Scripted Relationship

CHAPTER 51

ERIK

I stood there, stunned. Tito Edgar offered me to enter their humble abode and eat dinner with them? Did he just offer me that?

"Okay lang po ba?" I asked him. I wanted a confirmation, owing to my dumbstrucked reaction.

"Aalukin ba kita kung hindi?"

At that moment, I could not help myself but show a smile. Tito Edgar also smiled at me. So, without further ado, I closed the door of my car, activated its security alarm, and went on to enter their house with Tito Edgar.

The house did not change though. Everything was still the same since my last visit. Tito Edgar and I entered the living room and found that Racky was already watching a cartoon show. Tita Eloisa was busy preparing their dinner. When she saw me, she simply waved at me.

"Sandali lang ha," Tita Eloisa said to me. "Ihahanda ko lang ang kakainin natin."

"Sige po," I assured her as I sat on the sofa. "Si Tita Gina po?"

"Umuwi muna siya sa probinsya para makapagpahinga at makasama ang mga apo niya," Tita Eloisa responded while she was putting plates on the table.

"Si Romeo po," I asked next.

"Nasaan pa ba, sa tingin mo?" It was Tito Edgar who asked me the rhetorical question. I realized that Romeo was with her girlfriend. No wonder he's not here.

I did not ask another question after that. I wanted to act normal. Normal meant that I do as little as possible. One wrong move would surely destroy the repairing rapport we are having. So, I focused myself on talking to Racky about the cartoon show she was watching. Well, I can engage a conversation with her, especially that she was watching 'Spongebob Squarepants', my favorite cartoon show.

After a while, I heard Rose going down from her room.

"Mommy, nakita mo ba yung-"

Rose stopped at the middle of the stairs when she saw me. She was wearing her pambahay shirt and shorts. She was shocked to see me. For sure, she was expecting that I already left them after I brought them home.

"A-anong ginagawa mo dito?" Rose stuttered as she asked me that while walking down the stairs.

I was about to respond to her when Tito Edgar answered her. "Kailangan nating magpasalamat sa tulong niya."

Rose looked at Tito Edgar skeptically. She was going to say something to Tito Edgar, but the look of Tito Edgar prevented her from doing so. Instead, she simply proceeded to the dining area and sat on one of the seats, even though Tita Eloisa was not yet finished. Then, I saw her signature pouty lips. I knew then that she didn't like the idea of me being in their house.

Tita Eloisa finally announced that dinner was ready. Racky and I went to the dining area and I helped her sit on her chair. I also helped Tita Eloisa sit on hers. Tito Edgar sat on the usual chair of the father of the family. As for me, I helped myself to sit beside Rose, of course.

"Racky, dasal ka na," Tito Edgar said to Racky who put her hands together to start praying.

I bowed my head and listened on Racky's prayer. The prayer went like this:

"Lord, maraming salamat po sa pagkain namin ngayong gabi. Salamat po dahil natulungan po ako ni Kuya Erik kanina sa The Mall. Salamat din po dahil magkakasama po kami nina Daddy, Mommy, Ate Rose at Kuya Erik. Lord, sana po magkabalikan na po sila Kuya Erik at Ate Rose at magmahalan na po sila ni Ate Rose to infinity and beyond, pati na po ang in between. Maraming salamat po sa blessings. Amen."