The sound of incessant knocking woke Danilo up. Kunot-noo siyang tumingin sa paligid. It was still dark inside. Granted that the thick curtains were still drawn, pero hindi pa handang gumising ang katawang lupa niya. It was too early.

He looked at the clock on the bedside table and groaned. Who the fuck would knock on someone's door at four in the morning?

The knocker was persistent. Tuloy-tuloy ang pagkatok nito. Occasionally, they would twist the doorknob to attempt to go in, but the bedroom door was locked. Bumangon si Danilo at umupo sa gilid ng kama. Huminga siya nang malalim para kumalma. Ayaw niyang mag-init ang ulo. Hindi pa lumalabas ang araw, ang sama na kaagad ng mood niya.

Nasa penthouse unit siya sa pinakatuktok ng building. Dalawa ang apartment units na nandoon. Hindi niya kilala ang nakatira sa kabilang unit dahil bihira itong umuwi. The knocking came from outside his bedroom door, which meant that the person had access to his unit. Kilala niya ang kumakatok. Imposibleng magnanakaw iyon because what kind of thief would knock first?

"I'm up!" sigaw niya.

Saka lamang tumigil ang pagkatok. "Open the fucking door!"

Mas lalong nangunot ang noo niya. Bakit nandito ang half-brother niya nang ganitong oras? What would Domingo want at this hour? Napahilamos siya ng mukha bago pilit na tumayo at tinungo ang pintuan. When he opened the door, light flooded in. He raised his hand to cover his eyes.

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

"Get dressed. We're going home."

Ibinaba niya ang kamay para tingnan ang mukha nito. Domingo's sharp jawline was tense. He looked so serious. Matalas din ang tingin nito na para bang may kasalanan siyang ginawa. His brother could be thinking about blaming him for not waking up sooner. With his unpredictable temper, Danilo has already learned that it was always safer to assume the worst.

"Now?"

"I'll give you 30 minutes to gather your things," sabi nito sabay alis. He clicked his tongue and shook his head. Bakit naman nito naisipang umuwi bigla? He was so adamant that he didn't want to go home? What changed?

–

"Good morning, Mars!" masayang bati ni Carlota sa kaibigan nitong tindera sa palengke. Carmelita chopped the head of a fish before looking up and smiling at her. Si Carlos naman ay sumingit sa gitna nila at ngumiti rin sa kanya.

"Morning!" bati nito. "Parang ang saya-saya mo ngayon."

"Gano'n talaga. Dapat palagi tayong masaya," sagot niya rito. "May hipon pa ba kayo?"

"Ito na lang." Carlos pointed to the small clump of shrimp spread on a banana leaf. "Ang dami kasing bumili kanina."

"Hala. Parang wala pang isang kilo 'to," simangot niyang sabi.

"Ilan ba ang kailangan mo?" tanong naman ni Carmelita.

"Limang kilo sana."

Napamulagat ang magkapatid sa sagot niya. Maramihan sila kung mamalengke sa mansion dahil maraming pagkain ang inihahanda nila. Pero bihirang umabot sa punto na bibili siya ng limang kilong hipon. It would always be a kilo or a couple of kilos of assorted things. Syempre, hindi pwedeng iisa lamang klase ng pagkain ang nakahain sa hapag, lalo na kapag si Senyor ang kakain.

"Ano'ng okasyon?" tanong ni Carlos.

"Darating yung dalawang anak ni Senyor," sagot niya.

"Talaga? Bakit?!"

"E, pinauuwi nung matanda. Kaya kailangan ko sana ng limang kilong hipon. Nag-request ng sinigang at buttered shrimp e. Saka dalawang kilong tilapia, apat na kilong tahong, at tatlong malalaking bangus."

"Caloy, bumili ka ng hipon kay Ate Anna," utos ni Carmelita sa kapatid.

"Sige. May lalagyan ka, Carlota?"

"Ah oo. Dala ni–" Nagpalinga-linga siya sa paligid para hanapin ang kasama. "Nasa'n na ba yun?"

"May kasama ka?" Carmelita began searching too, her eyes twinkling with hope. Tapos ay bigla itong sumimangot nang makita ang kasama niyang may buhat-buhat na dalawang malaking styrofoam. His boyish smile drew attention from the people in the market, but Carmelita lowered her gaze to the fish she was descaling. Dismayado na naman ito.

"Good morning!" nakangiting bati ni Biboy sa magkapatid. Bahagyang tumunghay si Carmelita, tipid na ngumiti, at saka ibinalik ang atensyon sa ginagawa. Mukhang na-disappoint si Biboy sa reaksyon ng dalaga, pero agad din itong nakabawi. He turned to her and asked, "Nakabili ka na?"

"Oo, kaso wala silang hipon. Bibili na lang daw sila kay Ate Anna."

"Ah, sige. Bumili na rin tayo ng pusit. Gusto ni Sir Dan ng adobo."

"Sige. Mga dalawang kilo?"

Biboy nodded and glanced at Carmelita. The latter was still focused on her fish.

"Kukuha lang ako ng hipon," paalam ni Carlos.

Carmelita dropped her knife. "Ako na," sabi nito sa kapatid.

"Pero, Ate–"

She gave her brother a sharp look before washing her hands on the small basin next to her. Tumingin ito sa kanya bago ito umalis. "Excuse," Carmelita muttered when she walked past Biboy. Ni hindi nito tiningnan ang lalaki.

Biboy let out a sigh.

"Nakabili ka na ng karne?" tanong niya rito.

"Oo."

"Puntahan pala natin si Ganda. Nagpapabili ng prutas si Senyor."

"Kailangan nyo yata ng katulong pagbubuhat. Pwede naman ako," Carlos offered with a smile.

"May sasakyan kami, Caloy," sabi niya rito.

Carlos' shoulders slumped. "Ah. Sige."

"Saka walang magbabantay sa pwesto ninyo. Malilitikan tayo sa Ate mo kapag umalis ka," dagdag niya.

–

Pagkalagay nila ng mga cooler sa likuran ng sasakyan ay sa tindahan ng mga prutas naman sila dumaan. Nasa bungad ng palengke ang pwesto nina Mariposa. Isang stall iyon na palaging puno ng prutas. Pero kahit mga hinog at maganda ang hitsura ng mga prutas ay hindi naman iyon ang selling point ng tindahan. It was the woman sitting next to the fruits, with her off-shoulder dress showing off her milky white shoulders. Hanggang bewang ang kulot nitong buhok at kahit wala itong kolorete sa mukha ay mamula-mula pa rin ang mga pisngi at labi nito.

Marami palaging tao sa bandang iyon ng palengke dahil kay Mariposa. Hindi nga doon ang paradahan ng tricycle pero palaging nandoon ang mga tricycle driver kaya inilipat na lamang ang paradahan para mas malapit iyon sa tindahan ng mga prutas.

Karamihan sa mga napapadaan ay wala namang planong bumili. Napapabili lamang ang mga ito para magkaroon ng tsansa na makausap ang dalaga.

Si Aling Marites ang abala sa pagbibenta. Mariposa was just there to sit still and look pretty, most of the time. Kapag may bibili na mukhang mayaman o katulong ng mayaman na kilala ni Aling Marites, saka lamang nito pinatatayo si Mariposa para tumulong.

Agad itong nagkumahog nang makita silang paparating.

"Magandang umaga ho!" bati nito sa kanila ni Biboy.

"Good morning po!" pabalik na bati ni Carlota. She turned to Mariposa and smiled. "Hi, Ganda!"

Tipid itong ngumiti at tumayo para asikasuhin sila.

"Pabili ho ng dalawang malalaking pakwan saka tatlong kilong mangga. Tapos dalawang melon at isang piling ng saging lakatan."

Si Mariposa ang nag-asikaso sa kanila habang si Aling Marites naman ang kumausap sa ibang customer. Nang maibalot lahat ng pinamili, kinausap ni Carlota si Aling Marites. "Pwede ho bang isama si Ganda sa mansion?" tanong niya sa matanda.

"Bakit po?" tanong naman ni Mariposa.

Aling Marites waved her hand as if dismissing her daughter's question. "Syempre naman ho!"

"Pero, Nay–"

The old woman pushed Mariposa away. "Sige na. Kaya ko na rito."

Wala nang nagawa ang dalaga nang pilitin ito ng ina nito na pumasok ng sasakyan. Don Sandro has instructed Carlota to bring Mariposa to the mansion. She would be an additional adornment to the place to hopefully distract the sons from fighting.

–

Puno na ng alikabok ang sasakyan ni Domingo nang makarating sila sa mansion. The gates immediately opened when the guards saw them coming kaya dire-diretso siya ng pagmamaneho. Idinaan niya sa paikot na driveway ang sasakyan bago niya iyon ipinarada sa harap ng grand staircase na nasa tapat ng harap ng bahay. The circular driveway was adorned with a beautiful fountain where he used to play with the kids when he was a child. Back when he had no idea how vile and manipulative his father really is.

He slapped Danilo on the arm to wake him up. Napapitlag ito sa gulat. "We're here," sabi niya rito.

Umungot ito bago inayos ang pagkakaupo. He was pestering him earlier on the reason why he suddenly changed his mind and chose to go home. The two of them were close. Close enough that he could tolerate his half-brother's annoying existence, but not close enough to indulge him with some of his secrets.

Kahit kapatid niya ito, hindi pa rin buo ang tiwala niya rito. He didn't trust anyone who had anything to do with the old man, because he could manipulate everyone and use them against him.

Bumuntong-hininga siya bago pinatay ang makina ng sasakyan. He opened the door and put one foot on the graveled driveway. He let out another sigh as he felt something brew in his stomach. Anxiety, perhaps. He clearly didn't want to be there.

Tuluyan siyang lumabas nang buksan na rin ni Danilo ang pinto ng kotse sa gawi nito. They both stepped out of the car and took their bags from the backseat. Nailing siya nang makita na naman ang dala nitong gamit.

Isang weekend lang silang mamamalagi sa mansion, just to sort out their father's will about the inheritance. And hopefully, to attend their father's funeral. Pero ang dala ni Danilo, pang isang buwang damit.

The thirty minutes that he gave his brother to pack his things turned to one and a half hours. Hindi pa kasama doon ang pag-aayos nito. Halos dalawa't kalahating oras niya itong inantay bago sila nakaalis ng unit nito. And then, his whiny brother asked for breakfast. Anong oras na ngayon. Pasado alas dyes na.

"Bro, a little help?"

He looked back at Danilo who was struggling with his hand carry and luggage at the stairs. Domingo rolled his eyes and continued walking up the stairs.

A few housekeepers saw them and scurried to help them with their things. Kasunod ng mga ito si Bobet, ang dakilang katiwala ng kanyang ama. Bobet was wearing a loose white button up shirt with sleeves rolled up to the elbows. It was tucked under his dark blue jeans and paired with brown loafers na puro alikabok na rin.

"Hey! You made it!" nakangisi nitong salubong. He removed his sunglasses and offered his hand to him. Domingo ignored the hand and walked past his father's glorified butler. "It's too early to be an asshole, Dom," narinig niyang sabi nito.

"Don't mind him. He's just cranky today," sabi naman ni Danilo.

The two immediately caught up with him. Mukhang masaya si Danilo dahil nakauwi ito. And Bobet was probably happy because he managed to bring them home. It annoyed the hell out of him. Bobet clearly knew why he changed his mind.

"So when can we see him?" tanong niya sa katiwala.

"Mamaya pa. Kumain muna kayo. Pinaluto ko yung mga paborito ninyo."

–

Mariposa had been waiting for hours. Nakiusyoso na siya kanina sa kusina para manuod sa mga nagluluto. Naikot na rin niya ang hardin kanina. Wala pa rin ang mga anak ni Don Sandro. Tuwing magpapaalam naman siyang babalik na sa palengke, pinagbabawalan naman siya. Maghintay daw siya nang kaunting oras pa.

"Ganda! Halika sa kusina!" Carlota pulled her up from the sofa and brought her to the kitchen.

"Hindi pa ba pwedeng umuwi?"

"Mamaya na! Nandito na sila!"

Agad na nangibabaw ang kaba sa dibdib niya. She didn't want to be there. She didn't want to see them. Pero bilang respeto kay Don Sandro ay sumunod na lamang siya sa gustong mangyari ng mga ito. Kulang na lamang ay yumuko siya at magtago sa likod ni Carlota nang makarating sila ng kusina.

She heard their voices even before they entered the kitchen. She heard his voice even before she saw his face. And she was almost breathless when she came face to face with Don Sandro's sons.

"Nandito na po si Ganda!" anunsyo ni Carlota.

The men immediately looked in her direction. Bobet was standing beside Dario. Nakatuon ang isa nitong kamay sa lamesa at ang isa naman ay nakahawak sa sandalan ng upuan. He was having an intense conversation with Danilo, who was sitting at the head of the table. Danilo smiled at her when he saw her.

Sunod na bumaling ang tingin niya sa nakaupo sa tapat ni Dario. Domingo had this intense look about him. His face was contorted with suppressed anger and slight amusement.

Mariposa pulled at her hand. "M-Magandang araw ho," bati niya sa tatlong magkakapatid. "Naghatid lang ho ako ng prutas. Aalis na rin ho ako."

"Kumain ka muna," sabi sa kanya ni Bobet. "Kabilin-bilinan ni Senyor na pakainin ka muna bago ka umuwi."

"Halika, Ganda." Carlota took her hand again, grip was firmer this time, and led her to the table. She forced the maid to stop a few seats away from Domingo. Carlota was planning to sit her next to him and she just wouldn't have it. One seat away was not enough as she would prefer to be miles away from that place, but it will do at the moment.

Kakaupo pa lamang niya nang biglang tumayo si Domingo.

"Call me when the old man wants to talk," sabi nito kay Bobet.

"Saan ka pupunta? Kakain na kayo."

"I already lost my appetite," he said before walking away.