33rd Paper
Starting
The summer will officially be over on Monday. Nakaalis na rin si Gage ng bansa pauwi sa Florida. I felt really really bad because I didn't make the last days of his stay in here fun. He's gloomy when he left, his smiles were all stoic. Nang tanungin ko siya kung kailan siya babalik dito ay hindi niya ako sinagot. Now I really need to know what happened.
Wala si Drian sa bahay simula kaninang umaga. Palagi na siyang wala simula ng matapos ang mga outings namin. Aniya'y may inaasikaso sa school. Umuuwi ako kina Mama paminsan kapag naroon sila. May work na si Mama at si Nil naman ay sa bahay ng mga Tita ko sa Morong namamalagi. Maige nang naroon siya dahil nandoon ang mga pinsan naming kasing-edad niya. I couldn't even entertain him at home.
Tinawagan ko si Mae para itanong kung pwede kaming magusap ngayon, sinabi niyang may dance rehearsal sila ngayon pero hindi niya rin sinabing hindi. I let her go because we can always talk some other time. Maybe I can talk to Gage about it later. I don't have to know the full story, maybe just some of it so I can judge if I am of any help to him, or them.
I'm too spent from Zumba to prepare dinner. Nakita ko lang sa TV kanina noong bored akong naghahanap ng magandang palabas. I just thought it's healthy. Tutal naman ay sinimulan na ni Gage ang issue sa katawan ko ay itinutuloy ko na rin. He's done a good job if I must say. Marami ring nakapansin ng pinagbago ko, lahat ng sagot ko at katuwang ang pangalan ni Gage.
Balak kong bumili na lang ng takeouts para sa hapunan nang maisip ko na mahirap magbyahe ngayong gabi na. Muli kong naisip ang pagre-reconsider sa kotseng inaalok ni Mama. Noon pa iyon ngunit wala naman siyang sinabing expiration date ng offer.
Sa huli ay nagpadeliver na lang ako ng Pizza. Siguro naman ay ayos na rito si Drian, because duh, who can resist pizza?
Nanood ako ng My Sassy Girl habang hinihintay ang hubby ko. I'm midway the movie when he arrived home. I saw he's holding KFC paperbag and I almost jumped up to get it.
"Easy peasy. May mashed potato." He chuckled. Pinatong niya ang pinamili niya katabi ng box ng pizza sa harap namin. "I figured to grab these when I saw the delivery guy left the vicinity."
Ngumiti ako sa kanya habang ang kamay ko ay gumapang na sa loob ng paper bag. Lalo lang siyang natawa.
"Anong ginawa mo buong araw?" He asked while he opened the box of pizza. Sinimulan niya iyon habang ang mash potato naman ang nilantakan ko.
"Can I say wala? Kasi wala talaga akong matinong nagawa ngayong araw. Well, except maybe from doing zumba this evening." Sabi ko, slightly laughing.
"Why the heck?" He squinted his eyes at me, his lips slightly apart as if deciding if he's going to be amused or not. He shook his head immediately to brush off his query. "Nevermind. Just eat."
Itinago ko ang ngiti ko habang kumakain. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin ako makapaniwalang maayos na kami. I always ask myself why and how every time I get to see him smile and laugh because of me, and every time he closes the distance between us. He's now acting as if we've never really grew apart. I like his change. I did not fully mind our distance while growing up because I'm too young to depress myself from that kind of reason, although come to think of it actually did too, in some ways. He even said he's sorry for it and I accepted his apology even before he made it.
"I'll drive you to Summerridge on Monday." Sabi niya. We were almost finished with our dinner. "May plano ka ba bukas?"
"Wala naman. Except for taking advantage of the last free day before school."
"What do you have in mind, then?" He kept on asking.
"Jog siguro sa umaga." Nagkibit ako ng balikat at nagsimulang gumawa ng listahan sa isip ko ng pwede kong gawin bukas. "Maybe a lunch at home, bonding with Mama at Nil tapos uwi na siguro dito." All were said in uncertainty. "Ikaw?"
Sinimulan niyan ng ayusin ang kalat, throwing used tissues, plastic containers and sauce sachet in the paperbag. He does it all while smiling. It took him that long before I got my answer.
"My plans for tomorrow would be jog with my friend in the morning. Send her to her Mama's house in the afternoon and maybe even grab lunch with them, too. And probably, take her back home here in the evening. How's that?" Ngiting ngiti siya at bahagya pang napakagat sa kanyang labi.
Nabusog yata ako doon, pwede na akong hindi kumain hanggang bukas!
"Yes, my friend." Binigyan ko siya ng simpleng ngiti-ngiting napakahirap gawing simple.
Pagkatapos naming magayos sa ibaba ay gamit ko naman pang-school ang inatupag ko. Nakaramdam kaagad ako ng pagod nang matapos ako. MedTech again on Monday. Glad and not.
I was awaken by the smell of bacon and egg the next morning. By default, I groped for my phone to see time and it read four-twenty.
"Rise before shine. We have the whole subdivision waiting, Jesca." Said by a gorgeous man in his just-woken-up-husky voice.
Napapikit ako at napangiti. "Well, aren't you a breakfast?" I'm pretty sure I only whispered that.
Kaunti lang ang kinain namin ngayong umaga para makatakbo kami kaagad, at para masulit namin ang tanghalian sa bahay. I gave Mama a heads up about the lunch I'm looking forward. I think she's cooking a favorite.
Hindi malamig nang makalabas kami ng bahay. The summer heat is still in the air, but its ending is pretty evident.
Tahimik kaming tumakbo, at least ako dahil naka-earphones si Drian. He's in his world but I think he's slowing down his pace to let me catch up. Binigyan ko siya ng signal kanina na umuna na siya at tumakbo sa bilis na gusto niya, pero umayaw siya.
"It'll be the same. Once I reached the end point, I'd still have to wait for you." Aniya. Edi napatango na lang ako.
We run some more, even did a race, until we both decided it's time for a stop. Umupo kami sa gutter habang umiinom ng tubig. Nagpakita na ang araw at dumami na ang tao sa labas. Ang iba ay nagbibilad at naglalakad lakad, ang iba naman ay nagjo-jog din.
"Let's go?" Tanong niya sa akin. Tumayo siya at inilahad ang palad niya. Kinuha ko iyon para makatayo. Humingi muna ako ng ilan pang segundo para uminom.
I took the last ounce of water. May pag-bend pa ang ulo ko para masimot ang latak. Pagkauwi ko ay talagang maliligo na ako kaagad.
"Tara." Ngumiti ako. Tinawanan ko siya nang makita ko ang pamumula ng pisnge niya. "Tara na. Naiirita na ang mukha mo sa init."
Tumango siya at naglakad kami pauwi. Hindi na ganoong kalayo ang bahay kaya't madali kaming nakarating. We both took our shower first before having the second batch of our breakfast.
"I think I'm too full for lunch, but I can't wait for it." Natatawa niyang sabi.
"Drian, inglis spiking ba ang lahat ng tao sa university niyo?" Tanong ko. My random question made his forehead creased.
"Hindi naman. They're normal." Sagot pa rin niya. "Bakit?"
"Wala lang. Ang hilig mo kasing mag-English. Akala ko kasi uso pa rin sa inyo yung multa kapag nagsalita ng tagalog sa English class."
Hindi niya napigilan ang pagtawa niya kahit sa tingin ko ay ang random ng sinabi ko.
"Bakit? Gusto mo ba akong nagtatagalog? I love being Filipino but I may have to remind you that we learnt English first." Paalala nga niya.
"Edi sige. Sabi mo eh." I laughed in defeat.
Mabilis ang oras pero naisipan namin na pumunta ng maaga sa bahay namin. Tingin ko rin kasi ay miss na ni Nil na kalaro si Drian sa xbox.
Nasalubong kami ng amoy ng nilulutong tinola nang pumasok kami ng kusina. Humalik ako sa pisnge ni Mama at ganoon din ang ginawa ni Drian.
"Napaaga yata kayo?" Tanong ni Mama matapos makita ang oras. "Drian, call your mom and tell you're already here. I invited her too."
Of course she will. What do we even expect from soul sisters like them? They seem to be doing everything together that it's actually alright with them not having husbands. But of course they've seen how wonderful and loving our dads could be. They can't just say no to them.
Tinawagan ni Drian si Tita Lai habang ako naman ay tumulong kay Mama sa pagaayos ng lamesa. Pinanood ko naman ang paglalaro ni Drian at Nil nang matapos ako.
"You're so good I can love you forever, Kuya!" Nakipag-high five si Nil kay Drian habang tumatawa. Drian shared the same laugh that made me smile.
Sus! Kahit hindi siya magaling sa kung saan ay I will love him forever talaga nang bonggang bongga!
"Kumusta, pretty Jesca?" Humalik kaagad sa pisnge ko si Tita Lai nang makarating siya. Nagulat pa ako dahil hindi ko narinig ang pagdating niya.
"Pretty pa rin." Biro ko. Pinisil ni Tita Lai ang pisnge ko at tinawanan ako.
"That's how I like it. Kaya bagay na bagay kayo ng anak ko. Halika nga rito!" Hinigit ni Tita si Drian at pinaulanan ito ng halik. "Na-miss ko ang bunso ko!"
"Mom, stop it already." Malumanay na sabi ni Drian. Halatang pinagbibigyan ang paglalambing ng nanay niya. Napangiti ako.
"Naku! Nagbinata ka lang ay ayaw mo nang magpahalik sa akin." Mas lalong ginanahan si Tita sa pagpisil sa pisnge ni Drian.
"Matagal na akong binata." Sabi ni Drian. Pinakawalan na siya ni Tita Lai at ako naman ang ikinulong sa bisig niya. Niyakap ko siya kagaya ng dati.
"You take care of my baby, yes?" Malambing na sabi ni Tita. Tumango ako bago tumingin kay Drian. Pinipigilan niya ang ngiti niya, halatang halata!
"Opo, Tita. That is if he'll let me." Biro ko na naman. Naka-thumbs up ang kamay ni Drian pero sa akin niya lang iyon ipinakita. Nang lingunin siya ni Tita ay ibinaba niya iyon kaagad.
"Of course he will! Ano na bang status ninyong dalawa?" Tita asked as if she's so sure there's already something that's happening between us.
"We're starting, mom. Quit bothering her."
Nagkatinginan kami ni Tita. We are both shocked from what he just said. Starting is a big word. It's almost magical! But did he really mean it or was it just another skit to keep her mom shut?
Kinuha ako ni Drian kay Tita. Dali niyang ipinadausos ang palad niya sa baywang ko. A simple gesture that caused havoc in my inside. I wasn't fully expecting him to do this in front of her mom. Sure he did this in front of our mother's friends, but I wasn't sure Tita had seen it. But now she sure did!
A huge smile from Tita was all I saw after being carried away from this beautiful mess I'm in.