Dear, Joey

22

 In the morning, nakasabay ko silang mag breakfast.

Tito Henry is in my mom side and Jullienne, si Kuya ay nasa kabisera, kaharap ni Tito Henry si Tegan, habang katabi ako at si Jullie.

Pagka-gising ko pa lang ay nakadikit na sya sa akin.

"Tita Mommy, why not we go to your flower farm? I miss playing there eh." nguso nya.

"Excuse me young lady, mag ge-grade 4 ka na po next week and I want you to know na wala ka pang gamit ni isa." iling ko sa kanya.

"Then let's go to mall!"  excited nyang sabi.

"Mom will go with you." tango ko habang sumusubo.

"But Mommy La said that I can go with you today"

Napatingin ako kay Mom na nangingiti sa amin. I saw Jullienne looking at us. I give her a look.

"May pupuntahan kami ni Henry, so why not go to the mall, go shopping Joey, Ilang taon na ba ng huli mong tongtong sa mall?" I heard Kuya Laugh while Henry smile at me. Tegan looks at me with a look. Inirapan ko sya.

"What's with this? Kailangan ba pumunta ng tao sa mall para mabuhay?" napipikon kung sabi.

"I am saying that you should go out once in a while. Isama mo si Tegan. Hijo wala ka namang gagawin right?" baling nya sa katabi ko.

"Wala naman po Tita." ngiti ni Tegan. I saw Kuya Lenuel glance at us and to Jullienne.

"Mom, busy si Tegan"

"I can go with you." baling nya sa akin. I sigh.

"See, Go Jullieanna. Bumili ka na rin ng mga damit mo."

"Oo nga Hija, para mayroon kang masuot kung may biglaang gathering" ngiti ni Tito Henry sa akin. I stare at him.

"She's just don't like things Papa. I even saw her bag that she used on her college days. Gamit nya pa rin hanggang ngayon." natatawang saad ni Kuya Lenuel.

"I'm using it because it's still fine."

"You are just not materialistic. Did you know that half of her money go to charities?"

"Kuya" awat ko, parang batang dumila lang sya sa akin. 

"Kung hindi ka lang sinabihan ni Jemaine last year, uubusin mo yung pera mo doon. Even Dad told me that you give a million to the scholars in the hacienda. Now you operate your scholars here in secret and 25 of it is going to graduate this year. Kung hindi pa ko nag usisa hindi ko pa malalaman" turo nya sa akin ng tinidor na hawak nya.

I glare at him while Mom just laugh on it. Alam nya ang ginawa ko even Dad but they didn't complain about it.

"Lenuel stop it now. She will dice you later of you continued." mom tease making me groan.

"Can you two stops?"

"Oo nga po!"sigunda ni Jullie making me nod to her.

"Tell them Jullie, we shouldn't go to mall today" utos ko.

Huminga sya ng malalim at sasabihin na sana ng agad syang bumaling sa akin.

"But Tita Mommy I want to go to mall?"

Tegan laughs on my side, with Lenuel on the second and Mom happily nod on her.

Jullienne suddenly stand up making us look at her.

"I'm going now." she said simply before walking out.

I watch her go. Why does she can't be herself again?

I felt a hand on my knee, Tegan smile at me. I sigh and look at my food. 

Palabas na ko ng kwarto ng makita kung nakaabang sa akin ang dalawa. Tegan holding Jullie's hand.

"Change your clothes" turo ko sa pants nya. Naka-jeans sya at rubber shoes, and a checkered polo shirt. Making him look more handsome and youth.

"It's fine!" ngiti nya habang tinitingnan ang suot nya glancing mine.

I'm wearing a simple cut dress with straps flat sandals and a body bag. Nilugay ko ang buhok ko. Aside from lip tint and powder, with my eyebrow. Wala na. Basta magkakulay lang ang mukha ko ng kunti ayos na. Hindi oily.

"Wear simple. I'm going to deny you if someone ask what's your name. I will say 'hindi ko po yan kilala, baka naligaw lang ho dito yan, alam nyo na nag a-aktong model ng Bench'."

"Your cruel today" ngisi nya letting Jullie go.

"I'm being honest." giti ko.

"Tita Mommy, do you have a crush on Tito Tegan?" singit ni Jullie making me look at her.

Tegan laughs at me when he saw my face flushed.

"Who's Tegan? I don't know him!" I said acting freaking out and hold Jullie's hand.

"You like the man." Tegan said with a proud face.

"Mr. Marval kung tatayo ka lang dyan iiwan ka namin. Bilis na, baka ma-traffic tayo nyan."

Napapangiti na lang na lumakad sya paalis papunta sa kwarto nya.

I tug Jullie to go downstairs. Umalis na sila Mom kanina pa, while Kuya Lenuel is nowhere to be found.

"Nagdala ka ba ng hanky mo?"

"Opo, I have a sanitizer, a Johnson baby powder, my pocket money and my watch."

"Good, be a good girl there Jullie. I won't tell you that again." I softly said to her.

"Opo Tita Mommy" ngiti nya sa akin. 

Ilang sandali lang kaming nakatayo sa bulwagan bago bumaba si Tegan. Wearing a kaki short, leather sleepers and a white V-neck shirt. Ayos na ayos ang buhok nya, like he put a gel on it. I smell mint and cool fresh on him. Aside from that wala na.

"Let's go!" excited na sigaw ni Jullie sa amin making me smile.

Pumunta kami sa sasakyan nya. Putting her on the backseat with her seatbelt on.

"Let's buy grocery later?" baling ko kay Tegan ng sinara ko ang pinto ng backseat. He opens the door on the passenger seat, helping me to go in.

"Okay, what do you want for dinner?" tanong nya watching me fixing my skirt.

"Jollibee" ngisi ko sa kanya. Kumunot ang noo nya but didn't say anything. Sinara nya ang pinto.

I fix my seatbelt when he got in and fix his own seatbelt.

"Where's this restaurant?" tanong nya habang chini-check ang manibela at navigator.

"It's not a restaurant. It's a fast-food chain" ngiti ko. He looks at me.

"The Jollibee?" tanong nya.

"I love Jollibee! We are going to eat there Tito Tegan?!" excited na sigaw ni Jullie sa likod.

Lumingon ako kay Jullie bago kay Tegan na nakakunot noo sa akin.

"We love Jollibee" ngisi ko sa kanya.

"It's a fast food, Jo? It's not healthy" iling nya habang nakatitig sa akin.

"Jollibee, Jollibee..." I said cheering and started to raise my fist on the air.

"Jollibee! Jollibee!" Jullie joined and we cheer it on him making him laugh at us.

"Okay okay! Jollibee it is then!" tatatawa nya na lang iling sa amin.

"Yeheeyy!" Jullie cheer while I'm clap of our victory.

Nangingiting nag drive sya paalis while glancing at me from time to time.

"Tita Mommy, I want to sing"

"What do you want to sing?" I fix my seat and face Tegan to look back to Jullie.

"Let it go" nguso nya.

"The snow glows white on the mountain tonight Not a footprint to be seen" I started making Tegan glance and laugh at me. Agad ko syang tinapik sa dibdib, he catches my hand on his and stay it on it.

'A kingdom of isolation and it looks like I'm the queen" Kanta ni Jullie.

The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside

Couldn't keep it in, heaven knows I've tried

Don't let them in, don't let them see

Be the good girl you always have to be

Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know

Well, now they know" We duet on it, raising my fist to use it as a mike.

"Do you want Tito Tegan sing?" ngisi ko.

He groans and laugh at me. 

"Yes!" Jullie giggle.

"I don't know the lyrics though" tawa nya.

"Let it go, let it go

Can't hold it back anymore" I sang with Jullie making him laugh at me and stare on the road.

I put my fist in front of him.

"Let it go, let it go" he sang with a low voice.

"Yeheyy!" Jullie, making me laugh out loud.

We sing all the way, until we reach the parking lot of the mall.

He opens the door for me and Jullie.

His holding Jullie's hand with him on my side.

Ngumiti ako sa bodyguard bago lumampas. I wait them, nauna si Jullie so I get her hand and wait Tegan.

We talk random until Tegan holds my hand.

"Which do we go first?" tanong nya sa amin.

"Hmm. I want to eat Jollibee." She hugs my waist looking at Tegan.

"Why not we buy your school supplies first young lady?"  

"Then I'll buy a coloring book." ngiti nya bago bumitaw sa akin at nauna ng lumakad.

"Don't go to far Jullie." habol ko.

We watch her walk looking around.

"Hindi ba sya maliligaw?" we walk to go to her.

"She knows the way here, kabisado nya pati sulok ng mall kahit arcade dahil palagi si Mom namamasyal tuwing weekend to treat her. Marunong din syang umuwi at kabisado ang mobile number sa bahay at phone number ko."

He intertwined our hands and look around.

"Are you going to buy clothes."

"No! I don't like your side questions."

He laughs at my reaction.

"I'm just suggesting."

"Matatagalan lang tayo Tegan." may himig kung inis na sabi.

"I'm going to buy clothes too, kunti lang ang dala kung damit." kabit balikat nyang sabi.

"You should go home then." tango ko looking up to him, making him stop a bit and look at me.

"Not an option." iling nya at nagpatiunang mag lakad, tangay ang kamay ko.

"Why not?" habol ko ng hakbang sa kanya.

"Let's buy clothes later." pag iiba nya ng usapan, making me look at his side face and saw him serious, so hindi ko na sya kinulit.

Pumasok kami sa bookstore at kita ko na agad na namimili si Jullie ng krayola.

"Let's get a pushcart."

Tegan let me go and get the pushcart habang lumapit naman ako kay Jullie.

We got busy choosing her school supplies. Iniwan muna namin yun sa management bago umalis at pumunta sa clothing store.

Pinanood ko lang si Tegan na kumuha ng mga damit na panlalaki. He asks me if it's good or not, or suit on him.

Jullie play on my phone while I'm waiting Tegan to go out on the men's fitting room. Sa gilid namin ay isang sale lady, at may iba pang audience sa amin na nasa paligid.

Napangiwi ako ng hinawi nya ang kurtina.

"You look like a sunny side up." I said making him laugh. Yellow kasi ang damit na suot nya.

"Broccoli" I said again when he shows.

Printed green spikes around the shirt.

"No. Make it simpler Tegan." kunot noo kung iling sa kanya. Bumalik sya ulit sa loob, this time it's white t-shirt with a simple word in it.

I give him a thumbs up. Ngumiti lang sya at bumalik sa loob.

Nag tagal kami doon ng isang oras.

"Jollibee!" takbo ni Jullie sa loob.

"Go with her. O-order lang ako." I said to him.

"Walang waiter?" tanong nya.

"Fast food chain is always a self service. Sa counter ka lang nila bibigyan ng pagkain or may maghahatid sayong crew ng pagkain mo." tawa ko bago sya iniwan.

Pumila ako. Glancing at Tegan and Jullie who's seating near the window.

I saw him watching me.

I got distracted when I saw someone I know, isa sa anak ng trabahador sa hacienda. Nasa harap ko sya at pumipila. She's a scholar and in college already. Pinauna nya pa kung umorder.

I excuse on her when I have a tray on my hand.

"Happy meal!" salubong sa akin ni Jullie making me laugh. Tegan helps me on the tray, dahil nasa lounge area kami which the red couch ay sa tabi ako ni Jullie umupo.

"You know her?" tanong nya sa akin.

"Ahh Yeah." sagot ko fixing Jullie's food.

"Your scholar?" ngiti nya. I playfully glare at him taking the tray away, I put it to the other table.

"Why not just feel the first experience to eat fast food Mr. Marval?"

I said giving his plate.

He just laughs at me. Napapailing na lang na kinuha ko kay Jullie ang phone ko.

"Get your hanky on your pretty bag Hon." utos ko kay Jullie.

Walang imik na sumunod sya at naglinis muna ng kamay sa ilalim ng table bago nagpunas.

"What's this?" turo nya doon sa plato ni Jullie. We have the same order except him because I think he doesn't really like sweet.

"Spaghetti" tumango sya. I put the glass of coke on his plate side. Wala pa yung iba kung in-order.

I fix the table while he watches me, until the crew arrive.

"Thank you" I smile to the crew making him smile on me.

"Another?" tingin ni Tegan sa akin making me smile at him. He looks so innocent with his huge body. His so cute.

"A bucket of chicken joy, mash potato, my spaghetti, halo-halo, and mango pie for us."

"I love chicken joy!" singit ni Jullie. She's starting to eat. 

"Yes Hon." tawa ko putting the chicken joy on her plate.

Napapailing na lang ako ng pakiramdam ko ay may kasama akung dalawang bata because of Tegan.

He always asks if the pasta is good, and I can't help but to stare at him when he asks this for the third time.

"Why not try it?" umang ko ng tinidor ko sa kanya. He stares at me before opening his mouth. May dumi pa sa gilid ng bibig nya kaya inabot ko pa ang bibig nya para punasan yun. I can't believe this man.

"Tita Mommy, feed me also!" buka ni Jullie sa bibig nya. Natatawang binaba ko ang kamay ko. Ang dumi ng mukha nya, she's eating the mango pie.

"Be careful Hon." with the same tissue on the other side, I weep the mess on her face.

"I love mango pie!" ngiti nya sa akin. Tumango lang ako at nangingiting tumingin kay Tegan na ngumunguya habang nakatitig sa akin.

I get his plate and my plate to exchange it.

"Let's have a takeout if you want more." ngiti ko kay Tegan bago bumaling kay Jullie.

"Okay" ngiti nya.

I just nod and listen to Jullie's stories.