Champorado

20

JIYA and Migo spend the rest of the afternoon playing cards at the patio outside in hoodies and boxers and lying down on the lounge beds, enjoying the sun.

For dinner, Migo cooks sheet-pan shrimp and sausage jambalaya while Jiya watches and takes photos of him.

They wash the dishes with soft music playing from the TV in the living room, and then they sit down on the sofa with wine glasses, facing the windows. Now that the sun's down, there's only yellow light filling the house and the garden outside.

Jiya leans against Migo's chest, tangling her legs with his. Migo's arms come around her body. "I feel tired kahit wala tayo masyadong ginawa."

"Marami tayong ginawa. Nag-exercise ka pa."

Jiya hits him without opening her eyes.

Migo chuckles, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "I can feel your happiness," he whispers, his thumb caressing her arm. "Ayoko nang umalis."

Ayaw na rin umalis ni Jiya. She wants to stay here in this house with Migo forever. Walang ibang inaalala. Walang ibang pinoproblema. Walang ibang tao—sila lang.

She bites her lip and looks at his fingers, playing with them.

Migo asks quietly, "How are things with your parents?"

Jiya sighs. "Um, my mom talked to me yesterday about the living arrangements. Ayaw niya na tumira ako with Papa."

Migo pauses. "And...what do you want?"

"Ayoko rin naman," she answers, shrugging. "'Yong pagkakasabi lang ni Mommy, parang akong doll na hinihila both arms in different directions. It's tiring."

He kisses her temple. "I'm sorry, princess," he murmurs. "Dito na lang tayo."

It makes her smile. "Kung pwede lang." She takes a deep breath and asks in return, "Was it hard? Asking your dad for the key to this place?"

Jiya feels Migo's chest exhale from her back. "A little. He...asked me why, I said anniversary natin. It was the first time I messaged him in years."

She clasps his fingers with hers and kisses his knuckles. "And what did he say?"

"In-ask niya ako kung pinapasaya mo 'ko."

Jiya sucks in a deep breath. "And?"

"And wait here." He kisses her head and moves off the couch, running to the bedroom.

Jiya sits up in confusion, hugging her knees. When Migo comes back, may dala-dala siyang maliit na box?

"I know you don't like gifts," he starts slowly, sitting next to her. He takes a deep breath and hands it to her. "Pero I wanted to give you something."

Stilling, Jiya takes it.

It's a little brown box with the month and day today engraved on top of it.

She swallows down the lump in her throat and opens it.

May photo ni Migo sa pinakataas. He's mid-laugh—it's crazy how Jiya hears his laugh in her head—and he's covering his face with one hand.

Jiya pulls the little ribbon. It's a photo strip, pero blank lahat except the first. Jiya turns the picture over and finds his handwriting.

1st.

She blinks at him. He's anxiously watching her face, fiddling with his fingers. "You make me happy," he mutters. "That's...that's how happy. I was just talking about you kila Mau and Meg and Ma in that photo, and...yeah. Dadagdagan ko lang yung mga blanko for the next anniversaries."