"Unexpected events will make us realize we still have lots of growing up to do..."
Matty was his usual enthusiastic self while they made their way to the grocery of Market! Market! which was just a few minutes from Two Serendra. It became a habit for him to talk to Drei and Alex about stuff in school and all the whatnots. Alex smiled at him fondly as he went on blabbing about his day went today – his homework and the upcoming open house that their school was having next week. Things have changed between them ever since they walked out of Matty's room that night when they had that talk a few weeks ago. They became partners in crime.
He suddenly remembered Drei saying that Matty was Anton's exact replica and he couldn't agree more especially when Matty showed him his Dad's picture in his wallet. Their features were identical. Another thing about Matty is that he was unusually advanced for his age. Drei found it convenient to communicate as honestly, and as openly, as possible to her son. For her, Alex remembered, it was the best way to avoid complications for them in the future. And he couldn't help but credit Drei on how she managed to raise such a smart boy, given that she needed to fill in two roles at the same time – a mother and a father. Because of that, his admiration for the mother of his child was just way beyond than he expected.
And there was no denying that Alex was slowly becoming attached to Drei's amazingly smart little boy. He found himself drawn to his little world as he was learning more about Matty every single day. Little by little, Alex was allowing the little boy to occupy a space in that hollow organ in his chest which he kept guarded for so long.... His heart. Allowing someone, who isn't even related to him by blood, into his life was something new to him. It felt good. And he loved the sound of Matty's voice calling him Dad for the first time. It gave him that sense of pride that he couldn't explain and knowing that he was becoming a part of this little boy's life suddenly made him feel important and needed.
"What are we cooking?" Matty asked as they walked inside the supermarket of Market! Market! pushing the shopping cart. Alex took out the list from his pocket and scanned through it.
"Hmmm mauna muna tayo sa pork section...bili tayo ng baboy..." he answered. "We're cooking Pork Sinigang tonight, Kuya... kumakain ka ba nun?"
"Opo naman!" he smiled. "Can I help?"
"Oo naman!" Alex nodded in approval. "Makakaluto kaya si Chef Alex kung wala ang magaling kong assistant na si Chef Matty?"
The two did a high five and then they both headed to the meat section. When they got there, Alex requested for two kilos of pork. He explained to Matty why he chose specific cuts for their menu tonight and the boy just listened carefully. Then he added some chicken breasts, thighs, wings and drumsticks.
"Sino po nagturo sa'yo na mag cook?"
"My dad... saka mga Tita ko... I have a big family... and they like cooking..."
After that they went to the vegetable section and Alex got what he needed – tomatoes, onions, radish, string beans, kangkong. He added some broccoli, carrots, potatoes, pechay and malunggay leaves for tomorrow's menu that he had in mind. They also got some eggs, bacon, hotdog and ham for breakfast. Then some broth cubes and the sinigang mix.
"Daddy Alex," Matty called out as they were strolling by the canned goods section, Alex looked at him. "Paano kayo nagkakilala ni Mom?"
"Well," he gazed afar as if recalling the memory. It was Johan's birthday if he wasn't mistaken. He could still remember every detail of how she looked and what songs she sang. "We met sa birthday ng Ninong Yo mo... nagpa party kasi si Ninang Jeannie mo, doon kami nagkakilala."
"Ahhhhhh...." Matty nodded. "So matagal na kayong friends?"
"Ummm hindi naman kami friends nung una talaga, kasi we don't see each other often... nagkikita lang kami pag nagyayaya sina Ninong Yo at Ninang Jeannie mo like may dinner sa kanila or mga okasyon... naalala mo pa ba nung nag beach tayo sa Batangas?"
"Opo," the boy smiled. "We made sandcastles... tapos linibing natin si Tito Mickey sa buhangin."
Alex laughed at the memory. It was one of the most unforgettable summer getaways they had back in 2008. And how could he ever forget seeing Drei in her bikinis and it was just impossible to believe that she already had a kid.
"Maliit ka pa nun eh, I think you were four that time... naalala mo pa pala yun?"
Matty just nodded. "Do you like mom?"
"Why'd you ask that?" Alex glanced at him as they came to a stop in front of the shelf full of corned beef. He grabbed four cans and placed it inside their cart.
"Wala lang just asking..." he stared at him wide eyed.
"Well, I like her..." he said, choosing his words carefully. "I mean... kasi friendly siya, you know... she's nice to everyone..."
"Ahhhhh..." then Matty grabbed a can of meatloaf.
"Can I ask you something, Kuya?" it was his turn and Matty just nodded. "Marami na ba naging boyfriend ang Mom mo?"
"After my dad died?" he clarified and Alex nodded. "Ummm yes... I met all of them..."
"Really? All her boyfriends?" he asked. Matty wiggled his eyebrows and gave him a straight smile. "Ilan ba naging boyfriend ng mom mo?"
"There was Tito Kyle..." he enumerated with his fingers. "I didn't like him much cos he looks funny... and there was Tito Jeff... tinuruan niya ako mag games sa computer... and then si Daddy Perry... then ikaw pa pala di ba?"
Intrigued, Alex asked him some more. No wonder Matty was familiar with the terms: date, girlfriend, boyfriend and the likes. It was because Drei was honest enough with her son regarding the people she dated. He knew Drei casually dated around but she never introduces all these guys to Matty unless they were exclusive. The same thing that she did while they were still 'a thing' back then. For Matty, his mom only had three boyfriends, actually four, according to Matty, with him included. There Alex also learned that the longest relationship that Drei had out of the three was with Perry, which lasted a year. The two broke up when his immigrant visa for Canada got approved.
Then Matty went on talking about Perry as they walked to the Diary Section to get some juice and Drei's milk. It seemed that Perry was such a great guy and Alex couldn't help but feel a little jealous of him as Matty talked about him.
"So you liked that Perry guy?" he asked.
Then his gaze suddenly drifted to a curvy girl just a few steps away from them. His eyes darkened as he gawked at her. Its been awhile and he hasn't been seeing someone lately. She was wearing a denim mini skirt and a racer back green top and a pair of flipflops. Her hair was long and she looked really sexy. She seemed to be deciding what brand to buy. Out of the blue, he forgot about Matty.
"Yes, Daddy Perry is cool...and he..." noticing that Alex wasn't paying attention to what he was saying, Matty glanced at the direction where he was looking. He studied the girl in front of them and then he glanced back at Alex. "Sino siya?"
"I don't know who she is..." Alex commented. Then they both stared at the girl. "Ganda niya no?"
Matty frowned and scrutinized the twenty-something girl in front of them from head to toe. "Hmmmm no..."
Alex looked at him in horror. "You serious? Hindi siya maganda?" The boy shook his head. "Open your eyes, Matt... look she's sexy oh... ganda ng legs... makinis... maputi..." Matty still disagreed. "Teka wait for me, get your milk then your juice... stay right there..."
Matty did what he was told, so he stood there and watched Alex walk towards the girl. The girl looked at his Daddy Alex and gave him a sweet smile. Matty narrowed his eyes on them and then turned away. He grabbed the orange juice that his mom liked from the shelf and then his milk. He placed it all inside the cart. Alex and the girl continued to talk and suddenly he felt irritated.
"Daddy! Daddy!" he shouted out loud. He surely got Alex and the girl's attention. He saw the expression on Alex's face changing as he got closer to them. "Nakuha ko na yung milk ko... halika ka na, mom's waiting!"
"Awwww you have a kid na pala..." An awkward smile appeared on the girl's face, gazing from Alex to Matty. "He's cute... hello, little boy! Ano pangalan niya?"
"Ummm Stacy, this is Matty..." he said while glaring at the little boy who just ruined his game.
"Hi!" Matty smiled deviously. Alex glared at him. "Daddy let's go... Mom's waiting..."
"Nice meeting you Matty... ikaw din Alex... thanks for the help... mauna na ako..." the girl said and then she walked away.
Alex cringed and scratched his head. "Kuya naman eh, dumidiskarte ako eh..."
"What's diskarte?"
"It's what guys do when they see a girl they like... we ask their name tapos yung number nila..." he explained. Then he grabbed a can of Anmum Materna from the shelf and placed it inside their cart. "Sayang..."
"Why do you get their number?"
"To ask them out on a date... para maging friends kami..."
"I don't think she's maganda..." Matty remarked, unimpressed. "Mas maganda si Mom..."
"Really?" he raised a brow at him. They were walking out of the dairy section and heading towards the cashier. Matty nodded, so sure of himself. "Kasi mom mo siya... natural lang na sabihin mo na maganda siya..."
"Bakit hindi ba maganda si Mom?"
"Hmmm..." Alex fell silent. Drei's face flashed before him. He remembered the smile on her face when she saw them at the lobby of St. Luke's waiting for her this afternoon. Those beautiful almond eyes that he never got tired looking at. "Oo naman, your mom's beautiful in her own way..."
But that didn't stop Matty. "Di ba sabi mo nag date kayo dati?"
"Parang ganun na nga... why?"
"Hindi mo na ba gustong i-date si mom ulit?" the boy fired back.
He stared at Matty for a brief second, allowing the question to sink into him. Theirs was a different story. They casually dated and then found themselves in a pseudo-relationship status wherein they both agreed not to be emotionally involved. It was how it worked for them. Things were fine until Zooey happened.
"I... I..." he was lost for words. And it irked him that he couldn't answer a simple question from a seven year old. Stalling was his last resort. He crossed his arms on his chest. "Teka nga... Kuya, pansin ko bakit parang ang dami mong tanong... all these questions... ano ba meron? Is there something wrong?"
"Wala lang, Daddy Alex... I'm just curious..." he shrugged, giving him a banal stare. "Kasi bakit lahat ng boyfriend ni Mom nawawala na lang bigla? Maybe they don't like me?"
"Hey, don't blame yourself." Alex's brows furrowed and then he leveled with Matty's height. Truth is, not every guy out there can have the balls to date a woman that comes with a package just like Drei. He suddenly felt bad that Matty was out blaming himself for his mother's failed relationships. "Bakit mo naman nasabi yan?"
He shrugged again. "Ummm I dunno... mabait naman si Mom, maganda, she's the best cook and she takes good care of us... mabait naman ako sa kanila..."
He remembered what she said to him that night during Yo and Jeannie's wedding.
"Happy endings... works for some but never works for me..."
If there was one thing he realized with everything that has transpired between him and Matty a while ago, it was that Drei's relationships after Anton were a series of failures. She was looking for her happy ending but she never found it yet. It made him wonder out of the blue. Was that the reason why she disappeared on him after that night? Was she expecting more than what he could offer her during that time when they got themselves involved? Did she fall for him?
"Look, maybe your mom's boyfriends were not good enough for her... I mean, baka jerk sila or baka bulag kasi hindi nila nakikita kung gaano ka bait ang mom mo..." And by saying that, he felt guilty because it was the truth. And just now did he realize that he was one of those guys who failed to see how great she is as a person. He was one of them. Oblivious and a jerk. And he hurt her too. Big time. "They couldn't see how amazing she is..."
"You think amazing si Mom?" He cocked his head on one side as he looked at Alex. The boy found another loop hole.
"Well... umm yes...s-she is...amazing...I-I told you that right?" he found himself stammering and choosing his words as carefully as possible. "Na she's a strong woman... and I respect her for that..."
"Bakit ayaw mo siya ma date ulit?" he repeated.
The stalling didn't work and he now blamed himself for using the word amazing. He sighed and looked into Matty's eyes. "Kasi Kuya, me and your mom...we tried it once di ba? Tapos it didn't work..."
"Then why can't you try again? Sabi nga ng Lola ko... you should always try again, pag nadapa ka daw, you should never give up. You should try again..." Matty fired another shot.
"See it's not easy kasi Kuya..."
"Madali lang naman di ba?" he reasoned out. "Ako I am not good with soccer, pero I don't give up, I try again... so why don't you try it again?"
"Okay ganito kasi yun... kami ng mom mo," Alex scratched his head and sighed. "Mas okay kami na friends na lang kami muna... kasi if we date each other again, baka maging magulo, Kuya, especially at this time na malapit na dumating si Zooey... ayaw ko siyang ma stress kasi bawal yun..."
"Bakit Daddy, pasaway ka ba? Kaya masestress si Mom?"
"Ummm sometimes... pasaway din ako... saka we're better this way, mas naiintindihan namin ang isa't isa... saka mas importante sa aming dalawa ngayon is you and Zooey... do you get me, Kuya?"
Matty nodded. Thinking that he understood and that he would stop, Alex stood up.
"So ayaw mo muna i-date si Mom ngayon?" Matty asked. "Eh kailan pwede?"
"Basta..." he retreated. Then he cringed. "Saka ayaw na din sa akin ng mom mo, Kuya...kaya mas okay na ganito kami ngayon..."
A sinister smile appeared on Matty's face. "Pano mo nasabi na ayaw na niya sa'yo?"
"Cos she told me..." he answered smugly, just to end this never ending conversation. Even if he wasn't even sure.
Alex has all the right reasons to date Drei. She's smart, they share the same sense of humor and there's this unexplainable emotion that still remained nameless up to this very day. The chemistry wasn't dead yet. It was still there hanging in the air between them whenever he's around her. He couldn't disregard it but he wasn't sure if Drei still feel it though.
Matty gave him a doubtful look. "I don't believe you..."
"You don't believe me?" he asked and Matty just shrugged. "Hey, I'm the adult here you should believe me..."
"Okay..." he said smiling. Alex sighed as the conversation finally ended. That unexpected attack from Matty caught him off guard and it almost gave him a heart attack.
Now the question was stirring in his mind again as they drove home. Why couldn't he try dating Drei again? But there was a portion of his mind asking him why not. Why not try his luck with Drei again and see how things would work out between them? Why couldn't he let her warmth get through to his cold heart? The questions were suddenly taunting him. It was an innocent question from Matty but to him it sounded like a challenge. The thought never left his mind even as they finally reached the parking lot of Two Serendra and making their way to their unit.
Why not? And why not try letting his emotions be involved so that he could put a name to this weird gravitational pull that he has for Drei? After all it's been so long since he opened up to anyone. Why not let her in? He suddenly asked himself if whether or not he's got the guts to go for it.
Truth is he couldn't see anything wrong with Drei. In fact, that 'Miss-Independent-strong-woman' vibe that he saw in her was just so alluring and she has already proven to him that she was an exception to his rule. But then logic started kicking some sense into him. Alex knew that he wasn't good enough for Drei. He knows what he's capable of and he couldnt risk hurting her or Matty.
The possibility of them being involved again would just complicate things between them. They've already laid out the boundaries which they both agreed on. This set up wasn't for them. It was for their child and nothing more.
Just as he unlocked the door, he was welcomed by the sound of familiar voices filling the room. And as the door opened in full swing Alex's mouth hung open. He cursed under his breath.
They've got visitors.
Unexpected visitors.
Drei studied the people who were standing right outside their door. She glanced at them one by one, trying to figure out who they were and where she has met them. Maybe she just forgot. An attractive man with his crinkly eyes and a woman with short, bob cut hair, were giving her a knowing grin and then her gaze shifted to another woman who was at the far end to her left. Drei's smile faded when the woman met her gaze with an unsmiling and unfathomable stare. Were they her parents' friends? Or just one of their friendly neighbors paying a visit?
"Ummm yes, ako nga po si Drei... sino ho sila?" she said politely. Only when Manang Pilar appeared in one corner did she realize who they were and it took Drei a few minutes to let things sink into her. "Manang Pilar?"
Manang Pilar smiled and then her heart started to beat faster. She glanced one last time at the people standing in front of her and a nervous smile appeared on her face. They weren't their neighbors or her parents' friends, they were Alex's family. She gasped. "Oh I'm sorry po, please come in... I-I d-didn't know... I-I m-mean pasensya na po... pasok po kayo..." she could feel her hands trembling as she stepped aside and opened the door for them to come in.
"Its okay, hija... I know di mo kami kilala..." the man said, smiling warmly at her. "By the way, I'm Dan," he added, offering his hand to her. She shook it. "Alex's dad."
She suddenly felt squirmy like she wanted to run. Now she was endlessly cursing Alex inside her thoughts. Why didn't he tell her that his family was dropping by? Is it the reason why he suddenly decided to do some grocery? But there was no use in running and hiding now that she's face to face with Alex's father who was actually as good looking as he is. Drei found herself blushing. "Nice to meet you, sir."
"Ahhh that's too formal, call me Tito Dan..." he added.
"Okay po, Tito Dan..."
"That's more like it!" he said cheerfully and then he turned to the woman with the bob cut hair that was on his right side. "This is my sister, Alex's Tita Chi..."
"Hello, Drei!" Chi remarked with a big smile. "Glad to finally meet you!"
"Nice to meet you po, Tita... T-Tita Chi.."
"And this is my sister," Dan said acknowledging the woman, on his left, who was giving her earlier a scrutinizing stare. "Alex's Tita Caroline..."
"So you're Drei..." she acknowledged, now giving her a wary look. "Drei... is that a short for Andrea?" Drei just nodded and smiled at her shyly. "Ahh I see... good to finally meet you, Andrea."
Chi placed the plastic bag she was carrying with her inside the fridge, while Manang Pilar dashed towards the maid's quarter that was inside the kitchen, carrying her bags with her. Then Drei led Dan and Caroline towards the living room. Dan took a seat while Caroline circled the room.
"I must say, Rose," Caroline began while she scanned the whole room, paying attention to the details of the unit's interiors. "You did a pretty good job with this unit..."
"Thank you, my dear sister," Chi replied smugly as she sat beside Dan. Then she turned to Drei. "Nagustohan mo ba, Drei?"
"Ay opo, Tita... I really like it, especially yung sa baby's room... thank you po talaga..." she said. "Teka po, maiwan ko po kayo muna, maghahain lang po ako..."
"Hija, wag ka na mag abala..." Dan stopped her. "Pilar is taking care of it already, okay..."
"Saan nga pala si Alex?" Caroline asked out of the blue as she stood where Dan was sitting.
"Bumababa po sila saglit, nag grocery," she explained. "Hindi naman niya po sinabi saken na pupunta po pala kayo... sana po nakapag saing na ako..."
"Relax, hija..." Chi said. "Nagluluto na si Manang Pilar doon, so don't worry...
'Tita kasi po nakakahiya naman po sa inyo..." Drei insisted.
"Do me a favor, Andrea..." Caroline asked. "Maupo ka lang diyan and let us take care of it." With that Drei took a seat and Caroline went to the kitchen leaving her with Chi and Dan.
As soon as Caroline disappeared into the kitchen, Dan looked at Drei. "Actually hindi niya alam that we will be dropping by tonight..."
Truth is, the three of them – Dan, Chi and Caroline – had this unexpected visit already planned out. Dan has been bugging Alex to introduce Drei to the rest of the family, and so did Chi, but they just couldn't convince him otherwise. "So how are things going with you guys dito?"
For a moment Drei suddenly felt so unsure with how to answer Dan's question. "Ummm, Tito we're..."
"Don't worry, Drei," Chi interrupted, giving her a warm smile. "Alam namin ni Kuya yung set up ninyo... It's okay and we're not trying to intrude sa inyong dalawa... ang importante yung baby... our apo..."
"Talaga? Alam niyo po?" Drei asked surprised. Now it got her puzzled. "Paano niyo po nalaman?"
"Alex told us... and we're fine by it... we never push him to do things na ayaw niya, that's how he is... but we're all glad that this happened..." then Dan looked at Chi and then back at Drei. "We just hope that our apo is going to change him..."
"For the better!" Chi emphasized and they both chuckled. "And whatever it is na mangyari sa inyo sa huli, kung ano man ang ma desisyonan ninyong dalawa... we just want you to know that you're family already, Drei..."
Drei was beginning to like Dan and Chi already and hearing them tell her that she's a part of their family made her heart swell. If only things between her and Alex were that easy.
"But we need to give you a heads up on something, Drei..." Dan smiled. Then he glanced at the direction of the kitchen and then back at Drei. "Hindi alam ng Tita Caroline niya yung set up ninyong dalawa.
"Ha?" Drei swallowed. "I don't understand..."
Chi suddenly looked uneasy. "Medyo conservative kasi yang kapatid namin... palibhasa kasi tumandang dalaga kaya medyo iba ang pananaw sa buhay... and we've been having a hard time trying to figure out how to tell her...
Caroline, the second child, just got back from San Francisco last week after been living with their sister Ruth and her husband Kevin for almost a few months. Caroline already knew the news about her new grandchild from her favorite nephew, Alex, which is why she was so excited to come home and meet 'the girlfriend'. Of course, she knows about the girls that Alex dated, the not-so-serious ones, she even met a few. But he never addressed them as his girlfriends, except for Cheska. Caroline knew that Alex would never spill the beans about this particular girl, who happens to be the mother of his child so after conniving with her brother Dan and sister Chi, this visit happened.
"We wanted Alex to tell her about you guys... because we don't want na sa amin mangagaling yan... So we're just giving you the heads up..."
"Alam po ba ni Alex to? Na hindi alam ng Tita Caroline niya?" she asked and the two just nodded. Drei swallowed an invisible lump on her throat. SO this means they have to play pretend in front of Alex's Tita Caroline for the rest of the night.
"What he doesn't know is that she is already back... alam kasi niya next month pa uuwi..." Dan added. Sensing the tension in the air, Dan shifted the topic. "So anyways, I heard you guys found out that it was girl... nag pa ultrasound na daw kayo?"
"Ay yes po, Tito...teka kunin ko lang po sa kwarto yung ultrasound picture..." Drei got up and made her way to her room.
As soon as she closed the door, she let out a sigh. She suddenly felt a mixture of identifiable emotions running through her and panic was one of them. She was relieved that Alex's dad knew about their set up but then again, here's his Tita Caroline who doesn't have an idea about their real score. Now what was she going to do? She found her phone and dialed Alex's number. She found herself cursing as she was unable to reach him after dialing three times already. She retreated and grabbed Zooey's ultrasound picture on top of her bedside table and made her way out.
"Saan ka na, Alex... ano ba?!" she murmured to herself on her fourth attempt to reach him. She was already outside the door of her room when she heard a familiar ringtone coming from Alex's room. Then she turned around and headed for his door.
I'm at a payphone trying to call home... all of my change I spent on you...
She went inside and there she found his phone on his bed with Adam Levine's voice singing while her name flashed on his screen.
Where have the times gone, baby, it's all wrong... where are the plans we made for two?
"Damn it!" Drei scowled as she saw her name flashing on the screen of Alex's phone. "At hindi niya pala dala!"
Convincing herself that Alex and Matty were probably on their way back and that she could still face their guests, Drei went out of Alex's room and found her way back to living room. She handed the ultrasound picture to Dan who looked at it proudly along with Chi.
"Would you look at that, Chi..." Dan said, smiling proudly at the ultrasound picture that Drei just handed to him. "My beautiful apo..."
"Look at the nose, Kuya..." Chi marveled.
Drei sat on the loveseat sofa that was horizontally placed at Dan's left side. She couldn't help but smile as she listened to the two swooning over Zooey's first picture. They were all right. Their little girl was a beauty.
"Is that the ultrasound picture?" Caroline asked as she appeared on Drei's side. Dan and Chi just nodded. "Can I see?" Dan handed the picture to her. Drei watched as she looked at it with much scrutiny, her brows furrowed. A small smile appeared on her face and then she looked down at Drei. "No offense meant, Andrea but she looks like Alexander..." she said and then she looked fondly at the picture. "All his prominent features... the nose... the lips... Alexander na Alexander, Danilo..."
"I couldn't agree more, Madam.... Lizares na Lizares..." Dan agreed.
"So tell me, Andrea... are you eating well?" Caroline's attention was now back at Drei, her face serious like it was when she saw her at the door. There was just something about Alex's Tita Caroline that made her jumpy. "Nakakain ka ba ng mga food na masustansya? Like yung may mga sabaw? May mga gulay?"
"Yes naman po, T-tita... but for lunch po kumakain po kami sa labas... sinusundo naman po ako ni Alex..." she answered.
"Then good, pero hindi din maganda na parati nalang kayo sa labas kumakain... you never know what they put sa food nila, baka puro MSG yung mga food... which is why we decided to bring Pilar here for you, so she can cook you a decent, MSG-free meal..." Caroline explained. "I've been reading a lot on the internet tungkol sa mga pagkain na ang daming preservatives and what it can do to the baby... so be careful..."
"Naku nakakahiya naman po, tita...okay lang naman po kami dito..."
"I actually insisted to Danilo to bring Pilar here for you guys," Caroline said. "Saka wala naman na masyadong ginagawa si Pilar sa Tagaytay, might as well let her stay with you and Alex..."
"I agree with Ate, Drei," Chi joined in. "Malapit ka ng manganak and at least Manang Pilar is here to help you out..."
Drei bit her lip after all, she didn't have a choice and it was true, they need some help around. "Ummm okay po..."
"By the way, Drei, how's your son?" Dan asked. "Is he okay?"
"He's okay Tito, okay naman po sila ni Alex..." she answered. Now this suddenly shocked her and she didn't expect that Alex's family knew things about her especially Alex's Tita Caroline. She suddenly felt like she was cornered by these three people.
Caroline placed herself beside Chi. "How old is he, Andrea?"
"He's...ummm .. Matty is seven, Tita..."
"Ahhh I see... big boy na pala... magkasundo naman sila ni Alex?"
"Ay opo, Tita..." she said matter-of-factly recalling how Matty and Alex's relationship was. "Sobrang magkasundo po sila..."
"They're not giving you a hard time are they?" Chi joined in. "Dapat di ka ma stress, Drei..."
Drei smiled. "Ay hindi naman po, Tita Chi... pero minsan medyo... partners in crime kasi yung dalawang yun...."
"Alex has a way with kids," Caroline added. "His pamangkins love him so much...Teka when are you due?"
"Sabi po ng OB ko baka first week po ng September... September 12 po... pero baka daw po earlier..."
"Ahhh nice..." Caroline remarked. "I hope ka birthdate niya si Mama Mary... have you guys thought of a name?"
"Actually po, tita... Alex gave the name..."
"Wow, talaga?" Dan looked at her amused. "What did Alex name her?"
"Zooey..." she answered and the memory of that fine Wednesday afternoon suddenly came crashing back to her. "He named her Zooey, Tito..."
"Zooey...." Chi repeated. "Maganda... mukha naman siyang Zooey... I like it..."
"I like it, too... what do you think Madam?" Dan asked.
"Since she'll be born on September..." Caroline said. "And I am wishing that ka birthday niya si Mama Mary... maganda if may pangalang ng santo ang apo ako... Zooey Marie... how about that?" then she turned to Drei. "How does that sound, Andrea? Zooey Marie Lizares?"
Drei nodded. "It's nice po Tita Ca–"
The door opened and the four of them turned to see who it was.
"Hey!" Drei smiled at her little boy who seemed to be surprised to see the unfamiliar faces that she was with. Matty stepped in with a plastic bag on his hand and just behind him was Alex. "Glad you guys are finally home!"
=======================================
[Music: A Certain Romance by Arctic Monkeys]
Thanks to my cousin Mai, Jhoe, Ate Chi, Madam, Emi, Eli, Shei, SamSam, Gail and to everyone who loves Alex and Drei! =)
Playing For Keeps © 2013 C.Ellaine. All Rights Reserved
All rights reserved. The author retains all copyrights in any text, graphic images and photos in this book. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by ant means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.