Chapter 79 #2
After a moment, Gianna glanced toward the clock on the microwave.
"What time are Zoe and Maya expecting you?"
Kinuha ni Kairi ang phone niya.
"They're probably wondering kung nasaan na ako."
"They haven't messaged?"
"They have."
Bahagya niyang iniharap ang screen kay Gianna.
Gianna laughed.
"They really are protective."
"I warned you yesterday."
"You did."
Napangiti si Kairi, locking her phone again.
"Kakayanin ko naman ang interrogation nila."
"I believe you."
Muling natahimik ang dalawa.
Pagkalipas ng ilang sandali, muling nagsalita si Gianna.
"Are you in a hurry to get back?"
Kairi looked up. "Hindi naman."
"They'll forgive you for being late?"
"Well, magre-reklamo muna sila."
"And after that?"
"They'll order dessert."
Gianna smiled. "So...yes."
"Pretty much."
She nodded thoughtfully, as though working up the courage for something else.
Then she took a careful breath.
"Would you...like to stay for dinner?"
The invitation was gentle, offered without expectation.
"We don't have to," dagdag niya, gesturing toward the kitchen. "I just thought since we're already here, it might be nice."
Tahimik lang siyang tiningnan ni Kairi.
Yesterday, Gianna would've apologized before she'd even finished asking. Today, she simply waited at hinayaan lang niyang si Kairi ang magdesisyon.
"You already had dinner planned?"
"I was just going to order something."
Napatingin si Kairi sa eco bag.
"Miss, you don't need to."
Sinundan ni Gianna ang tingin niya.
"Nag-pack si Mama ng food enough for another family," natatawang sabi ni Kairi. "Kapag hindi natin nabawasan ito, iisipin na naman niyang hindi kumakain si Ella."
Gianna chuckled.
"I don't think I'd want to disappoint your mom."
"You really don't."
Their eyes met for another brief moment before Kairi nodded.
"Okay."
Mas lumaki nang kaunti ang ngiti ni Gianna, hanggang umabot na ito sa mga mata niya.
"Okay?"
"Yes, Miss. Let's have dinner...together."
"Thank you."
Kairi tilted her head.
"Miss, hindi mo naman kailangang magpasalamat every time na pumapayag ako."
Mahinang natawa si Gianna at napailing.
"I know."
She hesitated bago muling nagsalita. "I'm still getting used to asking."
"I noticed."
They moved around the kitchen almost instinctively after that.
Si Kairi ang naghanap ng mga kailangan sa mga cabinet habang si Gianna naman ang nag-reheat ng mga pagkaing pinadala ng nanay ni Kairi.
Dalawang beses nilang nabuksan ang maling cabinet bago nila tuluyang nahanap ang mga plato, then spent another minute looking for forks because Ella had decided the cutlery belonged in an entirely different drawer.
"Sino ba kasing nag-aayos ng kusina nang ganito?" reklamo ni Kairi.
"Ella."
Kairi laughed. "Miss, two weeks ka nang nakatira dito pero hindi mo pa rin alam kung nasaan ang mga gamit?"
"I know where the coffee is. You know, may priorities ako."
She rolled her eyes.
"Clearly."
Mula roon, naging mas natural na ang usapan nila.
Kairi told Gianna about Zoe's habit na bumili ng kung anu-anong grocery na hindi naman niya nagagamit dahil every week, she convinced herself she'd finally learn a new recipe.
In return, Gianna admitted she'd once discovered six different brands of instant noodles in Ella's pantry because Ella insisted every single one tasted different.
"They do," depensa ni Kairi. "Miss, try mo kayang mabuhay na noodles lang ang kinakain. You'll know."
Gianna looked at her, amused.
"That's what you learned from living independently with your friends?"
"Hindi lang naman iyon," Kairi said, shrugging. "Pero malaking part rin."
At napatawa siya nang malakas. Hindi na rin napigilan ni Gianna na makisabay sa tawa.
They were still smiling when they carried their plates to the dining table.
Sa labas, tuluyan nang dumidilim ang langit. The windows reflected the warm lights inside the condo while traffic moved steadily below.
For a while, they simply ate.
The conversation slowed naturally, interrupted only by occasional comments about the food.
After Gianna's first bite, she looked up.
"This is really good."
Kairi smiled.
"I told you, Miss. Matutuwa si Mama kapag narinig 'yan."
"I'll tell her myself if I ever get the chance."
The sentence lingered between them.
Kairi realized she didn't mind imagining that possibility.
She took another bite before looking across the table.
"You know..."
Napatingin si Gianna mula sa plato niya.
"You don't have to keep looking at me na parang anytime, magbabago ang isip ko."
A flicker of surprise crossed Gianna's face. "Was I?"
Kairi smiled knowingly and nodded. "Miss, every time na tumatahimik tayo, tinitingnan mo ako na parang hinihintay mong sabihin ko na I have to leave."
Napabuntong-hininga si Gianna, setting her spoon against the edge of her plate before giving a small, sheepish smile.
"I guess I am."
"Miss, you don't have to."
"I know."
Sandali silang parehong natahimik.
Tinitigan ni Gianna ang mesa na parang natatawa rin sa sarili niya, bago bahagyang umiling.
"I spent a long time expecting the worst," pag-amin niya. "I'm trying not to."
"Pansin ko nga," Kairi's smile lingered. "Both of those things."
Gianna looked back up, meeting her eyes across the table.
"You told me yesterday not to disappear," she said quietly. "And you also told me to let you decide instead of deciding everything myself."
Tumango si Kairi.
"So..." Gianna hesitated, a shy smile finding its way onto her face. "Every question I ask myself now starts with, What if I just ask Kairi instead?"
Agad na natawa si Kairi.
"That's actually progress."
"I think so too."
"You don't have to get it perfect, Miss," Kairi said, her voice softening. "You just have to stop carrying every decision by yourself."
Matagal na tinitigan ni Gianna si Kairi bago tumango.
"I can do that."
At naniwala si Kairi sa kanya. Hindi dahil bigla na lang naging madali ang magtiwala. Hindi rin dahil nawala na ang sakit ng nakaraan.
But because Gianna wasn't standing in front of her, making impossible promises or asking to be believed without reason.
She wasn't trying to become someone else.
She was simply choosing, one ordinary moment at a time, to do things differently.