29 - Coffee Break

Charm's POV

Celestine is so obvious about being excited on her first day in her new school. For the second time, she woke up ahead of me. Mag-isa na naman ako sa room when I wake up this morning. I wonder where are my two roommates this early in the morning. I do my morning rituals first before I went out of the room. I am expecting to find them in the kitchen but they are not there so I look around the house and found them in the garden doing some stretching and exercise. It is actually RJ doing the push-ups while my giggling little girl is sitting on his back.

"Good morning Mommy." Celestine exclaimed as soon as she sees me.

"Good morning Baby." I replied as I walks towards them. "Enjoy na enjoy ka ah baby." I said.

"Come join me Mommy, sit here beside me." She said.

"Hindi pwede, baka mabalian ng buto si Daddy." I replied.

"It's alright Meng, I don't mind. Di ba sabi mo magaang ka lang. Sige nga tingnan ko kung magaang ka nga talaga." RJ said.

"Come on Mommy, this is fun." Celestine said.

"Wag mo akong sisisihin kapag nabalian ka ng buto Faulkerson, Jr." I said.

"Sige lang nga." RJ replied. So I immediately sits on RJ's back with Celestine. Nagpa-gaang talaga ako kasi baka mabalian naman sya.

"Bilang ka na ulit, Baby." RJ said

"Five, Six, Seven…" Celestine resumes counting After three more counts I stand up. "Enough na Baby, kawawa naman si Daddy." I said.

"Ten more counts Mommy." Celestine insisted.

"Okay lang ako Meng. Sige na pagbigyan mo na si Celestine." RJ said.

"Ang yabang mo talaga Faulkerson, Jr. si Celestine na lang, para makapag-prepare ako ng breakfast natin. I'm sure my little girl don't want to be late on her first day in school right?" I said.

"Enough na Daddy, I need to go to school pa eh." Celestine said.

"Grabe ang bilis magbago ng isip, hindi halatang excited" RJ said then he quickly stand up and carries Celestine going inside the house for breakfast.

Since Celestine's new school is only fifteen minutes away from the house we left thirty minutes before her school starts. Ms. Congeniality talaga 'tong anak ko, five minutes pa lang since we arrive in her school may kinakausap na agad na classmate. Susme, hindi kaya mabigyan ng award 'tong anak ko na most talkative. Well, she is just being friendly and certainly, she did not get it from me, malamang sa tatay nya.

"Gusto mong maghintay dun sa coffee shop na malapit lang dito?" RJ asked.

"Huh, dito na lang baka hanapin tayo ni Celestine. Alam nyang hihintayin natin sya, baka kapag hindi nya tayo nakita, isipin nun iniwan na natin sya." I replied.

"Nandyan naman si Yaya, she can call us anytime. Also, nakita mo ba how engrossed Celestine is? Malamang nakalimutan na tayo nun." RJ said. "Atsaka mainit kasi dito." He added.

"Tama ka naman mas mainam nga kung sa coffee shop tayo. Lakarin na lang natin, para hindi ka na mahirapang mag-park mamaya." I said.

"Are you sure, tirik na tirik ang araw oh." RJ concernly said and it actually gave me a happy heart.

"Ano ka ba? Mas malala pa dyan ang init ng araw kapag nasa track ako." I replied "Tara na." I said and begins walking.

On our way to the coffee shop, I saw RJ as every inch of a gentleman. No wonder, a lot of women are clamoring for his attention. Kahit nga itong cashier sa coffee shop panay ang pa-beautiful eyes kay Faulkerson, Jr., luka-lukang 'to hindi ba nito nare-realize na may kasama 'tong pinapa-cute-an nya, hilahin ko kaya buhok nito para matauhan.

"Ano ang gusto mo?" RJ asked me.

"Cafe Mocha, regular cup lang." I replied.

"I'll have café Americano regular cup, and cafe mocha also regular cup for my wife." RJ told the cashier.

"Ang gagang 'to biglang nabura ang matamis na ngiti, asumera ka kasi, buti nga sa yo. Ano feeling mo hindi ako bagay maging asawa ng gwapong lalaking 'to?" are my thoughts while RJ is paying our bill.

RJ's POV.

I held her hand as we walk to the corner table. I want the people in that coffee shop to see that this girl already belongs to me, akala siguro nung mga lalaking 'to hindi ko nakitang sinusundan nila ng tingin ang asawa ko.

"Siraulo ka, bakit mo sinabing 'my wife', nalungkot tuloy si ate cashier kasi biglang nawalan ng pag-asa sa yo. Sayang ang matatamis na ngiti, babasagin mo lang pala." She said while I assisted her on her seat.

"That's the easiest way of telling her to stop flirting." I replied.

"Grabe ka naman, beautiful eyes pa lang naman, flirting na agad para sa yo." She said.

"Yes, girls should not do moves such as that specially if the guy is with another girl. Respeto na lang sa kasama nung pinagpagpa-cute-an nya. I'm sure she will not like it kung sa kanya mangyayari yun." I replied.

"Old school ka pala." She conmented.

"Yes, every inch of me. Influenced ni Lola Linda at ng Mommy ko. Bakit turn-off ba?" I confidently declared.

"Sa akin mo pa talaga tinanong yan, probinsyana ako kaya malamang old school din ako." She said.

"So kung nanligaw pala ako sa yo may edge na ko." I said.

"Hindi rin, binaon ko na sa limot at pakikipag-relasyon." She replied.

"Seryoso ka pala talaga dyan. Akala ko wala lang nanliligaw sa yo kaya mo yan sinasabi. Some sort of defense mechanism." I replied to at least tease her.

"Ang hard mo sa akin, mukha ba akong hindi ligawin?" She asked.

"Joke lang naman, on the contrary alam kong apple of the eye ka ng mga guys sa tracks. They actually find you a hottie." I replied.

"How did you know that?" She asked me and it is too late na bawiin ko pa ang sinabi ko.

"I overheard when I went to the tracks to check on you." He said.

"Ah yung sa Malolos, nung nagkarera tayo." She replied and I nodded. Sana lang hindi nya nahalata na nag-alangan ako sa pagsagot sa kanya. Kasi naman sa San Mateo ko unang narinig na pinag-uusapan sya, pero hindi nya pwedeng malaman na na-stalk ko na sya dun.

"Are you not scared to grow old alone? Alangan namang hindi mo rin payagan si Celestine na mag-asawa." I asked to sway the topic.

"FYI Hindi ko idadamay si Celestine. I still want her to live by her choices. And to answer your question, I am not scared because growing old alone is my personal choice." She replied.

"But why?" I asked.

"You are asking too many questions Faulkerson, Jr. close ba tayo?" She asked and I honestly wish that I am not annoying her.

"Hindi ba pwede? Masarap ako …" I just said to lighten up her mood kahit konti.

"Gago ka!" She said, at mukhang sumablay ako sa pa-lighten ng mood nya.

"Masarap akong maging kaibigan, hindi pa kasi ako tapos, sumisingit ka na." I said laughing.

"Ewan ko sa yo, nasisiraan ka ng bait." She said rolling her eyes.

"Seriously, hindi ba tayo pwedeng maging close. Imagine we live in the same house, sleep in the same room. We agreed into this kind of set-up so I guess the least we can do is to have each other's back." I sincerely said.

"How can I be sure that I can trust you?" She then asked.

"Hindi naman ako kiss and tell" I naughtily declared, at tutoo naman na hindi ako kiss and tell.

"Pwes ayokong maging kaibigan ka" She quickly replied.

"Huh? Gusto mo kiss and tell?" I continue teasing.

"Ayokong makipagkaibigan sa mga hindi matinong kausap." She said and obviously she is starting to be annoyed so I have to take back what I've just said

"Nagbibiro lang naman kasi ako. Trustworthy naman ako, you can trust me with your deepest secret." I told her. "But seriously, hindi ko naman kasi kayang sagutin yung tanong mo. Ikaw lang ang makakapagsabi if I am worthy of your trust." I said.

"Pag-isipan ko muna." She replied.

I smile and said "At least that is better than a No" kapag kasi nag-No agad it means basted na agad ako, eh friendship pa lang ang ino-offer ko. Paano na kung tunay na relasyon pa? Mabuti na yung pag-isipan muna at least may pag-asa pa.

"Can we stop talking about my personal choices? Ikaw na lang magkwento, wala kang aasahan sa akin kasi boring ang buhay ko." She asked.

"On the contrary, I don't find it boring, interested nga ako to know more about your sport, pero yung mga stunts sa iyo na lang." I said.

"Tutoo ba yan o inuuuto mo lang ako?" She asked.

"Sincere ako. I find it amazing on how you could stay in the air for a number of seconds." I said.

"Gusto mo turuan kita?" She asked giggling.

"Ayoko nga, ok na sa akin ang panoorin ka na lang." I replied. "Ewan ko ba sa yo, ang dami namang pwedeng gawing sport na hindi buwis buhay, bakit yan pa ang nakahiligan mo." I added.

"I fell in love eh so hindi ko na naisip na buwis buhay pala yung pinasok ko." She replied. "O hanggang dyan na lang ang pwede kong sabihin." She added.

"Don't worry I won't insist for futher details. Hintayin ko na lang na ikaw ang magkusang magkwento, katulad ng nangyari ngayon." I said then I gained a sweet smile from her.