Nothing 08

THE PEOPLE OF Pitong Gatang were already gathered at the huge table outside the Soriano Family’s house and sari-sari store. There was also food atop the table. I was surprised because I did not expect their breakfast to be this way like they were having a feast minus the delicious and expensive foods.

“Kuya Bart!”

The moment my eyes met with Basha’s, she glared at me brazenly for a reason I do not even know. She looked away when I furrowed my brows and just busied herself with helping the people in further preparing the table. Guess, she was simply harboring some bad blood for me. I did not come here to please her, though, so I did not care at all. I came here for business and for my big bright future.

“Baste! It’s good that you’re here. Can I ask you a favor?” asked Aunt Anita while carrying two huge plates of fried rice.

I helped her carry one and then I placed it on the already full tabletop.

“Yes, Aunt Anita? What is it?” I asked when we were both free and as I turned to her.

“Can you check on Nay Valen in her house? She excused herself earlier to get something, but she has not come back since then. Tell her that we do not want to start the breakfast without her.”

I nodded and did not waste any more time. Everyone might be hungry by now since we woke up and worked so early. I, myself, was already starving.  I jogged my way towards Valen’s house. The outside looked serene in the morning as the gentle breeze blew, making the flowers in her yard sway to nature’s silent music. I knocked three times, but when no one answered, I turned the doorknob to open the door. I immediately found her resting on her rocking chair with her eyes closed. Her upper body was covered with her big tartan blanket while she was also hugging a picture frame. She was peaceful to look at.

I walked towards her then squatted on her side, just beside her rocking chair, and watched her in silence. There was something about old women that really fascinated me if you ask me. I know what exactly it was, and I am just being in denial. We locked eyes when her dark solemn pools caught mine. I smiled at her timidly, feeling somewhat ashamed that she found me watching her in her sleep.

“Is everyone already there?” she asked nonchalantly as she sat and stood up.

I quickly nodded my head in retort. She folded her tartan blanket neatly and placed it atop her rocking chair before she took the picture frame she safely placed there for the meantime. I followed her as she fixed the frame atop her chest of drawers in the living room. I blinked when I found it to be a photo of her with a smiling man and a little child. Was it her family?

“Your family?” I voiced out my curiosity.

“My late husband,” she simply replied as she ran her hand over the photo while still looking at it.

“How about the kid?”

I felt like I just stepped on some sort of border because she halted doing her thing and just put down her hand on her side without removing her eyes from the subject of our conversation. She did not answer and it honestly felt like she was leaving it to me to figure out myself.

I suddenly remembered what Bart told me earlier. Honesty will help me earn the people of Pitong Gatang’s trust and so was Valen’s.

“Your honesty in exchange for my honesty,” I challenged, that was why she looked at me over her shoulder. As if on cue, I added more. “Deal?”

She spun around to face me. “Tell me the truth then. Why do you feel more connected with old women than women your age?”

As she waited for my retort, her eyes never leaving mine as if she was studying me with her predator-like unwavering attention. Right, I just have to be honest, but… why the fuck does being honest have to be so hard to do sometimes?

“Is there any pass button I can push so that we can proceed to the next question?” I kidded nervously.

She kept looking at me dead in the eye. Fuck, none…

She just shook her head seconds later as if utterly disappointed and was about to turn her back on me when I stopped her from doing it so.

“Okay, fine! I was… I was looking, searching for that kind of love I have long wanted to experience… I cannot find it in women my age. I found it in older women.”

She heaved a deep sigh before facing me again completely.

“And why is that?”

I groaned because I did not want to tell her the truth. Fuck honesty, I do not want it.

“It’s my turn to ask now. Is that your child in the photo?”

“He was his son.”

“His son? What do you mean his son?” I asked, really confused.

“My turn, what is that kind of love you are looking for that you only found in older women?”

I did not answer. I just engaged myself in a staring contest with her. I do not want to be honest now. I want to keep that part of me concealed, but she looked persistent to squeeze a response from me.

“I don’t know…” I lied.

“I know and I can feel that you know it. You just don’t want to admit it,” she pointed out which only muted me and made me swallow all of my rebuttals. “You see? There are truths you cannot say, and I also have my fair share of the same thing, so don’t push me to answer questions like that. Let’s go. They might have been waiting for the both of us there. Do not forget to lock the door when you leave.”

She exited the scene first, and I was left there alone. I blew some air as it felt suffocating to be around her, asking and throwing questions and things we both did not want to reveal. It was really annoying and frustrating at the same time. I locked her house and followed her to the place where the people of Pitong Gatang will be having breakfast all together.

“He’s already here! Let’s start! Let’s start!” Bart announced gleefully when he saw me coming.

He also called me to occupy the vacant seat beside him. We were sitting on a long backless wooden bench. We started the meal through a prayer led by Uncle Bart. After that, we began eating through the kamayan-style or the traditional Filipino way of eating without utensils and just by hand. Way back in the hotel, we would always eat using spoons and forks, and sometimes, even with table knives for steak or bread, that’s why this was my first-time experience of actually doing it.

I turned to Bart when he playfully and lightly elbowed me. He then smiled and nodded his head at me.

“First time?” he asked.

“Yes,” I honestly replied. “And I’m starting to like it.”

He raised his hands shoulder-level and exclaimed, “Of course! The food tastes better when eaten by the hands. We should not underestimate the power that these both hands hold!”

I could not help but really chuckle at him. He was so dramatic and overreacting it was both funny and annoying. My chuckles halted when I locked eyes with the unpleased Basha. She was frowning again. What the hell did I do wrong this time?

I slightly frowned back at her. She grimaced and then just lowered her head on her plate and resumed eating her food.

I turned to Bart to ask in a whispered way. “What is wrong with your sister?”

“She had an ex-boyfriend from the city,” he whispered back.

“Really?”

“Ah-huh! But please don’t tell her that I told you that. She will surely hate me for this.” He chuckled, and I glanced at Basha again.

What a poor human being. She was still bitter over an ex and decided to direct all of her hatred and bitterness towards city people for her failed relationship.

After breakfast, I was really hoping that I could score some rests, but Valentina was quicker than the Flash to block my way and to enumerate her orders.

“Go help Basha and Anita in cleaning the breakfast table. Then, go back to the house and clean it as well. Do not forget to water the flowers and plants in my yard, and then after that, wash the pickup truck.”

“What the fuc—”

“Language,” she cut me off only to remind me of my choice of words.

“How about my rest? I need to rest!”

“You listen to me, young man. You want to earn my trust? You work hard for it. Just be grateful that those I have given you were the least jobs for today. Have your rest after them because you will have to join me at the farm tomorrow to work. Understood?”

I clenched my jaw but still ended up nodding my head in agreement with her.

“Good. After you rest, do not forget to prepare for dinner.”

My lips parted in shock after hearing her final command before she started walking away with the other farmers.

“I don’t even know how to cook!” I protested.

“Prove to me that you truly deserve my trust and my land. Start by cooking.”

|• Illinoisdewriter •|•