It took me 3 whole months before finally convincing my mother na umuwi ng Pilipinas for College. 

 

Since the pandemic started, my mother and Ate Zari are already staying here in California for Mommy's business. It was after my Grade 10 moving-up ceremony when Mama, Kuya Yvo, and I flew to the States to spend the summer with Mommy and Ate Zari. That was before the pandemic. 

 

 

Two years into the pandemic, the government announced that restrictions were now being lifted, and they even allowed the resume of face-to-face classes, especially for fully vaccinated individuals. For two years, I stayed with Mommy and Ate, and continued my Senior High School journey dito sa California dahil naabutan ako ng lockdown when the pandemic started. 

 

 

Si Mama Florence kasi, umuwi agad ng Pilipinas kasama si Kuya at nagpaiwan ako, kaya hindi na nakauwi. Ate Zari's already graduated this year at ako naman ay incoming first year college student sa La Salle. Truth is, nakapag exam at enroll na ako bago pa ako mag-paalam kay Mommy na uuwi ako ng Manila. Ayaw niya pumayag noong una. She's really paranoid. She says that it is safer here in the States and very magulo daw sa Pilipinas ngayon lalo na a dictator's son is leading the country. Kaya ayaw niya pa talagang bumalik ako sa Pilipinas. 

 

 

If I know, ayaw lang kasi ni Mommy makita at makasama ng matagal ang ex-wife niya. 

 

 

"Ate, should I bring my mini lamp?" Ate Zari gave me a judging stare before chuckling. 
 

 

Sabay kaming nagp-pack for our flight back to Manila this afternoon. Ate will be taking a short vacation sa Manila before moving to New York to help Mommy with her business. 
 

 

Dami kasing property ni Mommy. She's currently based here in San Francisco kasi the newest branch of her store opened just before the pandemic started. She wanted to focus on this branch muna. Then, when they return daw from Manila, uuwi na sila ni ate sa New York kasi that's where the main branch for Blanc is. 

 

 

"That's a hassle, Xia. You have lamps in your room back home naman, diba?" 

 

 

I rolled my eyes on ate. Hindi niya ako ma-gets! 
 

 

This is my lucky charm. Plus.. plus ang cute ng lamp and I can't afford to leave this here! 

 

 

It'll be lonely in this room, in this house, once we leave... 

 

 

"Stop thinking of those non-sensical things, Xia. Just finish packing or we both won't make it in time for our flight." 
 

 

 

I slightly chuckled. "Mom's going to be the reason why we'll be late. Did she finish packing na ba?" 

 

 

Sometimes Mommy's timing talaga is perfect. Does she have a radar or what? Lagi niyang alam kapag siya ang topic namin ni Ate. 

 

 

"Do I really have to come with you both? It's not like it's your first time in the Philippines.." 

 

 

 

Sabay kami ni Ate umirap kay mommy. 
 

 

 

It really amazes me, how synchronized we are. Sa iba nga, sabi nila we look like triplets. Mommy's still young kasi. Ate is four years older than me. And very magkamukha sila ni Mommy. 

 

 

I'm a combination of Mommy and Mama pero mas dominant ang genes ni Mom. So.. 

 

 

"Mom, you can't and you won't avoid Mama's presence forever. You have three children. Don't you miss Yvo?" 

 

 

 

Mommy crossed her arms and then leaned on the door. She's wearing her silk robe, the one she wears after a bath. 
 

 

 

What a great pretender you are, Tatiana. Acting as if you don't want to come with us when you smell like Mama's favorite body wash and you just got out of the shower. 

 

 

You can't fool us, mom. 

 

 

 

"Of course, I do miss Yvo. But it really is a hassle." Mom sighed. "We're staying in a hotel for 45 days? Bakit naman kasi ngayon pa nag-start ang lahat ng renovation sa condo and bahay.." 

 

 

Mommy sounded annoyed, sabay kaming natawa ni Ate. 

 

 

"Mom, you were the one who chose the dates..." I said, almost whispering. 

 

 

"A-ako ba?" 

 

 

She tried to sound innocent, akala kasi kami nanaman and masisisi for the 'trouble'. When in fact, siya itong gustong gusto ipa-repaint ang condo at baguhin ang tiles sa bahay. 

 

 

"Hay nako, Tatiana. You and your silly moves.." I just laughed along Ate Zari. 

 

 

"Why are you both laughing at me? I'm your mother!" 
 

 

 

"Right..." sabay pa kami ng sabi ni Ate. 

 

 

"Hindi talaga ako sasama! Over my dead body! No, I'm not going back and I'm not seeing that woman again! Hindi ako marupok. I am a Lardizobal..." 

 

 

"Mom, you're hilarious." 
 

 

"Basta! I'm staying here. That's final." 

 

 

Our parents divorced five years ago. None of them ever told us the reason for it. Pero alam namin na it was Mommy who asked for a divorce. Ate's even joking na baka daw one morning when our parents woke up, Mom just randomly blurted out, "I want a divorce." at pumayag agad si Mama dahil well.. she's Mama. 

 

 

Mommy is a very random person. Very malakas ang trip, malakas din ang topak. Manang mana kami ni Ate, pero nothing beats the original talaga. 
 

 

"We're going to Batanes.." 

 

 

Alam na alam ni Ate ang weak points ni Mommy. Bigla tuloy siya napabalik at umubo. This woman, really! 
 

 

 

"Bilisan niyo dyan. I'll go and get dressed." 

 

 

Mommy walked away from my room but we still manage to hear her curse at us when we started laughing after her 'dramatic' exit. 
 

 

 

"That's how lakas your topak is, Caleigh.." 

 

 

"As if you're not the same.." 

 

 

"No. I'm matino. Just like Mama.." 

 

 

I laughed. "Mama has her own type of topak, Ate. I think si Kuya Yvo ang mana sa kaniya.." 

 

 

"Whatever.." 

 

 

Sometimes ayaw ni ate pumayag na mini version siya ni Mommy. Lalo kapag talagang sobrang lakas ng topak ni Mom. I would always tease ate and tell her na ganoon siya when she's about mom's age. It annoys the out of her, really. 

 

 

I really wanted to bring home the lamp. Alam ko naman na I have one back at home but still. 
 

 

 

Ah, home. 
 

 

Mom still doesn't know na we will be staying in our QC Mansion. The one they bought when she and mama got married. Of course, Mama moved out of the house when they got a divorce five years ago. 

 

 

Si Ate kasi, sumama kay Mom pabalik ng New York. Ako at si Kuya, we stayed with Mama sa Tagaytay. So when I told Mama na uuwi kami, she had the mansion cleaned, as per ate's request na din. 
 

 

 

Siyempre, to tease Tatiana because most of our memories as a family are in that house. Alam din kasi namin ni ate na it will be impossible to stay sa condo and other houses because of the renovation. Plus very maarte si Tatiana. (I'm talking as if ate and I are not maarte, too, lol) It took her a whole month sa pagpili between Okada, Marriot, Heritage, and Shang! 

 

 

In the end she chose Okada, wala naman daw kasi siyang choices. Of course, hindi niya kasi alam na sa bahay kami uuwi. 

 

 

"es, I'm ready!" 
 

 

Sabay kami ni Ate napapikit dahil kay Mom. She called both of us in a veeeery high voice almost as if she were a dolphin! 
 

 

 

I still don't understand how Mama handled her for more than 15 years. 
 

 

 

"Mrs. Esquivel.. you sound more excited than your daughters, Ma'am.." 

 

 

"I'm divorced." she wore her glasses -- the one from Blanc's newest collection. "It's Ms. Lardizobal." 
 

 

 

Nauna nang pumasok si Mommy sa sasakyan. If people would look at the three of us right now, they would think we're siblings. 
 

 

 

Ito naman kasing si Mommy, nagpaganda ng sobra para sa ex-wife niya. Akala mo sa Paris Fashion Week ang punta.