As soon as our plane landed, I called our parents. I knew that my Mom was worried and I also knew that she and my mother-in-law were in constant communication with each other while my wife and I were in Cebu.
"Sa susunod na mag-away kayo, pakisabi kay Green na dito naman s'ya maglayas," my mother said.
I laughed. "Mommy, I promise kapag may oras talaga uuwi po kami d'yan. At pasensya na po kasi ang dalang po namin kayong nadadalaw."
"Naiintindihan ko. Pero, miss ka na namin, Redley, kayong dalawa ni Gianna. Mabuti na nga lang at tawag nang tawag 'yang asawa mo, eh, kaya nababawasan kahit papaano 'yung pagka-miss ko sa inyong dalawa."
"Naikukuwento nga po n'ya na parati po kayong nag-uusap. Oo nga pala, 'Mmy, may mga ipapa-package kami sa inyo galing Cebu. Idadaan po namin ngayon para po matanggap ninyo bukas."
"Alam ko, kaya nga rin ako tumawag kasi kinukulit ako ng Daddy mo n'ung nalaman n'yang may pasalubong kami galing kina Kumare."
"Sige po, i-text ko po sa inyo mamaya 'yung tracking number."
"O, sige, mag-ingat kayo palagi d'yan, ha."
"Opo, 'Mmy. Regards po kay Lola at kay Daddy."
"Sige, makakarating," my Mom said before our phone call ended.
I wanted to stay home and rest but I had to drive to Diliman after sending the package to Laguna leaving my wife again because of fraternity matters.
"Are you sure na okay ka lang dito, Lalabs? Gusto mo bang sumama sa akin?" I had asked.
"Hindi na, inaantok rin ako, eh, matutulog na lang ako. 'Tsaka tatawagan ko 'yung classmates ko to ask them what I missed when I was absent. Mamaya may assignment pala o project. Ikaw ba, do you want me to call your classmates for you para gawin ko na rin assignments mo kung meron man?"
"Hindi na, Lalabs, ako na. Daan na lang ako sa tambayan ni Aris, classmate ko s'ya sa tatlong subjects."
"Okay. Mag-ingat ka, ha. And text me," my wife had said before kissing me goodbye.
That was just an hour ago.
Hay, hindi na natapos ang problema rito sa frat.
I looked at my brods' bowed heads. I knew I shouldn't lose my cool but it was getting more and more difficult to stretch my patience.
"Anong nangyari, Gary?" I asked my 1st Vice Lord Chancellor who nervously raised his head to look at me.
"'Y-yun po LC, n-nagpunta po rito 'yung m-mga taga-Gamma Phi kahapon p-po."
"Huminga ka muna. Kalma, hindi ako galit."
Gary took a gulp from his bottled water.
"Okay, nagpunta ang mga taga-Gamma Phi rito, 'tapos anong nangyari?"
"A-ang naabutan po nila ay sina Terrence, Marion, Howard, Jethro, Luis, at Darren," Gary said in a calmer tone.
"Sinu-sino ang mga nagpunta, is their LC with them?"
"Hindi po, 'yung Vice po nila, LC. Dom Aguinaldo raw po ang pangalan n'ya."
"And?"
"Hinahanap po si 2nd Vice, LC. 'Tapos may ipinapabigay po..." Gary said before he handed me a long metal pipe. "LC, 'di po ba ang ibig pong sabihin n'yan..."
I swallowed a cuss.
Tangna naman, I don't need a rumble right now...
"Anong sabi ni Yurich? Nasaan nga pala s'ya?"
