CHAPTER 5 RAIN'S 30TH BIRTHDAY

The next day, Rain woke with a hang-over. It didn’t help that his cousins were standing by the open door sneering at him.”At last, loverboy awakes, “ teased Robert in a loud voice but not loud enough to be heard by their mom who was busy preparing a fresh coffee for him. “What do you want?” asked Rain, squinting at the two brothers. “Not even a thank you!.” said Jerry obviously enjoying Rain’s predicament. “Don’t you remember anything yesterday, “ he laughingly asked. “Drat you!” muttered Rain. You know perfectly well that unlike you or your sister, I can’t remember anything once I’m under the influence of alcohol. Suddenly his aunt appeared and shoved the brothers aside. “Happy birthday Ambot!” she cheerfully greeted him. Rain sat up suddenly and  felt dizzy. “Ay sinalbag!,” he cried, holding his head in his hands. “I totally forgot my birthday, our birthday for that matter, he shook his head and looked up to the ceiling as if he could see his bestfriend up there. I wonder, does she remember?” Jerry stepped in his line of sight and said grumbling, “For heaven’s sake Ambot, get up and see to yourself. It’s not as if it’s the end of the world. Ambet is probably having the time of her life in the UAE while you are here mooning over her like there is nobody else. “You are cruel!,” responded Rain hotly. I will remember this time when it is your time to moon over a girl. Let us see then how you will deal with it,” returned Rain.

“Right,” said his aunt. “Your mom is here and she is waiting downstairs. Come on boys, remember you need to fetch the lechon from Slaughter House.” “Ugh,” complained Robert. Why is it that we always end up like his big brothers every birthday ? It is not fair!” “Quit complaining and just go already,” scolded their mother. “You act as though you don’t enjoy it. Do you think I don’t know that one of you is ogling after a girl there?” “What, who?” countered both men defensively.

“That’s it.” said Rain suddenly. I will go with you manongs. Just give me a few minutes at the shower. “ Having said this he rushed into the attached bath and showered quickly. After grabbing the fresh mug of coffee his aunt prepared for him, he ran downstairs and pecked his mom on the cheek. “Thank you and sorry Mom,” he apologized. “All good, his mom replied. Off you go then and remember, we are celebrating your birthday here. Don’t go running off to get drunk again. “I promise,” said Rain. “We promise,” said his cousins as well. 

At the SlaughterHouse, he bumped into a high school classmate who immediately took a selfie with him and started flirting. Promising himself he would get Ami off his mind, he flirted too. Soon enough, his lechon was ready and so he said goodbye to the girl promising to see her in a few days. “That’s more like it,” chorused his cousins, slapping him on the back. “ '' Very pretty her,” pointed Jerry with his mouth. “Hey, '' answered Rain. Don’t ruin my chances yet.” Just then the girl asked if she could post their photo on her social media accounts to which Rain gave an affirmative nod. The girl was smiling sweetly as she sashayed out of their sight. Too late, Rain realized what he just agreed to. As much as possible he did not want to post photos on social media for fear that Ami would judge him. Oh well, he mused. Maybe she won’t see and she won’t care. She left without saying goodbye anyway. Who cares, he mused.

“Loverboy is back,” teased his cousins. “How to be you?'' 

They mimicked how the girl responded to his flirting sweetly. 

“Well, you know me,” Rain bragged. One crook of my finger and they fall so easily, “ he said smugly. He didn’t want to tell them that flirting with other girls isn’t the same as when he kissed Ami that last night they were together.He knows he will not forget that kiss because it awakened another part of him yearning for something more. If only he can turn back the hands of time. 

“Oh yeah, listen to yourself!,” sneered Jerry. “Who was so drunk last night that he couldn’t even carry himself home, let alone drive?” “Really Jerry?” responded Robert. “To be fair, I was like him when I was courting my lovely wife”, he reminisced. You have not experienced love is what we can tell you.” “Oh do not start with me.” replied Jerry. “I remember you drowning yourself in probably oceans of gin back then just to have the courage to blurt out your feelings to Mina. “You used to do this,” Jerry reenacted Robert’s swaying form when he was courting his wife. Rain was laughing so hard at Jerry’s antics that he nearly fell off the short wall they were sitting on. “Why you,! “ growled Robert and soon the bantering turned to a full swing cat and mouse between the brothers. Rain just loves his cousins. 

Finally it was time to go home. His lechon finally packed in banana leaves and a monstrous foil, they carried it to Jerry’s pick-up truck. Jerry, winded from their cat and mouse chase, tried to catch his breath all the while flashing a dirty finger to his brother. Robert just laughed at him. Since none of the brothers seemed to be okay to drive, Rain took to the wheels and soon enough, they were on their way to Legarda. There was not much traffic as it was past the busy hours of the morning. After that episode with the brothers, Rain was feeling more like his old self. Maybe just maybe, he could stop thinking of his absentee bff. He was whistling a happy birthday tune and the brothers just looked at each other grinning like idiots. “What six months can do,” mused aloud by Robert. Rain’s birthday passed by without a hitch. He was just saddened that he didn’t get to celebrate it with Ami. He went to bed thinking of her, imagining what she might be doing across the seas.He pictured her going to a sunny beach with another guy and he just shook his head. Sleep can’t come soon enough.

My darling can’t seem to let go of that dimwit son of hers.She does not believe she will beget another one. Ohh she will learn, I will give her children unlike that weakling she married.