Rex and I were having a great deal of talk about his scheduled doctor's appointment when Rachel and Perry came in along with my brother, Eliseo. Kuya Ely and Rex talked until the nurse informed us that it was time for Rex to consult with the doctor. Perry and Kuya Ely volunteered to go with him. Rachel gladly agreed with the idea, and when the three of them had gone away, she confessed to me about being so worried about her son.
She looked like she had not slept for days. "How did you find out?" she asked.
"Perry phoned me last night," I said. "I thought it was a dream, a very bad dream."
She held my hand; her eyes began to moisten. "I don't know what to do if you guys were not here."
"This must have been a tough time for you, but don't worry, Rachel, Rex can survive all this. We just have to believe."
"It's hard for him to do that, since Jessie died of leukemia too, his very own dad."
"I'm sorry about your husband."
She smiled, still holding my hand. "Are you sure we're not causing you trouble? Don't you have to work?"
"I resigned," I said, too ashamed to look her in the eyes, "things at work didn't work out fine with me. I'm exploring new possibilities."
"Take all your time to discover the things you're good at. It's better to work passionately than not work at all, besides you're still young. A lot of new doors will open just for you, Ivy."
"Thank you, Rachel."
"We're not at a job interview here. Talk to me like I'm your best friend or mom. I prefer the latter. I missed having you in the house."
The whole time we chatted, she was holding my hand. When she finally relaxed a bit, she began sharing stuff about Rex when he was still young. Rachel's innate ability to capture the heart of her listener was one thing I admired about her. We talked like we were high school best friends.
She told me stories of Rex when he was seven. How he used to steal cookies in a jar, on top of the refrigerator, at midnight. He wasn't allowed to eat too much sweets that time and sneaking out late had given him the pleasure of eating cookies as much as he wanted.
"He believed we were not aware of it," said Rachel. "But Jessie knew it all. Rex is the only one in our family who loves to eat cookies."
Rachel also shared how Rex rejoiced when Ayala was born. Perry and Rex didn't get along quite well when they were kids. For Perry was the antithesis of Rex, Rachel said.
"He will just talk to us when he needs something," said Rachel.
"We thought he had speaking problems." She was smiling while talking about her sons, "We just accepted that our sons are both different persons."
Rex hated his brother for being taciturn. As a child, Rex was fond of playing, meanwhile his brother, Perry, was reserved since childhood. Rex grew up inviting his classmates to come to their house and play, until his younger sister was born.
"When Ayala was born, Rex stopped inviting friends over. His sister received all the fond attention a little brother could give."
"They seem to be very close."
"Ayala likes you a lot," Rachel paused. "In fact, we all do like you, Ivy. I'd already pictured you growing old with my son."
"I usually daydream in my leisure time," she joked.
"We fight like cats and dogs, a lot. Sorry, Rachel, he surely knows how to break my fuse."
"There's no doubt about that. Perry would agree with you."
"One day, over dinner, he incessantly talked about a girl. He will mention her name to Ayala, and his sister will willingly listen then probe him questions."
"Rex sure is a chatterbox." I said, not wanting to ask who the girl was.
"You're that girl, Ivy."
"I hope he didn't say embarrassing stuff about me."
"Oh, no. You're too perfect for him to be flawed."
"Then, one Friday night, if I'm not mistaken, he went home all smiles. He was standing at the front door, still holding his school bag. He suddenly blurted out, "Mom, I think I just found myself a wife." Perry was the first one to laugh at him."
"He said that?"
"I kid you not. He did. The following week, he introduced you to everyone in the family."
I could clearly remember that time, when I thought he went crazy talking of introducing me to his family. First, the fake birthday celebration of his mother, and a month after day I got to meet his relatives.
"Perry was wondering what Rex could have done to have you."
"But we're not together."
rRachel's reaction was full of surprise. "He hasn't asked you yet?"
I shook my head. "Not even once."
"I was with him when we bought the gift. He'd planned to give it on your birthday, and also to ask if you want to make your relationship official."
"He gave me books."
"I was sure it wasn't a book, Ivy. We didn't buy books."
͡
Asis stayed at the garden with his pet Benjie. We were just about to talk over a serious matter when a girl, younger than our age, showed up from the other side of the garden and grabbed my hand. She said she was going to borrow me for a while as if I was a thing. Startled, I didn't know who the girl was and what she was up to until she introduced herself as Ayala, Rex's younger sister.
"I thought he was kidding when he said you'd be here today. You're real! Perry would have to clean rooms for this." she said, dragging me into the house, passed the living area, and into the kitchen.
I had no idea what she was talking about.
Rachel was there, slicing the cake I gave her. A guy was sitting across from her. He seemed surprised to see me or it was just what I thought.
"Ta-daaaah!" Ayala exclaimed, letting go of my hand. "She's real, Perry. Flesh and bones and all. See? Do you believe now?"
The guy must be Perry. What a weird name, I thought.
"Who are you?" he asked, brows furrowed. He didn't seem nice to me. He was like the History professor I hated for one whole semester.
"Ivy. I'm Ivy Grit."
"I told you. Your surname must be Conde, right?" Ayala asked.
I nodded.
"He's not making things up, Perry." Rachel said. "Ivy is not a made up name."
"Uhm, I'm sorry for the trouble. He told me today is your birthday. So, I brought a cake." I said. Still embarrassed to greet her a happy birthday.
"It's not a big deal. I do love cakes."
Ayala laughed hard. "He doesn't change a bit. That was the same excuse he used with Catherine."
"We can't blame him. It's effective," Rachel explained.
Where did I hear the name Catherine?
"He's still annoying," Perry said. "Where's Benjie?" he asked Ayala.
Ayala offered me a seat. A plate was placed before me. She sat next to me. "Benjie is with him," she answered.
Facing me, she asked. "Ivy, can you stay here until dinner time? We can talk about a lot of things. I can show you my room. We can barge in Rex's room, too. He's got weird stuff in there," she went on talking of things we would do if I stay.
Rachel said. "Sorry about her Ivy. She wishes to have a younger sister."
"And I'm sure Rex will take you home. He got his driver's license now. Perry will let him borrow his car," Ayala continued.
"Not a chance," Perry said, making it clear that he wasn't doing his brother any favor.
"We can always take the bus," that was his voice.
He showed up, guitar case hanging on one shoulder and Benjie in one hand.
"Have you met Benjie?" Ayala asked me. "Rex thinks he can understand whatever he says. Perry and I are opposed to that idea. It's absurd."
"I said, call me Kuya. I'm not Perry," Asis demanded.
Ayala rolled her eyes but obeyed. "So, tell me Ivy, what is it that you like about Kuya Rex?"
"Ayala, you don't have to ask her a lot of questions. Save that for later. We need to eat first." Rachel said.
Ayala's question was the last thing I wanted to hear and answer. It was not in my cup of tea.
The table was ready. Food was served. It looked like she had anticipated this event to happen, and it seemed like we were about to celebrate her birthday. She prepared well for this.
"I'm going out," Perry blurted out, rising from his seat.
"Don't make excuses. You have to clean my room, remember?" Asis told his brother as he approached a chair near the stool.
But Perry continued his way out of the kitchen. "I can't hear you," he pretended. "Be back before seven, mom," and he was gone, Asis followed suit, he seemed annoyed by his brother's rude manner.
"He can't act cool in front of girls. No wonder why he couldn't get himself a girlfriend," Ayala started sharing her thoughts to me.
"But I like him more than Kuya Rex," she whispered. "But Kuya Rex is nicer than Perry."
Rachel sat on the seat Asis once occupied. "Sorry about those two. They don't get along most of the time," she explained.
"Are you going to be Kuya Rex's girlfriend?" Ayala asked me out of the blue.
That question came like a rush of water splashing onto my face.
"We're just friends," I answered, avoiding Rachel's gaze.
"I doubt that. He likes you. He talks about you a lot," Ayala reasoned out.
"He does," Rachel added. "Please don't tell him that we told you. He will make a fuss about it."
"I'm pretty sure he hasn't told you yet. I know my brothers well. Rats dwell in their chest."
"And that's what my boys share in common."
"Yeah, they don't know how to impress girls. Not even me. I wonder how he ended up with Catherine but I am certain why they broke up."
Ayala was talking out loud. Now I had figured out where I heard her name. I think I knew who she was already.
"But, hey, I have two unique brothers. I hope you can get along with Perry, too. He's nice, five out of ten. Just don't stay close to him when Rex's around."
I didn't get what Ayala was trying to say. In that case, I wouldn't be close to Perry in any way. We seemed to be drawing a line to separate us.
They started eating. I couldn't get myself to do it. What was I exactly doing here? Hearing these things about his brothers. Asking questions I couldn't get to answer. They were genuinely entertaining me, and the feeling was quite overwhelming. It was the first time we met, and I kind of liked them already.
"Benjie hates seeing him. Please don't let him be near my pet."
He came back just in time. Annoyed as it seemed, his face didn't give off any hint of how he hated seeing his brother and not how Benjie felt about it. He sat next to Rachel, she disheveled his hair. He didn't dodge. He let his mom do that as if it was aiding him to calm his mood.
"He thinks he knows everything," he muttered. Like a child complaining to his mother about a boisterous playmate.
"All right. I'll talk to him. Where's your brother?"
"I don't know."
Rachel left the table. Her food was unfinished. Ayala kept on eating her meal. Unperturbed by what was happening around her.
"Ivy is starting to witness your childish attitude," she said. "Why can't you just ignore Perry when he's around?"
I sat on my chair like someone who was about to confess her sins. I was in their house, and met his mother and siblings. They talked just like what a normal family would do in one fine Saturday afternoon. Surely he didn't invite me here to watch him sulk the entire day.
"I'm used to it," I said. "He acts like ten at his age. He babbles like a kid. Says what's going on in his mind. Makes fun of someone just because he wants to. You're brother is so childish and I'm used to it."
Asis smiled. "See, she appreciates me," he bragged.
They had no idea on how we should treat each other. They had no idea how a member of their family could ruin someone's day. Based on my observations, I could tell just by looking at them how Asis's older brother was a clear opposite of him. This Asis guy in front of me was someone who could constantly break my fuse but at the same time could also be the reason why sometimes the world I was in stops.
He was something. He stood out in the crowd.
He looked at his sister, one hand in his chin.
"Hey, Ayala, would you believe it when I say she stood me up on our first date? Would you still like her?"
Ayala turned to face me, concern etched on her face. "Well, is that true?"
"If he had asked me properly, set aside pranks, jokes, and absurd deals, I would have believed him."
"Okay, then. I'm asking you out again. Right here. Right now. In front of my sister."
It was perverse. He didn't think about doing it again. He held my haze. Half-amused smile, waiting for my response. Ayala touched my shoulder. Looking at her, she told me,"He's a dummy but he's my brother. Please say yes."
Asis started to laugh. "You don't have to do that, 'yala. She said yes already."
"What?" the girl next to me asked.
I didn't move my lips, didn't utter a single word yet he assumed I agreed.
"Hey, catch."
The three of us glanced at the person who spoke. Standing by the doorframe, it was his older brother. He threw something into the direction of Asis. Surprisingly, Asis caught it in mid air, like he was expecting for this moment to come.
"Seven," said Perry and left.
I looked at Ayala, she was smiling. "See, he appreciates you," she said to Asis.
I did not know what did Perry meant by saying seven. All I know is that the thing he threw at Asis was a car key. It was now laid on the table, next to his plate. He started indulging himself with the meal served. Rachel didn't come back until we were done eating.
I spent the rest of the afternoon with Ayala and his mother. As promised, Ayala showed me her room, her collection of books, and hand-me-down novels from his brother, Perry.
At snack time, we helped Rachel prepare the food. I didn't expect to be staying here that long. It was fun being with Ayala. The whole event, Asis was nowhere to be found. After lunch time, he disappeared from my sight. Ayala told me he might be in his room, or outside with his pet turtle. Perry didn't show up again, either. I think he left the house because of me. Maybe he disliked me. He didn't seem pleased to see me. Did I drive him away?
When it was time for me to head home, Asis came down from the second floor. Dressed in a t-shirt with a familiar design on it. It was the same shirt he had worn the first time he walked me home.
Ayala and I were flipping over some old photo albums. He sat next to me, "So, Conde, do you want to go home or stay the night?"
"Of course I'm going home."
He showed me the key. "Are you up for a ride?"
"No, thanks. I love my life."
We didn't use Perry's car. He didn't insist when I said I didn't want him to drive.
On our bus ride home, we didn't speak. We sat next to each other, but didn't dare to say a word. Walking down the street to our house, I decided to ask him a question.
"What are we doing?"
"Walking home."
"I know that. Don't state the obvious, Asis. But what are we really doing? What's the meaning of this? Inviting me to your house, meeting your mom and siblings, even your pet. Are those necessary?"
"What are we doing?" he asked himself. Walking down the road, watching his own footsteps. He kept watching his footsteps for a moment before finally giving me a decent answer to consider.
"I want to get to know you. That's what I'm doing," he said after a moment of contemplating.
"We've been friends for almost three years. Isn't that enough?"
He exhaled as if exhausted from the walk. He looked at me, those eyes were pleading to talk to me. They wanted to be read, they wanted to be appreciated, to be admired. Those laughing black eyes were looking serious now.
"I want to know you as Ivy, not as my college friend. I want to get closer to your world, not the world we are in as students."
Entranced by his remarks, I just said, "You're nuts, Asis."
He put a hand over my hand, and patted it just like I was his pet dog.
"I am, Conde. I am."
I knew he was smiling. "Okay." I said.
He halted from his tracks, abruptly enough to be left behind. "What did you say?"
"I said okay."
"Does this mean you're okay with-" he was pointing to himself, then at me. Like he was referring to us, the two of us, walking under the moonlight. Two fallen stars sharing the gleam of each other.
I nodded. I smiled. I let him know that what I said was real, genuine, not to be taken back. He wasn't able to finish his sentence in delight.
"And as we walked we would talk. And I didn't say half the things I wanted to."