The Death of Dreams (Frankiana)

Chapter 21

Diana's POV

Masaya ako dahil okay na kami ni mommy, so tuloy talaga kami ni Franki bukas sa New Zealand. Super excited ko na nga eh.

7pm.

Kumakain na kami ni Franki ng dinner.

"..sinasabi kasi ni Mommy that the secret ingredient is lying. Sa tingin mo ano kayang ibig sabihin nun?."

"What do you mean lying?."

"Hindi ko nga alam, basta yun yung sinabi niya."

"Hmm baka abbreviation yan of something else like LICK YOUR ISDA NA GOMA. Ganun haha."

"Hahaha siraulo ka. Ano yun? Ang bastos, ayoko nyan."

"Wala akong maisip eh--ano ba dapat?."

"Love Your Inside Na Ganda."

"Hmm that could be it. Pero ano? Guessing game lang tayo dito?."

"Ano bang gusto mong gawin natin? Eto kasing si Mommy, ayaw pa sabihin."

"Isip tayo ng iba. Baka numbers yan. So, 741--Diana, ano ba yung N?."

"Sa tingin ko hindi yun number. Ano namang kinalaman ng number?."

"Kasi pwedeng perfect measurement of something, o baka--"

"NGIYL, INGYL, ILNGY--"

"Baka wala talaga sa word. Lying is an act."

"But what does lying have to do with cooking? It doesn't make any sense Franki."

"Hindi ko alam kung ano yun, pero alam ko na meron."

Hmm you think that there is something but you can't see it so you can't figure out what it actually is to be exact. How is that even possible? How would you know that you're experiencing the real thing without seeing it? Bakit parang naguguluhan na ako lalo?

KINABUKASAN

Nakaalis kami ng 5 in the morning at nakaalis ang eroplano ng 7am. 10 hours and 30 minutes ang travel papuntang New Zealand. Libre kami lahat since si Sky na ang sumagot sa lahat, may additional pang pocket money.

Katabi ko ngayon si Franki sa eroplano.

"Are you okay?. Iniisip mo parin ba kung ano yun?." Tanong niya sakin.

"Oo."

"Alam mo, baka ma-stress ka lang nyan. You need to refresh your mind, I'm sure lalabas din yan in the process. Besides, hindi naman included yang iniisip mo sa contest eh--"

"Anong hindi? Title palang ng competition, Kitchen Master: The Revelation of the World's Secret Ingredients."

"Eh hindi na pala secret kasi ire-reveal na."

"The purpose of that is for us chefs to claim the secret ingredient, na kahit anong kopya ng iba mapupunta pa rin samin ang credit."

"Ganun ba talaga yun?."

"Oo kasi once sumikat yung sayo, iisipin ng lahat na ikaw ang nauna at lahat ng gagawa ng mga ginawa o nilagay mo, nanggagaya lang."

5 na kami ng hapon nakalapag at 6 ng mag commute kami papunta kina Franki. Halatang may kaya din sila.

Pang-ilang doorbell na namin bago lumabas ang mommy ni Franki na sobrang nasorpresa sa pagdating namin. Kitang kita ko how they miss each other.

"You didn't tell me you were coming."

"Mom, I can speak Filipino now."

"Really?."

"Opo."

"Good. Uhm who's this beautiful lady that you're with?." Nagmano naman ako sa mommy niya.

"Diana po mom." Sabi ni Franki, tila nag-aalalangan dahil iba ang tingin ng mommy niya samin.

"Nice to finally meet you Tita. Ang ganda nyo rin po." Sabi ko sa mommy niya.

"Ooh charmer. Gusto na kita. Uhm hali kayo, pasok pasok." Kaya pumasok na kami.

7pm dinner na.

Nagsisimula na kaming kumain nang biglang dumating ang kapatid ata ni Franki. Sa tingin ko galing sya ng gym judging her outfit.

"Hi mom. Oh hey, you're here. I miss you--oops, so I guess another member of the family brought a girlfriend. Nice choice sis, you do have a good taste with girls--" sabay tingin samin ni Franki.

"Sophia, we're just friends. You're just like mom--"

"So you're not gay?."

"Well, I haven't decided yet." Ano bang ibig sabihin ni Franki dun?.

"By the way Diana, this is Sophia. My annoying sister. Sis, this is Diana--"

"Your future wife, I knew it! Haha I'm kidding I'm kidding. Well, I'll be right back. I'll just gonna change." Paalam nito at umakyat na sa kwarto niya.

"So Diana, how long have you been together--I mean FRIENDS with Franki?."

"Ilang months palang po Tita."

"Are you aware of our family tradition?."

"Mooom--"

"Ano ba Franki? Maka-react ka naman. Dinala dala mo sya dito at pormal na pinakilala, dapat alam niya."

"Alam ko po tita. Sinabi na sakin ni Franki."

"So willing ka bang pakasalan ang anak ko?."

"P-po?."

"Joke hahaha. Pero seryoso ka talaga Franki? Di mo niligawan to?. Sayang."

"Mom, seriously? At saka I don't do ligaw no, ako ang nililigawan. Nakalimutan mo bang babae ako?." Natutuwa talaga ako sa mag-inang to.

"Babae ka pa sa puntong yan? eh dinaig mo pa yung kuya mo. Kasi yun 28, ikaw 24 ka palang nag-uwi ka na ng babae."

"Alam mo mom, you're embarrassing me sa bisita ko. Pasensya ka na Diana ah, ganyan lang talaga si mommy. Lahat ng bagay nilalagyan ng kulay, sana mom nagpainter ka nalang."

"Kung may talent lang talaga ako dyan anak. Actually, yung lolo mo painter yun."

"Yeah, mom's right. Lolo is a great painter, and he's a good singer too." Biglang sulpot ni Ate Sophia at umupo na para kumain.

"Lolo can sing too?." Tanong ni Franki.

They must be referring to Mr. Frank Russell, yung painter ng The Peacemaker.

"Yes, he has a self-recorded song pa nga eh. I think it was 2 years before you were born Franki. Andun yun sa kwarto mo. Nakita ko yun one time habang naglilinis ako. You should listen to it. Nasa isang cassette tape lang yun. Bumili nga ako ng lumang radyo para maiplay yun eh." Sabi ng mommy niya.

"That's really great mom. Actually, one of lolo Frank's paintings andun na sa isang bagong bukas na museum in the Philippines."

"Which one are you referring to sis?."

"The one with a woman who looked a bit like Diana."

"Oh, that's why namumukhaan kita iha. You do look like her. Ang pagkakaalam ko, that woman was your Lolo's one great love Franki, but they didn't end up together. Pero naniniwala nako, kung anong puno yun din ang bunga. Manang mana ka talaga sa lolo mo Franki. Ganitong hubog talaga bet nyo. Tingnan mo naman, sobrang ganda. Pang beauty queen."

"Hindi naman po, sakto lang. At saka nagkataon lang po siguro na magkamukha kami nung Great love ni Sir Frank." Sabi ko.

"Uhm guys, I'll just gonna remind you that I'm still here. You're all speaking Filipino, I think I'm nosebleeding." Interrupt no Ate Sophia. At literal ngang dumudugo ang ilong nya kaya nataranta kami at nagmadaling bigyan sya ng tissue.