After Freeze

Keep Fishing

She watches him slice into the belly of a raw fish without hesitation or even a hint of disgust. His long fingers expertly maneuver the knife as he makes strategic cuts on its slippery skin and pulls its guts out. As he scrapes the mess onto a piece of newspaper, he looks up at her and winks, and in a flash she sees them two or three years into the future, standing in the kitchen of their own house, preparing dinner for two.

The intense pang of yearning she feels takes her by surprise. She has fancied herself in love before—there were one or two boys who touched her heart before RJ—but never like this. Never as overwhelming—or as frightening. And just like a cold winter chill that creeps in without warning and frosts the tips of red and golden brown leaves with ice, doubt and fear start to tiptoe into her head. Because she is Maine—the pessimistic optimistic bella—and this is just the way her mind works.

This can't be real, can it? She asks herself. Parang it's just too good to be true. Love like this only happens in the movies.

Martina has been in the business for 13 years, together with her husband of 18 years, Luca. Whenever "the movie people" need craft services, they call on Luca and Martina, whose hearty, delicious comfort food is a huge hit with hardworking crew members.

13 years and Martina still gets a kick out of watching movies get made, especially romantic ones. It's a special treat when film crews come in from overseas—there's always an extra buzz of excitement in the air. No matter where the cast is from, though, the leading ladies are always so lovely—and their leading men so dreamy—and hopeless romantic Martina can spend hours sighing happily on the sidelines, just watching them pretend to fall in love.

But this little one—this honey-skinned beauty with the luscious lips that they call Menggay—she is not an actress. No, Martina knows—this one is not pretending. If anything, she tries too hard to appear casual, when anyone with a working pair of eyes in their head can see that she is head over heels in love with the tall, fair boy with the dimple. Martina says as much to Luca, and her husband laughs and shakes his head fondly, planting a kiss on her forehead. My Martina, he says. You will never be cured of romance.

Meanwhile, Maine—struggling with her feelings and blissfully unaware that the jolly, plump catering lady can read her like a book—continues to observe RJ as he tackles the last fish on the pile. He must feel her eyes on him because he suddenly glances up and, seeing her watching him, he picks up the lifeless creature, makes a goofy face, and says in a silly voice, "Thapthap, Meng? Pish be with you."

She can't help it—she bursts out laughing hysterically and, just like that, all her doubts and fears vanish. And the worried voice in her head is replaced by a new one—a stronger, more confident one that only came into being after she met RJ, and after the AlDub phenomenon strengthened her faith in God and solidified her belief in miracles. No, Meng, it gently chides. This is real. This blessing is yours to keep.

Video © eatbulaga1979 on YouTube, title inspired by Weezer song