“Really?She took a leave for this?”
His mother’s back was to him as she nodded.“You know your sister.Not even her Harvard PhD stood a chance when she set her sights on it.Now she’s set on fixing this problem.”She continued to move his clothes out of his weekend bag into his closet.“It feels nice having you home, though.”Rafa could hear her smile as she spoke.She turned around and said, “Why don’t you try wearing something other than just houndstooth, gingham, and plaid?”She gestured toward his immaculately folded clothes.
“But I enjoy wearing those.They’ve always looked good on me.”
“Ah, so much like your father.A stickler for what works for you.”She swooned under her breath, as though she were still a young woman talking about her crush.
Rafa raised a brow.“You say that as if you aren’t stuck in your old ways yourself.”
“I’m not,” she said, placing a neatly folded muted pink polo shirt beside him.“Your father was the traditionalist, not me.But it makes sense that you think of us as the same.I devoted my entire life to raising you all and never questioned his stances out of respect.”
“Respect, not love?”
His mother patted his knee.“There is no love without respect, my dear.I loved your father very much.Though I wish I had spoken up more about my preferences instead of giving in to him all the time.”
“That’s just because you were a devoted wife.”
Iris slightly lifted a brow, as though surprised with his summation of her love for his father.“Really?”she asked.She clasped her hands and placed them gracefully on her lap.“By the way, how is Sal, and how is the wedding coming along?”
It was a loaded question, and one he didn’t want to answer yet.When his mother first found out he was dating an oral surgeon, she was ecstatic.Then when she learned Sal had entrepreneurial flair and set up Autumn Town, it was practically a done deal.His mother had always wanted a doctor in the family with business smarts, and Sal was just that.Iris had already labeled Sal as her future daughter-in-law.
“She’s a good match for you,” Iris ventured.
Rafa grinned and looked at his mother.“So you’re not upset about delaying the wedding until spring?”
Iris let out a soft chuckle.“Not at all.”
“It might get delayed even further with this happening.And really, I’m worried...”
“Why?”Iris straightened her posture, as though steeling herself for his answer.
“Recently, Sal’s been…”—he hesitated for a moment—“very busy with Autumn Town.She’s also been asking me strange things.”This did not relieve the concern in his mother’s eyes.“Don’t worry, Ma.Sal and I are okay.Let’s just focus on fixing this mess.”
His mother let out a sliver of a smile.“I’m sure whatever comes, you both will find a way.”She gently patted his hand.“I’ll head off to the office to prepare for the meetings too.Get dressed, and let’s go together.”She squeezed his hand and let herself out of his room.
His mother’s presence never failed to soothe him.Rafa always pictured her as a delicate paper lantern with ornate flowers painted on it.He imagined his mother to be small but mighty, glowing amid the storms and long nights of motherhood, a beacon for her children in moments of darkness.And shine she did for them all—even when their father passed away and she had to take the reins, even when Sybelle had a scary bout of depression, even when Aveline decided she would not handle the business.His mother withstood it all for her children.
He looked at the muted pink polo his mother picked out for him and considered wearing it, but he put on a light blue dress shirt and his dark gingham blazer instead.After raking a hand through his salt-and-pepper hair, he prepared for what remained of the day and hoped against all hope that the universe would be kind to him.
Chapter Fourteen
The House Covered in Yellowbells
SAL
SallearnedwhyWillowchose Theola on the way over to her house.Apparently, Theola had read the itinerary Willow attached in their email exchange before her interview.She had come prepared by listing all the ways she could assist them in a slide presentation.She even provided a mock itinerary for them, which was extremely detailed and even better than what she was initially given.
“We’re here!”their new friend said.
Theola’s home was a modest bungalow gated with high white walls, and yellow bell flowers climbing those tall walls.Her car jostled a bit when it stopped inside the garage.As soon as they entered the home, the fragrant smell of butter and garlic being sautéed in the kitchen greeted them.
“Come in,” Theola said, urging them to take a seat at the long dining table.Sal noted just how many family members lived in the house after they introduced themselves.Theola’s parents, her grandparents, an uncle and aunt, Theola’s baby cousins, and Theola herself with her younger brother all lived in the same house.This wasn’t unusual in Filipino households; in fact, Sal relaxed more instinctively, perhaps her body felt that she was among her people.
The entire family blended harmoniously with each other, each laughing almost on cue with each other’s jokes.They helped with cooking the food, setting the table, and took turns welcoming them.The food was a generous spread of dishes packed with flavor and familiar aromas.
Sal knew exactly which dishes to pair together, and helped Willow get more acquainted.She said, “Try the shrimpsinigang1with something salty and crispy like this friedliempo2on top of your hot rice.”
Willow did as she suggested.After a few discerning minutes, her friend lit up and gave a thumbs up, and ate more, complimenting the cooks as she did so.
