Chapter 42 - Girlfriend Logistics #2
I realized what I had said.
Sofia made a noise.
Not human.
"OH MY GOD."
"Shut up."
Mama smiled.
Papa kept eating like he had decided not to participate in whatever this was.
Smart man.
Tori looked at me.
Soft.
Amused.
I looked away.
Fuck.
Then came the inevitable question.
Ate Bianca asked it.
Of course.
"So what did you like about Lia?"
"Bianca."
"What?"
"Eat."
"I am eating."
She looked at Tori.
Tori didn't seem uncomfortable.
She thought.
Then—
"Her brain."
Silence.
I looked at her.
She continued.
"She thinks very fast."
Nathan snorted.
"That's one way to describe it."
"Kuya."
Tori smiled.
"She notices systems quickly. And she asks good questions."
Sofia looked at me.
"Ate has never looked this pleased in her life."
"I am neutral."
"You're blushing."
"I am not."
Mama looked at me.
"You are."
Traitors.
Tori continued—
"She also changes her mind when she gets better information."
I stared.
"That sounded like performance review."
"It is positive."
"Continue."
Everyone laughed.
Tori looked at me.
"And she's funny."
"Thank you."
"Sometimes intentionally."
I narrowed my eyes.
"Relationship terminated."
"No."
Nathan laughed loudly.
Mama looked confused.
"Bakit terminated?"
"Joke lang."
Tori added—
"She threatens that often."
Mama nodded.
"Pero nandito ka pa."
Tori looked at me.
Then smiled.
"Yes po."
Fuck.
Then—
Papa asked me.
"Eh ikaw?"
I froze.
"What?"
"Anong nagustuhan mo?"
Everyone looked at me.
This family was terrible.
I could have said—
smart.
Pretty.
Direct.
Good at work.
Independent.
Emotionally competent.
All true.
Instead—
"Her brain."
Immediate.
Tori's expression changed.
Tiny.
Warm.
Fuck.
I continued because apparently humiliation was already complete.
"I like talking to her."
Bianca smiled.
Not teasing now.
Just—
oh.
I hated that more.
"About what?" Mama asked.
"Anything."
"Work," Tori said.
"Too much work," I corrected.
"Travel."
"Food."
"Bad food," I added.
Tori kicked my foot under the table.
I looked at her.
She looked innocent.
Liar.
Then I said—
"She makes me think."
Papa nodded like that made perfect sense.
Mama smiled.
"Good."
Fuck.
Tori almost laughed into her rice.
After lunch, everyone migrated into separate conversations.
Nathan and Papa talked business.
Bianca asked Tori about some app problem.
Sofia somehow got Tori to show her travel notes.
Mama tried to send Tori home with food despite Tori still being inside the house.
Normal.
I stood near the kitchen watching.
Not doing anything.
That felt strange.
Tori fit.
Not perfectly.
That would be weird.
But—
easily.
She didn't perform.
Didn't try to charm everyone.
Didn't become a different person.
She listened.
Answered.
Asked questions back.
Laughed when something was funny.
Stayed quiet when she had nothing to add.
Good.
I liked that.
Then Mama handed her another container.
Tori stared.
"Po, marami na po."
"Take."
"Okay po."
Final authority.
I smiled.
Tori caught me.
"Don't."
"What?"
"You're enjoying this."
"Very."
"Traitor."
"Current family protocol."
She narrowed her eyes.
Then took the container.
Correct.
Later, when everyone had mostly dispersed, Tori and I sat outside.
Just near the gate.
Nothing special.
Warm afternoon.
Neighbors.
Vehicles.
Normal Sunday.
Tori held a bottle of water.
I looked at her.
"You survived."
"Barely."
"Dramatic."
"Your mother gave me enough food for three days."
"That's acceptance."
"I figured."
Pause.
Then—
"I like them."
I smiled.
"They like you."
"I figured that too."
"Arrogant."
"Observant."
Fair.
We sat quietly.
Then Tori said—
"My family won't be like that."
There.
Small sentence.
Different weight.
I turned.
She wasn't looking at me.
Just at the road.
"How?"
Tori exhaled.
"Complicated."
I waited.
Didn't solve.
Good.
"My siblings will probably be okay."
"Probably?"
"Yes."
"Parents?"
She made a face.
Not dramatic.
Just—
tired.
"Traditional."
I nodded.
"They know?"
"That I date women?"
"Yes."
Pause.
"Technically."
Fuck.
"That sounds healthy."
She laughed once.
"Exactly."
"What does technically mean?"
"They know."
"Okay."
"We don't discuss it."
There.
Ah.
"Ever?"
"Rarely."
"And when you do?"
Tori took a drink.
"My mother suddenly remembers someone's son."
I laughed before I could stop myself.
"Sorry."
"No, it's funny."
"Is it?"
"Sometimes."
Then—
"My father mostly doesn't say anything."
"That sounds worse."
"Sometimes."
I nodded.
No advice.
No—
I can handle them.
No—
I'll make them understand.
Not mine to fix.
Tori looked at me.
"You're quiet."
"I noticed."
"What?"
"I was about to start solving."
She smiled.
"But?"
"Not mine unless you ask."
There.
Tori stared at me for a second.
Then—
"Good."
I groaned.
"Fuck."
She laughed.
Then leaned her shoulder against mine.
Light.
Easy.
I let it stay.
After a moment—
"I'll tell them about you."
I turned.
"When?"
"I don't know."
"Okay."
"You're not asking?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Your family."
Tori nodded.
"Okay."
Then—
"I don't want to hide you."
My chest tightened.
"I know."
"I just want to choose when I deal with the fallout."
There.
"Okay."
Tori looked at me.
"That's it?"
"What do you want? A project plan?"
She laughed.
"No."
"Then yes."
Pause.
"Okay."
I reached for her hand.
She gave it.
No speeches.
No promises that her family would eventually love me.
Maybe they would.
Maybe they wouldn't.
Current Tori knew them better than I did.
So I trusted her timeline.
Apparently that was also part of dating someone.
Not every problem became mine just because I loved—
I stopped.
Wait.
Liked.
Because I liked her.
Jesus Christ.
Too early.
Current data.
Current data.
Tori looked at me.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Suspicious."
"Internal compliance issue."
"Should I be worried?"
"No."
"Good."
Of course.
That evening, after Tori left with approximately half our refrigerator—
I went back inside.
Mama was washing dishes.
I helped.
For once without being told.
After a while, she asked—
"Masaya ka?"
I stopped.
Same question Jane had asked.
Simple.
No—
will it last?
No—
is she the one?
No future.
Just—
happy?
"Yes."
Mama nodded.
"Okay."
Then handed me another plate.
That was apparently the entire parental assessment.
Fair.
I dried it.
Then she said—
"Maganda."
I stared.
"Mama."
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Maganda naman talaga."
I laughed.
"Very relevant criteria."
"Syempre."
Then—
"Matalino."
"Yes."
"Maayos kausap."
"Yes."
"Hindi ka pinapabayaan sumobra sa trabaho?"
I froze.
"How do you know that?"
Mama looked at me.
Apparently I had asked a stupid question.
"Good," she said.
I stared.
No.
Absolutely not.
"You've all been infected."
Mama laughed.
That night, Tori messaged.
home
I smiled.
good
Pause.
Then—
thief
you started it
my mother likes you
i like her too
Then—
your dad thinks product managers ruin apps
he's correct
I laughed.
Then:
thank you for today
I stared.
for what
Three dots.
not making my family thing into a problem you needed to solve
I stopped.
Read it again.
Small sentence.
Important.
I replied—
you'll tell me if you need me
yes
Then—
and if you don't need me to fix anything, i can just be there
Longer pause.
Then—
yes
Another pause.
i'd like that
My chest warmed.
Fuck.
I put the phone down.
Then picked it back up.
also my family thinks you're pretty
Immediate—
only your family?
I stared.
Oh.
Danger.
you're pretty
good
and sexy
Long pause.
Then—
officially recorded
I laughed.
She remembered.
Of course.
goodnight girlfriend
This time—
I didn't pause at the word.
goodnight girlfriend
Then I put my phone away.
No analysis.
No spreadsheet.
No—
what happens if her parents hate me?
No—
what happens if this ends?
No—
what happens next life?
Sunday had been good.
Tori was my girlfriend.
My family liked her.
Her family would be complicated.
That was tomorrow's problem.
Not tonight's.
I turned off the light.
And for once—
that was enough.