His Way To Sainthood

Ang Bonggang Lafangga ng Taon

#HWTS28

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I was so nervous since seven in the morning. Pakiramdam ko nga kung hindi ko lang kinakausap si baby dito sa tiyan ko na kumapit lang eh pati sya nawindang na rin sa sobrang nerbyos ko. I was supposed to meet the family (okay, familieesssss kasi marami silang relatives na invited) in their main villa, he said. Nawindang ako sa main villa. Ibig sabihin may mga villa pa silang hindi main. Nage-gets nyo ba? This penthouse costs probably a cent to them and kahit hingin ko 'to ni hindi man lang mababawasan ang pag-aari nila. But then again, hindi pa ganoon ka-stable ang condition ko kaya sila ang pinapunta rito. Nakakahiya tuloy lalo.

Richard kept on assuring me that his family wouldn't eat me alive. Or bite me, at the very least. Syempre hindi ko pa rin naman mapigilan ang sarili ko. At 1PM, at least five chefs were already working in the kitchen. It was an early dinner set at six in the evening and I even heard that Tita Rio was already on her way. Nakakaloka.

Gusto kong maging feelingera at makialam sa kitchen. Iyon bang mga housewives na talagang on-hand sa mga family gatherings pero sad to say, experts na iyong mga nasa kitchen and my opinion would just probably be one of the thousands they already served. So I just focused on fixing myself. Hay, baby. 'Di ko alam na ganito pala ang buhay ng mayaman. Nakakaloka. I even called Quen on Skype and have him check what I would be wearing. We settled on a red dress that exposed my shoulders and hugged my curves tightly. Bilang nakikisama naman si baby at hindi pa halata ang baby bump ko, I stepped up my game plan. Ganito pala talaga 'yung feeling, 'no? It was a family dinner but I have to wear this nice dress. Samantalang kapag sinabing family dinner sa amin, ibig sabihin nu'n another sermon session na naman sa mga katarantaduhan ng Kuya.

When Tita Rio arrived, hindi lang sya mag-isa. Marami syang kasama and she even included Celeste Tuviera and a few members of her team to fix my hair. Santa Santita Emperatriz Puñeta! Nagho-home service pala si Madam Celeste Tuviera?! Hindi ako informed!!!

Dishes start pilling up on the long table (where did that even come from?!) at five and at five-thirty, kumpleto na ang lahat. There were a lot of expensive wines at the side, too, and when I sent a photo to Quen, sinabihan ba naman akong magpuslit ng isa na parang hindi sya nagwi-wine tasting kada month for all the extravagant weddings he had organized. Parang timang talaga.

"Relax," Tita Rio massaged my shoulders. "You'd be fine, hija."

"Lalo nga po akong kinakabahan, eh," I admitted. "Nakakaloka ang pagka-bongga ng family dinner nyo. Mauubos ba natin 'yung pagkain?" Sa amin, swerte na pag nakalampas ng lima 'yung putahe, eh.

Tinawanan nya lang ako at inaya na sa tabi nya. Their relatives started arriving before six. Sobra silang on-time na parang bawal mabawasan ng isang minuto na may walang kwenta silang ginagawa sa loob ng bente-kwatro oras nila. Sobrang naloloka na ako at gusto ko sanang nasa tabi ko si Richard para man lang mapisil ko 'yung braso nya but he was busy with other things before the dinner starts. Si baby lang tuloy 'yung kasangga ko sa lahat ng mga 'to. Alangan namang chikahin ko ng kabaklaan si Tita Rio? Baka tingnan lang ako nu'n like I grew an extra head.

There were around twenty to thirty people present in the dining room. Richard arrived with the last ones and planted a kiss on my cheeks. They were all surrounding the table and we were standing near the door. His eyes and left hand automatically fell on my tummy. "Kamusta na si baby?"

I pouted. "Nagbago na talaga priorities mo."

He chuckled while shaking his head. "Bakit ba ang selosa mo? Ikaw nga ang unang baby ko."

"Nakakaloka ang pamilya mo," I whispered as I stared at them, talking in a manner that looked foreign to me. "Parang ang perfect nyo. Allowed ba akong magka-kulangot dito?"