KEEPING IT WARM.

Forbidden Spice

The day unfolded with a sense of unease, as Jeanne found herself at her front door, face-to-face with her mother. She had just returned home after an unexpectedly eventful night, and the look of worry etched across her mother's face was impossible to ignore.

"Saan ka galing na bata ka?" her mother demanded, her voice laced with concern as she opened the door for her.

"Ma..." she began, her voice barely a whisper, her anxiety palpable.

Her mother's concern only deepened. "Alam mo ba kung gaano ako nag-aalala sa 'yo? Tinatawagan kita pero hindi man lang nagri-ring ang phone mo. Kahit mga pinsan mo hindi ka matawagan." Dahil nga walang signal ay hindi siya matawagan ng mga ito. She had discovered the missed calls while checking her phone earlier in the car. Her cousins were probably still asleep now, given the early hour.

"May nangyari po kasi," sagot niya at saka yumuko dahil hindi niya magawang suklian ang tingin nito. Ang unang beses na nagalit ang mama niya ay no'ng 13 pa lamang siya dahil nakipagsabunutan siya nang asarin siya ng isa sa mga kaklase niya na kaya raw wala s'yang tatay ay dahil nabuntisan lang ang mama niya. Her mother had not taken kindly to the way she had acted in response to such an accusation. Palagi nitong sinasabi na kahit na anong mangyari ay umiwas siya sa gulo.

"At ano naman 'yon?" Her mother's tone turned even more serious, pulling Jeanne back to the present. She hadn't realized how much her mother had been affected by her absence.

Almost as an afterthought, someone standing beside her spoke up, breaking the tension. "Good morning, Ma'am. I'm Justine. I'm a student at Avalon."

As Jeanne looked up, she saw her mother's gaze shift to the stranger beside her. Her mother's expression held a mixture of curiosity and confusion. She had never brought anyone home before. Even her high school friends had never set foot inside their house.

Jel, who stood at her side, cleared their throat before offering a small, uncertain smile. They seemed to be just as apprehensive about her mother's reaction as Justine was. Hindi naman ito masungit tingnan, sadyang hindi lang maayos ang timpla ng mukha nito dahil nga anong oras na umuwi ang nag-iisa n'yang anak at may kasama pa itong estranghero.

"Kung papayagan niyo po ako, gusto ko po sanang i-explain kung anong nangyari sa 'min ng anak niyo." Agad s'yang namula sa sinabi ni Jel sa gilid niya kaya pasimpleng pinanlakihan niya ito ng mata.

Her mother sighed, and she sensed a subtle shift in the atmosphere. The tension seemed to ease a bit. "Pumasok na nga muna kayo."

Both of them complied, entering the house and finding a place to sit. With everyone settled, Jel began to recount the events of the night, though they carefully omitted certain details, such as the intimate encounter that had transpired between them.

"Sa susunod mag-iingat na ha?" Her mother, Joan, advised, her tone gentle now. "Kumain na muna kayo pakatapos ko magsangang."

Once her mother had finished preparing breakfast, they all gathered around the table to eat. Joan had occupied a separate table across from them while Jeanne and Jel sat together.

"Anong kurso ang kinukuha mo, Justine?" Joan inquired after taking a bite.

"Fine Arts, Tita," Justine replied. Tita na agad ang tawag nito sa mama niya matapos itong sabihin na 'wag na s'yang tawaging Ma'am dahil masyado raw nakatutunog matanda.

"Edi magaling ka pala sa mga drawings at paintings?" Her mother's question gave Jeanne an amusing idea, so she intervened before Jel could respond.

"Their hands are quite skillful, Ma," she said with a teasing tone, causing Jel to choke on their food.