The food is great and it's all authentic Filipino food. We have lechon manok and bulalo for the cold weather and some seafood cuisines too.
Hindi na ako mapakali sa pagkain ko habang patuloy na iniisip ang mga pwedeng mangyari mamaya.
And because of Gaston's actions too.
Gaston kept on filling up my plate with food. Kanina pa iyon napapansin ni Auntie at alam kong magtatanong na siya mamaya kapag napag isa kami sa kwarto. While Calyx remained concentrated on eating his chicken.
"This is enough, Gaston." I almost whispered to him.
Muli kong naramdaman ang tingin ni Auntie sa amin. She then cleared her throat.
"Maraming salamat ulit dito, Iho. Lalo na at gusto ulit ni Calyx na pumasyal dito." She warmly smiled at him.
"No worries, Auntie." Gaston smiled at her back.
"Boss libre niyo po ba lahat ng to?" Calyx motioned his hand to all of our food in the table.
Gatson chuckled at him. "Yes. If you want more, we can order more."
Namilog ang mga mata ni Calyx sa sinabi niya. I tapped his leg under the table, but he just smirked at me.
"You are the Boss, so it means your rich?" May pagkamangha ulit sa boses ni Calyx.
"Uh huh." He simply responded.
"Then do you have lots of toys? Maybe transformers or probably the complete collection of Toy Stories?" He asked more amazingly.
Gaston continued looking at him amusingly. "I don't, but I can buy all of those." May pagyayabang sa tono nito.
He is trying to impress Calyx, that's for sure. Dahil pagkatapos nitong sabihin iyon ay napatulala si Calyx sa kanya.
"Then you are really really rich, Boss." He amazingly concluded.
Napapikit ako ng mariin sa klase ng usapan nila. Mukhang alam na ni Gaston kung paano niya aamohin si Calyx.
They continued their conversation like that hanggang sa natapos na nga kami. I am quite impress the he managed to answer all of Calyx questions, parang ako pa ang napagod para sa kanya. Auntie and I let them talked at pawang tagapakinig lang kami.
Nawala kanina ang kaba ko pero ngayon na tapos na kami ay halos marinig ko na ang kabog ng dibdib ko sa kaba.
I looked at Gaston nervously but he just gave me a warm smile.
We are now just eating our warm dessert, ginataang bilo-bilo. I looked at Calyx as he ate his food carefully. He is blowing every spoon of it before eating.
I heard Gaston cleared his throat at napatingin kami pareho ni Auntie sa kanya. Muli niya akong nginitian habang halos hindi na ako mapakali sa kinauupuan ko.
"I just want to say something important...I would like to ask permission." Mahinahon niyang panimula. He doesn't look nervous at all.
Calyx stopped eating and looked at him too.
Auntie gave her full attention to him kaya mas lalong akong nakaramdam ng kaba.
"I am courting Carmella po. And even though she agreed to do so, I just want to ask both of your permission too."
He looked at Auntie as she dropped her spoon on the table, shocked with what she heard.
Her eyes went back and forth to me and Gaston, her lips were quivering too as if she didn't know what to react.
Calyx tapped my arms and I looked at him. "What's courting Mama?" He whispered to me.
"Uhmmm…" How should I explain it? Bago pa ako makapagsalita ay nagsalita ulit si Gaston.
"I am still in love with her after all these years and I planned from the very start to take her back too."
Napunta ulit ang atensyon ko sa kanya at halos ako naman ang mapasinghap sa mga sinabi niya.
He already planned to take me back? Pagkatapos lahat ng pinakita niya sa akin simula? Ang pagsusungit niya? Ang pinaramdam niyang galit sa akin?
"I know that you are one of the most important people in her life right now, and your permission is a must." He added more.
"Boss, what's courting?" I looked at Calyx who is now raising both of his hands to get his attention.
Gaston chuckled at his question again. "If you love someone, then you need to court her first, you need---"
"So you like my Mama just like what Sir Jerome?" He asked unbelievably.
His face suddenly darkened as he looked at me, but he managed to change his expression in a split second.
"I just don't like your Mom. I am in love with her." He seriously said this time.
"Uhmmm…" Napatingin kami pareho ni Gaston kay Auntie ng tumikhim ito.
"Kung saan masaya si Mella ay doon kami. At susupurtahan namin ang desisyon niya." She smiled at Gaston warmly.
Binaling niya ang tingin sa akin at binigyan niya rin ako ng magaang ngiti. "Susuportahan ka namin sa kung ano ang gusto mo, Mella. Nandito lang kami upang gabayan ka."
Ramdam ko ang pagkawala ng bigat sa dibdib ko sa mga narinig. I looked at her warmly and then Gaston who is now smiling at her too.
"Huwag po kayong mag alala dahil wala po akong intensyon na saktan siya. At hindi ko rin po sasayangin ang tiwalang binigay nyo po sa akin."
Nanubig ang mga mata ko at kaagad ko itong pinunasan. Maging si Auntie ay hindi mapigilang maluha.
I smiled at the end but it went completely off as soon as I looked at Calyx staring out of nowhere.
I held his hand and he looked at me. I levelled our eyes and caressed his hands.
"I thought he was cool…" He whispered while sulking.
Napatikhim ako sa sinabi niya.
"He is like Sir Jerome too." He added more.
"Calyx…" Auntie called his attention at napatingin naman ito sa kanya,
"Gaston wil court Mama, may gusto ka bang sabihin, apo?" She encouraged him.
Kaagad na umiling si Calyx at muling bumaba ang paningin nito. I heard Auntie sighed heavily.
"I wanna go to bed now, Mama." He whispered again.
Maybe I should talk to him all alone. I nodded at him and looked at Auntie and Gaston who are now both looking at us with a hint of concern in their faces.
I cleared my throat. "I'll talk to him first, he wants to go to bed now." Paalam ko.
Auntie unsurely nodded her head while Gaston remained looking concerned at us. But in the end, he nodded too.
"Samahan ko na kayo papuntang taas." He was supposed to stand up but I shook my head.
"We can manage, at hindi pa kayo tapos kumain." Pagpipigil ko.
"Mama, I wanna go to bed now." This time, he stood up and grabbed my hand.
Gone is his light aura from before. He can't even look at Gaston now who is staring at him.
I saw him swallowed hard. "Just call me if you need help."
"I will." Ngumiti ako ng marahan sa kanya.
"Susunod na lang kami kung ganoon, Mella." I looked at Auntie and nodded.
Sumakay kami ng elevator. We were holding hands but he remained looking at the floor. Hindi ko mapigilang magpakawala ng malalim na buntong hininga.
We entered our room and he quickly ran to my room. Kaagad naman akong sumunod. He grabbed his jammies that I had prepared for him on the side of the bed.
Kusa na siyang nagpalit ng damit nito habang nakaupo lamang ako sa may kama. Umakyat siya sa kama pagkatapos at nagtaklob ng kumot.
Muli ako bumuntong hininga. Dahan-dahan akong nag kumot rin at tumabi sa kanya. I went inside the duvet too and looked at him pretending to be asleep.
"Calyx, anak." I called him and he continued pretending.
"Calyx, I know what---"
Nagmulat siya ng mga mata. "I don't like him now." Matigas nitong sabi.
"He can have anything, and he can buy everything too, but not my Mama." I saw how his eyes got teary and he quickly brushes it off.
Tinanggal niya ang duvet at tumalikod sa akin. Kaagad akong yumakap sa kanya mula sa likod.
"Could you give him a chance? Mama gave him a chance." Marahan kong paliwanag. I kissed the back of his head repeatedly.
Muli siyang bumitaw sa akin at umupo na sa kama. I sigh heavily, pagkatapos ay tinanggal ang kumot at umupo rin para maharap siya.
His eyes are teary but he put on a brave facade. His cheeks also got red and so was his nose.
"He might take you away from me." Nagbaba siya ng tingin.
Kaagad akong humawak sa maliliit pa niyang mga daliri. "No, he won't and i'll make sure of it. If he loves me he will love you too." Marahan kong paliwanag.
Napaangat siya ng tingin sa akin. "He is still not cool…"
Hindi ko namang mapigilang ngumiti ng magaan. "Uh huh, so why not gave him chance too? Mama trust him, will you trust Mama by giving him a chance to prove himself?"
Nanatili ang naiiyak niyang mga mata sa akin. "Only if he is worthy of Mama's love."
I caressed his cheeks and dried some of his tears. "Then will you be fine with him courting me? To prove himself?"
Kaagad niyang iniwas ang mga mata sa akin. Then he slowly nodded his head. He removed my hands on his and threw his body on me for a hug. Sinalo ko siya ng mahigpit na yakap.
"Thank you baby, he won't take me away from you. I promise." I kissed his head repeatedly while he hugged me tighter.
Hindi na kami lumabas pareho at pinatulog ko na siya. Sa pagbabantay ko sa kanya ay nakaramdam na rin ako ng antok. I am still in my jeans but I don't have the energy anymore to stand up. Bagkus, ay mas humigpit ang yakap ko sa kanya.
"Mella, anak…"
I heard someone calling me and slowly, I opened my eyes. I saw Auntie and I quickly sat up straight in my bed.
What time is it?
"Mella, maaga kayo ngayon diba? Gising na rin si Gaston at sinabihan akong gisingan ka na para makapag handa na." She whispered.
Kaagad naman na nanlaki ang mga mata ko. I looked for the veranda but the curtain is to thick. Napatayo at tulog na tulog pa si Calyx.
"Anong oras na po?" Kaagad kong tanong.
"Maaga pa pero sinabi ni Gaston na kakain pa kayo ng agahan. Mauna na kayo at hihintayin ko na lang muna si Calyx, total maaga pa naman."
I got in the shower and quickly did my routine, may oras pa naman ako pero masyado akong matagal na maligo. I need to move a little bit faster. Nakakahiya rin kong hihintayin pa ako ni Gaston
Auntie already fixed our clothes in my room closet kaya naging madali na rin sa akin ang pagbibihis.
I wore my baby blue mermaid skirt and white silk long sleeves. I tied its thin blue ribbon on the collar and I let my long wavy hair down.
I was supposed to fully dry my hair with the blower but I got no time, lalo na at kakain pa kami ng agahan.
I combed it and applied some minimal make up too. A pink lipstick and a little bit of eye liner. This is a research congress and a seminar, so I need to be a little bit more presentable than what I normally look at with my everyday work look.
"Auntie mauna na po kami. Pakibantayan na lang po si Calyx at makakabalik rin po kami dito bago mag ala una."
I gathered my things on the sala and grabbed my bag afterwards. Lumabas si Auntie at pinag buksan ako ng pintuan.
"Huwag kang mag alala, ako na ang bahala sa kanya."
"Sige po, tawagan niyo lang po ako kung may problema."
Ako na ang nagsara mismo sa front door at nagmamadaling tinungo ang room number ni Gaston.
I push the doorbell button. It quickly opened and my eyes went wide as soon as it revealed him.
Napaawang ang mga labi ko ng makita ko ang kahubdan niya sa pang itaas na bahagi ng kanyang katawan. His muscles looked ripped. My eyes travelled to his broad shoulders down to his hard chest down to his ripped abs.
His body looked like it was handcrafted by a sculptor. I can't help but bite my lower lip and swallow hard. Para akong biglang nauhaw.
"Carmella…"
Napababa ng tingin ko sa pang ibabang bahagi ng kanyang katawan. He is already wearing his slacks but his zipper and button isn't closed yet. And his boxer on the show!
Kaagad akong napaiwas ng tingin ng mapansin ko ang…I shouldn't have listen to Ina's stories with his ex boyfriends.
Kaya ngayon napapansin ko na ang mga dapat hindi naman talaga napapansin.
"Carmella…"
My eyes travelled to his face and a playful smile was written on his lips and his eyes were already teasing me.
Kaagad na namula ang mukha ko ng napagtanto ang ginawa kong pagtitig sa kanya.
"Done checking me out?" He playfully asked.
Hindi na ako makatingin sa kanya at napako na ang tingin ko sa paanan ko. I heard him chuckled at kusang napaangat ang tingin ko ulit sa kanya.
"I'm not checking you out." I bravely lied to defend myself.
Mas lalo siyang tumawa kay tumalim na ang titig ko sa kanya. His laugh then slowly died down.
"Come in. I'll just wear my dress shirt and we are good to go." Nauna na siyang naglakad papasok at alanganin pa akong sumunod.