CHAPTER 4

“Stop crying mom, you’ll look like Nadya when you cry.” Tumawa naman sya.

“Oh! By the way, I brought flowers for you mom!” Sabi ko at binigay 'yon sakanya.

“I thought this flower was for your girl.”

“It’s for you Mom, you and Nadya are the only women I give flowers to.” Ngumiti naman sya dahil sa sinabi ko.

“Thank you, son.” She hugged me.

“You're always welcome Mom. Thanks for not leaving as Dad did. T-Thank you for everything...”

She’s the best Mom in the world. For many years, she’s been a father and mother to us. She always shows that she loves us. Mom doesn’t get tired of taking care of us even though Nadya and I are not kids anymore.

“Let’s stop this drama! I need to cook now so that when your sister arrives, everything is ready.”

“I’ll help you, mom. What are you going to cook for dinner?”

“Adobo.”

“Oh,” I love adobo.

“Because it’s Nadya’s favorite, and also your favorite too.” Yeah, it is my favorite.

***

“Mommy! Kuya Nikolai! I’m home.” Umalingaw-ngaw ang boses nito. Agad akong napatingin kay Nadya. 

Malalaman mo talaga kapag nakarating na sa bahay si Nadya o di kaya kapag nasa bahay lang sya kase ang ingay-ingay. 

“Nadya, come here! Let’s eat now.” I smiled at her.

“Anong ulam-- wow adobo?”

“Yeah, Mom and I cooked that, Nadya.”

“Oh, I’ve been craving this. Thanks for the food Mom and also thanks kuya!"

After dinner, we stayed late at night because we watched a horror movie.

_

Nandito na ako ngayon sa kwarto ko. Kinuha ko ang cellphone ko ng bigla itong mag vibrate.

From babe #11: See you tomorrow, okay. I love you!

Binasa ko yong text at pagkatapos ay ibabalik na sana don sa gilid ko pero biglang nag ring ang cellphone ko. Medyo nagulat pa ako dahil don.

“Hey, what’s up!”

[Hey cousin, want to hang out tomorrow?] He’s my cousin, his father is my dad’s brother. 

Well, ang papa nya ay mabait at mapagbigay hindi kagaya ng daddy ko na iniwan lang kami para sa kabit nya at anak mga anak nya.

Tsk, it's not even his own children! If I ever have a child, I love her/him with all my heart, not like what he did to us!

“Hang out? Tomorrow?” But I’m gonna hang out with that babe #11? Anong gagawin ko ipagsabay silang dalawa? Hmm, pwede naman pero ayokong isipin ng babaeng 'yon na balak ko syang ipakilala sa pinsan ko.

Pwede ko naman sabihin ma busy ako o di kaya pwede rin namang di ako sumipot! Yeah, use your brain, Nikolai.

[Yeah! So, are you going to come?]

“What time?”

[5 pm, we have lots of sexy foods with us, surely you’ll say yes.] Rinig ko ang pag tawa nito.

Woah, sexy foods! What he meant by that are sexy girls.

“Make sure that it’s salad, not fatty foods bro!”

[Eyy make sure you’ll come bro, and lastly don’t forget our birthday this Monday. Tell Tita and Nadya to come to visit our house!] That’s my other cousin's voice.

They’re twins, Jeric and Jerry.

“Yeah, I will tell them! It’s already 12 so gotta go sleep now, bye.” Binabaan ko na sila ng linya at inilagay ko na ang cellphone ko don sa gilid.

Ipipikit ko na sana ang mga mata pero may biglang kumatok sa pintuan ng kwarto ko kaya nag taka ako kung sino 'yon.

Tumayo ako at binuksan ang pintuan. Nakita kong si Nadya pala yon habang may hawak-hawak pa na unan.

“Kuya I can’t sleep. Natatakot ako dahil don sa pinanood natin na horror movie kanina." Mahina naman akong tumawa.

“Ba't di nalang tayo matulog katabi si mommy?"

“Right! I wanna sleep with mom!” Natutuwang sabi nito at mukhang excited pa nga sya.

Sinirado ko ang kwarto ko at hinawakan ko ang kamay nya. Nag tungo kami sa kwarto ni mama, kumatok kami pareho at ilang minuto lang ay bumukas ang pintuan. Medyo gulat itong nakatingin samin pareho.

“Mommy pwede ba kaming tumabi sayo?" Tanonf ni Nadya sakanya.

“Sure, come here my two babies!” 

We all laughed.

_

“Good morning!”

“Good morning too, Nadya my princess.” Nag lakad ako patungo sakanya at niyakap sya ng mahigpit.

“Stop calling me princess kuya! I’m not a kid anymore. By the way, I have to go, bye--"

“Teka lang Nadya! Kumain ka na ba?” Tanong ko sakanya.

Minsan hindi sya kumakain dito kaya kailangan ko syang tanongin araw-araw  kung kumain na ba sya para makasigurado. Ayoko namang pumasok sa trabaho na gutom ano.

“Hindi pa pero okay lang, hindi pa naman ako gutom.” Saas nito habang nag mamadaling sinuot ang sandal nya.

“No, you can’t leave! You should eat before going to work, Nadya.” I took her bag and crossed my arms.

“But kuya kailangan ko na umalis. I’ll be late if I stay here for a minute.” 

Huminga ako ng malalim bago binalik sakanya ang bag nya. “Okay, go ahead! Just make sure you eat there.” Tumango sya at hinalikan ako sa pisngi.

“Mom, I gotta go! See you tonight, bye!”

“Hindi na naman ba sya kumain ng agahan?” Tanong ni mommy sakin at tumango lang ako bilang sagot.

_

I spent my time in the restaurant until 11 am. Pagkatapos naman ay umuwi ako para may kasabay si mommy kumain.

Wala kaming katulong kase ayaw ni mommy na mag hire kami dahil kaya nya naman daw ang mga gawang bahay dito. Sasabihin pa nito na para namang hindi sya sanay sa gawaing bahay eh, simula bata pa kami sya na ang gumagawa sa lahat.

After eating together with Mom, I hang out with that babe #11 for almost 2 hours, I guess. 

_

It was late at night when I got home. I’m kinda drunk because those twins got me a lot of drinks.

Damn! They lied to me. They said there are sexy foods but when I come there, there’s only food and drinks, no girls at all. 

Oo, nauto ako ng mga 'yon! Sh*t di naman ako uto-uto, siguro ngayon lang.

Kita kong kakatapos lang ni mommy mag luto. “Good evening mom!” 

“Nikolai! You smell like alcohol-- you’re drunk!” 

“Aray ko! Mommy ang sakit ah!"

“Go to your room and change your clothes!” 

“Nikolai--“

“Oo na mag bibihis na po ako." Sabi ko at nag tungo sa kwarto ko.

_

Nag antay kami kay Nadya dahil wala pa ito. Sinabihan ko nalang si mommy na maunang kumain kung nagugutom na talaga sya. Nasanay kami na sabay kumain kapag gabi, ganito talaga kami dito pero nagtataka ako kase kapag si Nadya hindi nakasabay samin ay mag t-text yun.

Pumunta ako sa kwarto ni Nadya lara tignan kung malinis ba 'to. Nang pag tingin ko sa calendaryo ay naalala ko na next week menstruation na pala nya. Alam na alam ko kung kelan ang mentruation nya eh, kase ako ang pinabibili nya ng napkin.

Tinignan ko sa drawer nya kong may napkin pa ba syang natitira pero wala na kaya lumabas na muna ako ng kwarto.

“I’m leaving Mom, I'm just going to buy some pads for Nadya."  

I said, then she smiled and just nodded. “And you should sleep now Mom, you look tired." I added.

_

Habang nag hahanap ng napkin ay napansin ko na para bang may nakatingin sakin. Slowly I turned my head and I saw a man--gay he smirked then winked at me.

The hell? Is he trying to flirt-- damn!

Doesn't he feel disgusted with himself?! Look at his face! His lips are so red... he’s wearing some makeup?! 

Makeup is for girls only, hindi nya ba alam yun? Oo nga pala bakla sya! Does he think that he will be a girl if he going to wear that f**king makeup?

“If you don’t want to be punched in the face, get out of my sight!” Seryosong sabi at umalis naman sya kagad.

That annoying stupid gay, he’s ruining my mood!

Nang makalabas ako ay may nakita akong dalawang lalaki na naglalandian at ilang segundo lang ay hinalikan nong lalaki ang lalaki na kasama niya.

“What the f**k!” Napapatakip nalang ako ng bibig habang nakatitig sakanila.