By the way, I am your Sexy Boss.

Chapter 6: A Dinner with the Family

Chapter 6: A Dinner with the Family

I woke up and it was already late night. I can tell that judging by how dark my room already is. I yawned and decided to hop out of bed, pagkatapos ay binuksan ko ang ilaw. My eyes were suddenly hurt because of the sudden light, and I looked at the window to see it was truly night already, the moon was there and there were stars too. Tiningnan ko ang aking walk-in closet, and like I instructed Manong Canor, it was already freed and empty. Wala nang bakas ng aking nakaraan na nakalagay doon. Tumingin ako sa headboard ng aking kama kung saan may mga picture frames din noong bata ako at mataba pa. I sighed, I will keep these memories to remind myself that I was once a fragile person, but because of someone I loved, I became hard and like this.

I have to them these people who hurt me because they inspired me to undergo character development. Naramdaman ko ang aking gutom at napagdesisyunan kong bumaba na upang kumain ng hapunan, tumungo ako sa dining hall, kung saan narinig ko ang tinig ni Papa.

“Manang, paki-check naman si Keana kung gising na siya para sumabay na siya sa dinner,” utos nito sa isa sa mga kasambahay.

“No need,” I grinned and entered the dining hall. Lahat naman ng ulo ng mga tao sa loob ay sa akin napunta ang direksyon.

My father’s serious face lit up, and he looked at me with pride, halatang hindi siya makapaniwala na ito na ang aking itsura ngayon. We Facetime each other, of course, pero siguro iba pa rin kapag personal nang makita ang isa’t isa.

“Keana, is that really you, my dearest?” He grinned at me and I simply chuckled.

“Yes, Dad. The one and only.” I shrugged.

Tumingin ako kay Kael, abala siya ngayon sa pagbasa ng newspaper, and he looked at me after too and smiled, “welcome home, Keana. Hindi ka na namin ginising pa kanina, we figured you might be tired already because of your long flight.”

“Yes, yes, but I am well-rested now.” Tugon ko, tuluyan na akong naglakad palapit sa kanila at saka umupo sa tabi ni Kuya. “Lolo Karmon,” ngumiti naman ako kay Lolo na siyang nakaupo sa kabisera ng lamesa. Sa harap naman ni Kuya ay si Papa.

“Ilang taon ka na, Apo?” Tanong ni Lolo Karmon sa akin.

“Twenty-two years old.”

“Tamang-tama, may nobyo ka na ba?” Tanong nito sa akin.

I faked a smile and laugh, “Lolo, hindi ko kailangan ng nobyo. I can manage just fine by myself.” Saad ko naman, isa akong independenteng babae. Hindi ko kailangan ng lalake para sumaya. Para sa akin, boys are just nuisance and distractions from your goals. When I got rid of my love of this specific man, iyon din ang naging avenue para mas mag-grow ako as a person.

“Still, a woman is worthless if she has no husband,” hindi ako umimik dahil sa sinabi ni Lolo Karmon. He has a very toxic way of looking at things. I guess masyado siyang na-expose sa patriarchal system ng bansa, kaya ganito na lang ang kaniyang pananaw sa buhay. Hindi na lang ako nagsalita dahil baka atakehin lang siya sa puso lalo’t sobrang tanda na niya. Nagtimpi na lang ako, though he is my Lolo and he spoiled me as a child, ayaw ko pa rin ang kaniyang pagtrato sa mga kababaihan. He bases the worth of women based on their capacity to bear a child, and to find a husband. It is very toxic and I am against it. Though he is old now, and there is no sense in trying to change the way he perceives things, baka atakehin lang talaga siya at ako pa ang magkaroon ng kasalanan kung bakit.

Anyway, going back... That should not be, kaya naman naiintindihan ko rin ang aking Lola na yumaong na kung bakit iniwan niya si Lolo Karmon noong bata pa lang si Papa. Buti na lang at hindi ganiyan si Papa sa akin, pero siguro ganito rin siya dati, at naiintindihan ko na papaano kung bakit nagawa rin ni Mama na tumungo na lang pabalik sa Hawaii. Maybe that was the turning point that changed the way father looked at women too.

“Papa, surely, a lot of boys will fall for Keana given how beautiful she is.” Aniya ni Papa kay Lolo Karmon. Saktong iyon ay natigilan nang bahagya si Lolo at saka siya tumitig sa akin, and it was at that moment, I felt like an idea crept into his mind and he grinned wickedly.

“Ah, yes, we only need proper exposure for her. Since she has been gone for five years already, I guess it is only right to hold a welcome home party for her, where I shall invite prospect husbands for her.” Ngumisi si Lolo Karmon at saka tumango-tango pa, “a brilliant idea, indeed. As for Kael, when will I ever meet your girlfriend?”

Kumunot ang noo ni Kuya Kael dahil sa saad ni Lolo Karmon, “I have no girlfriend.” He looked at me after, and we exchanged a knowing-look. I know Kuya’s deepest and darkest secret. It is only sad, though, since Lolo and Papa are homophobic. He is in a closet, and he knows coming out means suicide. I feel sad for his situation. He is constantly being bombarded with questions on when he plans to marry, and all that. He is gay, and there is nothing wrong about it. It is just system is too cruel against those who belong in the minority, as if it is a taboo when it isn’t.

“Lolo, you should stop pressuring your grandchildren because we already are grown up, and we can decide for ourselves when we will enter a relationship. We have priorities and aspirations, we have our own goals and things we want to do in life, and when the time is right, that is the time we will settle.” This time, ako na ang nagsalita.

Kuya Kael faked a smile at me, and Papa nodded in agreement.

“Before I leave the world, I want to see my great grandchildren. I already am old enough and my time is near, which is why I am rushing both of you, my apos.” Aniya. “Gusto ko ng mga apo sa tuhod bago ako mamatay at mawala sa mundo para matiyak ko ang patuloy na pagdaloy ng ating angkan.”

I looked at Kuya Kael who was pale already. He has it tough, between the two of us, he is the one who is suffering the most. With all the expectations and pressure he have to deal with, he even sacrificed his dream of becoming an architect because my family wanted him to take Political Science for college, he had no choice, of course, and he was also pressured to take up Law, and now, he is a lawyer. It was all for this very moment, where he was recently elected as the mayor of the town. I wonder what is going on with him right now, I guess I will pay him a visit in his room after dinner so we can have a heart-to-heart talk.

“Let’s hold a welcome home party for Keana tomorrow.” This was a sudden declaration of Lolo Karmon, and I know already that everyone cannot say no to that, because he was still the head, next to dad. He still hold most of the authority, and he is the one in control of everything. He requested that he shall still be the main head, knowing his time in the world is already a few, and until then, he shall be the head, and then it will be dad’s turn.

Though I don’t want a party because I know the purpose of it already, I did not speak since I had no right to talk about it. I will just do my best to do my duty as a Kehanu, and I will make sure that no one will try to get their way into me. I do not need a husband, nor have a plan to marry.

“Alright, Papa.” Dad replied, “I will make the necessary preparations tonight, and will invite guests.”

“Yes, yes, I shall make a list of prospect families as well who have good sons who may match with Keana, make sure to invite them as well.” Tugon ni Lolo, “but the best man I want for Keana is Governor Cojuanco’s son, what is his name again?”

Nakita ko ang pagbabago ng mukha ni Kuya Kael dahil sa linya ni Lolo, he sighed. And then responded, “Kendrick.”

“Ah, yes, Kendrick Cojuanco. He is a fine man.” Kuya stated.

“Indeed, a fine man for Keana.”

They are already talking as if everything is decided already, I rolled my eyes. Buti na lang hindi sila sa akin nakatingin kaya hindi nila napansin iyon.

It was not long enough when dinner was done and we all went on our separate rooms. I decided to go to Kuya Kael’s, I knocked and he opened the room on cue, he smiled at me and pulled me into a hug, “goddamn, I missed you so much.” He sighed, “noong umalis ka, nawalan ako ng kasangga at kakampi dito sa bahay.”

“I am here now,” I laughed.

“You became so much prettier. I am envious.” He scowled.

I chuckled, “don’t worry, guwapo ka naman eh. Wala namang pangit sa ating magandang angkan,” ngumisi ako.

“Hays. Guwapo. Kung puwede lang maging maganda rin.” I don’t know his struggle, but I wish he was living his life, not the life that people have planned for him.

“Kumusta ka na?” I asked.

Sinara niya ang pinto at naglakad naman ako papasok sa kaniyang kuwarto. Though he is gay, he is still manly. It was only a matter of his preference, lalake lang ang kaya niyang ibigin. He is still masculine, excluding that.

“I am trying my best,” is all he managed to utter, and that made me hug him tight, to cheer him up. He needs all the hugs he can get right now. “Hays, it feels good to finally be able to have someone here, na kakampi mo. Feeling ko kasi wala akong kakampi rito. I feel like I do not even know myself anymore because I am always pretending everyday.”

I patted him on his shoulder, and eyed him, “so, do you have any special person?”

At the mention of that, his cheeks turned red. I know already basing on his reaction, that he has someone.

“You do not need to answer.” I told him. I guess he is not yet ready to talk about that. But given how happy he seems to be at the mention of that special person, it must be someone he really loves. I am happy for him, but at the same time, I feel sad that they both have to hide this relationship, if ever they are.

“Anyway, Keana, you look nowhere near like the Keana I knew five years ago. You lost weight, and you became prettier.”

“Thank you. Naging model nga ako as Hawaii e, ah, also, mom is now reconsidering on come home, here... But of course, the chances of her coming is pretty low.”

Tumango lang si Kuya Kael. Hindi sila masyadong close kasi ni Mama.

“Anyway, let’s call it a night, shall we?” I asked since I can sense that Kuya is tired, he must have been overworked today doing his duties as the newly-elected mayor. Mapungay na ang kaniyang mga mata.

“Alright, let’s try to catch up some other time?” He insisted.

I nodded, and with that, we said our good nights and I left to my room.