The Ravages of Time

Kabanata 01

Kabanata 01

The Maid's Son

"Who are you? Are you new here? New maid? Ah, okay, new driver?" I asked continuously.

I didn't avert my gaze as I continued staring at him, confused.

"Hi po, Ma'am Sonnet! Anak po ako ni Manang Nora. Nagagalak po akong makilala ka," pagpapakilala niya sa akin.

"Ah, anak ni Manang Nora. Bakit hindi kita nakikita noon? May lalaking anak pala siya? Ilang taon ka na?" pag-iintriga ko.

So, that young cute kid has a brother.

He awkwardly smiled and rubbed his neck.

"Nakapunta na po ako sa mansion niyo dati, hindi lang siguro tayo nagkaka salubong... dahil ang lawak ng mansion niyo noon," he paused.

Napatango-tango ako.

"Eighteen na po ako, Ma'am Sonnet. Ikaw po ba?"

I frowned. "Secret."

I thought that would make his smile fade, but I just thought it was. I think he's a person who always smiles. How intriguing.

"Ang daya, sinabi ko nga 'yong akin tapos hindi mo sasabihin 'yong iyo, hulaan ko nalang... seventeen ka na, ano?" he guessed.

I smirked. "We're not close enough to talk about each other's age, okay? Masyado ka naman yatang feeling close."

He rubbed his neck again, two times already.

"Ay, gano'n po ba? Sorry po," nakangiting paghihingi niya ng paumanhin.

Akala ko mawawala ang ngiti niya dahil sa sinabi ko at baka na-offend ko siya. Pero wala, hindi mawala-wala ang ngiti niyang 'yan sa labi niya na animo'y nakaukit na riyan.

"Anyways, what were you doing in the pool? Bakit ka nando'n? Naliligo ka ba?" I asked.

Hinimas niya ulit ang batok bago sumagot, tatlong beses na. Why does he always do that?

"Nahulog ko po kasi 'yong cellphone ko, Ma'am. Pinulot ko lang," he answered.

I glanced at the phone right in his left hand. A soaked keypad phone. Cheap. Well, what do I expect from a maid's son?

"What? Nahulog ang phone mo tapos kukunin mo pa? You could have thrown that! Keypad? Cheap..." giit ko.

His smile remained. How could he manage to smile in a situation like this? I already insulted him twice, yet he's still giving me his annoying smile.

"Pwede namang ilublob sa bigasan, e," he said and chuckled.

"And you think that would fix your phone? Of course not, that was not true," I said while smirking.

Napahiwalay naman ang mapupulang labi niya. "Ah, 'di po pala totoo 'yon? Ipapa-ayos ko nalang 'to sa palengke."

I chuckled. "Palengke? At sino naman ang aayos niyan sa palengke? Ang mga baboy? Manok? Karne? Mga gulay?"

Hindi ko alam kung bakit bigla siyang natawa sa sinabi ko kaya tinaasan ko siya ng kilay.

"Excuse me? May nakakatawa ba?" I asked in annoyance.

"Hindi naman po kasi nag-aayos ng sirang cellphone ang baboy, Ma'am," sagot naman niya at nagpatuloy sa pagtawa nang mahina.

"I know!" I yelled while glaring at him.

He gulped and smiled a little. "Siguro po, ang cellphone niyo ay nagkakahalaga ng braso't leeg."

My forehead creased.