts was interrupted when he called me. My father is sitting on a swivel chair next to me. The meeting has been going on for an hour now, but I'm finding it hard to focus.

Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay at itinuro ang cellphone na hawak ko. "Is something bothering you? Kanina ko pa napapansin na parang lumilipad ang utak mo, anak."

"Everything's okay, Dad." He nodded, his lips pressed into a thin line, before looking back at the presentor. His arms were neatly folded in front of his chest. Even with age, my father still looked every bit as regal as the man that he is. My mother always tells us how similar our personalities are. According to her, I was the younger version of Aaron Ceyx Monteverde.

My phone buzzed.

I opened the message and saw that it came from Blythe. Lunch out tayo.

I snickered. Ayaw ko nga. Ligawan mo muna ako.

Ay, hard to get? She texted back.

Paghirapan mo muna ako, Ms. Dominguez.

Another buzz. Eddie.

Was that a misrouted text? Eddie who? tanong ko.

Eddie wow.

This time, hindi ko na napigilan ang pagngiti. Ibinulsa ko ang cellphone at pinilit ko ang sarili na makinig sa nagsasalita sa harap. From my peripheral, I noticed that my father was looking at me intently. I turned to look at him back.

"Magpapamisa na ba ako dahil napangiti ka ng isang text message? Who in the world are you texting?" nahihiwagaan niyang tanong. I just smirked. "Tell me, son. Is it a woman?" Nahihimigan ko na ang pang-aasar sa tono niya.

"Give me some privacy, old man." It caused him to throw his head back in laughter. The whole board looked at my father and he smiled at them before waving his hand dismissively.

"I'm sorry about that, gentlemen. My son and I are engaged in an amusing conversation. Please do continue. Don't mind us." The meeting resumed. Inakala kong titigilan na niya ako, but he did not. He even nudged me playfully. "So, it really is a woman. Tell me about her." Napailing na lang ako bago itinupi ang dalawang braso ko sa dibdib. I reclined on my swivel chair. I'm not spilling anything. He had this expectant look in his features.

"Lay off me, Dad. Come on."

"I just wanted to know. Is this the woman Daze met in your unit?"

"That little brat." I cursed. "Sinabi niya 'yun sa inyo?"

"Of course! She was so excited and told us some interesting things about her. I heard she has blue hair. She is a photographer, yes?"

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