THE SECOND CHARM |
Chapter 3
"Gago." Kumento ko nung nakabawi ako, natatawa pa ng bahagya. "Anong tingin mo sa kasal, band-aid na pwede mong ipangtapal sa mga existing issues natin sa buhay?"
Tinawanan ko nga siya pero mukhang ako lang ang natatawa. Why though? Don't tell me he was dead serious about the marriage thing?!
"Bakit naman ako magbibiro tungkol sa kasal? In case hindi pa nag-sink in sayo, I'm already twenty four! Baka akala mo 17 pa rin ako. Hindi lang ikaw ang tumanda, ano." Aniya.
"24? O ano naman? Let's be real. Hindi pa tayo handa sa mga ganiyang bagay. Marriage? Gahd. We weren't ready back then, we aren't ready now."
"Paano mo ba masasabing handa ka na?" He asked, staring at me straight in the eye. He seemed genuinely curious, and I wanted to give him an in-depth explanation but Spike grunted, interrupting the moment. I looked at him from the rearview mirror.
"Baby? Do you want anything?" I asked him while he was rubbing his eyes gently with the back of his hands.
"Pwede bang sumama si Daddy sa spelling bee namin, Mommy?" Tanong niya.
"Spelling bee?" I asked. I never heard of this before. And this is the first thing he remembers after waking up from that nap?!
"Sinali ako ni teacher kasi very good daw ako sa spelling, eh." Sagot niya.
"Oh wow, mana ka talaga sa Daddy!" Pagbubuhat ni Ian ng sariling bangko.
"Kailan ba yan?"
"Sa Thursday, Daddy." Spike answered, making me shot Ian a look.
"But tomorrow's already Thursday..." I trailed off as I glared at Ian, warning him not to say he'll be there. Sometimes, my parents show up unexpectedly at Spike's school. Baka magkita pa sila dun. It's too risky.
"Nag-practice naman po kami kahapon. Pupunta kayo ni Daddy diba, Mommy? Para may magsabit ng medal ko kapag nanalo ako?"
God, he sounded so much like Ian!
"Uhm, I will check my schedule baby ha? Supposedly kasi may meeting ako bukas." Sagot ko. “Bakit di mo sinabi sa akin agad? Sana napa-resched ko agad yung meeting.”
"How about you, Daddy?" Tanong ni Spike, hindi man lang pinansin ang sagot ko.
"Rest day ko naman bukas so I'm in. Anong oras ba yun?" Ian replied. Damn!
"9 po."
"Okay. I'll be there." Ian assured the kid. Tinignan ko siya ng masama pero nginitian lang ako pabalik ng damuho.
"Susunod ako agad pag natapos ng maaga ang meeting namin." Saad ko bago lumingon kay Ian. "Saan kita ibababa pala?"
"Kung saan kayo bababa."
Liningon ko siya at ginawaran ng iling. Nope. No can do.
"Hindi naman ako tutuloy sa loob ng bahay. Gusto ko lang maranasan na makasama kayo hanggang sa pag-uwi. Magco-commute nalang nun ako, hindi mo na ako kailangang ihatid pabalik."
"Malamang!" I glared at him before I remembered that Spike was with us. I cleared my throat. "But don't you have a car? Tatlong taon ka na sa BPO diba? Ang alam ko malaki sahod dun, lalo na ngayon, OM ka na."
"Well, sorry, wala akong sasakyan." He replied blandly, na para bang nawalan bigla ng gana. "Ibaba mo nalang ako diyan sa terminal ng bus."
"Magba-bus ka pauwi?"
Matagal bago siya sumagot. Na-guilty tuloy ako dahil sa nasabi ko tungkol sa sasakyan.
"May terminal ng jeep sa tabi yon." He finally answered. "Magji-jeep nalang ako pabalik sa site."
"Pabalik sa site? May trabaho ka pa ba?"
"Oo. Graveyard." Tipid na sagot niya. Graveyard, really? At binalak niya pang sumama all the way sa bahay namin para lang daw makasama kami kahit may pasok pa siya mamaya? Hindi ba niya kailangang matulog? Hindi ba siya tao??
“You still live in the same place, right?” He asked and I nodded.
“Why didn’t you get your own place? Are you still afraid of letting yourself off your parents’ grasp?” he added.
We never talked about stuff like this before. I don't know if he's deliberately poking on my wounds to retaliate but one thing's for sure. I won't tell him even if the answer is clear as crystal.
“Hindi ko naman sila kasama sa bahay. They moved to the neighboring province since they retired." I replied as I pulled the car over. "We're at the bus stop. Spike, say bye to your dad."
"Ba-bye Daddy! Thank you sa toys! Bukas ha! Alam mo ba yung school namin?"
Does he? I don't recall sharing that info with him.
"Tanong ko nalang kay Mommy kung paano pumunta sa school mo. Text ko nalang siya. Bye, my little boy." Ginulo niya ang bukok ni Spike, tapos bumaling sa akin. He was so gloomy, I thought it was another person! "Ingat sa pagda-drive." Paalala niya pero parang hinigop lahat ng enerhiya niya sa katawan at napalitan ng yelo.
When we got home, Spike talked endlessly about how happy he was. He spoke so highly of his dad, even complimenting how 'gwapo' Ian was and how similar they looked.
Wala ng ibang bukambibig kundi ang daddy niya. Ang daya. Ako na buong buhay niyang kasama, never nyang pinaulanan ng papuri. Not that I wanted to be complimented, it's just that I feel Spike's being unfair.
"Mommy, bukas mag-Jollibee ulit tayo?"
"I don't know, baby. Let's see. Maghilamos ka na. It's time for bed na oh."
"Sa ibang Jollibee naman tayo para mabili namin ni Daddy yung ibang toys." Aniya pa.
"Akala ko ba hindi ka mahilig magpabili ng toys?" I asked before I could stop myself. He blinked. It seems as though he doesn't know how to respond. Like he's confused as to why I'm getting worked up about the toys. He won't understand that it's not about the toys per se, so... "Sorry, baby. Sige na, maghilamos ka na."
Itutulog ko nalang 'to.
•••
Kinabukasan habang nag-aalmusal ako mag-isa dahil sinundo na si Spike ng school bus, nakatanggap ako ng text mula kay Ian, nagtatanong kung saan ang school at kung anong oras daw akong pupunta.
I was hesitant about it, but I also know how much this means to Spike. So I decided to call my parents first.
"Hello," bungad ng Mommy ko. "Napatawag ka?"
"Namiss ko lang po kayo ni dad. Anong ginagawa niyo niyan? Nakakaistorbo ba ako?" I asked, fishing for information. I just hope they do not catch on.
"No, no. Kakatapos lang namin mag-almusal. Akala ko naman ay may balita na sa pag-aapply mo sa government offices."
"Mmy, maayos naman po ang trabaho ko sa ngayon." Sagot ko.
"Sa ngayon. Pano in the long run? Security of tenure kasi ang pinag-uusapan natin dito, Sahara."
My god. This conversation will never end if I don't concede.
"Oo na po. I will look into it."
"Good. How is our handsome grandson? I bet he's looking more and more like his Lolo!" My mom laughed.
"Of course..." ...not, Mom! He looks nothing like Dad! Spike has always looked like Ian! "He's doing well. Bibisita kami diyan kapag long weekend. Anyway, nangumusta lang ako. Papasok na ako sa work. Bye!"
Hay naku! Umagang umaga parang gusto kong manakit.
But now that I've confirmed that they're not going to be anywhere near Spike's school today, I can give Ian the details.
After sending him the message, I was surprised by his response. Sunod sunod.
Ian:
Thanks.
Ian:
OTW na ako.
Ian:
Kung hindi ka makakahabol, puntahan ka nalang namin ni Spike after ng spelling bee. Lunch out tayo.
Ian:
May Jollibee ba malapit sa work mo? Baka jan may stock na ng toys. Di kasi namin nakumpleto yung anim kahapon.
Oh my god, they're even thinking the same thing. Like father, like son, eh?