CHAPTER NINETEEN

Credits to the stone and balls

▪︎▪︎▪︎

It was ten minutes past nine on a Saturday evening. The rays of moonlight were mingling well with the outdoor string lights illuminating the whole garden with a warm, white glow. In the middle was a low rounded table flooded with ice-filled pails of beers, wines, sodas, and juices, baskets of chips and sweets, and platters of raw seafood and meats to be cooked on the electric griller at the center. Forming a ring around were Satan, Hudas, Lucifer, and the main character of the night, Aki--all donned their pairs of nightclothes. They were lounging on bean bags of assorted colors, sinking deep into their above and beyond the ordinary softness as a piece of moderately-volumed upbeat music played from the stereo. 

"In fairness, Sissy, ang wrong timing nina Tito't Tita. Ngayon pa talaga nila naisipang kausapin 'yong dalawa mong manliligaw kung kailan magpa-party-party na tayo," Aki complained, resting her frowning face on hand. "Pwede namang bukas na lang ng umaga since slumber party naman 'to at mag-o-overnight kami here sa house niyo. Nakita naman siguro nila kanina 'tong limang tents na nakatayo, 'di ba?"

"Dapat kasi kinuha na natin 'yong dalang lechon at cochinillo ni Tigmund para may pinagkakaabalahan tayo habang naghihintay," was Hudas' quip that made everyone laugh.

"I know right," Lucifer seconded. "Besides, we don't know if they're coming out alive from Papa's hell den. I'm certain they're being grilled with questions enough to rob them of wills to live. And that's no one's fault but Sasa's."

"Sorry..." Satan withdrew a sigh. "It was just that I was too shy to take my words back..."

Sigmund and Kean were summoned to Melo's mini home office right the moment they've parked their rides in the garage. The reason, although already understood without mentioning, still lodged throbs on Satan's chest. Their parents sure knew their place and limits, but she'd been chiding herself throughout for letting the two join only to have them interrogated without their knowledge. 

"Ok lang 'yan, Tata. Keta naman ta kung taan-taan ka lang nila nililigawan. Kung manliligaw tila, dapat dito ta bahay kagaya ng ginawa ni Uly--" he shut up when Lucifer elbowed him on the arm and later on worded out his laugh and apology, saying, "Hehe. Torry. 'Di ko tinatadya."

Satan only ruffled his hair with a coerced smile. An uncomfortable silence instantly fell between them. Aki, always there to save the day, draped an arm on her shoulder as she broke the hush with, 

"By the way, ano pala'ng ambag ni Kean? May nakita ba kayong bitbit niya?"

Everyone laughed. 

"Datdat," Lucifer called their brother. "Kindly tell her--him--them--okay it na lang, that I saw Kean jog to his car trunk when Papa called them out."

Aki's laugh overshadowed everyone else's. "My pronouns are anything but he and him," she said afterward with laughter in it. "So keribels na rin ang it if you're really struggling to pronoun me kasi minsan gusto ko rin talagang maging si Bogart para kagatin ulit pwet mo."

"Fuck you very much!" 

Laughter and tension circled the garden. Hudas calmed it, asking, "Keta nag-aaway kayo, tino na lang kina Tigmund at Kean ang gutto niyo para kay Tata?" He grinned. "Ikaw muna Aki."

"Datdat talaga. Kung ano-ano na lang pumapasok sa isip mo," Satan said. "Tigilan niyo 'yan."

"KJ mo naman, Sissy!" Aki yelled, wrapping her arms around Satan's right arm. "Ang ganda kaya ng tanong ni Datdat. Hindi ka ba naku-curious kung sino'ng bet namin for you?"

"Hindi." She rolled her eyes. "So--"

"Ako kasi si Sigmund," Aki cut her off. Satan gawked at her the same way her siblings did. "May pa-lechon at cochinillo kasi." They laughed as she received a pull on the hair from Satan. "Char-char lang sa pa-lechon, syempre, 'no! Pero wala 'kong manok sa kanilang dalawa."

"Pangit naman ng tagot mo! Bakit wala?" 

"'Cause whoever my Sissy will choose in the end, support lang ako. Basta masaya siya at akin 'yong 'di mapipili. Charot! Basta I just want someone who'll be good only not for her heart but for her mental health, too." She smiled. "Kayo ba?"

"Datdat, tell it that I'm rooting for Kean," Lucifer coursed Hudas the answer she could rather tell directly to Aki sitting across her. "We've known him since twenty-forty-three. He's smart and knows how to hold himself well as a man. Like he knows exactly his place in the world. Sigmund doesn't seem to carry himself that way. No offense."

"Aki, narinig mo naman tiguro. Ang haba. 'Di ko kayang ulitin," Hudas told her.

She laughingly nodded. "How about you? Kean or Sigmund?"

"Tigmund." He swung his eyes to Satan who was just listening quietly on her beanbag. "Pantin ko 'pag tumatawag ti Tigmund 'pag gabi at 'pag nagkukwento ti Tata ta 'tin, he can make her laugh. Can make her cry. Can make her calm. Can make her teriout."

"That's it?" Lucifer and Aki asked in chorus. 

He nodded.

"My ghad! Wala ka talagang sense kahit kailan, Datdat!" Lucifer said. "Napakababaw mag-isip!"

"Hindi 'yon mababaw," he firmly differed. "Tata doetn't need a perton who holdt himtelf well and know ektatly hit plate in the world. She needt tomeone who will reterve her a plate in hit world and know ektatly how to make her deal with her emotiont equally. Hindi pwedeng tatawa lang siya palagi. 'Di rin pwedeng iiyak lang siya palagi. 'Di rin pwedeng kalmado lang palagi. 'Di rin pwedeng teryoto palagi. Dapat balante. Only then will she heal from her lott kati lahat 'yon, tabi ni Mama, formt of healing. And Tigmund doetn't need to holdt himtelf well like Kean to be able to do that. Ikaw ang mababaw."

"But Sasa's not her client, neither could she be his pet project," Lucifer defended herself. "Alam kong Clinical Psychologist talaga siya, pero kung validation lang din naman ang hanap niya, ang daming iba r'yan. Don't he dare validate his adeptness at psychotherapy on her."

Lucifer's point appealed to Satan in so much that she couldn't help to stray her eyes on her. Her chest heaved up and down at the thought of being used. Until Hudas spoke a remark fairer than the youngest's point.

"Hit litentet and innumerable clientt are enough to validate it. Bakit kailangan niya pa ti Tata? If I were him, I won't watte my time and knowledge on tomeone who wouldn't pay for my tervit," Hudas rebutted. "And jutt becaut Kean itn't a Ptychologitt, doetn't mean he hat the purett intention. The tame it true with Tigmund. But mind you that Kean only validated hit charm on Tigmund before. Pero 'di rin naman ibig tabihin n'on na gagawin niya 'yon kay Tata kati nagbabago ang tao. Ptych ka and you'll take law three yeart from now, fikt your argumentt, Lulu."

"I hate you!"

"I don't want to trample on your ego but you're not alwayt the tmartett in the room, Lulu, okay? To ttop hating on people if they're intellectually better than you. Pinalalampat lang kita madalat but Tata't the contern now. Kapatid natin. Bakit parang ayaw mo siyang tumaya at titiraan mo pa ita kina Tigmund at Kean kung pwede ka lang naman mamili?"

"I was just trying to protect her!"

"In the ektpent of Tigmund?"

"Vanish!" She groaned, repeatedly thumping her palms on her bean bag. "Vanish! Vanish! Vanish!"

"Vanish mo mukha mo."

"Say sorry for telling me that, Datdat!" she whined. "That law part!"

"Ikaw nga 'di marunong mag-torry, tapot magto-torry ako?" He leaned his face close to Lucifer's and hissed, "Vanish!"

Satan, Aki, and even the angry Lucifer couldn't help to laugh aloud.

Amid their laughter, the glassdoor going to the garden slid open, earning their attention as it thudded against the doorcase. Sigmund and Kean stepped out wearing oversized shirts, thigh-bearing shorts and faces innocent from bad vibes. The latter was carrying two plastic bags containing a few boxes of Lola Nena's donuts and toasted siopaos, while the other was towing lechon and cochinillo by their pink-spotted-with-black boxes.  

If only not for the certainty that they were briefed by Melo and Sirach to not spread the talk, Satan would have addressed her itch to pry what they were told. Sadly, that couldn't be the case, and thus, no one from her, her siblings, and her best friend took the floor to ask. The least they'd done was throw meaningful glances at them as though nonverbally saying: spill us some tea.

The two took their respective seats around the low-rounded table. Neither of them had the privilege to sit beside Satan as she had Hudas on her left and Aki on her right. So. Sigmund occupied the bean bag between Lucifer and Hudas, whereas Kean took the ones between Lucifer and Aki. All food they brought was laid out on the table by Satan's siblings; each taking small portions from the lechon and cochinillo's roasted skins. 

Eyes doing the rounds, she caught Sigmund's gaze resting on her face. He formed a finger heart and winked; she chuckled then averted to the right. Her eyes unintentionally landed on Kean whose pair of protruding eyes were already pinned on her. He pulled on a smile; she cut eyes with him upon reciprocating his gesture.

"Kainan na!" Aki announced happily, making some noise by rattling the pail of utensils. 

"Oh my fucking gosh!" Lucifer squealed, clapping her hands. "My most awaited part! Ako ang maghahati ng cochinillo! Give me a plate, Datdat! Magmadali!"

"Hindi naman ikaw ang nililigawan. Bakit ikaw maghahati?" Hudas remarked, painting a frown on Lucifer's face; causing the rest to laugh.

"Excuse me! Isa sa kapatid ng nililigawan here!" She took a plate in her hand. "Ok lang naman, right, Sigmund?" 

Sigmund nodded his head, smiling. "Pakisabay mo na rin 'yong lechon, ha?"

All laughed excluding Lucifer; she rather glowered at him. "Ang hirap-hirap kaya n'on!"

"Joke lang! Syempre ako ang maghahati." He laughed. "Bawasan mo na tuloy 'yang kunot sa noo mo. Papangit ka n'yan, eh. Akala ko pa man din kanina pagdating ko ikaw si Elsa ng Frozen."

"Actually," she flipped her hair, lips couldn't help to curve up, "I prefer Belle among all the Disney princesses. But thanks tho."

"Wel--"

"Ano 'yon, Tigmund? Ano'ng binubulong mo ta 'kin?" Hudas nudged him on the elbow. Sigmund looked at him with apparent cluelessness in his fused brows. "Tabi mo akala mo siya ti Elta no'ng una, pero ngayong malapitan na, ti Olaf pala?"

They burst out laughing. 

"Kumain na nga lang tayo. Nagsisimula na naman kayong dalawa, eh," Satan intervened laughingly.  

"Ano'ng gusto mo, Sasa?" Sigmund and Kean asked in chorus.

Satan stared alternately at them, unable to form a response. 

"Gusto niya lahat," Aki replied for her. "Kaya ihawin niyo na lahat ng karne at seafood dito sa lamesa, owkey?" She pointed her forefinger at the tree farmed a few strides near. "Ito ang ihawan," she pointed at the electric griller at the center of the table. "Pero kung sakaling mas gusto ninyong mag-away, malapit lang ang swimming pool, maglunuran kayo."

Satan pinched her best friend's thigh under the table. 

Kean and Sigmund were quick to take tongs from the pail of utensils adjacent to the griller. They were even racing to place some of the raw seafood and meat on the griller as though the first to do would win Satan as the trophy. When all the platters were emptied and contents were being grilled, Sigmund got up from his seat after being asked by Lucifer to have the lechon sliced. He took the butcher knife beside Satan, telling Aki it would be dangerous to have it passed on the table when she asked why didn't he just ask either her or Satan to hand it over. 

A few moments later, they ate in silence like strangers given no choice but share one table in a jampacked restaurant. They munched on every variety of food as if tomorrow never exists. From time to time, Kean and Sigmund would hand Satan platters of food that couldn't be found on her plate--all would end up on Hudas'. Satan would then receive knowing looks from her best friend and youngest sibling.

"Butog na 'ko! Parang awa niyo na Tigmund at Kean! Tigilan niyo na pagbibigay ng pagkain kay Tata!" Hudas desperately begged, his scrunched-up face turning at the two while his hands repeatedly jabbed the fork and spoon on the table. "Kita niyo namang ta 'kin niya ibinibigay, 'di ba?!"

The table was once again filled with laughter, countless apologies from the three caught in a complex love situation followed.

"Is everyone stuffed na?" Lucifer asked. All nodded their heads yes as they leaned away from their plates. She nodded at Hudas as though a signal only them would understand. 

Hudas went inside their house. He came back in a trice cradling a giant fishbowl in his arms. The bowl contained multiple primary-colored squeeze balls. 

"Maglalaro tayo, okay ba mga hangal?" Hudas lounged back in his seat. "Ti Lulu na mag-e-ektplain ng mechanict kati baka magpaulit-ulit lang tayo 'pag ako."

They laughed. 

"Ok, eyes on my pretty face, mother fuckers," Lucifer continued for her brother. All obliged with the corners of their lips turned up. "Mama told us that the game we're about to play is older than them, so I'm guessing everyone knows how to play 'I wanna be a tutubi'?" 

"'Yong pasahan ng bato?" Kean asked. 

"Yup." She nodded. "Yes, Sigmund, any questions?" she asked when Sigmund raised his hand. "Don't tell me you don't know the game?"

"'Di. Alam ko 'yong laro. Syempre. Tatanungin ko lang kung 'yang squeeze balls ba gagamitin?"

All cracked up except Kean.

"Bato nga, 'di ba? Bato ba 'yang mga 'yan?" Kean scoffed. 

"Tanungin ko na rin pala kung pwedeng sumabat 'pag 'di naman kinakausap?" Sigmund smirked. 

Satan bit her lower lip, preventing herself from laughing.

Lucifer replied, "Iba pa gamit nitong mga squeeze balls. And utang na loob, walang mag-aaway maliban sa 'min ni Datdat." She rolled her eyes. "Can I proceed with the mechanics now?" They nodded. "Whoever the 'It' or the 'odd one out' or the 'taya' will catch with the stone in hand, will be blindfolded and will have to pick a ball from the fishbowl. If that loser gets a yellow ball, sasagot siya ng random question mula sa taya. 'Pag blue, family-related. 'Pag red, love. Bawal mag-pass. Gets na ba ng lahat? Pwede na tayong maglaro?"

Since everyone nodded their heads yes, they worked hand in hand to remove everything atop the table and placed the giant fishbowl at the center. In the process of finding out who the It would be, Aki turned out to be the odd one out when everyone had their palms turned down while she had hers skyward. 

They started playing in no time. 

Lucifer was the first to lose. After a lengthy protest that Aki's eyes were watching her the whole time, she finally gave up and rather submitted herself to be blindfolded. She had a yellow ball. 

"Why do you hate me so much?" Aki asked. 

She cocked a brow. "Because you're not a responsible pet owner!"

The second to lose was Kean. He had a blue ball. 

Lucifer asked, "What kind of family were you born with?"

"A broken family," he replied casually, by all tone has no intent to be pitied. "My father's first family will always be the priority and the one he'd return to."

"So to put it simply, your mom's a mistress?"

"Lulu," Satan prompted her. 

"Come on, Sasa! " Lucifer turned to her. "It's part of the game! Will you not?!"

"It's okay, Sasa." Kean smiled at Satan then faced the youngest Alejandro again. "I guess there's no watered-down way to say that, Lulu. So, yes."

The third to lose was Aki. She had a red ball.

"I don't know you personally, Aki, sorry. So I'll just ask how was the most previous relationship you entered?"

She stared long at him for a while. Satan's hand was quick to snake on her waist.

"It wasn't good but I regretted not the love I invested." Her eyes swam down to her lap. "He blamed me for the scars I didn't give; burdened me with the wounds he was supposed to heal alone. In my mind, I still wanted to fix him and have the kind of 'us' I've always yearned to have. But my heart and body could no longer cooperate. I left him even when I didn't want to."

The fourth to lose was Hudas. He had a red ball, too. 

Aki asked, "I've been wanting to ask if you got someone special, Datdat. Ayaw kasi akong tantanan ng mga staff kong babae, crush na crush ka kasi at 'di magkandaugaga 'pag napunta kayo ng mga friends mo sa shop ko 'pag vacant niyo. Meron na ba?" 

"Pakitabi ta kanila, Aki, wala pa at pwedeng-pwede tilang mag-apply."

They burst out laughing. 

Fifth to lose was Kean again. He had a red ball as well. 

"Twerte ko naman!" Hudas rubbed his palms together. "Normal ta 'ming magkakapatid na magkwentuhan tungkol ta lahat ng bagay kaya alam namin kung ano'ng meron ta inyo ni Tigmund dati. Gutto kong malaman kung gano'n lang din ba pakay mo kay Tata."

"That was eleven years ago," Kean said. "I'm twenty-six now and have outgrown the games I used to play. Hindi rin ako pupunta rito't magpapakita sa inyo lalo na kina Sir Melo at Ma'am Sirach kung gusto ko lang gaguhin si Sasa."

Hudas shrugged. "I don't know if I'm going to believe you becaut it't alwayt eatier to tay thingt than to prove it. Torry. Pero talamat ta pagtagot."

He smiled. "I'll work on that trust, Datdat. Don't worry."

Next to lose was Satan. She had a yellow ball.

"Yellow ball means I can ask anything including those I can with the blue and red ones, right, Lulu?" Kean asked Lucifer. 

"Yeah," she replied. "It's like a joker in a deck of cards."

His eyes found their way to Satan. He silenced for long, took a deep breath prior to saying, "I'd like to ask you a lot, Sasa. However, I cannot compress those in one question. So can I rather ask if you can go out on a date with me next Saturday?"

If earlier she'd been wishing to lose because listening to their questions and answers had bored her to do so, she suddenly felt like backing out and rather sulk in a corner. All eyes lingered on her and it added fuel to the discomfort Kean initially gave. She'd like to ask her siblings if that was still counted as a question but she was afraid it'd offend Kean. Ergo, she replied,

"Next Saturday…Sure..."

Hudas looked at her inquiringly and was shocked. For some unidentifiable reason, it led her eyes to stray on Sigmund. He had a thin closed-mouth smile across his face, calling to her mind a question previously asked by him.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, Kean!" she said aloud, startling everyone when she also withdrew her hands from the game. "Nawala sa isip ko. I can't make it this Saturday."

"Bakit?" Kean asked. "Busy ka ba? Pwede namang hapon na lang. Iuuwi pa rin kita nang maaga."

The perfectly strung words to tell him exactly the reason were so elusive to her. Only not to Hudas.

"May date kati tila ni Tigmund." Hudas smiled broadly it could tear his lips. "Ngayon kati dapat 'yon. Kato may party tayo, kaya ta tutunod na Tabado na lang. Nekt time ka na lang, ha? Marami naman 'yon."