November 3, 2021
I started the month of November without my family and without the love of my life, Sandro. It was very draining and frustrating noong mga unang weeks na wala sila. Syempre, nasanay ako na they are always with me whenever i woke up on the bed. Pero it's not how it flows since the day they left. I wonder how Sandro's day was going when i'm not with him. Hihi. Mamimiss ako nun panigurado. Pero anyway, i started my day as i woke up on Sandro's bed. Nandito pa kasi ako sakanilang townhouse dito sa Baguio. Balak kong umuwi na next week dahil sinabi saakin ni tita Liza na i should take a rest daw muna dito sakanilang bahay. Sweet diba? I fixed the bed and immediately went downstairs. I saw pops preparing my breakfast. Nakakahiya, hindi ako sanay. Usually kasi mas sanay akong si tita Liza ang gumagawa ng breakfast for me pero today pops told me na wala naman raw syang agendas for today so why not to try to cook for his future daughter in law. Kingina, nakakakilig. Hindi ko nga rin pala naabutan sila tita Liza rito dahil maaga silang umalis ni Vinny. Haha. Mommy's boy talaga. Si Simon naman ay sinamahan itong bff kong si Anne mag grocery. Sana all. Kaya kaming dalawa lang talaga ni pops ang naiwan rito sakanilang townhouse. This is also a good thing considering na bibihira nalang kami makapag usap nang matagalan talaga since he was so busy and has hectic schedules almost everyday. Ikaw ba naman magkaroon ng father in law na presidente ng pilipinas. Charot. Soon palang.
"So iha, have you already talked to Sandro?" Pops spoke, breaking the silence between us.
"Hmm.. Yes, tito. Sandro texted me as the time he got there." I replied pertaining to Ilocos Norte.
Pops nodded as he's focusing eating.
"Eh kayo po? Inupdate nya po ba kayo?" I shyly asked.
Pops replied. "Yes, iha. Actually we saw each other via video chat but it happened a minute only because it was on his cousin's account."
"Oh, si Gov. Mat po?" I grinned.
"Yup. Sandro's favorite enemy."
I chuckled, "Nakwento nga rin po saakin yan ni Sandro. Kung paano po sila mag asaran noong pinsan nya na iyon ay akala mong hindi politician eh." I joked.
Pops chuckled with me, "Right, iha. They we're always teasing each other but si Sandro ang always pikon ever since." Pops replied realtalk. Enough for me to burst into laugh.
"So.. Anyway, iha. Son told me na dito ka raw mag cecelebrate ng Christmas and New Year?" Pops spoke, changing the topic.
I pressed my lips and nodded, "Opo sana."
"Anong sana? You are really supposed to celebrate Christmas and New Year with us iha." Tita Liza spoke from the back as she walks entering the house. She was with Vinny pero naiwan sya sa labas nung time na yon kaya si tita Liza lang muna ang pumasok.
I stood up and went to tita Liza's direction. "Ay, anjan na po pala kayo. Mano po." I ordered. Pops stood up as well and followed me as he kissed tita Liza on her cheeks. And that made me miss Sandro even more. I miss his uncountable kiss on every corner of my face.
"Janna, anak. Don't hesitate to call us everytime you feel alone, okay? We're always here lang naman." Tita Liza told me as she sat on the chair beside pops.
Pops added something, "Yeah your tita Liza is right. Despite of our busy schedules, we'll always find time for you if we need to."
I politely bow my head on them, "Thank you po nang marami, pops and tita Liza."
Tita Liza widen her eyes and clapped like a toddler pointing at me, "Darling look. Have you heared what did Janna said?"
"What is it?" Pops asked curiously.
"She called you pops!"
A smile crept on pop's face ear to ear, "Really? Glad to hear that."
"Look oh, Janna is blushing." Tita Liza teased me.
"Sorry po, nahihiya po kasi ako na kinikilig. Hehe." I answered shyly. Shet, hindi bagay saakin ang mahiya. Haha. Chariz.
The couple met each others sight. Pops spoke, "Oh come on. Seriously? You're feeling shy infront of your parents in law?"
I widen my eyes, "Hala, hindi pa naman po kami married ni Sandro. Pero kahit hindi ko pa po kayo legal parents in law, mas higit pa po dun kung tignan ko po kayo." I replied with a smile.
"Aww. You're so sweet. Kelan nyo nga pala balak magpakasal ni Sandro?" Walang abog na tanong ni tita Liza.
"Oo nga. Did you and Sandro already talked about your future plans?" Pops added.
My heart beats so fast, "Umm.. Yes po, tita.. Pops.." I paused. Medyo kabado lang. I sigh and continued what i am saying, "We were planning to get married when i'm 24 and he was 34. I already asked my parents about that decision po and they're fine with it."
The couple nodded as if they was listening to me, "Plus.. We're planning to have kids naman po maybe one to two years after we get married." I added.
"How about your passion to be a pastry chef in France?" Pops asked.
"Yeah and how about your plan to live in the given country, iha?" Tita Liza asked.
I sigh deeply, "Uhh.. Regarding naman po sa mga dream ko na yan, Sandro told me to pursue it no matter what happens. Pero that dream has already changed po. It was my childhood dream and i am not getting any younger so i am looking forward to manage my own decisions. I am planning to continue my dream as a pastry chef. But living in Paris? I don't think i would love it still. I've read articles and reviews about living in my childhood dream place and most of them says it was only fun travelling to Paris for a sort of time but when it comes to moving in to it? It's a big no. So maybe we'll just stay here also to have quality and well spent time with our families both sides." I explained to them clearly.
"Nice decision, Janna. I never knew Sandro would meet someone who are this intelligent. No wonder why he fell for you." Tita Liza praised.
Pops giggled, "I remember the 7 yesr old Sandro telling me his standards on a girl. And looking back on his exes? I don't think they passed the standards of my son and it always make me think how did Sandro fell inlove with them. But good thing they are already an ex. Luckily, my son was blessed beyond to found someone like you. Seriously speaking but you actually passed to my son's standards in a woman."
I felt kilig, "May pinag manahan ho pala ng pagka bolero ang anak nyo no?" I joked.
"Ay, nako. Sinabi mo pa, iha." Tita Liza teased.
Minutes later, Vinny came inside to join our conversation, "What is everybody talking to?" He joked.
Tita Liza replied, teasing him, "Nothing, son. Mind your own business, Jeremiah."
Pops frowned his brows, "Who's Jeremiah?" And i found myself chuckling at the back.
Vinny widen his eyes, "Nothing, dad."
"Iyong ate ni Janna na crush nitong si Vinny." Panlalaglag ni tita Liza.
Pops widen his eyes, "Oh, i didn't know that Jeremiah was her full name. What a nice name. Good choice, son."
I chirped, "Good thing you chose my sister. Akong bahala pag sinaktan ka non."
Vinny rolled his eyes, "Why would she? Wala namang kami."
Tita Liza replied, "Sa ngayon."
We all teased Vinny. "That's it. I regret joining this conversation." He said with his finality on his voice and walked out. Don't mind Vinny. Ganyan lang talaga sya kiligin because of my ate Jere. He was always walking out kapag iyon na ang topic dahil nahihiya sya. Hehe. And also, my sister didn't know anything about this matter yet. Na may crush sakanya si Vinny and everything. But soon.. We'll let Vinny handle it.
And that's how we end our conversation. After that, we just went on our rooms.. I mean, they went on their room while I went on my boyfriend's room. It was fun having a chika on my boyfriend's parents.. And a bit chika with his youngest brother Vinny. It was fulfilling. They made me laugh that i didn't feel empty and alone at all, because of them. But this is just a temporary happiness because i knew to myself that i would be going back being alone again next week.