AFIRE

#A4Day5 : Carbonara

"Mmmm, sarap naman nito, Mahal!" Richard said as he ate a forkful of the Carbonara his wife, Maine prepared for dinner.

"Thank you, Mahal." Maine smiled, wiping the remnants of the sauce left on the sides of her husband's lips.

"Mimi, thalap!" Thirdy, their 2 year old son exclaimed, feeding himself with same food his father was eating, mimicking the way he ate.

"Oh di ba. Kahit si Thirdy nasarapan. Ang galing mo talaga magluto, Mahal!"

"Sarap ba, baby?" She asked the cheerful toddler.

"Yeth mimi! Thalap thalap!"

"Good boy. Now, finish your food, okay?"

Thirdy nodded yes as he continued eating his food.

"Mahal maiba ako, okay ka ba dito sa bahay na ganito?" Richard asked, as he held his wife's hand.

"Oo naman, Mahal. Ang ganda dito. Ang ganda ng pagkakagawa at pagkakadesign."

"Syempre, Mahal. Lahat ito para sa inyo ni Thirdy, at syempre ng future baby girl natin diyan sa tiyan mo." He said, caressing her 6 month pregnant belly.

"Thank you, Richard. Thank you talaga. I love you!"

"I love you too, Maine."

--

"Hello? Hello Pa?"

"Thirdy, Nak! Kumusta kayo diyan ng misis mo? Nanganak na ba siya?"

"Hindi pa, Pa. Pero malapit na po yata siya mangana--" A loud scream emanated from the background as Richard talked to his son over the phone. It was Alice's scream, Thirdy's wife.

"Oh, anak, okay pa ba kayo?"

"Opo Pa...umm contractions daw po. Sige po Pa, tawag na lang po ko mamaya pag lumabas na yung bata. Love you!" Thirdy said as he hung up the phone.

"Love you Nak!"

"Mahal? Ano na? Nanganak na daw ba si Alice?" Maine worriedly said.

"Di pa, Mahal pero malapit na daw."

"Wag na po kayo mag-alala Ma, Pa. I'm sure okay lang sila Kuya. Kain na po tayo. Nagluto ako ng favorite niyo Pa, yung Carbonara na tinuro sa akin ni Mama." Charmaine, their daughter said, as she led them to the dining room.

"Talaga, Nak? Tinuruan ka ni Mama mo?"

"Opo, Pa. Pero syempre po walang tatalo sa luto ni Mama."

"Nak, ikaw talaga. I'm sure masarap yan." Maine said.

"Matikman nga!" Richard said as they sat around the dinner table.

--

"Mahal?"

"Yes, Mahal?" Maine said as she laid a bowl of Carbonara at the dinner table.

"Kumusta na kaya sila Thirdy at Charmaine?" Richard sighed at he looked at the two empty chairs before him.

"Di ba kausap lang natin sila kanina?"

"Oo nga. Pero namimiss ko na sila. Halos isang taon na natin sila hindi nakikita."

"Alam mo naman kung gaano kahirap ng buhay sa abroad di ba? I'm sure busy yung mga yun."

"Naiintindihan ko. Namimiss ko lang kasama silang kumain ng paborito kong Carbonara na luto mo."

Maine smiled as she reached out to touch Richard's cheek.

"Namimiss ko din sila, Mahal. Magkikita din tayong lahat. Uuwi daw sila sa Pasko di ba? Dalawang buwan na lang. Saka andito naman ako, Mahal. Di kita iiwan. I love you."

Richard smiled and drew closer to his wife and kissed her forehead.

"I love you too, Maine."

--

Richard sat down at the dinner table, then spooning a serving of his favorite Carbonara on his plate. He forked a spoonful in his mouth, breathed out a sigh, and smiled, savoring the delicious food.

"Ang sarap pa rin talaga, Mahal. Pero wala pa rin talagang tatalo sa luto mo. The best pa din talaga yung Carbonara mo." He said. "Alam mo ba may ikukwento ako sa'yo. Nung mga teenager pa sila Thirdy at Charmaine, nung anniversary natin, sinubukan namin gayahing iluto yung Carbona mo. Kaso, nasunog! Nagpanic ako. Kaya nagpadeliver ako sa paborito nating restaurant. Para di mo mahalata, mineet ko pa ung delivery boy sa kanto habang naliligo ka. Sarap na sarap ka nun kasi akala mo kami nagluto. Pero secret lang namin yun. Hahaha!" He was laughing his heart's content as he recalled the fond memories their family had.

As his laughter died down, tears started falling from his eyes as he looked at the empty dinner table and chairs before him.

"Miss na miss na kita, Mahal. Bakit ba kasi nagkasakit ka pa? Sabi mo di mo ko iiwan." He took out a photo from his wallet. It was of their wedding and caressed it in his hand as he continued sobbing. "Hinatid ko sila Thirdy at Charmaine sa airport kanina. Pabalik na ulit sila sa Australia. Miss ka na rin daw nila."

It's been two years since Maine passed at the age of 72.

"Alam ko masaya ka na dyan, Mahal. Pero salubungin mo ko pag nagkita na tayo ha. Sana matikman ko ulit yung Carbonara mo. Mahal na mahal kita, Maine."