Chapter 42 - Girlfriend Logistics
Having a girlfriend apparently came with logistics.
Not difficult logistics.
Just—
new ones.
Good morning messages.
Goodnight messages.
home?
eat.
still at work?
actual six?
Dates that no longer required clarification because—
yes.
Obviously date.
And apparently—
telling people.
Fuck.
I had forgotten that part.
Monday morning, I signed the lease for the adjacent unit.
Not the building.
Growth.
Apparently.
Current data first.
I still hated how reasonable that sounded.
Julia read the agreement.
Then looked at me.
"Adjacent?"
"Yes."
"Not the building?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Shorter commitment. Enough immediate capacity. Better optionality."
Julia stared.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"That was a suspicious nothing."
"I just thought you'd already decided on the building."
"I changed my mind."
Her eyebrows rose.
I ignored her.
"Call the contractor. I want workflow mapped before we move anything."
"Okay."
"And don't just cut a door through the wall because it's convenient. Check structural, electrical, fire compliance—"
"Yes."
"Ventilation."
"Yes."
"Inventory flow."
"Yes."
"Packaging can't cross incoming raw materials."
"I know."
"Good."
I stopped.
Fuck.
Julia noticed.
Again.
"What?"
"Nothing."
She narrowed her eyes.
Then—
"Is that your girlfriend's word?"
I froze.
Silence.
Julia's face changed.
Slowly.
"Oh."
Fuck.
"No."
"You have a girlfriend."
"That is unrelated to the lease."
"You have a girlfriend."
"Yes."
Julia put the papers down.
"When?"
"Last week."
"Who?"
"You know who."
Her eyes widened.
"Tori?"
"Yes."
Then—
Julia smiled.
Not huge.
Just enough to irritate me.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Everyone keeps saying nothing when clearly something is happening."
"I'm happy for you."
That shut me up.
"Oh."
"Congratulations."
"Thank you."
Then she picked the papers back up.
"Adjacent unit is also the correct decision."
I stared.
"Did Tori tell you to say that?"
"No."
"You're sure?"
"Yes."
"Good."
Julia looked at me.
I sighed.
"Fuck."
She laughed.
Apparently saying—
my girlfriend
out loud was different from thinking it.
Very different.
I discovered that at lunch.
Jane called.
"Hello?"
"Busy?"
"Eating."
"What?"
"Chicken."
"Good."
I froze.
Jane continued—
"Why did you stop?"
"Nothing."
"Are you okay?"
"Yes."
"Are you becoming weird?"
"Already was."
"Fair."
Then Chloe joined the call somehow.
I didn't ask.
"Hi."
"Why are you here?"
"Jane added me."
"Why?"
"I need witnesses."
"For what?"
Jane answered.
"Family."
Fuck.
"What about family?"
"Do they know?"
"Know what?"
Silence.
Then Chloe—
"Your girlfriend."
My brain did something stupid again.
There.
Girlfriend.
Still new.
"Not yet."
Jane gasped.
"LIA."
"What?"
"You have a girlfriend and Mama doesn't know?"
"It's been six days."
"Six days is almost a week."
"Excellent math."
"Thank you."
Chloe said—
"She should probably tell them before one of us accidentally does."
"You would not."
Jane immediately—
"I absolutely might."
"Jane."
"Not intentionally."
"That's worse."
"You know me."
Unfortunately.
I stabbed chicken.
"I'll tell them."
"Tonight."
"Why do you have a deadline?"
"Because I'm invested."
"You are not a stakeholder."
Jane gasped.
"I have been here since Grade Seven."
"Historical shareholder," Chloe said.
"Exactly."
"You both need jobs."
"I have one."
"Get another."
Jane laughed.
Then—
"Are you happy?"
That changed the tone.
I stopped.
Looked down at my lunch.
"Yes."
Simple.
Immediate.
Jane was quiet for a second.
Then—
"Okay."
And somehow—
that was enough.
I told Mama that night.
Not ceremonially.
No family meeting.
No—
I have an announcement.
I was sitting at the dining table checking supplier invoices while Mama cut fruit.
Sofia was on the couch.
Papa wasn't home yet.
Normal.
Then I remembered Jane's stupid deadline.
"Mama."
"Hm?"
"May girlfriend ako."
Mama kept cutting mango.
"Ah."
Pause.
Then she stopped.
Looked at me.
"Ha?"
I laughed.
Sofia's head snapped up.
"WHAT?"
Fuck.
I had underestimated the audience.
Mama put the knife down.
"Girlfriend?"
"Yes."
"Jowa?"
"Yes."
"Babae?"
I stared.
"Mama."
"Tinatanong ko lang."
"Yes."
Sofia was already standing.
"WHO?"
"Sit down."
"No."
"Sofia."
"WHO?"
"Tori."
Her face changed.
"Oh my God."
"What?"
"THE TORI?"
I frowned.
"What do you mean the Tori?"
"The date Tori."
"How do you know—"
Then I remembered.
Jane.
Chloe.
Sofia.
Apparently my life had a communications department I did not authorize.
Mama looked between us.
"Kilala mo?"
Sofia nodded rapidly.
"Hindi personally."
"Then sit."
She sat.
Barely.
Mama looked at me again.
"Okay ba siya?"
"Yes."
"Trabaho?"
"Product manager."
"Company?"
I told her.
Mama nodded.
"Matino?"
"Yes."
"Family?"
"Complicated."
Mama paused.
I paused too.
That word had come out automatically.
Tori had not exactly explained the whole thing.
Just enough.
Her family was traditional.
Strict.
Her siblings were easier.
Her parents—
less.
Mama didn't push.
Instead—
"Dalhin mo Sunday."
I stared.
"What?"
"Lunch."
"Mama."
"What?"
"We've been girlfriends for six days."
"So?"
I had no answer.
Sofia was vibrating beside us.
"YES."
"No one asked you."
"Bring her."
"Mama—"
"Girlfriend mo."
"Yes."
"So ipakilala mo."
Normal.
Simple.
No—
Are you sure?
No—
what will people say?
No—
phase ba yan?
Just—
bring her for lunch.
My chest tightened unexpectedly.
Fuck.
Maybe some things could really be that ordinary.
"Okay," I said.
Mama picked up the knife again.
"Anong gusto niyang ulam?"
"I don't know."
Mama looked offended.
"You don't know?"
"I know what she orders at restaurants."
"Hindi sapat."
Sofia nodded solemnly.
"Basic girlfriend data."
"Shut up."
"Ask her."
I sighed.
Fine.
I messaged Tori.
what food do you like
Immediate—
this sounds like a trap
I smiled.
my mother invited you sunday lunch
Longer pause.
Then—
oh
Fuck.
I waited.
Then—
girlfriend introduction?
apparently
Three dots.
okay
I smiled.
Then—
what should i bring
nothing
that's rude
you are guest
exactly
I thought.
fruit?
acceptable
Then—
what does your mom like
I stared.
No.
don't optimize my family
too late
Fuck.
I smiled at my phone.
Mama noticed.
Of course.
"Si Tori?"
"Yes."
"Anong gusto?"
I looked at the screen.
anything except your cooking
I laughed.
Tori:
very funny
Then—
i like chicken. fish. vegetables. basically anything. not too sweet
I told Mama.
She nodded.
Already planning.
Poor Tori.
Sunday arrived.
Tori arrived twelve minutes early.
Of course.
She brought fruit.
Also bread.
And coffee.
I opened the door.
Stared at the bags.
"I said fruit."
"I panicked."
"You don't look panicked."
"I panic efficiently."
I laughed.
She looked—
nice.
Not overdressed.
Not too casual.
Simple blouse.
Jeans.
Hair down.
Very Tori.
Then she looked at me.
"You okay?"
"Yes."
"You look amused."
"I am."
"Why?"
"You brought backup gifts."
"Risk mitigation."
"Of course."
She handed me one bag.
Then—
"Hi, girlfriend."
I smiled.
"Hi."
I wanted to kiss her.
Then remembered—
family approximately four meters away.
Tori noticed the hesitation.
Smiled.
Did not move closer.
Good.
Current environment.
Current consent.
Also—
Mama.
Very powerful external constraint.
"Come in."
Mama liked Tori in approximately seven minutes.
Maybe five.
Hard to tell.
Tori greeted properly.
Polite.
Not excessively formal.
Answered questions without sounding like a job interview.
Where did she study?
What did she do?
Where did she live?
How long had we known each other?
That one—
Tori looked at me.
"A few weeks."
Mama stared.
I stared at Mama.
Sofia covered her mouth.
Fuck.
Mama blinked.
"Few weeks?"
"Yes."
Tori answered calmly.
"We dated first."
Mama looked at me.
I suddenly found the bread extremely interesting.
"How many dates?"
Why was this information required?
"Enough," I said.
Sofia laughed.
"Mom, wag mo i-interrogate."
Mama looked at her.
"Quiet."
Sofia became quiet.
Immediately.
Final authority.
Tori looked suspiciously entertained.
Then Mama asked—
"Paano kayo nagkakilala?"
Tori looked at me again.
I answered.
"Work-adjacent."
Mama waited.
I sighed.
"Product meeting."
Tori added—
"She disagreed with me."
Mama stared.
"With what?"
Tori smiled slightly.
"Several things."
Mama looked at me.
Then Tori.
Then—
"Good."
Fuck.
I closed my eyes.
Sofia burst out laughing.
Tori looked delighted.
"No."
Mama frowned.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Bakit?"
"Tori says that all the time."
Mama nodded.
"Good word naman."
Tori looked at me.
I could feel it.
I refused to look back.
Traitor.
Lunch was surprisingly easy.
Papa arrived before noon.
He shook Tori's hand.
Asked about work.
Then asked about traffic.
Then asked if product managers were the people responsible whenever an app changed something useful and made it worse.
Tori laughed.
"Sometimes."
Papa nodded.
"So kasalanan niyo."
"Sometimes po."
Good answer.
Kuya Nathan and Ate Vivian dropped by because apparently Sunday family lunch had suddenly become a public event.
Ate Bianca came too.
I stared at everyone.
"Why are you all here?"
Bianca looked offended.
"Sunday."
"You don't come every Sunday."
"Coincidence."
Liar.
Nathan sat.
"Girlfriend?"
I pointed at him.
"Don't."
He smiled.
"Okay."
He turned to Tori.
"Hi."
"Hi."
Then Sofia—
"She can't cook."
I stared.
"SOFIA."
Tori started laughing.
Mama looked concerned.
"Hindi ka marunong magluto?"
"I can cook po."
I looked at her.
Tori corrected—
"Technically."
I covered my face.
Nathan laughed.
"How bad?"
"Pasta lost structural integrity."
Tori stared at me.
"You ate it."
"Because I liked you."
Silence.
Fuck.
Everyone looked at me.