Meeting Kate's parents
782 Words
So picture this: Mama, Kate, and I are all squeezed into a tricycle. I'm hanging on for dear life at the back, but don't worry, it was just a short trip. The tricycle stops, and we all hop off. As Kate's climbing out, I hit Mama up for some extra cash. Guess what? She gives me 500 pesos! Score!
I turn to Kate, "Hey, Kate, you wanna hang out here?"
"Why don't you come over to my place? I want you to meet my mom."
"Uh, are you sure? She won't freak out or anything?"
"Nah, she's super chill! And wait till you meet my dad..."
We start walking along the railroad tracks, passing by a few makeshift houses. I’m no stranger to places like this; we used to live in a shanty town before moving to Bulacan. Mama’s financial management is on point, though. She used to deprive us of wants, so we didn’t get used to having new stuff all the time. But now, you ask her for money, and she’s like, "Here, take it!"
We stop in front of a narrow house. The entrance is a staircase leading straight into their room, which is tiny—like 2 x 3 meters, just enough for sleeping. Next to it is a sliding door that leads to their little store, complete with a small market in front, and their entertainment system: a TV and a sound system.
We enter and find no one in the room. Her mom is out front, tending to the store facing the street, just across from the railroad.
Then out of nowhere, Kate starts taking off her blouse. I’m just standing there, stunned.
"Whoa, easy! I’m just changing into something comfy!"
"Could you give a guy a heads-up? I could’ve turned around or something."
"Like you haven’t seen it all before," she says, standing there in her bra and panties. All I can do is watch. She puts on a tight, see-through beige t-shirt and black shorts.
"Let’s go downstairs," she says. We head down to the store.
"Hi, Ma!" Kate kisses her mom.
"Who’s this? Your boyfriend?"
"Yes, Ma..."
"Uh, I’m just courting her," I stammer, needing their approval since I’m almost four years older.
I do the traditional greeting, and her mom, as Kate said, is super cool and chatty.
"Bless you! Go ahead and hang out in the store. Talk things out. My daughter says you’re her boyfriend, so I guess she’s already said yes. I’ll just take care of my customers," she says, busy with her bustling little market.
"Papa will be here soon. He’s a jeepney driver. We’ll have lunch together. He’s cool too, just like Ma."
"Wow, your folks really trust you, huh?"
"Yeah, Ma got pregnant with me when she was 13 and Papa was 26. I had an older sister, but she passed away a couple of years ago."
"What happened?"
"She committed suicide because Ma and Pa were strict with her. She had a boyfriend, kinda like us. She was 14, and he was about five years older. She drank rat poison. By the time Ma and Pa found her, she was gone. After three days in the morgue, we had a quick burial. Church doesn’t allow suicides, you know," she explains quickly.
"That’s why Ma and Pa aren’t as strict with me. I can do pretty much what I want."
"But that’s still risky... You know Jeric has plans for you."
She gets a bit down, "Yeah, I know, I made a mistake hanging out with Jeric and his buddies."
"And you go to drinking parties? What if you get gang-r***d?"
"Don’t tell Ma. I messed up, but... I’m really just... you know, horny."
"Whoa!!!" I exclaim.
"Just listen! I need someone to talk to."
"Okay, okay... I’m just worried someone might overhear."
"With all this noise, no one will hear us."
"Alright, go on..."
"So, my sister and I were close. She’d tell me all her crazy stories. That’s how I got into this stuff! Mama had these pocketbooks she used to read and then tell me about. It was funny how she’d narrate them," she pauses, lost in thought.
"When my sister died, I started reading her pocketbooks. A week after her burial, Ma found them among her things. I told her, 'Ma, let me have those. Ate used to read them to me.' They’re still up there, and I’ve read them all over and over. Ate loved those steamy stories," she stops again.
Just then, her Papa arrives.
"Is Kate here? She brought someone..."
"Who?" a gruff voice asks.
"Your future son-in-law!" Kate’s mom jokes.
"What?" her dad replies.
"Kate brought her boyfriend!!!"
- Writer
