Two Old Friends: Phase 11

Hindi mapakali si Kenneth habang hinihintay ang paggising ni Samantha nang sumunod na araw. Nasa may kusina siya ngayon at katatapos lang nilang maghanda ng breakfast ni Ryan.

"Relax ka lang, Ken," ani Ryan sa kanya.

Kenneth just looked at him. Alam nito na hindi siya nakatulog ng mabuti kagabi. Tingin nga niya ay ganoon din itong si Ryan. Parang inantabayanan siya nito.

"Thanks, Ry."

Ryan just smiled.

Jenneth and Darlene then entered the kitchen. Kaagad na bumati at humalik si Darlene sa dalawang lalaki.

"Si... Sam?" Kenneth asked Jenneth.

"Sa kabilang kuwarto kami natulog ni Darlene," sagot ni Jenneth. "Doon ko na pinadala si Darlene kagabi."

Kenneth looked at Ryan. The latter nodded confirming Jenneth's answer.

Hindi na nagtanong pa si Kenneth dahil na rin sa nandoon si Darlene. Nakuha naman iyon ng dalawa at nag-move on na rin sa topic.

"So... who likes pancakes?" tanong ni Ryan sa lahat.

"Ako po!" excited na sagot ni Darlene.

"Then dig in!" paanyaya naman ni Ryan sa tatlo.

Naupo na ang lahat sa mesa at nagsimula nang kumain nang pumasok sa kusina si Samantha.

Kaagad na napatayo si Kenneth. "Sam..."

"Pwede ba tayong mag-usap?" bungad ni Samantha kay Kenneth.

Napatingin ang lalaki sa tatlong kasama.

"Yung tayong dalawa lang," ani Samantha.

"Of course," sagot ni Kenneth.

"Lalabas na lang kami," ani Ryan na napatayo na rin.

"No! Stay here. Eat. Kami na lang ang lalabas," ani Samantha.

Napatango na lamang si Ryan.

The doorbell rang and Ryan went to open the door.

"Sino po kaya ang bisita natin?" tanong ni Darlene.

"Baka yung caretaker lang," ani Kenneth. "Sam, let's go outside?"

Tumango si Samantha. Nagtungo na sila sa may sala para dumaan sa glass sliding door papuntang pool area. Pero hindi sila natuloy lumabas nang makita ni Samantha ang dumating na bisita.

Parang nanigas sa kinatatayuan niya si Samantha. Hindi niya malaman kung ano ang gagawin at parang blangko pati ang utak niya. Napatingin na lamang siya sa lalaking kausap ni Ryan sa may pintuan.

The guy smiled at him lovingly. Katulad niya ay parang sa kanya rin lang nakatuon ang atensiyon nito. No one else mattered. Silang dalawa lang ang nakikita ng isa't isa.

"I guess you could come in," Ryan said as he moved out of the man's way.

Pumasok ang lalaki at dire-diretsong nagtungo kay Samantha.

"Babe..." he said.

"...Allan?"

Allan smiled and embraced her. He held her tightly, so tight it almost took her breath away. Nanigas naman ang kamay ni Samantha at hindi niya nagawang gantihan ang yakap nito.

"Surprise!" ani Allan nang matapos ang pagyakap niya.

Hindi nakasagot si Samantha. Nanatili itong nakatingin sa kanya.

"I think you're surprised," ang sabi ni Allan. He then smiled again at her.

Nagawa nang maka-recover ni Samantha mula sa pagkabigla. "Yeah, I am... very surprised... What are you doing here?"

"Well, finally I was able to get my leave. I decided to not tell you to surprise you. I called Kuya Raul to inform them that I'm coming, and they told me you're here. They gave me the address, then I headed straight here from the airport."

"So, you haven't slept yet."

"Yeah, but... jetlag."

Saka naalala ni Samantha ang mga kasama.

"Uh... mga kaibigan ko. This is Ryan... si Kenneth..."

"Oh! Hi guys!" Isa-isang kinamayan ni Allan ang dalawang lalaki. "I'm the boyfriend."

It was Kenneth and Ryan's turn to freeze.

"This is Jenneth," ani Samantha. Nakalabas na rin ng kusina sina Jenneth at Darlene.

"Oh! Hi! Nice to meet you," ani Allan habang kinakamayan si Jenneth.

Jenneth just smiled.

Saka napansin ni Allan si Darlene.

"And what's the name of the beautiful young lady?" He stooped down to her.

"Darlene po," sagot nito.

"Hi Darlene! I'm Allan." Kinamayan din niya ito.

"Hello po!"

"You know you don't look like you're one of their classmates slash friends," ani Allan kay Darlene.

"She's Kenneth's daughter," ani Samantha.

"Ah!" Tsaka hinarap ni Allan si Kenneth. "You have a very lovely daughter."

"Thank you..." ani Kenneth.

"So..." Allan looked at Samantha, then went to her and held her by the waist. "I'm starving." He winced.

Hindi makasagot si Samantha. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin maayos ang pag-iisip niya.

"We have pancakes!" ani Darlene.

"Oh, that is so nice!" ani Allan. "And would you share them with me?"

"We just have enough for each of us," ang sabi naman ni Ryan.

"Oh... okay," Allan said as he looked at Samantha.

"I'll make some for you," ang sabi naman ni Jenneth.

"Wow! Thank you so much and I'm sorry for, uhm..."

"It's okay," Jenneth said with a smile.

"Wala na tayong pancake mix," singit ni Ryan.

"Then, let's just make whatever is available," ani Jenneth. "Let's go!"

Bumalik na sa kusina sina Darlene at Jenneth. Sumunod naman si Allan habang nakaakbay kay Samantha.

"They also don't know yet, right?" tanong ni Allan sa girlfriend.

"What know?" Samantha asked. Pinilit niyang alalahanin ang ibig sabihin ni Allan.

"Us... the ring..." Allan hinted.

Nakuha naman iyon ni Samantha. "Only Jenneth knows."

"That's why she's very nice."

Samantala ay naiwan naman sa may sala sina Kenneth at Ryan. Kagaya ni Samantha ay parang itinulos din sa kinatatayuan niya si Kenneth. Hanggang ngayon ay nandoon pa rin siya at hindi nakagalaw mula kaninang malaman niya na boyfriend ni Samantha ang bisita nila. Si Ryan naman ay lumapit at umakbay sa kaibigan.

"Well, it seems like... she has a boyfriend."

Kenneth sighed.

"I'm sorry, Bro." Tinapik-tapik ni Ryan ang balikat nito.

Kenneth did not answer. Nagpatiuna na lamang itong pumunta sa may kusina. Wala na ring nagawa si Ryan kundi ang sundan ito.

********************************

Sa kusina, nagsimula nang magluto si Jenneth. Tama nga ang sinabi ni Ryan. Wala nang pancake mix. Kaya naman nagluto na lamang ng hotdog and eggs si Jenneth. Mabuti na lang at may loaf bread din sila.

"I'll just go to the grocery store after," ani Allan.

"It's okay," Jenneth said. "We have plenty of supplies naman."

"Is it really okay if I stay?" tanong ni Allan kay Samantha. "I mean, I could just go straight to Tarlac."

"It's fine," Samantha said.

Allan then looked at Darlene. "Is that true? It's fine if I stay here with you guys?"

"Opo!"

Allan smiled. "Well, thank you, Little Miss."

"Hindi po ba siya marunong mag-Tagalog, Tita Sam?" tanong ni Darlene.

Allan chuckled. "Marunong po."

"Nagta-Tagalog po kayo?" Biglang na-excite si Darlene.

"Yup, pero mas sanay ako sa English. Probably because I work with a lot of people belonging to different races. English is our main language to communicate so I just got used to it. Pero marunong ako ng Tagalog. After all, I'm still a Filipino."

Nakapasok na noon sina Kenneth at Ryan sa kusina.

"So Allan, saan ka nagtatrabaho?" tanong ni Ryan.

"Facebook."

"Facebook po ang trabaho ninyo?" tanong ni Samantha.

"I work at Facebook... you know Facebook?"

"Opo. Meron po ako noon."

"Good! So, I work there. I'm one of the people who maintain those accounts."

"So, you're an IT?" tanong ni Ryan.

"More like a programmer," Allan said. "But still, an IT guy."

"Ano po yung IT?" tanong ni Darlene.

"Information technology," sagot ni Allan. "It's about dealing with information or data by using computers. I guess that's the simplest definition I could give you."

"Ang cool naman po noon," ani Darlene. "Mga computers."

"You know who's cool? This lady." Allan held Samantha by the waist. "The best doctor in the West Coast."

"That's not true," ani Samantha na pasimpleng lumalayo kay Allan. Medyo nahihiya na siya sa sweetness na ipinapakita nito.

"And she's the most humble," dagdag pa ni Allan as he stared at Samantha lovingly.

Biglang lumapit si Ryan kay Jenneth. "Ready na yung breakfast. Kumain ka na," anito kay Allan.

Padabog na inihanda ni Ryan ang pagkain ni Allan. Pagkatapos ay naupo na rin ito sa may mesa.

"Let's eat!" yaya ni Allan sa lahat, trying to ignore Ryan's demeanor.

Walang nagawa ang lahat kundi ang sundan na lamang si Ryan. Nagsiupo na rin sila sa may mesa at nagsimula nang kumain.