Chapter Thirty One
"Relax." Alexander chuckled as he held my hand. Ngayon lang nagsink-in sa akin na makikilala ko na ang mga magulang niya. Parang mali yata ang desisyong ito. Masyado akong nagpadalos-dalos at nagpaapekto sa hindi masyadong kagandahang Abigail na 'yon.
"Seryoso ka ba talaga sa akin?"
His face darkened. "Never question that, Blythe. Seryoso ako. Alam mo 'yan."
"Bakit kailangan ko pang i-demand na ipakilala mo ako?" May halo pa ring pagkairita ang tanong ko sa kanya. His face was unreadable once more.
"I was waiting for you. I want to take things slow. You've never been in a relationship before and I haven't been either. I was scared that asking you to meet my parents will cause you anxiety. I don't want to scare you away because things are moving quickly for both of us," he replied, now slightly annoyed.
I sighed. "Okay, I'm sorry."
"I'm a bit annoyed na nagpapaapekto ka sa sinasabi ng iba. Abigail is nothing."
"Sorry na."
He threw his hands in the air. "Ano pa nga bang magagawa ko, hindi naman kita matitiis? Pasalamat ka talaga, Blythe Oenone."
"Are we okay now?" alangang tanong ko. Maybe I really did overreact a while ago. The whole drive ay ang sungit ko kay Alexander dahil wala ako sa mood. Umiikot kasi sa utak ko ang mga patutsada ni Abigail. Nakaramdam ako ng guilt dahil alam kong dapat hindi ako nagduda sa intensyon niya sa akin.
He loves me. I should put faith in him.
He crossed our distance and kissed me. "Let's go meet my parents."
"Now na talaga?" Napakagat ako ng labi. "Puwede magback out? Gusto ko na lang pala magshopping. May bagong release na bag ang Louis Vuitton tapos balita ko may stock na sa Greenbelt..."
"Blythe." Kinastigo ko ang sarili. Mamanhikan pala ha.
"Can't we stay inside the car for a minute or two? Or an hour?"
"You're going to charm them, love."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because you're simply amazing." He reached for my hair and tucked the loose strands at the back of my ear. "At napaamo mo ako. That's no easy feat."
"Paano kapag hindi nila ako nagustuhan? Paano kapag sinabi nilang layuan kita." Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "Or worse! Paano kung sabihan nila akong magpablack ng buhok?"
Nagkandahaba-haba ang nguso ko. Pinaglaruan ko pa ang kurbata niya pero tinanggal niya roon ang kamay ko. Pinisil ko ang ilong niya at tinaasan niya naman ako ng kilay bago tinanggal ang kamay ko.
"Calm down. You're going to be okay." I stared at the mansion in front of me and took one courageous sigh. "Come on. Let's go. They're waiting inside."
Naramdaman ko ang panlalamig ko at ang pagpapawis ng mga kamay nang tuluyan na kaming makalabas ng kotse. The large double doors were opened by a helper and we walked inside. The floor was polished marble and my heels clinked against it.
Nginitian siya at kinawayan ng isang helper na nasa malawak na receiving area. "Nako, Sir Alexander. Mabuti naman at nakauwi ka na. Paniguradong magagalak si chief nito." Tinignan ako ng babae. "Hello po. Magandang hapon."
"Magandang hapon din po." Bumaling ako kay Alexander at bumulong. "Who's chief?"
I heard footsteps ahead. I raised my eyes and saw a man walking down the marble stairs. They wore the same neutral expression and they had the same regal stance. His hair had white blending in with the black.
"Good afternoon, old man." Alexander, who still hasn't removed his hand from my waist, greeted him in a playful tone. There was amusement darting in his father's eyes as he shifted his gaze from Alexander to me. He must be the person they referred to as chief. My palms grew more sweaty.
"What a pleasure, son." His eyes crinkled at the corners. He wore a simple combination of shirt and trousers yet he still looked intimidating. "Chief, look who's here!" he shouted.
What?
A woman emerged from the top of the stairs wearing a knitted blue top and comfortable house shorts. Her hair was shoulder-length kind of short and she had foreign features. She looked exactly like Daze, only older.
"Xander?" Masigla at malamyos ang boses niya. Nagkatinginan kami. Binigyan ko siya ng kyemeng ngiti. Her eyes widened, but she recovered just as instantly. She straightened up and stared at me in deep scrutiny.
"Blythe, these are my parents. Mom, Dad, this is Blythe, my girlfriend."
"I didn't know I would live to see this, Aaron," sabi niya sa asawa nang parehas silang makababa. I mustered the courage to smile wider at both of them.
"Good afternoon. It's a pleasure to meet you... po."
"The pleasure is ours, hija. Please make yourself comfortable." He smiled at me. "You guys are just in time for lunch."
"We've had lunch already," Alexander replied.
"Then have lunch again," His mother said. She turned to me. "Are you conscious about your figure, hija? When I was your age, I was, too."
"No, ma'am. We'd love to stay for lunch," I replied curtly. She seemed pleased with my answer. She broke into a gleaming smile. "Excellent!"
***
"So, Blythe. Would you mind if I ask what you do for a living?" His mother asked as she put buttered vegetables on her plate.
I swallowed the meat on my mouth before I answered. "Not at all. I'm a photographer by profession, but on the side, I also manage a coffee shop business. It's Coffee Palace."
She paused and looked at me, looking quite amazed. "Coffee Palace, really? That's my bestfriend's go to coffee shop. How amazing is that! I have to say, I love the theme inside. Very cozy, chic, comfortable."
"Thank you, Tita..." I smiled tensely.
"I brought Daze there once. She loved the chocolate mousse."
"It's a bestseller. Dadalhan ko po kayo next time."
"That's so nice of you, hija. Thank you. Daze would have loved that." Naramdaman ko ang lungkot sa tono niya at agad naman itong napansin ni Alexander. Nagtiim-bagang ang Dad niya sa sinabi ni Tita.
"Where's Zade, by the way?" tanong ni Alexander.
His Dad looked at him. "At the university. You know how studious he is."
It was a lame attempt to divert the topic, but it did seem to work. Tumingin sa akin ang Mama niya at ngumiti. Gumanti ako ng ngiti sa kanya at kinindatan niya naman ako. The tension is starting to ease.
"What does your parents do, darling?" His father asked me.
"They have a small manufacturing business here. They have another business, but that one is based in France. It's a baking school."
"That's nice," he said, nodding. "My wife learned how to bake through a friend who lives in France as well. Let me tell you, Blythe, that my son loves anything chocolate. He's crazy for it. Kaya kapag bad mood 'yan, may dinadamdam, you know what to get him."
"Thanks for the tip, Tito." I grinned.
"Blythe? Have you done drugs?" biglang tanong ni Tita Cassi.
"What the hell?" Alexander grumbled.
"Language." Tito Aaron hissed. Alexander's expression didn't waver.
"Mom, that question was out of the blue and was uncalled for."
"No, Tita. I'm clean. I've never done drugs," magalang kong sagot. She nodded.
"Do you really have to ask my girlfriend that kind of question? Go smooth on her, okay? I know you guys are really hyperexcited about me introducing her to you, but please try not to freak her out too much."
It was his Dad who broke off the tension entirely by laughing so loud.
"Chief, your son has it bad."
"Really bad," she responded. She might be straightforward and a little intimidating like her husband, but she seemed really cool. When lunch was done, she stood up and told Alexander she'd borrow me for a couple of minutes. My heart started pounding inside my chest.
"Mom... Whatever it is that you're planning to -"
He was cut off. "Relax, Alexander."
"Blythe, dear, will you follow me please? I'm going to show you the garden." Sinundan ko siya. We passed the tall door that led straight to her vast garden that was filled with exotic plants. There was a clean pool, a modern water fountain, and some stone decorations. She led me to the nearest table.
"Your hair..." She started while staring at its blue strands.
Napakagat labi ako. It's my hair. It's always about the weird blue hair.
She probably hates it, I figured.
Nagsimulang kumibot ang mga labi ko. "Tita, I know my hair color is weird, but it's the way I express myself. I know I don't look like an elegant supermodel and I probably didn't even reach your standards. But... I love him. I love your son so much."
"Hija, calm down." She held my shoulders. "What are you talking about, Blythe?" She laughed at me openly and it made me pause.
"You don't like me, right?"
She laughed harder. "Goodness. Do you really think that's what I wanted to tell you?"
"Yes," I replied uneasily.
She shook her head, smiling. "I appreciate the frankness, honey. Pero hindi 'yon ang importanteng bagay na gusto kong sabihin."
"Ano po pala?"
Sinalakay na naman ako ng kaba.
"Tingin ko mas bagay sa'yo ang pink hair."