Kami yung tipo na mahilig tumambay sa dining. I don't know but there's just something comforting about doing work or lounging at the dining area surrounded by your family kahit na hindi naman kayo nag-uusap or may iba-iba kayong ginagawa. This is a habit the girls and I sort of fallen into. At first it was out of convenience since maliit nga lang yung condo, the largest desk space we have in our ground floor is yung dining table. Hindi na rin naman kami naglagay ng malaking coffee table sa sala since, again, maliit lang ang floor space. Mostly for decorative purposes lang din talaga yung nilagay namin or if the girls would brave the cold floor and the back pain minsan doon nauupo sa sahig para gamitin yung coffee table pero madalas isa lang itong display o kaya naman patungan ng paa kapag nanonood. Anyway, hindi naman 'yon ang gusto kong pag-usapan. Nag-digress na ako, siguro ang gusto lang sabihin ay mahilig kaming tumambay sa dining at kung makakapagsalita lamang ito, feeling ko marami itong maikukwento lalo na tungkol sa amin ni Risa.
If the dining could speak ika nga.
***
It was a Sunday morning in our household. Surprisingly rin, it was a rest day for us. Campaign season nito kaya surprising na we got a day off. Napagdesisyonan ng tropa na pahinga raw muna, so everyone can get the rest and reset we need. Kaya ito kami ngayon at 9:00 am, pupungas pungas at mga naka pajama pa and with Risa who's also still pretty much out of it in her black polka dot pjs courtesy of Trish.
Hindi na bago sa mga bata na dito natutulog si Risa. After all, we're friends. Isa pa, they find their Tita Sen's presence comforting. Buti naman daw at may kaibigan ako na nakakausap and partida raw willing mag adjust for me considering nga na busy rin si Risa yet she would often visit me/ us. Natutuwa rin sila syempre sa pasalubong nito tuwing bibisita since she never comes empty handed. Usually may pastries na dala something Patty loves, minsan mga gourmet tuyo or something that Aika would use for her kombucha mix, or sweets for Jill. One time I teased her about it. Puro ba naman sa mga bata ang dala.
"Paano naman ako? Anong pasalubong ko?" I pouted a little which made the Tres Maria's roll their eyes at me.
Risa jokingly pointed at herself, "Ako. Ako ang pasalubong mo. Ayaw mo ba?"
Hindi ko alam na puwede ka palang masamid sa hangin because that's exactly what happened. I choked on air and of course, Risa's right beside me.
"Oh, wala ka naman kinakain nasasamid ka diyan mag-isa." She lightly patted my back trying to soothe me as Aika handed her a glass of water for me to drink.
"Ma, inom ka after oh. Baka po naexcite lang masyado sa pasalubong niya." Aika said and I couldn't help but give her a 'subtle' glare as Risa started laughing.
Aika looked at me meaningfully before returning to her seat with her sisters who are now happily munching on their pasalubongs.
The next time she went for a sleepover, she has a pack of chocnut and cheeto puffs for me. Sagot na raw niya ang pagrereplenish ng stock ko for that month.
Back to the present, we both got settled on the dining table. Medyo pareho kaming tulala. We both looked at each other and we couldn't help the laugh that bubbled through us. Pareho kaming mukhang puyat. Despite it, I couldn't help but notice how she just glows. With her bare face and disheveled hair, ang ganda ganda pa rin talaga.
When her laughter died down, she finally noticed me staring at her. Still, with a soft smile, she reached out and took my hand in hers. She let out a soft contented sigh as she got settled in her seat. With her back against the wall, she pulled me towards her. Wala na rin naman akong nagawa but to relent to her wishes kahit nalang dapat magluto na kami ng almusal for everyone.
