His Memories of Her

13th

My father and granny appeared from some other part of the house with full of excitement on their faces, so excited to see the thing I have done for the first time in my whole existence. My father looked at Irene from head to toe, obviously examining her and when he is done, he gave me a look and a wink slightly lifting up his thumb. I want to shout at him and even to my granny who started bombarding Irene some questions not even giving her a chance to answer before she throws another one. I do not really get what is the point of those questions that I do not even want to hear and making me feel so embarrassed towards Irene.

“So, since when you guys started dating?” my granny said making my eyes go wide and speechless.

“Just earlier at the court.” Irene said that shocked me way even more. After glaring to my granny, I look at her and she look back at me with a clever smile.

“You should be careful or you will get in trouble.” I thought to myself, closing my mouth that has gone agape.

“I just invited her for dinner since she will be eating alone tonight.” I said walking in the middle, passing by in front of everyone and heads towards the kitchen where I took a glass of water from the fridge.

I could feel everyone’s gaze, their wondering gaze on my back while I could feel that Irene is smiling.

“Is that true?” My father asks making me halt and look back at them as I walk towards the stair.

“I am so sorry, I did not mean it, it was just a joke, a way to see how he would react.” Irene said as low as she could, making it a whisper towards everyone all at once. And did not know that I heard her just loud and clear enough to make me go back to my track wearing a smile.

“We thought, finally he got a girl he is interested with.” My granny said, this time loud enough to make sure I heard her.

I did not stop walking and just lifted my hand waving them as I continued to climb upstairs to my room leaving them with their business. Even though I feel somewhat afraid of what my family would tell her, I still choose to enter my room straight to my bathroom to wash up before heading down for dinner.

I took a quick bath, so I could head down and check on things. I have been gone for a couple of moment and just a moment is enough for my family to say something about me that I am sure they should not to a stranger, to someone they just met.

Thinking that every second passing by, a lot of things could have been let out to even though it should not, I run out of my room, down the staircase and to my surprise, I hear laughter coming from the kitchen as soon as I reached the last step.

“Is that so?” Irene said.

“What is so?” I said to myself and run towards the kitchen. I seem like a little kid running for something I am so excited about.

“There he is.” My mom said as soon as I came into their sight as I stood up in front of the kitchen door and seeing them gathered around the table with smiles on their faces.

“What took you so long? I am so hungry, and it seems like the stories about until what age you wet your bed did not satisfy my hunger.” Irene said who made me smile for a moment seeing her smile.

I could not help but to look towards the elder around her who are grinning and by what I heard from Irene, I guess it is just right for them and me to run away and never show my face to Irene. But well, the good thing is that my family liked her as they really did something the likes of them normally do. Telling their son or grandson’s secrets that nobody knows but them, since from the moment he is born towards the girl they knew he likes. I will let the wetting bed issue slide for now as they just treating her so good that somehow a little bit of worry in me has been lifted up.

I walk towards the table, grab my usual seat and settle myself before I said “So, aside from wetting my bed at age of seven, what else did they told you?” as I open the table napkin and put it on my lap before throwing a look to Irene.

Irene looks at me speechless and shock and said “Why?”

“Why what?” I simply said as I pour water to her glass and to the other two women around the table.

“You are lacking.” She said as she watches me pouring water to everyone aside from my father whose glass is already full of wine.

“Lacking of what?” I said putting down the water and look at her.

“This is not the expression, reaction I have anticipated.” She said with now a pout on her face. She looks so cute like a disappointed kid.

I could not help but to smile and look into her eyes before I pick up a bowl of salad and handed it to her and said “Oh, wetting the bed is just so normal that I do not have to be surprised, do I? And since I have heard that way more than I could remember, I just got used to it without noticing.” Before I decided to put some of the salad on her plate when I notice she did not move.

“We did not know that there will be a day that someone would tease this straight man and to our surprise is even in front of us.” My granny said that made me and Irene look at her.

“What about Michael?” Irene said taking the meat from my mother’s hand.

“Michael never joked in front of us, or should I say, he never joined us or bond with us just like what you are doing right now.” My father said taking the meat from Irene who handed it to him.

“I never would have thought.” Irene said.