ALEXIANA CALLISTO
"Alexiana has a what?" My father's voice made my eyes widen instantly. A second later, my mother's sweet yet nervous laugh resonated. I should have known that my mother will put the call on speaker.
"Mom, I can't believe you." I fidgeted with the hem of my shirt as I spoke. My cheeks burned at the thought that my overprotective father now knows I have a thing for someone. My cheeks burned even more when I thought of Vane and of his expressive blue eyes.
"Well..." My mother paused, thinking of a way out. "Honey, hindi ko naman alam na kaya ka tumawag sa akin ay para magkuwento ang tungkol sa crush mo sa Vane na ito. Had I known, I would have kicked your father out of the room."
"Kick who out of the room, Cassidy?" asked Dad. "Why will you do that? I have a right to know kung sino ang mga umaaligid sa anak natin para malaman ko kung mabuti ang intensyon nila. And what kind of name is Vane? Ano siya, ugat?"
I bit my lower lip to prevent myself from laughing. "It's V-A-N-E. Not V-E-I-N."
"Trust your Dad to overreact about these matters. Kung umakto siya ay akala mo ba hindi siya maagang nagpapansin sa akin."
"Cassidy, my intentions were pure. I just want to make sure that our kids will not be associating themselves with anyone whose intentions are anything other than that."
"Aaron," my mother countered. "They're all old enough."
There was silence and then I heard my father produce a low sigh of surrender.
"I was kind of expecting that kaya ikaw ang tinawagan ko," I grinned. Even when I can't see the expressions they have on, I have a feeling that my father has a massive frown on his face while my mother is barely trying to keep herself from grinning at my father's defeat.
"What's he like, by the way?" she asked.
"It feels awkward to talk about it now that I know Dad is listening."
"I don't even hear a damn thing," he scoffed. My mother chuckled and told me to hang on. I heard the creak of the veranda door from the other line as she stepped out of their room.
"I'm really glad that you still call to tell me things like this." She sniffled. "Akala ko 'pag laki niyong magkakapatid ay unti-unti niyo na kaming makakalimutan."
"That will never happen, Mom."
"Baby, you're going to make me cry." She sounded as if she already is, but I decided not to point that out. "Now, tell me all about this Vane guy."
I stood up and started pacing the room. Wayne was looking at me with his wide puppy eyes probably wondering why I can't stay still. I don't really know if it's worth telling my mother, because I'm not sure Vane feels the same way about me. I'm not even sure he feels anything for me at all.
There's a lot to say about his personality, but I started with the one thing I'm most certain about.
"Oh, Mom," I gushed. "He's the nicest person in the world."
VANE JASON
Asheng is terribly wrong about something.
She truly believed that I have a good heart and I didn't have the fucking balls to correct her and ruin the image of me that she had in mind.
If I have a good heart, I would have told her what the real meaning of daks was. Instead, I laughed it off and told her juts meant someone who has bad intentions. If I have a good heart, I would not have allowed myself to bask and enjoy her innocence and grace. Instead, I stayed longer to have a chat with her. If I have a good heart, I would not have asked for her number knowing that whatever small attraction I feel toward her is not something I should be giving in to.
Instead, here I am, driving home, pretending as if every cell in my damn body did not want me to make a U-turn and go back the way I came from.
"Gilipollas!" I hissed. It is a spanish word my mother loves to use whenever she describes me. For the lack of better term, it meant an asshole. Right now, I couldn't say I don't agree with her.
I gave out a quick sigh of relief when I reached the high gates of Casa di Angelo. When the guard saw the car, he went to the side of the gate and pressed a button. The gates slowly swung open and I drove inside. When I opened the main door and slipped inside, I found my abuela lounging on the circular couch facing the television.
"La cena, abuela?" tanong ko. Lumingon siya at umiling bago isinenyas na umupo ako sa tabi niya. Sumunod ako. "Later, nieto."
Humarap sa akin at ngumiti si Marcia, ang isa sa mga kasambahay sa mansion, bago ako binati. "Magandang gabi, Senyorito. Kanina pa ho pinapanood ni Senyora ang mga palabas niyo."
I focused my eyes on the screen and immediately recognized the movie. It was the first movie I starred in and it's called Te adoro. In english, it meant I adore you. Seeing this film always brings back the memories of how I started my journey in Spain as an actor. I was young, not so naive, and full of doubts. Watching this made me feel a sense of pride, because I knew I've come a long way.
"Wow, an avid supporter," I said, smiling.
"Of course!" Abuela grinned. "Lahat! This is my way of supporting you from afar, Vane. Pang-anim na beses ko na yata itong napanood at halos kabisado ko na lahat ng linya niyo ni Sandra. Pero kahit ganoon, naiinis pa rin ako kapag dadating sa eksenang pinili mo ang ibang babae kaysa sa kanya." She rolled her eyes. "Peinabombillas!"
"You sound like my number one fan!"
"Ano'ng fan? Hindi ako fan, aircon mo ako! I'm more than just a fan." Narinig ko ang pagtawa ng kasambahay naming si Marcia sa gilid habang pinupunasan ang ibabaw ng coffee table sa kabilang side ng sala.
"Nagustuhan yata ni Marcia ang biro ko," dagdag pa niya. Nagkamot ulo naman ito at kusot ang mukhang nilingon kami.
"Senyora, Marcie nga ho. Marinig kayo niyan ni Albert na ganyan ang tawag sa akin, ang baho pakinggan, e."
"Tumigil ka sa kaartehan mo, Marcia, at baka mapingot kita. Sinasabi ko na sa'yo, pera lang ang habol sa'yo niyang si Albert. Sinabi sa akin ni Lisa na binilhan mo raw ng bagong cellphone noong nakaraan! Hindi kaya kita pasahurin r'yan."
"Ito naman. Masyado ka, madam. Anong pera ang habol ka r'yan, ganda kaya!"
"Nasaan?" Pinandilatan niya ito. Natatawang nilingon ko si Marcia.
"Marcia, matanda ka na. Alam mo na ang ginagawa mo, kaya 'wag kang papaloko. Pinapaalalahan ka lang ng abuela. Ikaw kaya ang paborito namin dito kaya concerned kami sa'yo." Ibinaba naman nito ang feather duster na hawak at agad na nameywang.
"Sinabi niyo rin ho 'yan kay Lisa kagabi!"
"Nag-iiba ang paborito ko araw-araw," sagot ng abuela. "Bukas si Lisa na uli."
"Ewan ko na po talaga. Tawagin niyo na lang ho ako, Senyora, kapag gusto niyong ipaghanda ko na kayo ng dinner. Senyorito, kung wala na ho kayong ibibilin ay aakyat muna ako. Babe time ho."
"Babe time, babe time! Umakyat ka na!" Abuela rolled and her eyes and Marcia left, giggling to herself.
I love how my abuela talks and interacts with our househelps and staff. She treats them like they're family, kaya naman mahal na mahal siya ng mga ito. I admire that about her. When I fly to London and settle there for good, ang mga biruang ito ang hahanap-hanapin ko.
I feel sorry for a lot of things.
I feel sorry for leaving the country and not going back to visit her sooner. I feel sorry that I buried all the memories of this place, even the good ones, in the deepest recesses of my mind. I feel sorry that I'm going to leave again.
"Lo siento, abuela," I said, my eyes still fixed on the television screen. She placed her hand on top of mine and gave it a weak and gentle squeeze. And with that small gesture, I know that I had been forgiven long before I apologized.
"Your father would have been proud to see the man you have become, nieto. You make a fine son and no doubt, an amazing husband..."
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. I tried to hide my surprise. "An amazing... what?"
She cackled. "You didn't think I knew?"
"Abuela!" Napabulalas ako.
"Lisa saw it on the facebook page she follows. Mas nauuna pa sa akin ang media makaalam. I can't say I wasn't hurt." Umakto siyang parang aatakihin sa puso bago ako inirapan.
Humugot ako ng malalim na buntonghininga. Inabot ko ang kamay niya at marahan itong pinisil. Hindi ko alam kung saan at paano ko sisimulan ang pagkukuwento. Dahan-dahan niyang hinugot ang kamay niya mula sa hawak ko at tinapik ako sa pisngi.
"Why, nieto? Why get married all of a sudden? Kailan ang kasal? Am I even invited?"
"Abuela! Oo naman. Humahanap lang ako ng tyempong sabihin sa'yo. My soon-to-be wife and I... we want it by the end of summer."
"Why do I feel that... that you're not happy with it?" I hate how she can see through me.
"I..." I didn't know what to say. "I am happy."
"And you dare lie to your abuela?" Her hand drops to her side as she huffed.
"I am happy with it, abuela, because I know that after the marriage," I sighed, squaring my shoulders, "Mama will pass over the company to me. You know how much I want to take over the family empire, right?" Habang nagsasalita ako ay nakikita ko na ang 'di pagsang-ayon sa mukha niya.
"You're marrying because of a... merge?" I didn't know how stupid the idea was until I heard how it sounded coming from my abuela's mouth. "Pollas en vinagre!"
"Abuela --"
"Mahal mo ba ang mapapangasawa mo?"
I sank back on the couch and blew out a frustrated breath. "Is that important?"
Hinilot niya ang sentido na tila hindi makapaniwala sa narinig. Kinuha niya ang remote at pinatay ang telebisyon bago tuluyang ibinagay sa akin ang buong atensyon. "Ang ilang tao r'yan ay handang itapon ang lahat - karangyaan, kasikataan, career! At para saan? Para sa pag-ibig, Vane. Samantalang ikaw ay handang isakripisyo ang kasiyahan mo at ang tsansang makahanap ka ng taong para sa'yo dahil sa negosyo? Querido, alam mo ba kung ano'ng dapat na itawag sa'yo?"
"Business-minded."
She clucked her tongue. "Estupido," she corrected.
***
Kanina pa ako nakatingin sa kisame ng kuwarto ko pero hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko pa rin maalis sa utak ko ang mga sinabi ng abuela. Pagkatapos niya akong tawaging estupido ay niyaya niya na akong kumain dahil nagpaluto raw siya ng paborito kong sinigang. Iniba niya ang topic at nagpakuwento sa akin tungkol sa buhay artista habang naghahapunan. Nang matapos kami sa pagkain ay nagpaalam na siyang aakyat sa kuwarto at magpapahinga kaya lumapit ako sa kanya upang halikan siya sa pisngi.
Before she climbed the stairs, she called me and said, "I meant what I said, apo. Every damn word."
Umikot ako sa kama at ipinilig ang ulo. The glow-in-the-dark hands of the clock bolted on my wall said it's past ten. I wondered if Asheng is awake. Cursing myself, I threw the covers to the side and reached for my phone. Nang hawak ko na ito ay lumabas ako sa veranda para magpahangin. Sumandal ako sa pinto bago matagal na tinitigan ang numero niya.
Halos makabisado ko na ito.
One minute passed. Then two. Then three. Ten minutes.
I groaned as I started typing.
Hi.
That's it. Years in college and not one single professor taught us how to flirt.
My phone blinked. I blinked.
She replies so fast.
cNu i2???
"What in the world?" Hindi ako nagreply agad dahil hindi ko maintindihan kung ganito ba talaga siya magtext o pinagtitripan niya lang ako. Matapos ang ilang segundo ay agad akong napangisi. Of course, pinagtitripan niya lang ako! Siguro ay gumaganti siya dahil may nagsabi na sa kanya kung ano ang totoong ibig sabihin ng daks.
May quirky side ka pala, Asheng. I didn't know that. :)
She responded.
cRa b uLo mu?
I'm stumped. Did I really piss her off? Does she know it's me? Baka naman napagkamalan niya akong ibang tao. May nagawa ba akong mali kanina? Hindi niya ba gusto na binigay ni Manang sa akin ang number niya?
Asheng, si Vane 'to, sagot ko. Hinintay kong umilaw ang phone pero hindi ito nangyari. Matapos ang halos kalahating oras sa veranda na naghihintay ng sagot ay pumasok na ako sa loob. I guess she didn't want to talk to me. Well, why would she? Ipinatong ko ang phone sa mesita at pumasok na sa banyo para magsipilyo at matulog na pagkatapos. Habang naglalagay ako ng toothpaste sa brush ay narinig ko ang pagtunog ng cellphone mula sa kuwarto kaya nagmamadali akong lumabas para buksan ang mensaheng natanggap.
Bumagsak ang balikat ko.
Wr0ng nUmbr k gAg0.@!