Sober

Epilogue

Sober
August 30, 2019 - June 05, 2021

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/LEA/

“Aga, hurry the fuck up!”

“Daddy, I don’t want to be late!”

“Ang malas mo talaga makasama sa EDSA, laging traffic!”

We don’t know how many times and how loud Aya and I are already are but that’s the least of my concern at this point! We are running late on our errands for today and we are still stuck somewhere in EDSA. For Pete’s sake, it’s just barely six in the morning and this is how terrible this place already looks like? God knows how I hate arriving late but most especially on this special event.

“You guys, chill!” Aga retorts in return, at the verge of covering his ears from us. “Mag-ina nga kayong dalawa, parehas kayo ng ugali at ingay! It’s not my fault that the cars in front of us are not moving, okay?! Stop shouting at me!”

Aya and I look at each other, both guilty for torturing him there. We’re just literally sitting next to each other but our voices can already be heard from across the street, “Sorry.” we say in unison. “Pero malas ka pa rin kasama sa EDSA.” I add.

“Yeah, because I apparently caused this slow traffic.” he replies and I can clearly hear sarcasm in his voice. “Don’t panic nga, Lea. We still have an hour before the ceremony starts. Once the way gets loosen, it will probably just take us ten minutes to reach the university.”

“Practicality and Punctuality, Aga, they’re important.” I tell him.

“And so is calming down.”

“Okay, guys, the cars are moving already.” Aya cuts our banter off.

“Ugh finally!”

Aga started driving again and fortunately, the road has cleared up. Nagtuloy-tuloy na ‘yung biyahe namin hanggang sa nakarating kami sa university ni Aya. Well, I think he’s right. It really took us a few minutes to arrive in the place once our path became clear.

“Ms. Muhlach,” a professor approaches us— Aya in particular. “Punta ka na sa pila mo. We’re about to start the march.”

“Sige po, Ma’am.” my daughter politely replies before turning to us. “Mom, Dad, I’ll go ahead na po. I’ll see you later.”

She gives us a hug but before she can go, I catch her to fix her toga first, “I’m so proud of you, peanut.”

“Mom, too early for drama. Mamaya na ‘yan, please?” she whines.

“Okay, okay,” I defenselessly say. Can you blame me? I’m her mother so I can’t help it! “I love you.” I give her a kiss on the cheek before she goes off to join her batchmates.

“Mr. and Mrs. Muhlach, you can go inside and join the other parents as well. Somebody will assist you to your designated seats.”

“Thank you, Ma’am.” Aga says and pulls me inside the auditorium with him. Seconds later, he starts laughing and I certainly know why. “I commend you for keeping your temper there and for not correcting her.”

“It’s very exhausting!” I exasperatedly exclaim. “Kaunti na lang talaga maglalagay na ako ng note sa noo ko na NOT MRS. MUHLACH, all in uppercase to give emphasis. Naiinis na ako! Kapag nasa school ako ni Aya o Sky, Mrs. Muhlach ang tawag sa’kin tapos kapag nasa kambal naman ako, Mrs. Veneracion. Baka akalain ng ibang tao dalawa asawa ko, my God—I mean, maganda ako pero hindi ako two timer.”