Destiny's Game

10

"Meng, anak, ano ito? Sino si Rj?" Mama asked as she handed Nic the notecard and envelope that fell out of Nic's bag when the girl took out its contents

"Po?"

"Hmm...dalaga na ang baby namin. Uuuyyy, may manliligaw na sya..." Mama teased.

"Maaaa..." Nic whimpered. She blushed as she took the card from Mama and looked at it.

"Sino muna si Rj? Kasabay mo sa service?"

Nic shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. "...inabot lang ni Ate Josie sa akin to e...di ko rin po alam kung kanino galing..."

"Ayan nga o, Rj..." Mama said as she pointed to the letters on the card.

"Baka naman mali lang...hindi talaga para sa akin yan..."

Mama thought. "May iba pa bang dalaga dito sa village na Meng ang pangalan?"

Nic thought for moment then shook her head.

"...eh ang pinaka-malapit na katunog ng Meng ay Mel...si Melody...Melody Santillan...yun anak nina Mr. and Mrs. Santillan..."

"...six years old..." Nic said.

"Yun din...siguro naman hindi sya yan...pero bakit band aid ang ginamit?" Mama said as she ran her hand over the letters R & J which were formed with plaster strips.

---

"Ate, pwede pong makahingi ng band aid?" Yaya Virgie knocked on Mama and Popsy's door. She had accidentally cut her finger while preparing lunch.

"Kumuha ka nalang dyan sa medicine box..." Mama said. She was busy fixing their clothes in the cabinet.

Yaya Virgie went to the medicine box which Mama mentioned. "Ate..." The medicine box was on a small table next to the bathroom door.

"...kung medyo malalim yung sugat mo, lagyan mo muna ng ointment...kung gasgas lang, pwede na yung iodine...may bulak at cotton buds sa banyo..." Mama said without looking at Yaya Virgie.

"Eh Ate..."

"...bakit? Hindi mo ba nakita?" Mama said as she approached Yaya Virgie. "Ay! Bakit naubos na?" Mama said when Yaya Virgie showed her the empty box of plaster strips. She tried to recall if anyone in the family or household needed that many plasters in the past month; Mama could not recall if anyone had mentioned needing a whole box of 100 plaster strips.

---

"Kanino galing yan?" Papa asked when he saw Mama and Nic hovered over something at the dining table.

"Ah..eh.." Nic immediately took the card and envelope and tried to hide it under her thigh.

"Nicomaine..." Papa said with a slightly raised voice.

"Sus naman Teodoro..." Mama said as Nic nervously showed the card to Papa.

"Kanino galing?" Papa asked. He didn't open the envelope. "May manliligaw ka na? Marian, bukas na bukas, ipasok na natin si Menggay sa kumbento"

"Pa!" Nic lamented.

"Teodoro?"

"Ang bata-bata pa ni Menggay o..."

"Papa naman e...13 years old na po ako"

"Sus! Sige nga, ilang taon ka nga ulit nung una kang nagka-crush? Ang naaalala ko, sa kwento ni Mama, mga walo ka pa lang ata noon nung nawawala lagi yung mga nilalagay ni Mama na bulaklak sa altar nyo kasi binibigay mo dun sa kalaro mong si Rodora..." Mama said as she sat beside Nic while Papa sat in front of them.