I knew then that my mother's husband already knew. Kung 'yung mga sinabi n'ya ang pagbabasehan, ay may ideya s'ya kung sino ako. O kahit hindi man s'ya sigurado ay nararamdaman kong nagdududa s'ya tungkol sa pagkatao ko.
What are you going to do next, Aleph? I quietly asked myself.
Truth was, I was scared – natatakot ako kung ano ang magiging kahihinatnan ng duda na 'yun ng Ninong ni Ingrid at kung anong gulo ang idudulot n'un sa pamilya nila. I knew that the Samontes would take Ingrid's side and my girlfriend would take mine.
"Aleph..." I heard Atty. Samontes voice.
I looked up from my plate. "Po?"
"Ayaw mo ba ang pagkain?" he asked glancing briefly at me before he resumed eating.
"Hindi po. Gustung-gusto ko po ang pagkain," I replied before I ate a spoonful of rice.
"Wala ka yatang ganang kumain ngayon. Magtatampo ang Tita mo n'yan," my girlfriend's father added transferring his gaze to his wife.
But Tita Isabel's mind was obviously somewhere else because she did not even respond to what her husband said.
"'Ling..."
"Yes, 'Ling?" Ingrid's Mom asked her husband, a smile on her face. "Ano 'yun, 'Ling...?"
Atty. Samonte shook his head before he reached for his wife's hand. "Ako na ang bahala" he said. "Kumain ka, bakit para naman yatang nag-da-diet ka? H'wag kang mag-alala, 'Ling, ikaw lang sexy at maganda para sa akin."
Tita Isabel laughed quietly. "Dapat hindi nambobola sa harap ng grasya," she told her husband. "Teka nga parang kulang itong ulam, pito ang niluto ko bakit aanim lang 'yung nandito? Naku, mukhang 'yung paboritong ulam pa ni Aleph and wala rito." She smiled at me before rose to her feet.
I knew that Ingrid's parents were trying to make light of the situation kaya tuloy lalo akong nakonsensya because I was aware that they were doing it for me.
"Talaga namang 'yung paborito pang ulam ni Aleph ang nakalimutan. Kaya naman pala walang ganang kumain si Aleph, eh," Atty. Samonte issued, his voice teasing.
I smiled gratefully at him.
"'Ayun na, Aleph, kinukuha na ng Tita mo 'yung paborito mong beef caldereta."
"Daddy, Aleph really looked forward to dinner. Gutom na gutom na po kasi s'ya and he was really excited for Mommy's caldereta," Ingrid piped in.
"Oo nga po, eh. Napapanaginipan ko nga po 'yung beef caldereta ni Tita Isabel," I said.
"Mabuti naalala ng Tita mo. Try the morcon and the baked chicken, I love those."
Ingrid put a serving each of the dishes her Dad mentioned. "Kailangan ubusin mo itong mga 'to, Aleph, or else magtatampo si Mommy."
"The caldereta is here!" Tita Isabel announced. "Nandito na ang favorite mo, Aleph. Niluto ko talaga 'yan para sa'yo."
"Maraming salamat po, Tita..." I sincerely said.
Hindi ko alam kung bakit sumasakit ang dibdib ko. Siguro dahil alam kong ma-mi-miss ko 'yung mga luto ni Tita Isabel at 'yung mga kuwentuhan namin ni Atty. Samonte. Pero, alam ko rin kung ano ang dapat kong gawin – ang umalis sa bahay nina Ingrid dahil ayoko silang madamay.
"O, kain pa," Tita Isabel's voice pulled me out of my thoughts. "Kumusta ang timpla?"
"Masarap po, Tita," I replied smiling. "Lahat naman po ng niluluto ninyo ay masarap. Pati na po 'yung desserts."
"Talaga? Binobola mo lang yata ako, Aleph, eh...."
"Mommy, totoo po 'yan," Ingrid immediately came to my rescue. "One time, the canteen was selling pineapple upside down cake and since they marketed it as the most delicious upside down cake we would ever taste ay bumili po kami."
