TWO: Where Thorns Grow
968 Words
"Juan!"
"Sepha!"
"Manuel!"
"Maria!"
In the middle of the field, I shout their names. It's planting time. The time when farmers bow down to the land and pinch the plants down. When sweat is not stopping. When the sun shines so bright at the top. Guess, it's noon. They must be hungry by now. I shout again.
"Juan!"
"Sepha!"
"Manuel!"
"Maria!"
Someone rose. The one with a blue hat rose. His hands waving at me. Oh, is it Manuel? I rubbed my eyes and looked at him again. It is. He grew up to be a masculine man. Helping his parents in the rice field while finishing his degree in the capital made him like a grown up man.
And someone... Oh it's Juan and Maria. Waving their hands at me. Little did we know, these two were sharing a secret love for each other. They got married a month ago and now, Maria is three-month pregnant with their first baby. Why is she there? She should not be out in the sun for long.
"Maria, come here. It's very hot there!" I waved at her while stomping my feet like I'm talking to a little kid.
"Yes. I'll just put a towel in Juan's back." She insisted.
Wow. These two are truly madly crazy deeply in love with each other. I'd get myself one someday.
And where could Sepha be? Is she at school? Uh no, it's Sunday. Maybe she's out there somewhere.
"Wah!" I jumped off from my calm self.
"Haha! Rose is still the same? You easily freak out." She teased.
"And where have you been scary little thing?" I asked, looking down at her, teasing her of her height.
"Ugh cut it!" Snapping her fingers on my face.
"I went to the well to drink some water." She answered while looking around the table.
"So, what do we have here. What did you invented this time?"
Invented? Huh!
They always think that I invent all the food that I feed them. Just like the Wiener Schnitzel from Austria, Moules-frites from Belgium, Feijoada from Brazil, Poutine from Canada, Pastel de Choclo from Chile, Peking Duck from China, Gallo Pinto from Costa Rica, and Moussaka from Greece.
"This one is Biryani." I opened the pot for her to smell the aroma. It's still very hot and I can say that they are going to love this one just like the other foods from around the world.
"Biryni? Bir what?" She stuttered. She grabbed the ladle and got a big scoop.
"Mmm... wah! From where is this food? This is heaven. " She can't stop blowing from her mouth because of its hotness and spiciness.
"Is this food really spicy or you just added some just like what you did with Kebab which made it a mess as it was when we tasted it." She said but still getting some more from the pot.
I ignored her and shouted. "Have some break! I have cooked something for us. Hurry up or Sepha will eat all of this."
"This one is very delicious! Hurry up!" Sepha yelled while moving her bottoms from side to side. She's dancing happily.
Manuel dropped whatever it is in his hands. Juan guided Maria through the muddy land. Maria looked so angry. She is biting her lips while caressing her bump.
"Is it really yummy this time?" Juan wasn't sure about it.
"If it's Sepha who says it's yummy, then it is!" Manuel argued.
"Nevermind the taste. Everything appears delicious to me and baby." Maria giggled as she took the ladle from Sepha's hands.
"Go try it Maria." Sepha is ecstatic. We moved the pot closer to her.
They look so excited as Maria puts the spoon closer to her mouth. While I, I'm nervous. I might end up eating all of these today if Maria doesn't like it.
She munched it and moved her head from side to side. Seizing every bit of it. She swallowed her food and raised the ladle.
"Rose, I can have a labor now." They cheered while I stood there, frozen.
Was that a compliment or she is really going to have a labor or what?
She's smiling. Everyone got their spoon and ate like hungry pigs. Nothing changed. We've been together for almost fourteen years. How could we still smell the same? We still act the same. Seems like time and puberty did not gave us justice.
"What are you thinking about so deep in the middle of the morning my friend?" Manuel asked, resting his arms on my shoulder.
His body is emitting dark energy. Dark smelly hot energy. I pushed his arms away from me.
"You're so smelly! Don't get close to me!" I yelled while kicking him on his legs.
They laughed.
"We all are." Sepha interjected. "It's only you who smells good today." She added.
I stopped when she said that. Juan pushed her with his elbow. It was just a joke. But of course it was half meant but I did not mean it to be offensive. I better not take a bath tomorrow when I go here next time.
"No. I'm smelly too!" I pushed myself to her, forcing her to smell me.
She ran with her coconut shell with water and sprinkled water to me. I did not stopped so she threw the rest of the water in my face.
"No!" She laughed while crossing her finger. Like I am a devil trying to come to her and abduct her. We ran around the tall and huge mango tree until our feet hurt. I laid on the grassy ground and she laid her head on top of my lap.
I can hear our deep breaths.
"The sky's so blue." I said.
"Just like you." She said, out of the blue.
"I know you wanna leave this place." She added.
"It's not like I want to, everyone I love is here. I just want to know what it is out there." I defended.
"Mmm..." She nod and covered her eyes. "It's the same thing."
- Writer
