Pagpasok namin sa mismong dinarausan ng party ay agad na may sumalubong sa aming magandang babae – nakasuot s'ya ng damit pang-reyna at may nakapatong na gintong korona sa ulo n'ya.
"Hello, little boy, I am Queen Isabel. Welcome to Ingrid's Kingdom. I am here to give you your name tag," she announced with a smile.
I stared in confusion at her.
"What's your name?"
"Ale—"
"Excuse me po," Yaya interrupt my reply.
I did not hear the rest of their conversation as the children started clapping. A second later, my favorite Power Rangers marched in front of me.
"Yaya, si Red Ranger po, o! Ya, tingnan n'yo po!" I excitedly tugged at Yaya Lucille's skirt.
"Teka lang, Bunso—doon po ba, Ma'am?"
"Oo, the entrance to the garden is that way," the lady said pointing towards a glass sliding door before she bent down to smile at me. "Hi, Dracula..."
I nervously looked at her.
"I am Isabel, the hostess of this party. I am Ingrid's Mom."
"Hello po..." I mumbled shyly.
"Do you want to meet the Power Rangers?"
I could only smile because I couldn't understand what she was saying.
"Halika, I'll introduce you to them so you can take pictures." She took my hand in hers but Yaya was quick to snatch it away.
"Ma'am, okay lang po, ako na po ang bahala sa kanya. Sige po—"
"Wait, I'll get you seated so you can eat."
"Hindi na po."
"Bakit?" she sounded disappointed. "The little boy might be hungry."
"Pasensya na po kayo, Ma'am, pero nagmamadali po kasi kami. Excuse me lang po..." Yaya said before she ushered me towards the glass door.
"Ya, totoong reyna po ba 'yung ale kanina?" I asked.
"Hindi, Bunso."
"Ay, akala ko po totoo. Ang ganda-ganda n'ya po kasi. Kamukha po n'ya 'yung mga reyna na napapanuod ko po sa mga palabas."
"Mommy raw s'ya ng birthday celebrant. Kapit kang mabuti sa akin, Anak, ha. H'wag na h'wag kang hihiwalay sa akin. Mahihirapan akong hanapin ka kung sakali dahil sa dami ng bisita."
"Opo, Ya."
Medyo nalula ako sa dami ng tao at noon lang ako nakakita ng gan'un karaming payaso sa buong buhay ko. Pero, hindi katulad ng mga payasong nakita ko noon sa basketball court ng barangay namin ay magarbo ang kasuotan nila, nakangiti, at hindi sila mukhang naiinis sa mga bata.
"Ya, may kuneho po na lumabas galing sa sumbrero n'ung lalaki, o! Dali, Ya, nuod po tayo!" I exclaimed in wonder.
"Pasensya ka na, Bunso, at nagmamadali tayo. Baka malaman kasi nilang hindi tayo imbitado rito, eh. Mamaya paalisin nila tayo at hindi pa natin makausap ang Mommy mo."
"Okay lang po, Ya. Naiintindihan ko po..." I replied.
"Napakarami namang tao, nasaan kaya ang Mommy mo, ito na 'yung garden—'ayun!"
Kilala ko si Mommy sa mukha kasi may litrato s'ya sa bahay. Paniwala kasi ni Yaya na dapat kilala ko ang mukha ng sarili kong nanay. And even when Yaya had warned me beforehand not to call my mother Mommy, I wasn't able to contain myself and ran up to her.
