28 Delectable Summer

Aunt Helen was still laughing when we were trekking back home. I covered my face with a gossamer shawl I brought with me. Aunt Helen walked ahead of me but every time she turned to check on me, she'd laughed some more. She assured me earlier though that I and Justine had nothing to be ashamed of. Kissing is a natural interaction between lovers. She also said that CCTV footage is deleted after a period of time if no unusual activity is reported. Also CCTV footage is deemed confidential. Despite these assurances, I still felt horrified that someone had seen our kisses. Or that even my Father or Grandpa had seen them.

We were nearing the White House when I saw a figure standing at Justine's balcony. My heart started to beat faster. My steps synchronized with my heartbeat. The figure was too far for my eyes to be recognizable but my heart was sure who it was. Justine was home!

There he stood wearing denim pants and white shirt. His wet hair was finger brushed but remained unruly, some strands fell on his face. His eyes caught mine. His stare was enough to stop my half-run. I put my hand on my heart. He laughed and disappeared from the balcony. I dashed to the house.

"Don't run!" Aunt Helen scolded, laughing.

There was a little assembly of men when I reached the patio that was near the kitchen. I was oblivious to them. My eyes were fixed on the young man who was running out of the kitchen door. I jumped on him wrapping my legs on his waist. We hugged tightly. We broke our embrace only to look at each other. I rained little kisses on his face. He laughed at my silliness while he held on to me tightly preventing both of us from falling.

"Look how shameless they've become!" Alexis said loudly.

"Shameless!" Karlo and Victor seconded.

"Ahermnnn!" My father coughed.

I abruptly went down on my feet. The adults laughed. With my face red with embarrassment, I went to my Father and Grandpa to offer them my respect. I also acknowledged the presence of Uncle Tino (Karlo's father) and Uncle Oscar (Victor's father). My father put his hand on my shoulder. Justine was still shamelessly holding my hand.

"So, my baby now has a baby?" Aunt Helen said loudly as she reached the patio. "I told you an Alejandro will be hitched by a Rodriquez someday, Amor." She added teasingly to my father.

"Hello, Helen!" My Father said with so much affection.

Justine pulled me with him as he approached Aunt Helen but the adults beat us to it. They embraced Aunt Helen warmly. I let go of Justine's hand so he could give his aunt a hug too. Justine slightly lifted her with his tight embrace. The strong bond between aunt and nephew was palpable. Aunt Helen touched Justine's face. Alexis also went to her aunt and claimed her from Justine. Aunt Helen hugged his two nephews.

"I need a drink!" Aunt Helen declared. She got out of her nephews' embrace and joined the adults in their circle. She kissed Grandpa's forehead as she accepted a bottle of beer from Uncle Tino. My Father put his arm on Aunt Helen's shoulder and offered a toast for her homecoming. It warmed my heart to see my Father like this. They soon settled down to catch up.

Karlo took some beer for us too. I wanted to taste my second bottle of beer but Justine took it when it was offered to me. "Take a shower and then find me in the kitchen. I'm cooking dinner tonight." He said. I protested at first but he wrinkled his nose at me. I playfully hit him but excused myself to take a shower.

A couple of minutes later, I walked to the kitchen wearing denim shorts and a white tank top shirt. Justine wearing an apron was putting spaghetti on a pot of boiling water. I stared at him for a while. He's perspiring a bit and his white shirt clung on him outlining his lean body. I took a clean hand towel and wiped his sweat. He leaned on me and whispered that I looked sexy. I blushed.

"Whoa! Where did all these ingredients come from?" I asked. I rarely see the ingredients that were prepared and laid out on the kitchen counter.

"Aunt Helen brought them with her. I think she and Grandpa shopped after they picked her up from the airport." Justine said. Apparently, Justine knew that his Aunt was on the farm even before he came back from the evacuation

I joined my friends who were seated on bar stool chairs drinking beer. We didn't have a proper reunion greeting earlier so we hugged one another. I snacked on some chips while I listened to their updates since the last time we saw each other. Justine handed me a glass of white wine. I raised my eyebrows quizzically. He laughed.

"I learned it from Aunt Helen. She drinks whenever she cooks an Italian dish." He answered my query.

"But I'm not cooking," I said.

"Com'on, I'll teach you," he said pulling my hand.

"Oh, please! Can we not have her for a few minutes?" Alexis protested teasingly.

"Just let the lovebirds be," Victor said. I blew him a kiss.

Justine made me help him cook dinner. He made me toss the spaghetti in the vongole sauce. He made me flip the steaks from the oven. He instructed me how to prepare the green salad. He sat near the sink where I washed the veggies and would steal kisses when no one was looking. He would feed me small bites of food to taste. He'd licked the fingers that had touched my lips while looking at me seductively. I'd make faces and playfully hit him but he'd scold me that violence is not allowed in the kitchen. We laughed a lot while we cooked. I had never imagined cooking to be this enjoyable.

"Justine, are you done cooking? Your Grandpa is famished." Auntie Anita entered the kitchen.

"You're just in time Auntie. Kindly please have the food be served. And please join us too?" Justine politely said.

"Okay, good!" Auntie Anita said. She instructed some household staff to bring the food in the garden where dinner will be served. He also instructed the boys to join the adults outside. Justine and I were left in the kitchen.

"Here, taste this." He got a small bowl from the fridge and scooped its content with a teaspoon and fed me. While I savor its taste, he absentmindedly put the teaspoon on his mouth. I watched him biting my lower lip. He looked at me inquiringly. I licked my lips.

"It's fucking delicious! It is tiramisu?" I asked. Even I was taken aback by my words. It was that delicious.

"Language, Miss Alejandro." Justine said laughing. Before I could say another word, he playfully shoved another teaspoon on my mouth and put the teaspoon on his mouth.

I can't take it anymore. "Why don't you just kiss me instead of doing that!" I challenged.

"Doing what?" He raised his hand and looked at the teaspoon and then on me. I chewed on my lower lip. He grabbed my hand and brought me to the walk-in pantry. He had barely closed the door when he kissed me. It was an urgent kiss. His tongue probed my mouth deliberately. My tongue boldly met his. We kissed hungrily tasting white wine and creamy tiramisu. We heard footsteps coming. We quickly got out of the pantry and pretended to wash our hands.

"Delicious ha?" Justine said, teasing me. I hit his side with my elbow. My heart was still racing when we joined our families and friends in the garden.