"I told you already, didn't I? I like you. I really, really like you. And no matter what they say about you, I still won't stop liking you because I don't think I can."
Moira had been reliving that night for the past three days. Wala kasi si Vince para ulitin iyon. Isang linggo ito sa Newark. Inaaya nga siya nitong sumama pero hindi pwede dahil nagpipilit sumama si Kelvin kapag kasama siya. Magiging abala pa silang mag-ina kapag nagkataon, so hinayaan na lamang niyang si Vince lang ang umalis.
They've pacified Kelvin by telling him that his room would be ready in a week. Next weekend daw, pagbalik ni Vince, ay ipakikita na nito iyon sa kanila. He promised that it would be great, and Kelvin had been looking forward to it since Sunday.
Marami rin siyang trabaho kaya hindi siya makaalis. Vico already left for Milan, kaya siya ang utusan ni Red ngayon. Demanding nga ito, kagaya ng sabi nila, lalo na kapag may topak. But during her good days, Red's fun to be with. Noong isang araw nga ay nag-i-early lunch sila para may oras pa pagsa-shopping, kasama si Rose.
Madalas na libre ni Red ang mga mapipili nilang damit. Since buntis kasi ito, iyong mga gusto nitong damit, sa kanya nito ipinasusuot at kapag kumasya, bibilhin nito para sa kanya. Siya kasi ang halos kasingkatawan nito.
And one other reason is because of Neri and Joem. Nagpa-plano nang magpakasal ang dalawa. Civil wedding lang daw muna at pagkapanganak ni Neri, saka na iyong kasal sa simbahan. Ang problema niya ay kung saan sila makalilipat ni Kelvin. Wala naman silang ibang kamag-anak na nasa syudad.
"You could ask Vince," Neri said to her, but she didn't want to burden Vince with that. Kauusapin na lamang siguro niya ito pagbalik nito ng Pilipinas. Maybe they'd come up with an arrangement or something. Si Kelvin lamang naman ang concern niya. She could live anywhere, basta ayos ang mapaglalagyan ni Kelvin.
Pagkauwi niya ng bahay kinahapunan ay agad na naman siyang tinanong ni Kelvin kung kailan darating si Vince.
"Baby, di ba nga, sabi ko sa Saturday pa? Why do you keep on asking?"
Ngumuso ito sa kanya. "Can't he come home any sooner?"
"No. Mapapagalitan sya kapag umuwi sya agad."
"I miss him."
Nginitian niya ito. "I miss him too. But he'll be home soon."
"Will you get married then?"
Nagulat siya sa tanong nito. Akala niya ay nakalimutan na nito ang tungkol doon. Hindi pa pala.
"Tito and tita are finally getting married," he continued. "Kayo ba ni daddy?"
"Baby, stop asking about marriage please."
"Why?"
She sighed. "Because."
"Because what?"
"Ang kulit mo." She ruffled his hair. "No more question about that, okay?"
"Why?"
She gave him a stern look.
"Kelvin."
"Don't you have to bribe me to shut me up?"
"Nako, magpapa-bribe ka na naman. What do you want?"
Ngumisi ito. "I want graham balls."
"Yung pwede na lang bilhin."
"We can buy grahams, then you can make graham balls."
Tumingin siya sa orasan. It's already past six. Maya-maya ay magluluto na rin siya ng hapunan. But Kelvin won't stop asking kapag hindi niya ito pinagbigyan.
