D E N V E R
"I bought a dress for you to wear tonight."
"Anong kulay?"
"Red," I answered. "You look good in red."
"Correction," she said with a slight eyebrow raise. "I look good in any color."
"That, you do." I laughed, burying my face on her neck and wrapping my arm around her slim waist. "But you're hotter in red."
"Hmm," she moaned. "What time is the dinner again?"
"Nine."
"So..." She glanced up at the clock hanging just above the television. "We still have an hour and a half."
"Yes," I whispered, feeling her hand reach just above my thigh. "D-Do you wanna?"
She pushed me away and climbed on top of me with a naughty smile, just as her fingers began fumbling with my belt. "You know you don't even have to ask."
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"Dad, this is my girlfriend, Madeline Monteclaro," I said proudly and clearly. My father doesn't like it when I mumble. "Mads, this is my father, Engr. Delfin Romero III."
Mads held out her hand but my father just looked at it from across the table. "Monteclaro of Ilocos? Owner of the Monteclaro Pharmaceuticals?"
"Uhm, no po." Mads lowered her hand and shook her head. "Interior design company po 'yong negosyo ng mga magulang ko."
My father pursed his lips and instantly lost all interest. He looked down on his empty plate instead of her. "When someone speaks to you in English, Miss Monteclaro, you respond in the same language and not in another."
Hindi na nakasagot pa si Mads dahil matapos ang pahayag na 'yon ng tatay ko ay itinaas na nito ang kanang kamay upang palapitin ang hostess at um-order. Ako na sana ang magsasalita para sa kaniya pero naramdaman ko ang mahigpit na pagkapit niya sa braso ko. "Please don't," she whispered under her breath.
As much as I want to make my father greet Madeline with respect... she is right. This is not the right time to start a scene. I don't want her to get caught in the mess that other people call the Romero family. I'll deal with my father on my own.
"Come on," I whispered, holding her waist and leading her to the next table where my brother is.
Darwin was looking at his phone with furrowed brows and a slightly annoyed expression. I haven't seen him in a while but he still looks the same so I'd say he's okay.
I let Mads sit in front of him while I settled on the seat next to her.
"Uhm, kuya mo?" bulong ni Mads sa akin.
Tumango lang ako.
Hindi ko alam kung paano siya ipapakilala sa kapatid ko dahil ilang taon na mula nang huli ko itong nakausap.
Mads and I sat together in silence until Darwin finally put his phone aside and looked up at us as if realizing for the first time that we were there.
