We had Mother's Day dinner at JiJi's place. This is her first year as a mommy so she felt extra special today. She called family members to notified us that she will prepare a special dinner and that her hubby, Gege, has a surprise for her.
JiJi: (during the phone call to us) Hubby won't say what the surprise is but I hope it's a brand new wipes warmer.
Me: Excuse me what?
JiJi: Wipes warmer. JR doesn't like to cleaned with cold ass wipes so I bought a wipes warmer but I think it's tiring. It's the most used machine in our nursery so I expect it to get tired eventually. I hope Hubby bought a new wipes warmer for our son.
Me: Okay. I have no idea about anything you just said but sure, I do hope Gege bought you a wipes warmer.
JiJi: You and Qing will be here for my dinner, right?
Me: Of course, I won't miss it for the world. Do you need me to bring anything? Wine? Appetizer? Desert? Flowers?
JiJi: Some sweet stuffs will be appreciated. Oh, why can I talk nicely with you while all my brother did was grunt at me. He kept saying "yes, yes we will be there, stop nagging". He has no patience for me.
Me: (wincing) He is busy at work. It seems like he is always on the go nowadays. For what it's worth, he forgot to kiss me goodbye yesterday. Qing is that busy.
JiJi: Hmmmm, I wish the money he earned from being busy will make him happy.
Me: Go easy on him already, okay?
JiJi: Just for you, I will. Be here, okay?
Me: We will. See you.
I'm glad that call ended before JiJi could continue raging after her brother.
I also took the time to shop for a gifts for her. So sure that she will love them. Qing split the cost with me as he has no time to look for something for his sister. But before we went to JiJi's house for the dinner, Qing stopped by on a flower shop to pick the flowers he ordered for JiJi.
Me: (while we are on the way) (cradling the flower in my arms) Oh, this is beautiful. I'm sure your sister will love it.
Qing: (eyes on the road) I hope so.
Traffic was terrible that night but we got just in time for the pre dinner cocktail drinks. I went straight to greet and hug Mama. Complete disclosure: I'm being extra affectionate to Qing's mother. She already forgave me and she fully loves me again.
I'm her favourite again.
(Good for you, Dayu)
Right? I'm happy because of that. To get fully forgiven by our parents was the highlight of May for me. Like all my worries are now gone.
I also greeted our host. JiJi looked stunning in a mignight blue pencil cut dress with sheer long sleeves. Her jewelries are tasteful and her make up flawless.
JiJi: (kissing my cheek) Thank you for coming.
Me: (smiling) Happy Mother's Day.
Everyone on the living room stood still at what I said. JiJi's eyes got suspiciously shiny while I look around in alarm.
Me: I didn't make her cry! I swear!
Mama: (coming to hug JiJi) Oh daughter...I'm sorry. It was remiss of us. Dayu had to greet you first when it should have been me. Happy Mother's Day, sweetheart.
Baba: (hugging JiJi after Mama) Happy Mother's Day, JiJi. May you have a lot more from now on.
Me: (confuse) I'm the first one who greeted you? (turning to JiJi's husband) Gege?
Gege: (sighing) I'm gonna do it at the toast later on.
Me: Oh shit! Sorry!
Mama: Language. Dayu, it's not your fault. We shouldn't have waited. These kind of things should not be set aside and let stew.
Gege: Right. (coming to hug JiJi who is still teary eyed) Happy Mother's Day, my love. (kissing JiJi's cheek) I love you. JR and I will be completely lost without you. You are the light of our lives. And you are so beautiful tonight.
JiJi: Thank you.
We clapped at them. They look beautiful for people with little human to care for 24/7.
Qing also hugged his sister. Whispering on JiJi's ear that made his sister giggle and slapping Qing's arm. They could be sweet to each other, these two siblings. I wonder why they can't do it everyday.
Anyways, dinner was served and we sat around the table. There are extensive array of dishes: from appetizers made from lobsters, the main course is veal, the garden salad tastes fresh and pannacota is a solid ten. Yum. I thoroughly enjoyed dinner, I even got half of Qing's desert. He was nice to me.
(When has Baba not been nice to you?)
Right. Qing is always nice to me. Anyways, dinner was a hit and the conversation was not bad. All current events and our collective dismay about sports events getting cancelled.
Me: Imagine, the Wimbledon organization paid an insurance company 2 million every year for 17 years for their pandemic insurance. Now that the event got cancelled because of the virus, the Wimbledon organization will get 155 million from the insurance. Their 34 million turned what? Triple?
Qing: Yes.
Me: We are in the wrong business. We should create a sports event and pay pandemic insurance.
Qing: You want another pandemic to occur?
Me: Well, not now. Maybe thirty years from now?
Qing: (moaning) Jesus, your way of thinking.
I looked at Mama who smiled indulgently at me.
Mama: Traveling is a hassle too. We cannot go anywhere as long as this virus is around.
Baba: Listen to you all have rich people problems. Worrying about sports and traveling. What we need are more diligent testings and a vaccine.
JiJi: Whoever will invent that vaccine for this virus will be set for life.
Me: (turning to Qing) How's our progress in that?
Qing: What?
Me: You are not looking to invent a vaccine for this virus? Why not? We could be rich.
Qing: Maybe because I'm not a chemist and I have no idea on how to make a vaccine.
Gege: I have contacts with pharmacheutical company, there are rumors of great developments on a vaccine but nothing is confirmed yet. I think we are still looking months ahead before we'll have a clearer answer for a way to stop this virus completely.
Me: People can now go to space but we are still lacking behind in terms of medicine. Humans as a society is not really that advance, am I right?
They agreed with me.
Anyways, after dinner came the gift giving. Qing and I bought a clutch bag for Mama. She was pleasantly surprised to receive a gift for us. I'm confuse at her reaction.
Me: Why be surprise, Mama? This is your day too.
Mama: (looking deeply touched) Oh, Dayu ah.
Mama hugged me while Qing sighed.
Qing: (to Gege) Dayu's superpower is saying the nicest and sweetest things to our mother in the right way and time. That's why he is the favourite.
Baba: (smiling) He is thoughtful, our Dayu.
Really? Am I thoughtful or some of them are just not making any efforts? In fairness to Qing though, he told me what color of bag his mother would love. We chose to buy the one in chartreuse green. And I don't care if I spell that right or wrong. We can talk about female color wheel and the thousand shades of red they know some other time.
For now, the bag is color green and that's that.
But this is JiJi's night and we started openinf gifts for her. At the get go, I know things are not going right.
For one, Gege heard JiJi wrong.
Gege: You want a wipe warmer? Not a bottle warmer?
JiJi: (looking at the bulking bottle warmer Gege got for her) Yes. Our bottle warmer is still working perfectly and seems like brand new. I hope you have the receipt for this because this is going back. M
Gege: (looking devastated) I do. I kept the receipt but that's my gift for you. (looking around in confusion) What?!
JiJi: (kissing Gege's cheek) It's sweet. And I love you. We will return this and buy something that we will really need for JR.
Gege: Okay.
Me: (poking at Qing) (whispering) Take off the box. Lets just give her the knitted blanket.
Qing: (sighing) I told you that we should bought the wipe warmer.
JiJi: What are you two whispering about?
Me: Nothing!
Qing: I got you a knitted blanket. Soft and great for keeping JR warm. Dayu's gift for you is a bust.
Me: (stunned) You...how...why?
(I think Baba just threw you under the bus, Dayu ah)
Yes! I know! I was there! I saw and heard
everything.
Mama: Why? What is your gift to JiJi, Dayu ah?
Me: Ahm...it's...I trusted Gege to get the right warmer. So I...uhm...
Qing: (gleeful) Dayu bought JiJi a box full of baby wipes.
Me: (embarassed) It's because she has the warmer already. I thought she will need wipes next.
JiJi: (smiling) Well, then I love it! We will only need warmer now. Wipes are always handy in this house. Thank you, Dayu ah.
Me: (feeling relieved) I got the hypoalergenic kind. Baby friendly.
JiJi: Thank you.
Baba: (feeling proud) Well, then! I think I will be JiJi's favorite person tonight.
Baba handed JiJi a box wrapped in fancy and glossy paper. When JiJi opened it, she gasped.
JiJi: (looking teary) A wipe warmer.
JiJi put down the box to hug Baba.
JiJi: (sniffing) You are my favorite person tonight. You listened to me.
Baba: (patting JiJi's back) Of course. I will always listen to you. You are still my princess.
Mama: (nudging at me) She is his favorite.
Me: I know.
Baba might not say it but he will always look after JiJi. Maybe that's how fathers are to their daughter. Some say, fathers are their daughter's first hero and Prince Charming.
JiJi: (hugging the box with the wipes warmer) This is why I didn't bother to look for Mr.Right. Baba will always be my Mr.Right. He's always right there to save my day. My hero...
Gege: Our next child should be a daughter. So I'll be someone's hero and Mr.Right too.
JiJi: Lets work hard on that.
Gege: (nodding) Yes!
Qing: Jeez. People with children. (looking at me) I'm your Mr.Right, right?
Me: I don't know. I never wanted to meet Mr.Right. I was straight before, remember? Gosh, it was so long ago it's like a vague memory now. Lets never break up. I wouldn't know how to date a woman now. That'll be confusing for me.
Mama: Yes. No to breaking up. You two are engaged now. And I will now casually ask if you two have started picking dates for your wedding.
Me: I think I would love an autumn wedding. (turning to Qing) What about you?
Qing: Yes. I would love a wedding with you. I don't fucking care if flowers are blooming that day, or if it's too hot or snowing. Or if everything is yellow, brown and red. Just marry me.
Me. Right answer.
I helped JiJi set up the wipes warmer in JR's room. She opened the box of wipes I ordered online and she was glad I bought the brand she is using. I said I noticed her carrying the brand around in her bag so that's what I chose.
JiJi also placed the knitted blanket Qing got for her in the rocking chair where she usually sat while rocking JR to sleep.
JiJi: I'm surrounded by thoughtful people, Dayu ah. I never knew celebrating mother's day will be this special. I never knew why I waited too long to be a mother.
Me: You didn't wait. JR and motherhood came to you at the right moment and time.
JiJi: True.
To all loving mothers out there who are tirelessly loving and raising a family while working to serve their community and still has time to dance around in the kitchen to their favorite tune...
You are all beautiful. And amazing. Thank you to all mothers.