"I shouldn't have left her with Vico."

Red gripped the handle of the push cart tightly. Kanina pa siya nag-aalala para sa anak niya. Baka kung ano na naman ang madatnan niyang ayos nito pagbalik niya sa bahay.

"Sabi ko naman sa 'yo, hayaan na lang natin sa mga katulong ang pagsa-shopping," Troy told her.

"I need to learn how to do this," dahilan niya. They'll be having dinner later that night, with everyone. She won't be cooking because she doesn't know how. May chef sila sa bahay. Pero gusto niyang matuto. It's embarrassing that Troy knows more about the kitchen than she does. Add that to the fact na madalas silang ipagluto ng mommy niya noong nabubuhay pa ito. And she grew up, not even learning how to fry anything properly.

"Heaven forbid you try to roast chicken tonight."

Hinampas niya ito sa braso. He's been very unsupportive of her when it comes to these things. He told her once na masyado nang late para magtuto, but she believes otherwise. At kahit fifty years old na siyang matuto, okay lang. At least natuto.

Ayaw naman niyang kahit isang beses ay hindi niya maipagluto si Troy. Kung iyon ngang baby stuff, natutunan niya para kay Kylie, how hard would it be to learn how to cook a simple dish?

"Pumunta ka na nga lang sa meat section. May nakalimutan yata akong bilhin," utos niya rito.

"All right. Where's the list?"

Ibinigay niya rito ang listahan na ginawa ng katulong kanina. Nakasulat doon ang lahat ng kailangan para sa dinner kinagabihan. Troy walked off to the meat section while she wandered along the aisle where milks in cartons are.

Habang naniningin siya sa estante ay may napansin siyang isang babaeng may dala-dalang isang maliit na basket. Mukhang pamilyar ang hitsura nito. Pero hindi niya sigurado kung ito nga iyon. Bigla na lamang kasi itong nawala noong college.

"Carlene?" mahina niyang tawag.

The woman turned to her direction.

"Yes?" tanong nito.

Napaturo siya. "You're Carlene, right?" tanong niya.

--

"Carlene?"

Moira looked to her left. Hindi niya alam kung siya nga ang tinatawag ng babaeng nasa kaliwa niya. But they're the only ones on that aisle.

"Yes?"

Parang namumukhaan niya ang tumawag. Pero hindi niya masiguro. Red's always wearing red. This woman's wearing a yellow sleeveless top and black denim shorts.

Tumuro ito sa kanya. "You're Carlene, right?"

"Yes. I'm sorry, do I know you?"

Ngumiti ito at inilahad ang kamay. "I'm Regina. Red, remember?"

She frowned. Hindi niya akalaing magbabago ito. She's one of those people who're like set in stone. Kung ano sila dati, ganoon pa rin sila kahit ilang taon na ang lumipas. But something definitely changed. Napansin niya ang wedding band sa kaliwa nitong kamay.

"Of course, I remember you." Inabot niya ang kamay nito. "But you look so different now, so I wasn't so sure if it was you."

"Well, things happen," sabi nito sabay tawa. "Anyway, how are you? I never thought I'd see you here!"

"Okay naman ako. I just came in here to buy some stuff."

Pauwi na sana siya kanina nang biglang tumawag ang pinsan niya. Nagpapabili ito ng Yakult at gatas. Buntis kasi ito at mapagpaniwala sa pamahiin kaya gusto nitong uminom nang uminom ng gatas, para raw maputi ang magiging anak nito.

"So, you're married now? Wow. Who's the lucky guy?"

Hindi niya alam kung swerte nga ba talagang matatawag ang lalaking pinakasalan si Red.

"His name's Troy, Vince's half-brother. He's here somewhere," sagot nito.

Her fist clenched at the mention of his name. It's been ten years. It's ridiculous how the mere mention of his name made her so tensed. Huminga siya ng malalim at pilit na ngumiti.

"You remember Vince, right?" Red teased.

"Yeah. How's he?"

"Ayun, workaholic pa rin. We've been urging him to get married already, but it seems like he's planning on marrying his work. E, ikaw, are you married?"

Umiling siya. "No, but I have a boyfriend."

"Ay, sayang naman."

Hindi na lamang niya pinansin ang remark nito. Sayang? Sayang nga. But it's been a decade. Tanga lamang siya kung aasa pa siya.

"There you are!"

Sabay silang napalingon sa nagsalita. A gorgeous man walked towards them. Naka-simpleng shirt at jeans lamang ito. He dumped the stuff he's carrying on the cart. Si Red naman ay kumawit sa braso nito.

"This is Troy," pakilala nito. "Hon, this is Moira Carlene. College friend ko."

Nagkamay silang dalawa. Hindi na niya itinama ang pakilala ni Red sa kanya. In a way, totoo naman iyon. Maraming kaaway si Red noong college, but she spared her, because she's obsessed with Vince at that time and Red found it hilarious.

Magkagalit kasi ang dalawa dati. Everything that annoys Vince, Red likes. And she's one of those things.

"She used to chase after Vince. It's hilarious," dagdag pa ni Red.

Pinamulahan siya. "Bata pa kasi ako noon," dahilan niya.

"And? Naging kayo?" tanong ni Troy sa kanya.

She shook her head.

"Vince doesn't like girls like her," Red told him.

"Hey, don't say that," saway ni Troy sa asawa. Bumaling ito sa kanya. "I'm sorry about my wife. She's so tactless sometimes."

"Okay lang. Sanay na rin naman ako sa kanya."

"Really? Pa'no ka nasanay?"

Red slapped his arm. "Hey, watch your tongue!"

Hindi niya mapigilang ngumiti. Parang bago pa lang sa relationship ang dalawa kung maglambingan. Red's changed so much. Kahit matalas pa rin itong magsalita, her tone became significantly lighter. And she's wearing yellow for chrissake. Kung makikita lamang siguro ito ng mga dati nilang ka-batch, they'll be at a loss for words.

"It was nice to see you again, Red. And nice meeting you, Troy. I'll go ahead, ha?"

"Uy, wait! Hindi ba pwedeng mag-catch up muna? Busy ka ba?"

"Hindi naman."

"Then let's have some coffee first. Patapos na rin naman kami sa pagsa-shopping."

--

Hinintay ni Moira na makapagbayad ang dalawa. Sumunod siya sa mga ito papuntang parking lot. She even helped them put the bags on the back of the car. Pagkatapos ay nagpahatid si Red sa coffee shop. Pinauna na nito si Troy na umuwi.

"And tell Vico to clean Kylie up. I'll strangle him kapag may nakita akong residue ng makeup sa mukha ng baby ko."

"All right, all right," he responded dismissively. He kissed Red on the cheek saka ito ngumiti sa kanya. "Nice meeting you, Carlene."

They ordered coffee and cakes after Troy left.

"Is he the reason behind this?" tanong niya rito. "You've changed a lot."

"Well, I had to," sabi nito. "Hindi na kasi bagay sa feels ko yung red. I'm not angry anymore."

"That's good to hear. Ilang taon na kayong kasal?"

"Two years na rin. Ikaw, where have you been? Nagulat na lang ako nung hindi na kita nakita ulit. Hinanap kaya kita nung enrollment ng third year."

"My family migrated to the states," she explained. "Nandun ako for one year, but I came back kasi mas prefer kong dito magtapos."

"You didn't follow Vince there, did you?"

Umiling siya. "We talked before he left. He asked me to stop chasing after him."

Kumunot ang noo nito. It's as if she wasn't buying that crap.

"He begged you for two years to stop, pero hindi ka nakinig. Mas pinag-igihan mo pa nga ang kahahabol sa kanya. What made you finally stop?"

She inhaled deeply. She couldn't tell Red about what happened. Pamihadong kukumprontahin nito si Vince kung sakali.

"He's leaving," she told her instead. "That's what made me stop."

"But you went to the US anyway."

"I did not go there for him." She sighed. "Can we just drop it?"

"Why? Hindi ka pa nakaka-move on?"

"Naka-move on na 'ko."

"That's what they say..."

She smiled. "Totoo nga. Naka move-on na 'ko. Ang tagal na nun e."

"I'm sorry, but I don't buy it." Red took a sip of her coffee. "But if you say so, then fine. What do you do?"

"I'm currently looking for work. I just resigned from my previous job in Malaysia."

"Why did you resign?" she pried.

"Long story."

"We have time."

Ayaw na sana niyang i-open up ang nangyari. But Red's persistent. Bumuntong-hininga siya. It's been a month since she got back from Malaysia. Ang ganda-ganda sana ng trabaho niya roon. Malapit lang sa Pilipinas, hindi pa nagkakalayo ng time zone, saka maganda ang sweldo. There's just that one problem.

"I was being sexually harassed," she admitted.

Red was slack-jawed for a moment. "What?"

She told Red the details. Baguhan pa lamang siya noon sa trabaho. Two weeks pa lang halos. Noong una, akala niya ay normal lang na sobrang bait sa kanya ng boss niya. Halos kasingtanda na ito ng daddy niya and she mistook his kindness for being fatherly.

Then, he asked her to pull an all-nighter one night at the office.

"He was a reputable man and I just got there. Nang magsumbong ako, walang naniwala sa 'kin. He threatened to sue me. Kaya nakiusap na lang ako and told him that I'd resign. Pangatlong beses ko na 'to e. Ganoon din yung naging issue ko dun sa nauna kong trabaho."

"That's sick! Buti nag-resign ka agad."

"It's the only thing I could do."

"So, ano'ng ginagawa mo ngayon? How's the search for work going?"

"Naghihintay pa 'ko ng tawag. Sa ngayon, online jobs na lang muna."

They talked for some more. Tuwing isisingit nito si Vince sa usapan, she would ask her about her daughter. Red would talk nonstop about Kylie. Nakuntento na siya sa pakikinig. They weren't really friends, but Red's never hostile towards her.

Ito pa nga ang nagbigay sa kanya ng class schedule ni Vince noong college. Red also gave her Vince's phone number back then. Kapag may lakad si Vince dati, agad nitong ipinaaalam sa kanya.

She sighed. Those were the days...

--

Red called Troy para sunduin siya. She invited Moira to come to dinner, kaso ay tumanggi ito. May date daw ito. Nanghihinayang siya. She actually liked Moira Carlene, pero siguro ay dala na rin iyon ng inis niya kay Vince. She likes whatever o whoever annoys Vince. Ginagatungan pa nga niya.

She asked for Moira's number before they parted. Nangako siyang ihahanap niya ito ng trabaho, for old time's sake.

Nang makarating sila ni Troy sa bahay ay agad niyang tiningnan kung matino pa ang hitsura ni Kylie. Thankfully naman ay mukhang nalinis na iyon ni Vico bago pa siya makarating. Ni bakas ng makeup ay wala siyang nakita.

She helped prepare for dinner pero madaling gawain lamang ang iniatang sa kanya ng chef, afraid that she'll just mess it up. Vico stayed for dinner. Dumating naman si Mitch maya-maya. Ariesa and Ela also came with their mother, but apologized because their father couldn't make it. Naiintindihan naman niya. Paalis kasi ito papuntang Texas, for a business meeting.

She's so glad that Vince came. Excited na siyang sabihin dito ang nangyari kanina.

Nang dumating ang hapunan ay tumulong na rin siya sa paghahain. She brought the bowl of mashed potato in the dining room and proudly announced that she made it.

"O, guys, alam nyo na ang hindi kakainin ha," biro ni Vico.

Natawa na lamang ang mga bisita nang panlisikan niya ng mata si Vico. Iniharang naman nito si Kylie kaya hindi niya ito masapok. She sat next to Troy as they started to eat.

Plato ni Kylie ang nasa harapan niya. She's feeding Kylie while Troy feeds her.

"Anyway, before I forget, guess who I ran into today," she told them.

"Who?" Vico asked.

"Moira Carlene."

She saw Vince freeze. Kumuha ito ng tubig at saka uminom.

"Moira?" kunot-noong tanong ni Vico. "Moira, as in Vince's Moira?"

Napatingin ang mga ito kay Vince. The latter cleared his throat.

"She's not mine," tanggi nito.

"Your regret, I'm sure," sabat naman ni Troy. "How can you not like her?"

"Ayaw nga kasi nya sa mga babaeng desperada," sagot naman niya.

Mukhang nairita si Vince sa sinabi niya, pero hindi na lang ito sumagot.

"How is she?" asked Vico. "Hindi ko na sya nakita nung third year e. Aayain ko pa naman sana syang sumali sa pageant. Tapos ako yung magmi-makeup sa kanya."

"She seems fine. Feeling ko malapit lang dito ang bahay nya e. I didn't ask though."

"Married na?"

Umiling siya. "But she already has a boyfriend."

"Aww, sayang!"

"I said the same," sabi niya sa pinsan.

"Bakit naman sayang?" biglang tanong ng daddy niya.

"E, dad, kasi irereto ko dapat siya kay Vince."

Vince choked on his drink. Kylie laughed. Natawa na rin tuloy sila.

"Can we stop talking about her, please?" pakiusap nito sa kanila.

Nagkibit-balikat na lamang siya. She doesn't understand why Vince looks so affected with the topic. Para tuloy may something. But that's impossible. Since never naman nitong pinagbigyan si Moira. Ilang beses na itong nag-aya na lumabas ang dalawa, pero hindi lang ito pinapansin ni Vince.

She pitied Moira, pero hindi niya nagawang tumigil sa panggagatong sa kagagahan nito dati, because that annoyed Vince a lot.

--

Biglang nawalan ng gana si Vince nang i-open up ni Red ang topic about Moira. Red used to call her Carlota or Carlene, depende sa level ng pang-iinis nito sa kanya. He couldn't believe that Moira's just nearby. Gusto niyang magtanong pa tungkol dito, but he doesn't want to appear curious.

He was surprisingly glad to know that she's still not married though. He sighed. Heto na naman ang pagkalito niya.