The next day, the four of them, together with Aunt Juana went to the church to attend the last mass for Lolo Celso. Upon reaching the coffin, tears rolled down on Leni’s face. A few seconds later, Aldo came and comforted her.
“Kailan ka pa dumating?”
“Kagabi lang, pasensya ka na,hindi ako nakapunta kagabi.”
“Okay lang yun, alam ko namang napagod ka sa biyahe. May kasama ka ba?”
“Oo,bukod kay Tita Juana, sina Adam at Faith, at yung boyfriend ko. Ipapakilala ko sila sa’yo mamaya.”
Upon seeing Aldo embracing Leni, Red can’t help but get jealous. He was about to stand up but Faith pulled him back.
“Red, what are you doing?”
“I will just ask Leni to go back here.”
“What’s with you? Nagse-selos ka ba?”
“Eh paanong hindi ako magse-selos, tignan mo nga kung paano maka-yakap yun sa girlfriend ko.”
“Ang sabihin mo, nagi-guilty ka lang sa mga ginawa mo dati kay Leni, kaya natatakot ka na pwedeng gawin niya yan sa’yo.”
“Hindi naman sa ganun..”
“Hay naku Red, wag ka nang magpa-liwanang alam ko na nagse-selos ka talaga. Halata naman eh.”
“Oo, aminado ako.”
“Pag si Adam ba niyakap si Leni, sila na?”
Red got embarrassed that he didn’t answer her question. Faith went on and said.
“Ang dumi naman ng isip mo. Alam naman nating lahat na ikaw pa lang ang naigiging boyfriend ni Leni. Yang si Aldo,boyfriend dati ni Agatha. Kaya matagal na silang magka-kilala. Pero, ngayong summer lang sila ulit nagkita ni Aldo.Hay naku Red, isipin mo na lang na faithful si Leni sa’yo. Kaibigan namin siya at alam namin na hindi ka niya pagta-taksilan.”
Adam asked them to keep quiet because the people were starting to notice them.
“Huy! Ang ingay niyong dalawa. Nakaka-hiya, sabit lang tayo dito.Umayos kayo ha.”
Faith bluffed,
“Si Red kasi eh.”
“Huh? Anong ako?”
Aldo ushered Leni and her aunt to the pew were the rest of his relatives were sitting. She asked her why and he told him that his late grandfather counted her as a part of their family. This made her broke into tears even more. She sat beside Dana and the rest of his cousins. She patted Leni’s back as she was sobbing. Leni was crying because she once again lost another person that touched her life.
The church was overflowed with flowers and filled with relatives and friends. After the burial, all of them headed back to Aldo’s house for merienda. Leni finally had the chance to introduce her companion to them. While Leni was getting pansit from the buffet table, Aldo talked to the three of them.
“So you must be Leni’s friends. She told me a lot of things about you.”
Faith was the first to answer.
“Actually, it’s just the two of us. This is Red, her boyfriend. They got back a couple of months ago. But, it’s a long story. Just ask her for the details.”
Adam pulled Faith and whispered,
“Faith, ang daldal mo. It’s inappropriate to talk about it. Umayos ka nga.”
Aldo veered from the topic and began to talk about the play that they performed last summer. He mentioned that He and Leni got the lead role. Then, he also told them that they had a great time during the rehearsals.
Red just smiled so that it wouldn’t be obvious that he’s getting uncomfortable with Aldo. Even if he knew that there’s nothing went on between them, he can’t help but get jealous. This was his first time to feel this way towards Leni.
---
While placing the pansit on her plate, a rotund, middle-aged woman approached Leni with excitement.
“Leni , Do you remember me?”
She smiled at her as she realized that it was Aldo’s mom.
“Tita Jean? Kumusta na po?”
“Mabuti naman. I’m glad you’re here.”
“Tita, I hope you don’t mind. Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Where’s Carol? I didn’t saw her in the church earlier.”
Aldo’s mom rolled her eyes and said.
“Oh, I pretend that you didn’t ask. She was here yesterday, but she left early.”
“I see. Tita, why did you react that way? Is there something wrong?.”
“No. It’s just that I have doubts about the two of them.”
“Why? How can you say that? May nangyari po ba?.”
“As a mother, I can sense that Carol is hiding something. Aldo on the other hand seems that he’s not that serious with their relationship. Parang hindi siya masyadong masaya. Hindi siya ganyan nung sila pa ni Agatha.”
“I hope you don’t mind, but are you in favor with them?”
“Honestly, I’m not. I would rather wish that my son is with someone else, hindi yung maririnig ko na palagi na lang sila nag-aaway. Paano kung mag-asawa na sila? ”
“Tita, baka naman po kaya pa nilang ayusin yung relationship nila.”
“I hope so. I’ll pray for a miracle. Anyway, let’s not talk about her. How about you? Are you still studying?”
“No, Tita. I’m already working.”
“I see. Sino yung mga kasama mo?”
“Those were my friends and the tall guy beside them is my boyfriend.”
“I see , he looks ‘artistahin.’. Most of my nephews were staring at him earlier, asking his name. Yun pala, boyfriend mo.Gaano na kayo katagal?”
“Going three years na po kami, kung hindi lang kami nag-break dati. Pero, okay na po kami ngayon.”
“Okay, that’s good. I hope that your relationship would work out this time.”
Leni got flattered with what she said.
“Thanks Tita. I’m glad that you still remember me because the last time that we saw each other was like twelve years ago,before you move to Vienna. Ate Agatha and Aldo were still in high school then.”
“Of course, how can I forget you? Ikaw yung batang makulit noon. Whenever you felt out of place, you headed on our kitchen grabbing their snacks before it was served. And, if you’re not in the kitchen, you patiently listen to my father’s stories. I also know that you spent time with him last summer at dapat kami ang nandoon. We really appreciated that.”
“Oh, that’s nothing Tita. I should be the one to be thankful because whenever I’m here, I feel like I’m a part of your family.”
“You are Leni, just like your cousin. Hindi ka na rin ibang tao sa amin.”
“Kailan ka pa dumating?”
“Kagabi lang, pasensya ka na,hindi ako nakapunta kagabi.”
“Okay lang yun, alam ko namang napagod ka sa biyahe. May kasama ka ba?”
“Oo,bukod kay Tita Juana, sina Adam at Faith, at yung boyfriend ko. Ipapakilala ko sila sa’yo mamaya.”
Upon seeing Aldo embracing Leni, Red can’t help but get jealous. He was about to stand up but Faith pulled him back.
“Red, what are you doing?”
“I will just ask Leni to go back here.”
“What’s with you? Nagse-selos ka ba?”
“Eh paanong hindi ako magse-selos, tignan mo nga kung paano maka-yakap yun sa girlfriend ko.”
“Ang sabihin mo, nagi-guilty ka lang sa mga ginawa mo dati kay Leni, kaya natatakot ka na pwedeng gawin niya yan sa’yo.”
“Hindi naman sa ganun..”
“Hay naku Red, wag ka nang magpa-liwanang alam ko na nagse-selos ka talaga. Halata naman eh.”
“Oo, aminado ako.”
“Pag si Adam ba niyakap si Leni, sila na?”
Red got embarrassed that he didn’t answer her question. Faith went on and said.
“Ang dumi naman ng isip mo. Alam naman nating lahat na ikaw pa lang ang naigiging boyfriend ni Leni. Yang si Aldo,boyfriend dati ni Agatha. Kaya matagal na silang magka-kilala. Pero, ngayong summer lang sila ulit nagkita ni Aldo.Hay naku Red, isipin mo na lang na faithful si Leni sa’yo. Kaibigan namin siya at alam namin na hindi ka niya pagta-taksilan.”
Adam asked them to keep quiet because the people were starting to notice them.
“Huy! Ang ingay niyong dalawa. Nakaka-hiya, sabit lang tayo dito.Umayos kayo ha.”
Faith bluffed,
“Si Red kasi eh.”
“Huh? Anong ako?”
Aldo ushered Leni and her aunt to the pew were the rest of his relatives were sitting. She asked her why and he told him that his late grandfather counted her as a part of their family. This made her broke into tears even more. She sat beside Dana and the rest of his cousins. She patted Leni’s back as she was sobbing. Leni was crying because she once again lost another person that touched her life.
The church was overflowed with flowers and filled with relatives and friends. After the burial, all of them headed back to Aldo’s house for merienda. Leni finally had the chance to introduce her companion to them. While Leni was getting pansit from the buffet table, Aldo talked to the three of them.
“So you must be Leni’s friends. She told me a lot of things about you.”
Faith was the first to answer.
“Actually, it’s just the two of us. This is Red, her boyfriend. They got back a couple of months ago. But, it’s a long story. Just ask her for the details.”
Adam pulled Faith and whispered,
“Faith, ang daldal mo. It’s inappropriate to talk about it. Umayos ka nga.”
Aldo veered from the topic and began to talk about the play that they performed last summer. He mentioned that He and Leni got the lead role. Then, he also told them that they had a great time during the rehearsals.
Red just smiled so that it wouldn’t be obvious that he’s getting uncomfortable with Aldo. Even if he knew that there’s nothing went on between them, he can’t help but get jealous. This was his first time to feel this way towards Leni.
---
While placing the pansit on her plate, a rotund, middle-aged woman approached Leni with excitement.
“Leni , Do you remember me?”
She smiled at her as she realized that it was Aldo’s mom.
“Tita Jean? Kumusta na po?”
“Mabuti naman. I’m glad you’re here.”
“Tita, I hope you don’t mind. Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Where’s Carol? I didn’t saw her in the church earlier.”
Aldo’s mom rolled her eyes and said.
“Oh, I pretend that you didn’t ask. She was here yesterday, but she left early.”
“I see. Tita, why did you react that way? Is there something wrong?.”
“No. It’s just that I have doubts about the two of them.”
“Why? How can you say that? May nangyari po ba?.”
“As a mother, I can sense that Carol is hiding something. Aldo on the other hand seems that he’s not that serious with their relationship. Parang hindi siya masyadong masaya. Hindi siya ganyan nung sila pa ni Agatha.”
“I hope you don’t mind, but are you in favor with them?”
“Honestly, I’m not. I would rather wish that my son is with someone else, hindi yung maririnig ko na palagi na lang sila nag-aaway. Paano kung mag-asawa na sila? ”
“Tita, baka naman po kaya pa nilang ayusin yung relationship nila.”
“I hope so. I’ll pray for a miracle. Anyway, let’s not talk about her. How about you? Are you still studying?”
“No, Tita. I’m already working.”
“I see. Sino yung mga kasama mo?”
“Those were my friends and the tall guy beside them is my boyfriend.”
“I see , he looks ‘artistahin.’. Most of my nephews were staring at him earlier, asking his name. Yun pala, boyfriend mo.Gaano na kayo katagal?”
“Going three years na po kami, kung hindi lang kami nag-break dati. Pero, okay na po kami ngayon.”
“Okay, that’s good. I hope that your relationship would work out this time.”
Leni got flattered with what she said.
“Thanks Tita. I’m glad that you still remember me because the last time that we saw each other was like twelve years ago,before you move to Vienna. Ate Agatha and Aldo were still in high school then.”
“Of course, how can I forget you? Ikaw yung batang makulit noon. Whenever you felt out of place, you headed on our kitchen grabbing their snacks before it was served. And, if you’re not in the kitchen, you patiently listen to my father’s stories. I also know that you spent time with him last summer at dapat kami ang nandoon. We really appreciated that.”
“Oh, that’s nothing Tita. I should be the one to be thankful because whenever I’m here, I feel like I’m a part of your family.”
“You are Leni, just like your cousin. Hindi ka na rin ibang tao sa amin.”
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