Received (Epistolary)

Ten Thousand Babe Time

"Christian, get the salt nga!" I shouted from the kitchen.

Kanina pa siya nanonood ng NBA sa sala. If only I knew na he would choose NBA over me. It's a weekend today and I'm cooking lunch kasi it's supposed to be our babe time. He's watching NBA instead of giving me attention?

"Justine, isa na lang. Kapag walang asin na nakarating dito," pagbabanta ko pa.

Silence.

See? He's choosing NBA over me. Hope he gets married to any of those players or baka sa coach. I don't know anymore.

Don't he dare complain if this chicken curry is bland. Baka siya gawin kong seasoning kasi annoying siya.

I put salt sa kakainin ko lang. I'm this petty talaga. Bahala na siyang kumain mamaya. I ate lunch and went upstairs. I'm still annoyed. Magutom siya with basketball.

Moments passed and wala pa ring sumusunod sa room namin. Wala rin akong naririnig na utensils sa baba. Don't tell me he's enjoying watching that game so much that he forgot about everything else? Including me?

Bumaba na rin ako sa inis. What is this? May surprise ba siya na dapat annoying muna siya or annoying lang talaga siya and that's the not-so-surprise-surprise.

"Christian?"

Wala siya sa sala. Wala rin siya sa kitchen. Where is he?

Oh my.

"Lorelai, I just received 36 parcels. All for you." He smiled sarcastically.

I looked down like a kitten. Baka if I make paawa then he'll let this pass.

"Don't you dare use that trick on me. That won't work. You're overspending again." He added pa.

"Hey, it's just that some things kasi are very needed in our life kaya I checked them out." I smiled.

"These look like wants instead of needs, Lorelai. We've been living together for five years and these parcels look like we'll just move in."

I'm defeated. Pero how dare he make the tables turn pala? It's not like everything is my fault today. Ha! Just so you see, Villa.

"Fine. I admit that I'm wrong here." I paused and glared at him. "But you're wrong, too."

He looked confuse. I'm not.

"It's a Saturday. That means what?"

Tinaasan ko pa siya ng kilay para sumagot. "Babe time. Of course I know that, Lorelai."

"Wrong. That means there's a NBA game. Half day ka na sa sala. I was asking for your help kanina while I was cooking tapos you're not paying attention."

Siyempre nagtatampo ako. It's our time kasi tapos this day is spent pa na magkaaway kami.

"You ate na? Without asking me to eat with you?"

"Don't you dare try to guilt trip me, Villa. Hindi 'yan tatalab. Just eat and let me clean these parcels since they're my babies for today. It's our day."

I turned around with confidence while carrying some of the parcels. Mamaya ko na babalikan 'yung iba kapag tumaas na ulit confidence ko.

I opened the first box and it has our matching pajamas. Nakakainis lang lalo. I'm getting frustrated pa tuloy. I'm so petty. It won't surprise me if he ask for a breakup.

The second parcel contains our matching coffee cups. His says Lorelai's husband and mine says Christian's pretty wife. Of course, I made sure they are customized well.

We'll wear the pajamas today sana while drinking coffee. Cutie! But he chose violence today.

I took a nap because I'm feeling frustrated. I woke up na madilim na sa labas. Nagmamadali akong bumangon dahil hindi pa ako nakakapagluto ng dinner. I washed my face lang saglit.

While in the bathroom, I heard soft knocks coming outside the door of our room.

"Babe? Are you sleeping pa?" He asked softly.

Natauhan na ata siya. Well, if that's the case, nakakahiya kung itataas ko pa ang pride ko. Hindi ako marupok. I'm just giving back the same energy!

"Gising na! Lalabas na ako in a bit." I informed him from the bathroom.

It took me a while since I decided to take a full shower na. Naiinitan na rin kasi ako since kaninang umaga pa ang damit ko. The nap took so long it's past 8 in the evening already.

"Oh my gosh!" Napatalon ako sa gulat. He's lying down the floor in front of our bedroom door.

"You're out. Finally." He smiled sheepishly before getting up. "Kanina pa kita hinihintay. You missed dinner."

Nilagpasan ko na lang siya at bumaba na papunta sa kusina. I reheated the leftover chicken curry and added seasoning na.

"You ate lunch?" I asked while still stirring the chicken curry.

"Yes po," I felt him hug me from behind. "I like bland things naman para healthy living."

We both laughed with what he said. I can never get mad at him for too long.

"McDo na lang tayo? That chicken curry won't feed us both na." He said gently.

He kissed my shoulder before letting go of the hug.

"Suot natin matching pajamas na binili mo, love."

I turned the stove off and looked at him with plain shock. How did he know?

"I read the details sa parcel kanina. I payed for them all. Huwag ka na magalit, love." Panunuyo niya pa.

"Okay, I'll try to understand na rin your love for NBA just like how you understood my love for shopping."

"Dapat lang. COD ba naman mode of payment mo. Matalino rin."

Nahampas ko tuloy siya. Tumatawa lang siya habang ako naiinis na naman.

He went in for another hug. "Joke lang. Tara na. McDo drive-thru tapos road trip tayo to Tagaytay."

"Just like during our college days." I said as a sign of my agreement.

"Yes, my darling. Let's go na. I'm hungry na rin."

We changed in our matching pajamas and ordered sa drive-thru ng McDo. It was like this in college during exams and weekends.

"Happy weekend, happy babe time, happy Christian." He said in a sing-song voice.

I love this man so much. Our relationship was never the always happy type but we're both trying. We accepted our flaws and mistakes just like today. There's something new we should understand from each other again.

This road trip with him is more than the consolation I needed. Bonus pa with McDo.

—

Yey! Happy 10k hugs for Received. Thank you so much for walking with me and patiently waiting sa updates ng Viewed. I'm grateful for all of you.