Eos Aitana: Entice Me

Chapter 6

EOS’ POINT OF VIEW

✦

Twenty-three years ago.

“Ma, why are we here in the Philippines? Isn’t abuela in Madrid?”

I keep asking the same question to my sister Selene but neither does she know the answer. Okay lang naman na nandito kami sa ibang bansa pero bakit sa dami-dami ng ibang bansa, bakit sa Philippines? Is it because we know how to speak in Filipino? Well, my sister does, I just know how to understand. Nag-aaral pa lang ako.

There is nothing wrong living in another place, but I do love being close to where abuela is. Abuela is “grandma” in Spanish, and the abuela that I am talking about is mama’s mama. Nandoon din sa Madrid ‘yung mga kaibigan ni ate. Sasabihin ko sanang mga kaibigan “namin” but I don’t really have friends like her. Si Akio lang ang totoong kaibigan ko.

It is very understandable that Akio is with us even though he is Japanese. I am not being racist or anything but I do know he did ask before why they were in Madrid, now in the Philippines, when in fact his whole family too is in Japan. Unlike me in my situation though, I do know why he is always with us.

Except for the fact that he is our best friend, papa said that he chose to stay with us because our families have been friends for centuries. Well, to be completely honest, I did not understand what it has to do with why he is with us, but I am just glad that he is. He is with us because he wants to.

Same rin sila ni Selene na fluent ng magsalita ng FIlipino. I wish I could do the same but, just like I said, I am still learning how to; but I do envy them sometimes. No one of us look like locals and yet they can perfectly communicate with people here just fine.

Mama patted my head and served my favorite cookies. Mama is a great mom and an excellent kitchen master too!

“Didn’t papa tell you already, anak? Nandito na kasi ‘yung biggest project and company niya. It was his abuelo who passed him down all his assets—hay nako, anak, bata ka pa talaga para maintindihan pero are you asking ba kasi ayaw mo rito?”

Ah, I remember now. Papa did tell me something about that before, but, of course, mama was right that I did not understand anything about it. He said that we came here because he was the sole heir of the Great Grandpa Prince, and they even have the same name! Papa Prince accepted Great Grandpa Prince’s offer with the condition that he would actually live in the said country where his assets lie. I do not know what all of those mean, but I guess the “said” country is the Philippines, hence why we are here.

I shook my head to answer mama’s question. “No po. I like it here actually, it was just that I often hear people asking Selene why we moved here and I got curious too.”

“Ah, kaya naman pala.” Natawa si mama, and she patted my head again. “Very proud of you, anak, you just used ‘po’!”

Hindi ko alam pero natawa rin ako. Mama’s laugh is contagious.

Before Selene was born, mama was an actress and a model and she also almost debuted as a singer in Spain. She was a big shot indeed and papa would often say that her smile and her laugh is very contagious because those two have always been her charms, and what got her fans hooked with her.

“Ma!”

Both of us looked to whoever shouted, and, of course, it was none other than Selene.

Selene is my “ate” because she and Akio are older than me, but I never really needed to call her that because we were often mistaken to be twins. We also got used to me not calling her that, so it will take some more time and practice for me to actually address her that.

She stormed in the kitchen and aggressively sat down on the chair beside me after magmano kay mama. “Ma, alam niyo po ba ‘yung bata sa kapitbahay natin sabi weird daw ako kasi I have the lightest brown eyes he ever seen! So, ayun po, sinapak ko siya and nagalit po sa’kin si Akio! Ewan ko ba doon, ma, bakit ‘yun pa ‘yung kakampihan niya when I thought that I am his best friend! Tapos he insisted on staying there kasi nga raw ako daw po ‘yung nanapak and he needed to apologize properly on my behalf! Bakit ganon si Akio, ma?! Kinakampihan niya pa ‘yung tumawag sa’kin ng alien!”

Hindi ko alam kung natatawa ako or what. Selene looks like she is about to burst into tears while mama is laughing so hard with everything she just said!

“You punched someone, anak!” Pag-uulit ni mama pero she is still laughing. She even wiped her happy tears! “Nako naman, ang panganay ko…”

Akio then finally comes in too. He immediately went to mama and nagmano rin siya. “Good afternoon po, Tita Valerie.” He also turned to me. “Hi, Eos.”

Nag-hi rin ako and tried not to laugh because Selene looked like she wanted to walk out but she could not anymore because mama served her cookies.

Mama finally recovered from laughing but her eyes are still smiling from the amusement. “Now that you’re here Akio, is everything true? Did my Selene really punch someone? Did he cry?”

Akio grinned. “She did po. So hard that I had to apologize po.”

☽ ❀ ☽ ❀ ☽ ❀ ☽ ❀ ☽ ❀

Kahit kailan hindi ko pa nasubukan na makipag-meet and greet sa mga magulang ng kahit sinong emplayado namin, let alone kasama silang kumain ng hapunan, maliban na lang talaga kay Mayumi. Hindi ko alam kung anong meron sa araw na ito; but it seemed like after those eight long years, it was about time that we reach this level of closeness. Afterall, I would consider Mayumi to be our friend now. Alam ko na agad na sobrang maiinggit si Selene kapag nalaman niyang nakilala ko na ang pamilya ni Mayumi.

Tinanong ng mama niya kung bakit raw kami napunta dito sa Pilipinas lalo na at pure Spanish daw kami kaya naman napa-kwento ako, at heto sila ngayon tawa ng tawa. I enjoy sharing our story, but truth to be told that I never have the opportunity to do so.

“E ang pag-aasawa, hijo, hindi pa ba sumagi sa isip mo? Halatang-halata naman sayong sobrang mapagmahal ka sa pamilya.”

“Pa naman!” Awat ni Mayumi.

Ngumisi si Tito Fernando. “Nagtatanong lang naman ako, anak. Magandang lalaki itong si Eos at, sabi ko nga, mapagmahal sa pamilya. Nasa tamang edad na rin naman siya

Pulang-pula na naman si Mayumi. “Nako, Sir Eos, pasensya na talaga kayo. Ito kasing si papa gusto na akong mag-asawa kaya lahat yata ng ka-edad ko hihingan niya na rin ng apo.”

“Matanda na rin kasi kami, hijo.” Singit naman ni TIta Mikaela, bakas sa mukha nito ang saya sa maingay nilang hapag ngayon. “Si Mayumi ang panganay namin at buong buhay na rin niya na sinusuportahan kami. Hindi naman namin siya pinipilit pero reward na makita siyang masaya. Sana lang ay kasama doon ang pagpapamilya at pagbibigay ng apo sa amin.”

Natawa naman ako. “Lagi rin pong sinasabi ni mama sa’min ‘yan, tita. No pressure raw po pero gusto niya rin kaming magkapamilya at magka-apo. Pero wala pa po kasi akong girlfriend kaya mukhang matatagalan pa ako.”

“Ganon ba? Heto naman si Mayumi—”

“Pa!” Awat ulit ni Mayumi kaya lalo kaming natawa. Tumayo siya bigla at dumiretso sa refrigerator. “Bawal na po ang kape kasi sobrang gabi na pero may ginawa naman ako ritong fruit salad…”

Tumayo na si tita at inalalayan si tito. Tutulungan ko sana sila pero tinapik ni tito ang balikat ko at sinabing maiwan na daw nila kami ni Mayumi. Tumango naman ako at pinanood si Mayumi na ihanda ang fruit salad.

I genuinely enjoyed everything tonight. It was a bit out of the blue and indeed one of the most random nights in my life, but, still, I got to enjoy Mayumi’s family’s company and it was a very fun experience. Bigla kong na-miss ang mama ko kaya decided na akong umuwi bukas sa kanya,

Pagbalik ni Mayumi ay takang-taka siya na wala na sila tita at tito. “I-Iniwan na nila tayo, sir?”

Ngumiti ako at tumango. “My mama taught us to never refuse food especially at the table so I couldn’t say no; but your parents went ahead first.”

Umupo na ulit si Mayumi. “Nako, sir, pasensya na talaga kayo kasi sobrang unexpected nito. Baka may gagawin pa po kasi kayo tapos—”

“Relax, Mayumi, I promise I enjoyed tonight. It’s not like every night I get to meet my employee’s parents like this. Nabanggit ni tita ng may mga kapatid ka?”

Mabuti na lang at mukhang na-distract ko na ulit siya. “Ah, opo, apat silang mga kapatid ko, sir, pero lahat nasa mga universities nila kaya hindi po sila nakakauwi madalas…”

Hindi ko alam na mag-e-enjoy akong nakikinig sa kwento ng iba pero mukhang naiintindihan ko na nga ang sinasabi ng kapatid ko sa’kin at kung bakit gustong-gusto niya itong si Mayumi. I even further realized why and how all her talents like just by being with her. Mayumi is a great storyteller and she has her own charm that never wears out.

Nang mag-ring lang ang cellphone ko ay tsaka lang naputol ang kwentuhan naming dalaga.

Mayumi insisted on walking me out and there was no point in rejecting her offer.

“Thank you po ulit, sir, sa pagsabay sa’kin. Lalo na po tuloy kayong sobrang ginabi.”

I smiled and even before I could realize what I was about to do, I was already patting her head. “No more apologizing for tonight, Mayumi. I enjoyed everything. I’ll see you at the office.”

“Ingat po kayo, sir!”

☽ ❀ ☽ ❀ ☽ ❀ ☽ ❀ ☽ ❀

I could have ended this night on a happy note, but it seemed like the world just slapped me that being too happy for a night is too good to be true; especially when the call that I just received was from someone that I did not even think of ever calling me again.

“You’re a bit late, Eos. Didn’t you want to see me?”

Ngumiti ako at tinanggap ang halik niya sa pisngi ko. “I'm sure you could’ve called somebody else, Faith. I didn’t even know you’re coming back here.”

“Well, here I am now! Sabi ko naman kasi sayo, mag-open ka na ng social media accounts para naman mas alam mo ang nangyayari sa paligid mo. I still find it weird that you’re literally a CEO of an entertainment company and yet you still refuse to open one.” Inabot niya sa akin ang luggage niya. “I posted that I’d be returning, though hindi na rin surprising na hindi sinabi ni Ate Selene sayo.”

Hindi ko napigilan ang sarili ko at bumuntong-hininga na lang.

Faith Allen was our dear friend before she became my ex-girlfriend. Pareho naming alam na walang makakasisi sa ate kung bakit hindi na niya maibalik ang dati nilang magkakaibigang dalawa. Our break-up was devastating on my end to say the least, at wala naman akong ibang kasama noong kung hindi ang ate ko. I did not want to burden our parents and I had dropped everything to Selene.

Nang makasakay na kami sa sasakyan ko ay hindi na ako nag-abalang tanungin kung saang hotel siya dapat ibaba dahil alam ko namang hindi siya mag-aabalang mag-asikaso noon. I also know that she might be expecting that I will bring her home—something that is never going to happen.

Nang makarating kami sa isang hotel ay pinag-buksan ko lang siya ng pinto at ibinaba ang mga gamit niya. I was right that she was expecting for me to bring her to my unit, but I am glad that she did not say anything about it.

“Are you still angry about what happened?” She asked the moment she got out.

Sinara ko ang pinto ng kotse at hinarap siya. “I honestly don’t know, but I am genuinely happy to see that you’re okay.”

Ngumuso siya na parang nagtatampo. “Hindi mo man lang ba ako tatanungin kung bakit ako bumalik?”

Doon na ako natawa. “I wish that I could say that I am curious, but not yet. Have a good rest, Faith.”