Insist

Muntik na akong mabulunan sa iniinom kong orange juice. Mabuti na lang at nakalma ko ang sarili bago pa ako nagkalat sa harap niya.

"I mean, cooking isn't entirely a woman's responsibility. It's a life-learned skill and not a gender role. Both women and men should learn that," he politely explained.

"You're right, Gab," Mommy approved.

I can't help but nod my head in approval too. It really hits me. Hindi naman kabawasan ng pagkatao ang di kagalingan sa pagluluto. I think, everyone has a cook's intuition. Hindi ka nga lang magiging magaling kapag di ka naman talaga nagluluto. I've always believed that cooking and cleaning shouldn't be assigned to a particular gender. Sinuman ay dapat na matuto na mga bagay na iyon.

Pagkatapos kumain ay sa balkonahe kami nagpahangin. Binulungan pa ako ni Mommy na magsuklay muna ng buhok ko kaya naman saglit ko muna silang iniwang dalawa. Pagbalik ko ay kami naman ang iniwang dalawa ni Gab. Pupunta lang daw siya ng kusina. She winked at me before she left.

"Why did you come here all of a sudden?" tanong ko na nagpabaling sa kanya sa direksyon ko. He was silently sitting on the chair. Magkaharap kami sa round table.

"Your Mom invited me to come over," he honestly said. He was rolling his sleeves up to his elbow.

Sinasabi ko na nga ba! Parang nagdududa na ako kung para ba talaga sa akin 'yong niluto niyang Kare-Kare. Malamang tinanong niya si Gab kung anong paboritong ulam nito at nagkataon lang nag-crave din ako ng Kare-Kare.

"I really wanted to, that's why I'm here," he added.

I frowned. "Sana hindi kana nag-abala. Pasensya na. Makulit lang talaga si Mommy,"

"Hey. Gusto ko din naman talaga pumunta," ulit nito.

"Magaling na ba talaga ang sugat mo sa braso?" usisa ko. I wanted to see it but I couldn't because of his long sleeve.

"It healed right away. It wasn't that serious." He drew closer to me and then gently stroke his chin.

"Yeah. But you're one inch away from being killed!" Bahagyang tumaas ang boses ko. I still feel scared when I think of that day. "Imagine kung sa ulo mo iyon bumagsak!"

"Nabawasan sana ang gwapo sa mundo," pabulong niyang sambit pero sapat na upang marinig ko.

Napaismid ako. "Aren't we being conceited here?"

Nagkibit-balikat lamang siya at nakita ko ang pagtaas ng isang sulok ng kanyang labi.

Ilang saglit pa ang lumipas at nahuli kong nakatitig na naman ito sa aking mga mata.

Why do I feel this weird feeling everytime he looks at me into the eyes?

I cleared my throat to break the silence. Huminga akong malalim at nanlaban ng titigan sa kanya. "What kind of a lawyer are you?"

Nauna itong tumakas sa mahabang titigan. "I'm a handsome lawyer."

Napairap nalang ako. Mahilig palang magbuhat ng sariling bangko ang lalakeng ito.

"I mean, what area do you specialize in?"

He knotted his forehead as he stared at me again. "I'm a corporate lawyer. Why are you suddenly interested in my life?"

I crossed my arms and leaned against my chair.

"I'm not interested in you," I corrected. "I'm only interested in your hacienda."

"Now that you mentioned it. I found a buyer already. I'm meeting him soon."

Kumunot ang noo ko. "So, nakahanap kana ng pwede mong pakasalan?" usisa ko.

He sat up straight and slowly unbuttoned the top buttons of his shirt. Naiinitan yata.

"Not yet. I was at the hacienda the whole time. Kahapon lang ako pumuntang Manila at bumalik din rito ngayong araw."

Tumango ako. I didn't know he was there for the whole week. Hindi ko naman alam dahil hindi na ako nagawi ulit doon. I didn't want to commit the same mistake again.

"Sell it to me," tunog pagdeklara iyon sa halip na pakiusap.

Bahagya siyang ngumiti. "No, honey. I won't sell it to you," iling niya.

"Don't call me honey!" saway ko.

"Okay, babe," asar pa nito. Mas lalong tumalim ang tingin ko sa kanya. "I'm not selling it to you."

"Sa'kin mo nalang ibenta," pamimilit ko pa.

He sipped on his glass. "I'm not selling it to you," mariing sagot niya.

"Sige na, please," pilit ko. Pinagdikit ko na ang dalawang palad na tila nagmamakaawa na.

Umangat ang gilid ng labi niya. "I will if you agree to marry me."

I frowned. "Nevermind. I'm not interested anymore!"

I rose to my feet and rushed inside the house without bidding farewell.

                              ***

"What do you think, Tiff?" untag sa akin ni Mommy pagkatapos naming maglibot sa dalawang floors na okupado ng Sweet Scents.

I went to the office unannounced so she was kind of bothered with anything that's going on at work. Hindi ko alam bakit aligaga siya. Siguro ay dahil gustong magpa-impress sa akin para maengganyo ako na mamahala na. I saw how Mommy put her heart and mind into building this small company and making it bigger.

It's not the first time I stepped into this office. But everytime I'm here it feels like a whole new environment. It's entirely different from the academe I use to be in.

"I think I like it here, Mommy," sagot ko. Pumagkit ang matamis na ngiti sa labi ni Mommy. "But I don't think I'll be working here soon. I'm enjoying the life in our hacienda."

Napalis ang ngiti nito. Kalauna'y sumilay din ang tuwa sa kanyang mukha. Kakaibang tuwa.

"As long as you're happy and contented, anak. It wouldn't matter where. You can stay in our hacienda if that's what you want. It's yours anyway."

Mommy wrapped me in a warm embrace. Nagpaalam akong lalabas muna at may bibisitahin na shop. She went back to her table and continued reading documents.

I went to the café Rosie had recommended to me. She said it's somewhere near Sweet Scents. It's owned by her sister so I wanted to see what they offer.

Agad ko din namang nakita iyon. Pumasok ako at naramdaman ako ng konting kirot. It's not coming from my heart. It's from my head. My last experience inside the café looked bad.

I sighed and just walked normally. How can I move on easily if even the smallest details remind me of the past?

After I made my order, I sat quietly, admiring the café's impressive interior design, while waiting for my coffee.

"I'm quite impressed by the sales of the farm through the years. With proper management and innovation, I'm sure it will hit the roof in no time." Narinig ko ang maawtoridad na boses mula sa mesa sa aking likuran. From his voice, I can tell his age. Parang kay Daddy.

"Thank you for the consideration, Mr. Saavedra. I know you'd be interested in this offer." Boses naman ng isang lalake ang sumagot. And from his voice, I can feel that it's too familiar.

Too familiar that it made me slightly turn my back to check if my guess was right. Saktong paglingon ko at nagtama ang aming mga mata, in just a split second, over the shoulder of the man he was talking to before I looked away and sat up straight.

Oh my God! Did Gab see me? Parang hindi naman, diba? He was too focused on their conversation to even recognize that it was me.

Ito na ba ang sinasabi niyang buyer na imi-meet niya. He was serious about it.

I tapped my fingers on the table and never dared to look back again.

Narinig kong tumawa ang kausap niya. "Oh. Tawagin mo nalang akong Tito Hugo. I'm your father's friend anyway."

"All right, Tito Hugo."

"Hindi ka nagkamali ng nilapitan, Gab. I just never thought you'd sell that land your grandfather owned."

"I thought of it million times, Tito. I never have anything to do with that hacienda. I couldn't imagine myself looking after it until I get old. I don't think I can handle something that's not within my ability. And besides, I have my job here. What would I do in a place in the middle of nowhere?" mahabang paliwanag ni Gab.

"I understand where you're coming from, Gab. Anyway, I still have to discuss this with my wife. I can't allow myself to decide on my own over this matter."

"No problem, Tito."

"Ma'am, here's your order," untag sa'kin ng waiter. Bahagyang napapiksi pa ako dahil hindi ko inaasahan ang pagsulpot niya sa harap ko. Tutok kasi ako sa pakikinig.

Umangat ang tingin ko sa kanya. I gave her a wide smile. "Thank you, Miss," mahina kong sambit. Umalis rin ito pagkatapos ilapag ang order kong kape.

"Anyway, I should get going now. Mauna na ako. I still have to pick up my son from his taekwondo training."

Narinig ko ang paggalaw ng upuan senyales na umalis dito ang nakaupo. Nasundan pa iyon ng isa pa.

"Sure, Tito."

Nilagpasan ako ng medyo may katandaang lalake. I turned to my side and sipped on my coffee. Pinakiramdaman ko si Gab na nariyan lamang sa bandang likuran ko. I was expecting him to go out immediately but I feel that he's taking his time sipping his coffee, typing on his laptop, scrutinizing some papers, or whatever.

Ugh! Ano na naman bang pakialam ko?

I was fighting the urge to turn around, approach, and ask him about the conversation he had just had with that man.

"Is there something you'd like to ask?"

Huh? Ako ba ang tinutukoy nito?

I did not answer. Of course, I know, Gab wasn't talking to me. He must be on a call.

I heard clinks from the chair being moved. A moment after, Gab appeared in front of me wearing his stoic face. Pakiramdam ko ay magkaka-acid reflux ako dahil sa biglang pagsulpot niya. I'm afraid he had long realized I've been there eavesdropping.

But how could I not hear it? Eh nariyan lamang sila sa malapit. It's not my fault that I chose to sit in this area.

"I'm not in the mood to ask any question, Attorney," sabi ko at pilit na pinatatag ang boses kahit sa kaloob-looban ko ay parang lamunin ako ng hiya sa ginawa ko.

Pero sabi ko nga, hindi ko naman kasalanan na narinig ko ang pinag-usapan nila. Nahuli na ako. Wala na akong kawala.

"Are you alone?" tanong nito at tila curious sa presence ko sa loob ng café na parang very unusual na narito ako.

"Obviously, I am. May nakikita ka bang kasama ko?" I said sarcastically.

Prenteng sumandal sa backrest at ngumuso sa gilid ko. "Yeah. He's right here."

I smirked. "You're weird, Attorney. At hindi mo ako matatakot sa ganyan."

Ano na naman ba? Engkanto na naman?

"I'm glad you're finally going out, Tiffany," usal nito. He looked sincere when said those words.

Oh. Since when did he get the invitation to call me by my first name?

Naalala ko na pala, noong nag-dinner siya sa baha. Sinabi kong pwede niya akong tawagin no'n. Okay na itong Tiffany ang tawag niya kaysa naman 'honey'. It makes me want to puke. 

"It doesn't mean that I'm going out dating you," I blurted out and tilted my head. I sipped on my coffee and pursed my lips.

"I do not remember asking you out for a date. I only asked you to marry me if my memory serves me right," he said and a naughty smile appeared on his lips.

I glared at him. "Pareho na rin iyon kung tutuusin."

"So different, honey."

"Don't call me, honey!" angil ko, squeezing my hands into fists.

He raked his fingers through her hair. "Okay, babe," mahinahon niyang tugon.

I rolled my eyeballs at him. Calling me 'babe' just doesn't sit well with me. Siguro trip niya lang mang-asar at ako lang naman ang magmumukhang talunan kung papatulan ko ang bawat pang-aalaska niya.

I should just let him do the talking. Anyway, it's not like we're going to see each other unless he agrees to sell the hacienda to me.

Namayani ang katahimikan. Ininom ko ang kape. I did it so quickly that I didn't even notice I finished a cup in just a short time.

"You see, Tiffany. I realized a potential wife doesn't just fall from sky. I'm running out of time. Can you please reconsider?" Napaangat ang tingin ko sa kanya at nakitang seryoso siyang nakatingin sa akin.

"One more word from you, Attorney, and you're going to regret making that offer! "

Kinuha ko ang bag ko at tumayo. I stormed out of the café without saying goodbye to him.