Podd
I couldn't help but smile as I looked at Earth together with his mother and sister at the living room.
They were laughing and teasing each other as they went on playing scrabble.
We just finished our sumptuous dinner that Mae prepared.
I smiled to myself.
After almost two years, I could finally see Earth and his mother laughing together.
Really, with how Mae had treated us coldly in the past, I didn't think she'd be able to reach out to us sooner but she did.
It made me happy and even happier because I knew, Earth was happy as well.
I had no qualms that this day would happen although I didn't expect it to be this early and this way.
I heaved a content sigh as I remembered what happened earlier.
"We should get lunch first before we head home."
I looked at Earth's mother on the driver's seat.
She didn't look anywhere domineering but I was starting to sweat bullets.
I decided to back out the last minute and book a flight back to Bangkok when I received a text from her telling me to text her once I landed and I did exactly what she said I had to mentally kick myself after.
"I, errr---it's fine m---aunty, I'm really not that hungry."
I pursed my lips.
"Did you have your lunch already?"
I shook my head.
"Uhm, it's okay, I'm not hungry anyway..."
I tried to sound as polite as possible.
"Did you or did you not?"
Aunty regarded me at the red light.
"I didn't."
I cleared my throat after an obvious mini panicked answer.
"Now, that's a clear answer. Lunch it is then."
The time was 12:10 and although I felt hungry earlier, it flew off the window when I finally saw Earth's mother.
"O---kay."
I said and my stomach agreed.
"What time do you usually eat your lunch? I called you around ten earlier and the flight was more or less one hour and you still didn't have your lunch? Did you perhaps, skipped it because of coming here!?!"
I shook my head at mae as we sat their waiting for our lunch inside a famous thai restaurant.
"It's fine aunty, really. When you called, I was about to grab lunch with Ear--- I was about to grab lunch."
I stopped myself from saying Earth's name in front of aunty. Wasn't really sure why tho.
I was about to say something some more when our orders arrived.
"Wow, this looks everything Earth would order. Did you mean to do this or you were just really influenced after living together for almost two years now?"
I blinked at aunty.
She excused herself to the comfort room after she placed her order and left me ordering mine.
"Err, it's, uhmmm, it's just, Earth, he uhm, yeah, aunty. Maybe it's the influence, aunty."
She chuckled and shook her head when she regarded me.
"Can you stop calling me aunty now and just go back to what you called me before? I don't want Earth to sulk at me when he knows how his boyfriend's still not calling me Mae."
I swallowed dryly.
Wait, what did aunty just say!?!
"So, how are you?"
Mae asked after some time when I kept quite and focused on eating instead.
"Hmm?"
I didn't mean to but I just groaned at aunty.
"How's work? How's life with Earth?"
I didn't plan to but I gaped at aunty.
What the hell!!!
What did she just say!?!
"I know right? It's been a long time and I only asked you now."
She smiled as I continued to blink at her. Not sure what to say.
"You know what, Podd. Contrary to what you all think all these time, I don't hate you. I don't hate Earth. He's my son, how could I hate him? It's just that, what you have, when you told me, I just, it was a shock you know. You were just bestfriends then you suddenly told us you're dating, how am I supposed to take that?"
I pursed my lips.
"I---I'm sorry, aunty."
She smiled at me.
"Mae. You call me Mae. And no, I'm sorry for making you and my son think that I hate you. I just needed a time to process all in. Por was right, I needed that time and you did too---inorder for us to adjust with the situation and now it's happening. It took time but, I'm glad you stuck with my son despite me being difficult."
I gaped at Mae.
Heart full, I didn't know what to say.
"You know what Por told me way back? He said, after working at the police for a long time and seeing how parents come and go with broken hearts about how their children turned out to be criminals, he only wished for one thing, for our kids to grow up good people. And he's thankful that Earth was that and more. And it hit right home. He even told me how proud he was of Earth and you for standing up against what we, and the society believed to be the norms."
She heaved a sigh before she continued.
"Just as long as you take care of each other, I'm fine. Can you do that Podd? Can you promise me you'd take care of each other?"
I smiled and nodded.
I couldn't believe what I was hearing but I didn't want to change any of it either.
"Au---Mae, thank you! You have no idea how much it means to me, to Earth that you're finally giving us your blessing."
She smiled.
"It's long overdue. But, no marriage yet, okay? My son's still so young!"
I chuckled.
"I know, Mae, I don't want Earth to go running off the hill this early, so yeah, no marriage. Not yet."
She smiled at me and I smiled back.
Heart full.
Maybe, this was the reason why I kept on doing what I wished I wouldn't earlier on my way there.
Something good was about to happen and my heart knew it.
"What are you standing here for? Come and join us."
Por's pat on my shoulder brought me back to the present, smiling.
"Yeah, Por, I, was just getting drinks."
I raised a bottle of lemon drink that Earth requested.
"I'm glad everything's finally okay."
He told me as he regarded his family at the living room.
"Me too."
And I'm planning to keep it that way.
Por nodded and smiled at me.
"Let's go."
He nodded at me to follow him to where the rest of the guys were.
Earth was smiling at me as he neared them.
He was sweating and looking too worried when he arrived home earlier after flying directly to follow me, only to see me laughing with Mae at the garden as I helped her with her succulents.
I heaved a content sight before I took Earth's extended hand to mine and passed Sky the drink.
As I watched everyone laughing and smiling and felt Earth's hand with mine, I realized.
This.
This is the happiness we all deserved to have.
The End
Hehe. Not really, we still have next week. Our last for this.
Laters, Loves!😘
S5m💙
P.S. CasuarinesTayNew twitter account got my TayNew one shot for all you pol as out there you can check it out. She did a good job for the presentation. 😊