A Levelheaded Lass

ALL - Forty

I was with my mom and my friends inside the kitchen busying ourselves. We told Papa that we will serve him the best cake ever. There's no ocassion, really. We just wanted to bake—nah, Mama and Tanya were the only interested doing this. Wala lang kami nagawa ni Tanya 'cause Mama insisted.

I baked two small cakes. One is for my Deign and the other is for Ace. I'm excited to see my nephews na. They'll be here any time now and that made Zoe very eager to finish everything now so she can have bonding time with Phillip. My parents almost believed her nang sabihin niyang girlfriend siya ng kakambal ko, paano ba naman kasi with conviction and very serious ang face niya.

"Magtiwala ka Tita, malapit na maging kami ng anak mo."

Mama laughed. "Okay na okay ka naman sa akin eh, 'wag mo lang sasaktan ang anak ko."

Tanya and I gave a look to each other then laughed so hard. "C'mon, Ma. Mas papaniwalaan mo ba talaga 'yang sinasabi ni Zoe kaysa sa amin?"

"Oo nga po, Tita. As in? Eh ni hindi nga ata alam ni Phillip na nililigawan siya ni Zoe eh."

Hinampas siya ni Zoe. "Hoy! Ako ang nililigawan niya." I gave her a weh-'di-nga look. "I hate you both."

We were laughing when we heard a knock. Si Papa na ang nagbukas ng pinto since siya naman ang walang ginagawa sa'min at 'di nagtagal, narinig ko na ang ingay ni Ace.

Tumakbo siya palapit sa amin. Una niyang niyakap si Mama at hinalikan sa pisngi at sinunod naman niya ako. Hawak ni Kuya at Ate si Art sa magkabilang kamay na nakakapaglakad na.

"Yay, Art! Lapit ka nga kay Tita!"

My dashing nephew giggled and took little steps to go near me. They all clapped for him when he didn't fall.

Phillip, on the other hand, was faking a smile. It was obvious for me because hell he's my twin brother. And there's Zoe annoying the crap out of him.

"Phillip! Tikman mo 'tong cake na ginawa ko oh." Humiwa siya ng piraso at itinapat sa kakambal ko.

"Zoe busog ako."

"Anong busog? Eh kanina ka pa nga nagrereklamong gutom ka eh." Singit ni Kuya at sinamaan siya nito ng tingin.

"O 'yon naman pala eh! C'mon, try this one na!"

No choice siya kundi tikman ang gawa ni Zoe. Pilit na ngumiti ito at tumango na lang sa kaibigan ko nang tanungin kung masarap ba. At dahil don, kinilig na ang bruha. Hindi niya tinigilan ang kapatid ko hanggang sa ayain na ni Papa si Kuya at Phil na uminom. Us girls were just chit chatting while watching TV with the kids. Nagpapasikat si Ace with his voice. We all clapped to show support for my charming and soon-to-be yayabangin nephew.

"You know what Ace, your Dad sang during Penny and Dude's wedding." Mama smiled.

"Really, Ma? Si Casimir?" Ate Alex laughed. "I mean, yes he sings pero not in front of a crowd. He only did it once in college and mas gusto niyang ibaon na ang kahihiyang iyon sa ilalim ng lupa."

I can imagine now kung ano itsura ni Kuya nung kasal nila Mama. Naka-busangot 'yon malamang.

And that was when Mama started to tell us a story.

There was this moment na na-bully siya but she was glad na andyan sila Ninang Bianca and Ninang Sofia sa tabi niya at lalong-lalo na si Papa na lagi siyang pinagtatanggol. She understands me sa fact na hindi madaling magkaroon ng boyfriend na kilala kasi lahat magkakaroon ng masasabi sa'yo. There will be times that people will constantly judge you and you can't just tell them to stop. Sabi ni Mama na mas mabuti na raw na 'wag na lang silang pansinin kasi ang mahalaga raw masaya sila ni Papa.