36 - Surprise

Charm's POV

As I wake up this morning of Saturday, I wonder what RJ and Celestine are up to this time, its been days already when I wakes up with different surprises everyday.

Last Tuesday I woke up with Celestine and RJ staring at me. When I asked what they are doing they said they wanted to watch me while I'm asleep and waited for me to wake up para sabay-sabay kaming mag breakfast. Kung sa iba wala lang yun pwes sa akin big deal yun.

On Wednesday, all my morning ritual stuffs are orderly prepared in the bathroom when I woke up. On Thursday, a pancake with bacon breakfast in bed and yesterday, Celestine's wedding gift to me in a frame hanging on our wall was the first thing I saw upon opening my eyes.

What could it be this time? I excitedly got up to fix myself first before going out of our room. Upon entering the bathroom a note was stick on the mirror with RJ and Celestine's photo "Hurry Mommy, you are in for a big surprise. We will wait for you in the garden." With so much anticipation, I rush on my morning rituals and hurried on going to the garden. I saw RJ and Celestine enjoying their breakfast. Hindi ako nagpahalatang excited pero parang hindi ako makakakain dahil sa sobrang excitement.

"Good morning Mommy." Celestine excitedly said.

"Good morning baby." I replied and kissed her on top of her head.

"Good morning." RJ greeted beaming.

"Good morning." I greeted back.

"Please hurry on your breakfast Mommy." Celestine said.

"Hindi pa nga ako nag-uumpisa baby, dapat ba finish agad? Baka hindi ako matunawan. And why are you in a hurry?" I said.

"We are going out." Celestine said.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"We are going for a walk." RJ replied. "While Celestine tries on her new bike." He added.

"Celestine's new what?" I asked to confirm if I heard it correctly.

"My new bike Mommy. Daddy bought me a new bike. It was in my room when I woke up this morning." Celestine said. "Wait Mommy, I'll get it." She said and quickly runs inside the house.

"Ano na naman ang ginawa mo? What did I tell you about spoiling Celestine? Di ba usapan natin tatanungin mo muna ako. Nang-iinis ka ba Faulkerson, Jr.? She has her own bike at nasa Bulacan yon. Kung tinanong mo ako hindi ka na sana bumili ng bago." I began ranting. This is really a big surprise kasi, napaka-aga kong nabwisit sa anak araw na 'to.

"Pwede bang magpaliwanag." RJ calmly asked.

I throw a sharp stare at him before I replied, "O sige, siguraduhin mong convincing."

He was shooking his head before he said, "I think two days ago, nabanggit sa akin ni Celestine na naiwan nga daw nya yung bike nya sa Bulacan and requested me na kunin natin yun once we visited Tatay and Nanay. But since Nanay is still in L.A., naisip ko na matatagalan pa bago natin makuha yung bike so I called Tatay and I asked him kung pwedeng ipakuha ko na lang yung bike ni Celestine sa Bulacan, because she wants to play with it dito sa bahay."

"Yun naman pala eh, bakit bumili pa ng bago?" I fiercely asked.

"Sandali, hindi pa ako tapos." He said. "Ayun na nga, ipapakuha ko na sana yung bike ni Celestine sa Bulacan kaya lang sabi ni Tatay hindi na raw pwede, kasi si Dean nasagasaan yung bike few days ago at nasira na. So sabi ni Tatay ibibili na lang daw nya ng bago, kasi baka magalit ang apo nya at mag-iiyak. Sabi ko ako na lang ang bibili, kaya ayan ibinili ko sya ng bagong bike."

"Akina ang resibo." I said.

"Don't worry I did not buy the expensive one. I was talking to Tatay when I was purchasing the bike, kasi gusto ko yung halos kapareho nung bike nya and bibilhin ko." He further explained.

"Kahit pa, nasaan ang resibo?" I insisted.

"Sa ganitong kaliit na bagay, wala ka pa ring tiwala sa akin Meng?" He asked.

"This is not about trusting you RJ. I am asking for the receipt because pababayaran ko kay Dean yung bike kapalit nung sinagasaan nyang luma. Malamang nag-drive na naman yun ng nakainom kaya ganun." I said.

"Wag mo nang singilin si Dean, pwede mo namang pagsabihan na lang." RJ suggested.

"Mamili ka, ibibigay mo ang resibo o hindi kita kakausapin kahit kelan." I threatens.

"Nasa middle drawer nung bedside table ko." He replied. Ibibigay din pala gusto pa yung tinatakot sya.

"Mommy look at my new bike." Celestine shouted while going out from the garage driving her new Barbie bike.

"Wow, ang galing naman ni Daddy almost the same as your old bike." I commented and I saw RJ smiling and sort of bragging.

"What are your plans for today?" He asked me after a while.

"I'll start practicing for the Cebu competition. I am going to Bulacan before lunch para kunin yung bike ko, then proceed na ako sa track in Cavite." I said.

"Akala ko ba ipapadala mo na lang kay Dean yung bike para hindi na kailangang kunin sa Bulacan?" He asked.

"Hindi raw pwede today si Dean. Baka magahol ako sa oras kung next week pa ako magstart ng practice." I replied. "By the way, Manang will take care of the dinner later, baka kasi around six na ako makabalik" I added.

"So halos maghapon palang kaming dalawa lang ni Celestine dito sa bahay." He said.

"Wala ka bang ibang lakad?" I asked him

"Wala naman. Can I bring Celestine to the mall?" He asked me.

"As long as you will not go on shopping, ok lang naman. Remember, only one serving of ice cream per day and please not too much sweet." I said.

"Noted Mommy Menggay." He replied. "O tara na." He then excitedly said.

"Saan na naman, hindi pa ako tapos sa almusal ko, oh." I complained.

"Di ba we are going for a walk dito sa subdivision while Celestine tries her new bike. Let's go sa house nila Dad para makita naman nila si Celestine today, nagungulit si Lola eh, ang lapit-lapit daw natin pero hindi man lang madala si Celestine sa bahay nila." RJ said.

I hurried in finishing my breakfast and after a few minutes, the three of us are on our way to the Faulkerson residence. Only then I realized that Lola Linda was right. We were practically neighbors but since we moved-in, hindi pa namin sila nabibisita. Sa church lang kami nagkikita.

They are in the garden having their breakfast when we arrived at parang isang taon nilang hindi nakita si Celestine sa sobrang tuwa when they see her.

"Come Mommy, there is something I want to show you." Celestine said and pulls me going to their garage.

"Baby, let's just stay here. We could not go around the house, baka makabasag tayo, nakakahiya." I said. Nahihiya kasi talaga ako na parang sobrang at home na si Celestine sa bahay nila.

"Daddy, how can I show Mommy our surprise if she does not want to go with me?" Celestine frustratedly asked RJ.

"What surprise? Isn't your bike the big surprise for today?" I asked.

"Sige na Meng sumama ka na, baka sumpungin pa yan mahirapan pa tayo mamaya." RJ said.

So I just let Celestine leads me going to the garage while RJ followed us.

"Look Mommy, your bikes are here, too." Celestine excitedly exclaimed.

Indeed this is such a big surprise, two of my bikes are right infront of me. Alam kong OA pero naluha talaga ako, na-miss ko naman kasi talaga ang mga bikes ko. Ang tagal ko na silang hindi ginamit, since we started the wedding preparation.

"Anong ginagawa ng mga bikes ko dito?" I asked.

"Pinakuha ko na lang kesa pumunta ka pa sa Bulacan, free naman yung isang slot ng garage kasi hindi na dito nakapark yung kotse ko, kaya yan ang ipinalit ko. Kasya naman yung dalawang bike sa parking slot ko eh." RJ explained.

"Ano ka ba, nakakahiya kila Daddy kung isisingit ko pa yung bikes ko dito." I said.

"Ok lang naman kay Dad, mabuti nga daw yun para kung magpapabili ng kotse si Rizza, sasabihin nya wala nang slot dito sa garage." RJ said, chuckling. I could not explained what has got into me but I quickly gave him a tight hug to show how much I appreciated the gesture.

RJ's POV

That was abrupt but sweet, and I hate it because I did not see it coming. I guess, I have to think more of what other surprises I could give her. Baka next time na bigger surprise, kiss na ang makukuha ko. My heart jumps for joy seeing her very happy, sana palagi kaming ganito.

"Tsansing na yan ah, siguro may crush ka sa akin Mendoza Girl." I said teasing.

"Siraulo ka, natuwa lang ako. crush agad Masama bang matuwa?" She said and pulls back from the hug, epic fail na naman ang hirit ko sana hindi ko na lang sinabi yun para mas matagal pa yung hug nya sa akin.

"Oh ayan, hindi mo na kailangang magbyahe ng two and a half hours para sa mga bikes mo. Hapon pa naman ang schedule mo sa tracks di ba? Gusto ni Lola dito tayo maglunch today, pwede ba yun?" I asked.

"Of course naman, matitikman ko na naman ang luto ni Lola Linda." She replied. "Sigurado ka bang hindi nakakahiya kila Daddy?" She again asked.

"Paulit-ulit ka Mrs. Faulkerson, Jr., kung hindi ka naniniwala, ikaw mismo ang magtanong kay Daddy." I said.

"Sinisiguro ko lang naman, nahihiya kasi ako sa istorbo." She said.

"You are part of the family, therefore hindi ito istorbo." I replied. "Naisip ko lang, pwede bang sumama na lang kami ni Celestine sa iyo today? Panoorin namin yung practice mo." I asked.

"Hala hindi pwede, siguradong magagalit si Nanay kapag nalaman nya na nanood si Celestine." She said.

"Kasama naman ako eh, I can always explain to her everything that na makikita nya. I will answer all her question." I said.

"Asus, para namang expert sa motocross driving itong si Faulkerson, Jr. para masagot ang mga tanong ni Celestine" She told me while laughing.

"I told you, I was into motocross before, though taga panood lang naman ako, but I understand how this sports work." I replied.

"Ok." She briefly replied.

"Ok as in Ok what?" I asked.

"Payag na akong manood kayo ni Celestine sa practice ko today." She replied, smiling.

"Great, Celestine will be very happy. And speaking of Celestine, nasaan ang batang yun? After ipakita sa yo ang surprise bigla na lang nawala." I said.

"Malamang paikot-ikot na yun sa garden. Na-miss nya rin yung bike nya eh, pareho ko." She replied.

"I hope I made my girls happy today." I said.

"Yes you did, they are happy with the surprises." She said, smiling and swiftly planted a kiss on my cheek. "Thank you for the surprise Faulkerson, Jr. Thank you for making Celestine and I extremely happy today." She then said while smiling sweetly and walks towards the garden where the folks are.

Who said that only my girls got their surprises, I got mine too, a hug and a kiss from the most amazing girl in the world. Ano kaya ang pwedeng next surprise para kay Mrs. Faulkerson, Jr.?