Chess Pieces #2: Hunter Sanford

Chapter 20

I heard the noise outside that woke me up that morning. It's very unusual 'cause I've learned that people here are not loud so it intrigued me why this morning is different. So I got up and looked outside the window.

I saw the islanders decorating the float that they will use later for the parade. They designed the boat with different kinds of flowers which was arranged by color coding forming the wings of a swan. Sa harap ng bangka ay ang ulo ng swan painted in a rainbow too. They also decorated the boat with some lights that I'm sure they will turn on later for the parade.

Today is the fiesta of this island and it is an annual tradition for the islanders to have a float parade in the water. They believe that the sea will give them the prosperity and wealth if they do that. Lalo pa at ang trabaho ng karamihan sa mga islanders ay pangingisda. Then after the parade, there will be a show na inihanda ng kapitan ng islang 'to for the islanders to enjoy.

Nag ayos na muna ako bago bumaba at naabutan ko sina Nanay Flor at Jane na abala sa pagluluto ng mga handa para sa fiesta. May iba pa nga akong nakikitang tumutulong sa kanila. Ang sabi nya ay ngayon lang daw ulit sila nakapaghanda ng ganitong karami now that Hunter is back. Ipapakain daw iyon sa lahat ng mga islanders.

"Ma'am Artemis, may almusal dyan, ah. Kain ka lang. Pasensya na at hindi kita maasikaso." Nanay Flor said and she instructed one of the islanders to buy the missing ingredients at market. Napatingin ako sa babaeng kasing edad ni Mom na nakatitig sa akin. I just smiled at her as a greeting and looked at Nanay Flor.

"It's okay po. Where's Hunter?" I asked 'cause I didn't see him on the sofa where he usually waits for me every morning.

"Ah, nasa labas. Tumutulong sa float. Sandali at tatawagin ko lang." hinubad ni Nanay Flor ang apron nya. "Sabi nya'y tawagin ko daw sya kapag gising ka na."

"Ako na lang ang tatawag." the woman offered. Tinignan nya ako from head to foot but I didn't get offended. I know she just did it out of curiosity. "Ito na ba ang asawa daw ni Sir Chase? Aba'y kaganda pala, ano?"

I blushed and scratched the back of my neck unconsciously. There's the compliment again. I feel like I won't get use to it kahit na madalas akong purihin ng mga tao.

"Syempre naman. Magaling pumili ang alaga ko " pagmamayabang ni Nanay Flor. I laughed.

"Tunay ba ang asul mong mga mata, hija?" tanong ulit ng babae. I nodded.

"Yeah. I got it from my Dad."

"Kaganda din kasi. Kakulay ng asul na langit."

I just smiled and thanked her. Sanay na akong sabihan na maganda daw ang mga mata ko. With every person that I met, hindi pwedeng hindi nila pupuruhin ang mga iyon.

Blue eyes are the trademark of the Gallagher. Ang lakas ng genes ni Dad, eh. Kuya Helios has electric blue eyes, Apollo has piercing blue eyes while I have the eye color same as the clear blue sky. Summer got her electric blue eyes from his Dad. And now that Zuri is pregnant, I bet that they'll have a blue eyes too.

'They' cause she'll have twins. Hindi nga lang alam ni Kuya Helios. Zuri has been contacting me about her pregnancy even though I'm not in Manila, which I really appreciate since I want to know every updates for my soon to be pamangkins.

"Ako na lang ang tatawag." Jane said and I don't know where she came from. I gave her a fake smile.

"No need. Ako na. I want to see the float, too." nagpaalam ako kina Nanay Flor at doon sa islander bago lumabas ng beach house.

I get more and more irritated at that Jane with each passing day. I mean, wow. She has the guts to cling on Hunter even though she knew that he has a wife. I know na hindi totoo ang pagiging mag asawa namin ni Hunter but Jane didn't know about that pero lapit pa rin sya ng lapit.