Nakauwi na ako sa bahay after my first day as a college teacher.

“Dad! I’m here. I brought food.”

“Wow. Jollibee. Love you nak”

“Magwash up lang akong mabilis Dad.”

“Go.”

I finished washing up and went straight to the kitchen where my dad is.

 “So… How’s your first day?” my father asked.

“Well, it didn’t go as expected but it couldn’t go any better.”

“Okay so nag-enjoy ka. Pero yung ganyang reaksyon…" Tinitigan nya ako and he continued, "Hmmm… Alam ko yan eh. Hindi yan dahil may masayang ganap kundi dahil you found something challenging? Tama? Excitement yan.”

“Wow. You’re like a mindreader Dad.”

“So bakit challenging? Madami bang students at masyado silang magulo? Nachachallenge ka bang patahimikin sila dahil adults na sila unlike your former students?”

“Yun nga Dad. Isa lang student ko kanina.”

“Totoo? Bakit isa lang? Sa buong semester yan?”

“Nope, this week lang. Ongoing pa kasi enrollment. Pero let’s eat muna.”

Pumunta na kami sa table at si Dad ang naghain ng mga binili ko. We started eating. 

“So sa tingin mo okay naman yang work mo? Kaya naman ng time plus PhD mo?”

“Yes, Dad…”

Sumubo ako ng isa pa and pagkalunok, I added, “Also, nagbreak na kami ni Jeno.”

Nagulat si dad. Nasamid sya ko sinabi ko. Tumalsik yung ibang kanin from his mouth sa table. Tsk. Wrong move, dapat pala after nya lumunok saka ko sinabi.

I punched him lightly, “Dad! You’re so messy.”

“Wait, what happened to you and Jeno? I thought everything was going okay?”

“Sorry, Dad. I lied. After nyang pumunta sa SG, nagstart syang maging distant. I swear Dad I tried my best to keep him. Pero napagod din ako Dad, siguro hindi kami talaga para sa isa’t isa.”

“How are you?”

“Okay naman ako Dad. Okay na rin na nangyari to. Actually never ko syang naisip today dahil sa mga ganap sa school. So I think I’m doing better than I expected.”

“Basta remember I’m always here for you. Talk to me when it gets too hard, okay?”

“Ang drama naman. CHAR. Love you dad. Pero di ka ba sad na wala ka ng future son-in-law na engineer?”

“You are more than enough, kahit pa maging matandang dalaga ka na may alagang sampung pusa, I won’t mind..”

“Aw, Dad, di ko alam kung matutuwa ako.”

We laughed and finished our dinner. 

After kong magbasa ng ilang readings para sa class ko bukas ay nahiga na ako para magpaantok. 

Usually, couples who break up can’t sleep at night