We Broke Up

8 - Family Is Family

I tossed my overnight bag in the backseat and grabbed the steering wheel with a big grin on my face and a spirit full of positive attitude for the first time in a long time.

"Yes, Naeve. You're doing this." I beamed at my reflection in the rear view mirror and noticed a glint of happiness in my eyes, something I almost did not recognize because I have forgotten how it was to be genuinely happy and free.

I turned the engine on and took a deep breath. "Off to my first assignment."

Yup. Assignment. I got a job! Okay. So I didn't get it the way I wanted to but still, I am doing this!

How did I get the job? Well... It was because of my big brother.

Turns out, the call that interrupted my moment with Jay. Errr... I mean that moment that interrupted what could have been my first swim in the river and the rest of my beach weekend with friends was a job offer. That and a tirade of angry words and threats of violence all directed to my ex, a sappy Cry Fest with him feeling guilty for bringing the jerk into our lives and me reassuring him that it was not his fault, his big brother promise to never let anyone or anything hurt me ever again and finally his command for me to go home.

So I went home to my home province, Bulacan, to my father and big brother, mostly for my big brother because it was clear as soon as Francesca's car parked in front of our house and we all went down to greet the men of the house that Tatay did not want anything to do with me then.

"Are you gonna be okay?" Francesca asked when I walked them back to the car.

"Oo naman." I smiled to reassure them although I was nervous as hell.

"Sure ka ba? Eh daig pa ni Tito si snow queen Elsa sa sobrang cold." Denise frowned.

I chuckled. "I'll be fine, Denise. Ganyan lang naman si Tatay. He'll get over it eventually."

"Eventually... Like a day? One week? Three months? Five years? Ten?" Sophie asked.

"Grabe siya sa ten years." I laughed. "I'm giving him 24 hours max. Matitiis ba niya ang bunso niya?" I giggled but deep inside I doubted my own words.

"Sige na. I'll be fine. Promise. Dapat kasi di na kayo sumama dito eh. You should have enjoyed the beach na lang." I told them.

"Pwede ba namang di kami sumama? You'll be seeing your family for the first time after the break up. Biruin mo, after mo siyang ipaglaban, you defied your father and brother's wishes then just to be with him tapos after you convinced them to finally accept him, he drops you just like that, ultimately proving your Dad and Kuya's point was valid." Francesca sighed and cupped my cheek. "They must be furious. We wanted to be here in case they threw you out, sweetie."

"Gee... Thanks, Ate Ches. That was really reassuring." I chuckled and rolled my eyes.

"Sorry na pero yun talaga ang kinatatakutan ko." Francesca smiled nervously.

"Hindi po nila gagawin yun, Ma'am." Jay, who has been quietly watching us from a few feet away, commented.

We all turned to him with curious stares as he blushed and scratched the back of his head. Damn it! He should really stop doing that move which puts his gorgeous, bulging biceps in full display. I had to bite my lip to keep from drooling.

"What do you mean, RJ?" Francesca asked.

"Sorry po, Ma'am. Napasingit tuloy sa usapan." He chuckled nervously.

"It's okay. Go on." Francesca encouraged him.

He nodded then looked directly at me and smiled. "Kuya din po ako. Tumatayong Tatay at Nanay na din ng mga kapatid ko..." I smiled back and stared knowingly at him. "Kaya alam ko po na kagaya ko, kahit gaano po katigas ang ulo ni Riza at ni Angel ko, kahit gaano po sila ka-pasaway, hinding-hindi din po matitiis si Miss Naveah ng Tatay at Kuya niya."

Riza and Angel, so those are their names. I wish I could meet them too, especially after seeing how Jay talked about them with such adoration.

"Blood is thicker than water, di ba po? Family is family." He smiled and we all found ourselves nodding in agreement.

I then felt a slight pinch on my side before I heard Denise whisper. "After you're done moving on from your life with your ex, marry this guy." I turned to her and she looked very serious while Francesca and Sophie snickered behind her.

I chuckled and shook my head. "You're all crazy." I hissed then faced Jay with a full smile.

"Thank you, Jay. Please take care of these girls for me." I said as I walked behind them and started pushing them into the car.

"Uy wait!" The girls protested when Jay quickly jumped in the driver's seat and started the engine.

"Call us please." Francesca said as she pulled me into a hug which was sweet although she dragged half my body inside the car.

I gave each of them a peck on the cheek and waved them goodbye before I closed the door to the back of the car.

"Ingat sa pagda-drive, Jay." I smiled at him.

"Yes po, Miss Naveah." We quietly smiled at each other as we looked into the other's eyes. We may have been staring at each other for too long because Sophie complained about having leg cramps.

"Ilang oras pa kaya sila magtititigan, mga Ate? Sakit na ng legs ko sa kakaupo dito pero mukhang di na tayo makakaalis." She chuckled.

Jay immediately blushed and bowed his head. "Sorry po, Ma'am." He glanced at me and smiled. "See you, Miss Naveah."

"See you, Jay." I smiled back and they drove off.

That was the last time I saw him. And the girls too. It's been a few weeks now. The girls and I are in touch but I never heard from Jay again. I realized that I didn't have his number and I was too embarrassed to ask Francesca for it. I guess that was for the best. I am on a mission to live my life for me, by me. I don't need to be around him right now. He's too... uhm... well... distracting.

Anyway, after they left, I became busy spending time with Tatay and Kuya to make it up to them and start "training" for my new job.

It took half a day to get Tatay to talk to me again but the hugs, happy tears, smiles and kisses that followed after I served him my specialty and his favorite Banana and Chocolate Chip cake more than made up for what happened.

And when we all sat on the covered swing in the backyard, staring at the garden Nanay once grew (According to the stories. I never met her because she gave her life to save me during childbirth. So I was told.), and the pool where all three of us spent so many happy memories together, with the two men who love me unconditionally on either side of me; I knew Jay was right. Family is family.

The next day, Tatay and Kuya "kidn*pped" me, flew me to Singapore then took me on a 10-day South East Asian cruise so we could have more family time together and they said to conduct my "job interview".

They wanted to see what materials I could come up with from the tour: blog and social media posts, photographs, video edits and paintings if possible. Everything that was good marketing material which could help "sell" the places we have been to see how I would fit in my new job as New Site Marketability Director. They said since the Metro and all other areas close to it are swarming with new condominiums and subdivisions, the company is now looking into putting up new developments in different parts of the country. As NSMD, my responsibility is to see how marketable the place for prospective project sites are to make sure we not only sell houses but also make the whole area appealing for the buyers' new lives and other future investments to help the community flourish which is the Montefrio Realty Development and Construction's mission.

I'm pretty sure they made that position up to lure me into working for our Construction and Real Estate Development company but who am I to resist working with my family while doing exactly what I want to do?

"Nandito ang puso ko." I smiled as I listened to the soft humming of my car's engine and watched the road that will lead me to my first assignment: Sta. Rosa, Laguna.