Hi.

It's coffee hour in this part of the world.

((( MOTHER! )))

Wednesday afternoon, while minding my business and scanning the men's button-down shirt aisle at a secondhand shop near our house, I heard a lady calling "mother!" 

I didn't think that was meant for me. You see, some of my friends call me Mother Lili. 

"MOTHER!" 

It was said at a volume high enough to be heard across the room behind aisles and aisles of secondhand clothes. 

After hearing it the second time, I knew she was calling me. 

It was my friend Yeng-Yeng. We've known each other since 2002, and I haven't seen her since last year. We also exchanged text messages last year. 

We were supposed to see each other at her mom's birthday celebration in late June, but we couldn't make it because our kids, who are based in Brooklyn, are home to celebrate Jay and my birthday for the whole weekend. We went canoeing at a manmade lake a few towns away. 

Yeng-Yeng and I immediately caught up with our hugs; I miss yous, and I love yous in the middle of the store. 

We also had to take a photo together because who knows when we'll see each other again (although we live not far from each other.)

P.S. Jay tried so hard to strategically take this photo to exclude the lady behind us.

Coupling Anniversary

Let's go back to October 19, 1990. It was a Friday and the last day of the first semester. The university semestral break officially started. Students will leave the dormitory to go home.

I'd be leaving home the next day. The boat ride was just 4 hours to the next island where I was from.

Jay, who has been a close friend, would leave on the same day too, but on an airplane bound for Davao City.

But by lunchtime, over rice and sautéed Spanish sardines in tomato sauce and egg, he asked me if we could be a couple.

I almost choked.

"Di ba diay mismatch 'ta? Tambok ko, niwang ka," I asked. ("Aren't we a mismatch? I'm on the heavier side, while you are the opposite.")

He did not agree with what I just said.

I've known him for a few months. He's a classmate of my roommate Naomi, and he lives next door.

There was no way I could decline his confession when, for the few months we hung out, he was gentle and very patient with me, especially with my mood swings, my mental and anger issues.

I eventually said yes.

By the way, Naomi was my classmate from elementary to high school.

When I arrived from Cebu the following day, the first person I told about me having a boyfriend was my little sister, Charmaine. I specifically asked her not to tell a soul.

But by that late afternoon, my brother asked me if I have a boyfriend already.

I denied, of course. But it seemed like he knew about it. I kept evading his interrogative questions.

At the back of my mind, how did he know?

Guess what?

My sister passed the news to my brother right after I asked her to not breathe a word.

Who else would it be?

Fast forward to last Monday, October 19, after work, to celebrate our 36th coupling anniversary, we went  at the Silver Diner in Rio for happy hours. This place is just a few steps away from their workplace. 

By the way, at the start of the year, Charmaine joined the company that the mister worked for since 1998. They are now colleagues.

Isn't it appropriate to commemorate this occasion with the very person to whom I first disclosed that I already have a boyfriend?

Although my little sister wasn't able to keep that secret too long, I understood why. She was in 6th grade and 12 years old. 

She was a child.

Happy 36th "coupling" anniversary to the mister and me, plus our official third wheel since 1990, Charmaine.

Silver Diner at Rio

9811 Washingtonian Blvd Ste 1-10

Gaithersburg, MD 20878

Disarmed

While on a week-long vacation in Massachusetts with all of the family—that includes 2 of my children and son-in-law, we were sitting around the dinner table at our rented villa and shared stories.

I asked Larry, my son-in-law, if he was scared and felt awkward the first time he met us.

By the way, 9 years ago, he came over for Christmas break together with Yna several months after officially becoming a couple. Both of them were still working for companies based in Washington, DC.

"Not with you. With Papa, I was scared and shy."

Now that he's married to Yna, he immediately got comfortable calling me Mama but is still trying to get used to calling Jay Papa or Papi.

"What?! Only with Papa? What about with me?"

"Ma, you talked to me and asked so many questions," he continued.

"And what were the questions I asked you?"

"I just remembered they were disarming."

Wow!

Disarming?

I have never used that word.

I love that.

Disarming.