Chapter 3

Anabel was delighted to see Bianca, her favorite daughter-in-law. Though Bianca was not afraid to share her opinions and speak her mind, she was full of compassion, generosity, and kindness.

At first, she was against her engagement with Gabriel because of their age difference. She was a starter and very ambitious, while Gabriel was already established in his chosen career. In addition, she didn’t approve of her carefree nature. Anabel used to believe that she wouldn’t fit in their family or in their neighborhood. But that was all in the past.

Because, despite her objections, Gabriel still married Bianca. She was hurt and insulted that her opinion barely mattered to Gabriel, until her husband, Romy, persuaded her to reconcile with the fact that Gabriel was already in his thirties and had a mind of his own.

“Welcome home, Bianca. How was your trip?” She welcomed her with a hug and a kiss on both cheeks. She signaled Justin to go ahead and prepare the table for lunch.

“Great, Mama.” Bianca didn’t kiss her back. Instead, she reached for the old woman’s hand, bowed to her, and pressed her forehead against the back of Anabel’s hand. It’s an honoring gesture practiced in the Philippines to show respect to the elders. After she showed her respect, she asked for Kelly, and Anabel informed her that the child was still sleeping.

Anabel told her to follow him to the kitchen so they could eat their lunch. Bianca followed inside the detached bahay kubo that served as their kitchen and dining area. Once inside, her nose was filled with the delicious aroma of the food on the temporary table made of bamboo.

Native chicken with malunggay and basil leaves was served with white rice. The soup was smoking hot in a porcelain China all-purpose bowl that was uniquely decorated with colorful patterns inside and out.

“You remembered my favorite, Ma. She announced delightfully when she noticed the chicken blood and liver in her bowl. Others would find it disgusting to consume, but they have been her favorites since she was a child.

Oops! Her eyes widen and her heart skips a beat when she realizes that it was Justin who prepared the table and made sure that the parts she favored were present in her bowl. “Thanks, Justin, but how did you know that these are my favorites?” She asked him while pointing to the chicken liver and blood.

Justin tried to ignore her question and look elsewhere. Then he went outside to pick some chili in the garden. When he got back, he squeezed at least five chilies onto his bowl, and the soup turned orange. “Would you like some, Bianca?” He passed the saucer with chilies to Bianca. Justin smiled in a smug manner when she tried to copy him and squeezed at least five chilies into her soup too.

“You also knew that I love hot and spicy foods?” She tasted the soup, and when the spiciness seemed lacking, she added more chilies to it. She smiled in triumph when she saw his mouth remain open in shock. Good riddance! She knew that he was challenging her to try the chilies. Good thing she’s into spicy foods, or her tongue would burn! Her eyebrows met at the center of her forehead when she tried to analyze his action.

Justin accepted defeat and just ate. From time to time, he glared at Bianca. He planned to convince Gabriel to have a second opinion, and in the meantime, he would try his best to annoy her so she would go back to where she came from. He just realized that Gabriel was a fool to blindly believe the diagnosis he got from his doctor. That doctor could be wrong because, to Justin, Gabriel looked healthy and fine.

“You want more chili, Justin?” She winked just to annoy him. What’s wrong with this guy? If he’s still angry at her, she’s also annoyed at him. She just hoped that Anabel wouldn’t notice their animosity. She hated being interrogated, and

“Bianca?” Anabel has no problem with Bianca being around, but she wants Kelly around all the time. She might be selfish, but she loved the little version of her son, Gabriel.

“Yes, Mama?” She gave Justin a dirty look before she turned to Anabel.

“Kelly and I were invited to attend her classmate’s birthday; would you like to tag along? It would be okay if you came with us. If they knew you were coming, they would have invited you too.” Anabel continued.

Bianca stared at the old woman for a few seconds. She wanted to say yes, that she would tag along, and that she wouldn’t give a damn if she was invited or not. “I’m fine, Mama. You can just go and bring Kelly. I will just stay here and rest.”

Anabel expressed a sigh of relief. Now that Bianca’s here, she will be the authority in the house, and she will spend more time with Kelly. “Justin, don’t go anywhere after lunch. You wash the dishes and keep Bianca company.” She instructed Justin.

Justin nodded at Anabel’s instruction, but he won’t really keep her company. He was also invited by Leah, his former schoolmate, to attend her mother’s birthday. He had committed to her that he would be there. But he has to let Anabel leave first.

After lunch, both women left him to wash the dishes. Anabel would be taking a nap on a bench made of bamboo under the shade of a mango tree.

Bianca went to her bedroom and unpacked her things. After unpacking, she went to the toilet to pee, but she noticed first that there was no water to be used for flushing.

What should I do? she asked herself. She went outside to look for a place to hide to empty her bladder. Finally, she found the perfect spot! It was behind the pigpen in their backyard. There was only one piglet in it, and it was sleeping!

Bianca lowered her blue jeans first, followed by her white underwear, before she positioned herself to pee.

When her bladder was empty, she felt intense relief after holding it for a few minutes. She was about to stand when she heard someone coming, and the piglet cried in delight. God, it must be the piglet’s lunchtime, and who else but Justin brought his food?

Bianca panicked! and he was coming too fast!

As fast as she could, she pulled up her underwear and jeans. What about now? He would surely ask her what she was doing behind the pig pen. Think, Bianca, think!

She praised the Lord when her smartphone was inside her jeans pocket.

Justin almost forgot to feed the piglet because of Bianca. The woman had been inside his head since she arrived, and he didn’t like it! Tonight, he must call Gabriel to persuade him to get a second opinion!

His jaw dropped and he was lost for words when he saw her behind the pigpen! Wait. Was that her bare buttocks? What was she doing behind the pigpen? Showing her humps to the innocent piglet? Leah must have been so shocked that she didn’t cry for her meal earlier.

Right, the piglet was named after his friend, Leah. She wouldn’t like it for sure, but she wouldn’t know.

He slowed down to give her time to finish whatever she was doing there. And he was deeply embarrassed when the reason why Bianca was hiding behind the pigpen dawned on him. Rage pulsed through his veins, and he made a mental note to get some water for the toilet and bath inside her bedroom. What if it’s another person who saw her? “Bianca? Why are you here?” He called her to be warned of his arrival.

Bianca raised her phone to the air as if she were searching for a better reception. She has erased the trace of urine in the area by covering it with dirt. As if she did nothing in particular, she didn’t move and just remained seated on the ground and smiled at him slyly. “Hello Justin, just don’t mind me. I’m just here to look for better reception. Globe has no signal inside the house, “she reasoned.

“If you say so, just don’t bother Leah while she’s eating or she will lose her appetite.” It was too late when he realized what he just said.

“The piglet?” Bianca tried to control her laughter, but the more she suppressed it, the more it wanted to come out. Justin scowled when she almost died from laughing too hard. “Goodness, that’s so tacky! How could you name the piglet after your girlfriend?”

“She’s not my girlfriend, alright?” Leah has been showy about her feelings toward him, but she’s not his type. And he made it clear that their relationship will always be one of their friends.

“Whatever. Anyway, I better get back to my room and rest. Just wake me up when you’re back and do it before Mama comes home.” From the look on his face, she’s sure that she guessed it correctly. He’s leaving her alone, even though he promised Anabel that he would keep her company. Hmmm, bastard!