Hate Me Not

Chapter 13 With friends

Jacko

I am so busy today; marami akong proposal na ni-review, papers need of my signatures and a conference meeting kasi nawala ako ng ilang araw at ngayon ko lang hinabol ang trabaho. Saka ko nakita it’s 20 past 7 na in the evening.

I receive a call from Adric so i accepted it, bihira lang tumawag ang taong ito. We are friends, great friend in fact, magkasama sa trabaho nong kabataan pa namin. Di lang kami palaging nagkakausap or nagkikita katulad ng ibang magkaibigan. We are not like that but when we said friends it’s like a brother. We can count each other in trouble and in hardship. I decide to talk to him.

“Hey bud, what’s up?” Tanong ko sa kanya.

“Hey, birthday ng asawa ko ngayon. Can you come up in the house, tayo tayo lang? You knew me.” Yeah he doesn't like crowd.

“What time ang celebration, you are late to announce.” Reklamo kong sabi.

“Yeah kasi it was a surprise for my wife, a random dinner kasi aalis din kami magkapamilya for vacation.”

“Yeah sure pupunta ako now, andito pa ako sa office.”

“We’ll wait for you, bring a plus 1 if you want, baka mainggit ka sa amin dito.” Tumawa ito sa akin teasing me. “Some of our friends are married already, you know.” Pampainggit niya sa akin.

Then i remember Cadley, nakauwi na kaya yun?

“Well see if may madala ako;” tugon ko sa kanya, sabay off sa phone. Yeah matagal na din di kami nagbonding ni Adric and other gang, our old friends back then.

I called Cadley pero walang sumasagot. She said he is working until 8pm, it’s just 7:30 pm baka she is still working. I just drop by at the place, sabi niya she works at a café near the school and it’s on the way sa bahay nila Adric.

When I reach the area I look around until may nakita ako na café house nearby I tried to open it.

I see Cadley serving some customers, yeah she is working.

“K-kuya?” Sambit niya as she saw me walking towards her. For sure nagtataka ito why i am here.

“What time you will be out?” Direct kong tanong when I am in front of her.

“Mga 10 minutes after this. Why?” Balik niyang tanong.

“My friend have called me may gathering sa kanila. He wants me to be there so i drop here since on the way sa bahay nila. We can have dinner there for sure di ka pa kumakain right?” Tumango siya.

“Okay I’ll wait for you in the car.”Tumango uli siya, resuming her work.

Her working place is made of glass wall kayang kitang kita sa labas ang loob. I see her smiling talking to her colleague, may babae at lalaki. She laughs a lot. Things na di ko nakikita sa bahay or baka di lang ipinakita sa akin. I often heard her talking with our maid and she laughs with them but kapag ako ang kaharap bigla nalang di nagsasalita.

Sarap niya tingnan that she is laughing, she is being carefree. It didn’t take long for her to come out and umalis na kami dun.

“Hindi po ba nakakahiya Kuya na sumama ako na ikaw lang naman ang invited at mga kaibigan mo yun?” Bigla niyang sabi as we are heading to Adric’s house. I think bago lang sila nagtransfer sa bahay nila dun.

“Nah it’s fine, it’s their idea to bring me one kasi may pamilya na sila lahat at ako lang ang single dun. Ayoko din ma outcast sa lugar dun.”

When we reach Adric’s house. Maingay na ang loob kasi nagkakasiyahan na lahat. At mas maingay ang mga bakla na kapamilya ni Rabi. Good thing malayo ang bahay nila sa ibang bahay and the area is too big at mataas ang bakod kaya may privacy.

We were greeted by Rabi pagdating then offered us the food. Nagsimula na kaming kumain, puro mga masasarap ang handa nila, all the foods are just simple, lutong bahay but delicious.

After kumain the guy’s settled in the yard to have drink at nag-uusap while the girls and gays settle in the other end to play and drinks, sinama nila si Cadley. She easily get on with them, well Rabi's family are accommodating.

“Bro who is she?” Curious na tanong ni Adric. “She is still very young.” Malicious na wika ni Adric, I knew di siya ang tao na pakialamero or chismoso but i guess living with gays and his wife naapektuhan na siya, naging chismoso na rin.

I just look at him na walang emotion ang mukha.

“Why Rabi is still young as well when you two get involve, imagine she is just 18 years old that time.” Paalala ko sa kanya. Technically she is still very young but mature lang siguro mag-isip plus with kids at maraming accomplishment sa buhay. Di na maiisip ng tao na bata pa talaga ang asawa ni Adric, just in her early 20’s.

“Oh it means you are serious now to compare her to us?” Nakahanap pa talaga ng palusot, naroroon parin ang malisyosong tanong.

“No she is my step sister; she lives in my house since she was 10 years old. Nadala ko lang siya dito kasi on the way ang working place niya papunta dito, in fact ka out lang niya to have dinner here.”

“So you don’t have interest on her?” He is hopeful na may mapipiga sa akin.

“Where’s this conversation lead Adric?” Tanong ko kanya while looking at him.

“We are just curious since ikaw na lang single sa grupo natin. You know it’s nice to have someone to be around, to spoil with, kasama sa bakasyon and doing other stuff and not being lonely.”

“I’m not lonely Adric, you knew I don’t believe on that you called love, you knew my family history.” Dismiss ko sa idea niya.

“Yeah but you can look at us, see me. I use to have same mindset with you until i found my woman.” Insist talaga na gusto akong hawaan sa kakornihan niya.

“I don’t know Adric, if that happens malayo pa yan sa akin.” Yun nalang ang tungon ko. Our other friends are still talking about family and marriage, I feel weird coz before we only talk about business and our passion into cars, sports and other toys but now iba na ang topic nila which i can’t relate. To be honest I don’t have a good memory in terms of family kaya wala akong masabi.

Adric is right he is not a believer in love but nagulat lang ako bigla ng ma inlove ang gago at bata pa ang nadali Saka naging seloso pa. The old Adric I knew walang pakialam sa babae. Well he is lucky to find Rabi, a good woman, refine at mapagkatiwalaan, beautiful and he is so proud of his wife. I don’t know if that character are still exist in some woman, lalo na sa status namin.

I look at Cadley she is very happy playing with the twins, kanina sa mga bading nakisalamuha at ang lakas ng tawa niya. The gays are really something, fun to be with.

And the twins are also happy playing with her. She is good with kids, she know how to hold them, take care of them.

“Ay nagpopo ka?” Rinig kong tawa niyang tanong kay Zerus my inaanak. At tumatawa lang ang bata. “Ang baho.” Reklamo pang sabi ni Cadley na mas lalong kinatawa ng bata.

“Hala naghasik ka ng lagim kay Tita Cadley, patay ka kay Ninong Jacko mo, prinsisa ni yan.” Sabi naman ng isang gay na lumapit. Di nagtagal dumating ang yaya ng bata para bihisan si Zerus.

“Ako na Ate;” she volunteered and seems she is good at it. Where did she learn all that?

“Opps ang mata mo, maypa deny deny ka pa pero patingin tingin naman at pasulyap sulyap kapag di nakatingin;” biro ni Adric. Tiningnan ko siya ng masama, ayaw talaga paawat ang lalaking ito. Gone is the ruthless Adric replace with soft daddy now.

“Bakuran mo na baka masalisihan ka ng iba mahirap na. Ako grabe ang bakod ko para di makuha ng iba.” Proud pa niyang saad.

“Di ako praning katulad mo Adric na animoy kukunin ang asawa mo ng iba.” Di magkalayo ang idad ni Cadley at Rabi. Matanda lang ng kaunti si Rabi.

“Huh tingnan natin kung sino ang di mababaliw. Well see kung di mo ba kakainin ang sinasabi mo.” Napapalingo na lang ako sa hirit niya. He is now playing a match maker at manghuhula na.

Overall we did enjoy our night at Adric's place. I decide na umuwi na kasi Cadley had school tomorrow.

"How do you find Adric's family?" Panimula kong sabi ng nasa sasakyan na kami.

"Mabait silang lahat, parang di sila mayaman kung paano sila makisama. Ang sarap nilang kasama, magaan kausap, masaya lang." Dreamy niyang sabi. Napapatingin ako sa kanya ng matagal.

Yeah she did enjoy her time in there, i saw it. She keeps laughing with them. The way she said it parang gusto na niyang tumira dun. It is because she finds the place welcoming, relaxing at di katulad sa bahay ko na palaging nakasinghal sa kanya. Tama kasi sila lang talaga ang pinapagalitan ko palagi, i never do that to my maids.

"How do you know about changing diapers? You seem pretty good at it." Dagdag ko pang tanong para may pag-usapan kami. If i won't talk she won't talk. She just answered my question.

"I work as a nanny before." Napapakunot na naman ang noo ko, another revelation.

"How, in what way? You are in my house since you are just a child Cadley. Technically nakikita ko ang mga galaw mo. Napapakamot siya ng kanyang ulo before responding to me.

"Yung kapitbahay natin dati sila Mrs Torres, may mga anak siya pero minsan kasi umaalis siya like grocery or may babayaran. At first i just volunteer to watch her kids then after that she payed me for doing extra work. Every time aalis siya or silang mag-asawa ako ang nagbabantay sa mga bata. Kaya yun alam ko kung paano mag-alaga ng batang maliit.

"How old are you that time?" Curious kong tanong. Maraming pasabog ang babaing ito sa akin.

"High school ako nun, until umalis na sila sa lugar na yun." Yeah i remember that woman. I don't like her coz isa siyang mistress ng isang pulitiko. I hate women na kumakabit like Cadley's mom.

We never talk after that, nawala ang interest ko upon remembering her mom. I just keep on driving.

"Goodnight Kuya, thank you for bringing me to your friend's house." I just nod at her at pumasok na sa room ko.

Natulog ako sa gabing yun na magaan ang aking pakiramdam.