Chapter Eleven: Just a Drink

CALEB

“Salamat naman at naisipan mo nang bumaba, anak.” The moment I took the last step of our stairs, I heard my mother’s voice. She was sitting in the middle of our couch in the living room while busy on her phone. “Tuwing uuwi ka rito sa mansyon ay parang ang kuwarto mo lang ang mayroon sa bahay na ‘to, Caleb.”

“You know the reason, Mom.” maikli kong sagot.

“Kumain ka na ba? May pinatabi akong pagkain sa mga maids kanina para kung gutom ka ay may makakain ka pa.” banggit ni Mom. Kakaiba pa rin talaga sa akin tuwing naririnig kong nagsasalita ang ina ko na tila ba inaalala niya ako. “Niyaya ka naming sumabay sa hapag, pero ayaw mo.”

I only once heard my mother asking me to eat with them at the table. If I had been used to this kind of family when I was young, I would not have refused to have dinner with them as I got older.

Hindi ako galit ngayon, naninibago lang sa kanilang lahat— maliban kay Victoria na hindi na naman dapat miyembro ng pamilyang ito.

“I’m not hungry.” sagot ko na