Chapter 2: Because you were not around, honey.

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It was two years ago when my mom first opened up the business about the freakin' escort. We were having the usual dinner that time... or so I thought, until my mom had spoken.


"Wendy, hija, how are things with you and Mrs. delos Reyes' son? What's his name again?"


"Sweetheart, his name is Ralph."


"Oh, that's right. Thank you, honey. Yes, Ralph. How are things with you and Ralph?"


"Good."


"With good, you mean? Are you a couple now?"


"Mom, please... For the last time," I groaned.


"Well, I'm just curious if the two of you are already together."


"No, Mom, we're not, Satisfied? Is this conversation finish now?" I asked impatiently.


"Well, since you still aren't a couple, I was thinking maybe this is the right time for the two of you to be one," she suggested rather subtly.


"Right time? Now, where is this conversation leading to?"


"Your turning 18 two years from now and I think we should be preparing for the event already. And first stop would be finding you an escort for your debutante ball."


"WHAT?!" I exclaimed. "You have got to be kidding me, Mom. And you said it yourself, that's two years from now! Don't you think preparing for it would be too early?"


"There's nothing wrong in planning in advance. Besides, your Tita Amanda planned your cousin Eunice's debut also two years earlier."


"But unlike Eunice, I'm not an obsessive-compulsive teenager who worries about every single, minute detail."


"And I have to say that it turned out beautifully. Thanks to her, as you've called it, obsessive-compulsiveness."


I grunted. "Fine, fine. Just to settle this conversation about debuts, what do you want me to do?"


"We need to find you an escort for your ball."


"And by we I have a hunch that you already have someone in mind?" This question is going to cost me.


"Well, I was thinking that Ralph would be most fitting for the spot."


"So that's what you mean when you said something about the right time for Ralph and me, am I correct?"


"Yes, dear. That is exactly what I was trying to imply."


"Mom, Ralph and I need not to be a couple for him to be my escort in the first place," I explained. "And what if I don't want Ralph as my escort?"


"Honey, you know the tradition. You have to be presented with someone who is currently your boyfriend or maybe, just maybe, your fiance."


"Fiance?! MOM! Come on! I'm not even of legal age yet!"


"Not in the next two years."


I looked at my dad with a pleading look hoping that he would help me out, "Dad..."


"Tradition is tradition, sweetie. I have to say your mom is right."


"Daddy, you're supposed to be helping me out," I pouted and looked at Kuya Wesley this time.


Then, it suddenly hit me!


"Why can't I have Kuya Wesley as my escort instead? Or Wade?"


"WHAT?! Me? Why are pulling me into your whirlpool?!" I immediately stepped on his right foot under the table. "Ouch! What was that for?!" he groused with a glare.


"Do what?" I said, feigning in an innocent expression.


"Honey, you know you can't do that."


"Wait. Why? What's wrong with me?" Kuya Wesley interrupted.


"Oh, there's nothing wrong, sweetheart," Mom told him. "But you know the tradition."


"What's with those traditions anyways?" Wade suddenly spoke. "I mean, it's so pointless. What if Ate did pick Kuya Ralph as his escort?"


I immediately threw him a dagger look and mouthed, "WTF?!"


"Hypothetically speaking, Ate," he explained. "As I was saying," he went on. "What happens next? Ate Eunice didn't end up marrying her escort in the first place, then why should Ate follow the tradition if somebody had already broken it."


Way to go, Wade! I owe my life to you because of that!


Kuya Wesley patted Wade's shoulder. "Little brother, you should really stop reading the entire collection of books upstairs. You're starting to creep me out." And Wade just made a face at Kuya Wesley.


"Wesley, stop talking to your baby brother like that," Mom said and stroked Wade's hair lovingly.


Kuya and I just rolled our eyes at our mother's gesture to her favorite child.


"Mom, Wade's right," I pointed out. "I think we should stop with this overbearingly awful tradition of ours and just adapt with the modernity of events."


"Wendy, just find an escort," she waved me off. "And I will let you do anything you want with your debutante ball."




"Really?"


"Well, you said you needed my help so here goes the help that you need." He spread his arms wide and smiled.


I chuckled. He looked so cute when he did that.


Wait, did I just say that?


Delete. Delete. Delete.


"Oh, you don't have any idea how much I really needed an escort," I said with a sigh of relief.


"That bad? Seriously?"


"Way seriously. You'll agree with me once you meet my mom."


"Let's meet her then."


"What?!"


Man, this guy's fast.


"Yeah. Let's go and meet her so I could see for myself."


"Are you serious?"


"Of course."


"Are you sure?"


"Yes, I am. Is that so hard to believe?"


"Yes-- No, wait! I mean, no. I was just making sure that you're not kidding."


He chortled. "I'm not kidding, don't worry. Let's go?" He offered his right hand.


I stared at his hand. "What's that for?"


"So I won't have the chance to run away in case I decided to back out," he winked.


I immediately started laughing. "You know, you have a good potential as a comedian."


"They do say that a lot. Hehe. So, should we get going?"


I nodded. "We can walk from here to get to our house."


"Okay." He held out his hand again and I willingly took it.





He left his bike somewhere near the church. He said he'll just go back after and get it. After 10 minutes of walking and having light talks, we were finally in our house's entry. Then I noticed a motorcycle parked just outside our doorstep. It did look familiar but I was not sure if my intuition is right.


I opened the door and went directly to the den, where I saw my dad reading the papers.


"Hi Daddy," I greeted when Gerard and I went up to him.


"Hi, hija," he greeted back as he lowered his newspaper and eyeglasses. His eyebrows instantly furrowed when he saw my hands intertwined with Gerard.


I gave him a peck on his right cheek. "Dad, this is Gerard, my escort," I threw him a look suggesting: Yes, Daddy, an escort.


Thank God he immediately understood and gave me a wink.


"Nice to meet you, Sir. I'm Gerard Sanciongco." Gerard held out his free hand to my father, which he eagerly shook.


"Glad to meet you, too, hijo. As you've noticed, I'm Wendy's dad," he kidded.


Gerard chortled heartily. "Yes, sir, I've noticed."


"Dad, where's Mom?" I asked.


"She's out in the garden. You should introduce Gerard to her. She'll be thrilled," Dad taunted.


I laughed. "That's my plan, Dad. See you later," I said and Gerard and I went outside to find my Mom. We saw her resting in one of the recliners by the poolside.


"Hi, Mom," I greeted.


"Hello, sweetheart," she greeted back still with her eyes closed.


"Ma, I would like you to meet someone," I told and she slowly opened her. She immediately noticed my hands holding Gerard's, which made her stood up.


"Oh my! Is he your boyfriend, Wendy?"


Gerard and I chortled. "No, Mom."


"But-- Why are-- Who is he then?"


"My escort," I proudly replied with a huge grin.


"Really?" Her face suddenly lit up. "Are you really her escort, hijo," she turned to Gerard.


He nodded. "Yes, Ma'am. I'm Gerard Sanciongco, by the way." We then let go of our hands and he offered his right hand to my mom.


"Very, very glad to meet you, hijo," Mom said as she enthusiastically shook Gerard's hand.


"Thank you, Ma'am."


"Oh, please. Call me Tita Wilma," she insisted.


"Yes, Tita."


"Well, why don't you we go inside so he could have merienda," Mom suggested as she lead Gerard to the dining room.


"Tita, wag na po. I'm not hungry anyway," Gerard tried to decline but my mom was very persistent.


"I insist. I'll be back in a second. Wendy, take care of your visitor," she said before she went to the kitchen.


"She likes you. Wait, let me correct that, she adores you," I told him as we took a seat in the dining table.


"Really? I think your mom's just being nice since I'm a guest."


"Mom never entertains people she's not acquainted with. Take it from me, she's head over heels with you."


"That may be an exaggeration."


"You have to believe it, Gerard."


We were interrupted when we heard footsteps approaching. I thought it was my Dad but I was extremely surprised when I saw who it really was.


"Kuya?"


"I'm home," he announced. I immediately ran to gave him a hug.


"I missed you," I shrieked and excitedly planted a kiss on his cheek. "Where have you been? You were gone for months! You weren't even answering my calls or e-mails! Don't tell me you went to some deserted island?!"


"No, I was just playing some baseball leagues."


"And you were that busy that you didn't even bother to tell me even once?" I hit his right arm hard.


"Ouch! You still haven't changed a bit, Little Ency-Wency-We--" His sentence was cut short when he caught sight of Gerard."Who's this guy?"


"My boyfriend," I sang.


"WHAT?! Since when?!" His eyes instantly grew big.


"Just a few hours ago," I shrugged.


"Are you nuts?! Well, who are you anyway?" he said to Gerard.


"I'm Gerard Sanciongco," he introduced himself. He offered his right hand to my brother but Kuya just continued to stare at him.


"Your a Sanciongco?" he asked with a surprised look on his face.


"Yes. Is there something wrong?"


"Do you know Maxine Sanciongco?"


"Yes, she's my younger sister."


"Seriously? I'm her baseball coach," he exclaimed and finally took Gerard's hand and shook it. "Nice to meet you, man. What a small world, to think that you're my sister's boyfriend."


"Well, he's not really my boyfriend, Kuya. He's my escort," I admitted.


"Really now? So you've finally decided to find an escort? Very un-Wendy-like," he teased.


"Ha! Take that, I told you people change."


He chuckled and turned to face Gerard again. "You should meet our younger brother, Wade. He has the biggest crush on your sister." Gerard chortled.


"You're such a tattletale! You shouldn't divulge Wade's personal life as if it were a local news. Bad Wesley." I defiantly shook my index finger in front of him.


"Whatever," he rolled his eyes. "Besides, if I'll tell Gerard maybe he could even help Wade out, right," he said and gave Gerard a nudge on the side.

"Oh, sure. Maybe I could do something about it," Gerard happily replied.


"Food's here," Mom announced as the maids put out the food on the dining table. "Wesley, call your Dad in so we could eat."




While having merienda, Yaya Thelma told me I have a phone call.


"Excuse me, I have to take this one," I told them.


"Keep it brief, hija," Mom reminded.


I left dining room and answered the extension phone in the kitchen. "Wendy here, who's calling?"


"Hi, Sabby."



Only one person in this world calls me Sabby...


"Ralph?"


"Hey. I was a bit worried you wouldn't recognize my voice."


"You called me Sabby, that's why I knew it's you."


"Oh, right. That nickname. I miss uttering it actually."


Dammit, Ralph, I'm trying to move on...


"Why'd you call, Ralph?" I sighed.


"I just wanted to ask how are you doing since we had a very short chat the last time."


"I'm doing good."


"Really? That's good to hear. So, how's the planning for the debut doing?"


"Superb," I replied dryly.


That's right, Wendy. Play cold.


"I was wondering... if you've found an escort yet?"


"Yes, I have," I uttered distantly.


"Oh... I see..." There was a long pause before he continued. "I was really worried that you haven't found an escort yet. I was actually thinking that you may have dropped by the last time to help you find an escort or something. But, I guess I'm presuming too much..."


Yes, you are, I thought.


"Ralph, I have to go now," I told him "I have a visitor waiting in the other room."


"Your escort...?"


"Yes."


"Oh... I'm sorry if I bothered you..."


"Bye, Ralph."


"Take care, Sabby," he said and I put the phone down.


My heart instantly felt heavy after that, because at some point Ralph was right. I was planning to ask him to be my escort again because I don't have any plan to replace him as my original escort. When we became a couple, I thought that it wouldn't be a problem anymore since that means he'll be my escort... until he broke up with me. But now, Gerard's here and he's my escort — that's because you weren't around.


Disclaimer

All events and characters in this story are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to real events or real people, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The persons depicted in this story are actors and actresses and are only used for illustrative purposes.

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