Divinity
Napadaan kami sa isang clothing shop, pumasok naman kami sa loob para tumingin-tingin ng damit. 
“Will she like this?” I asked, raising a silk white duster dress. 
Kumunot naman yung noo niya habang nakatitig sakin at sa damit. 
“Hindi ko alam, as far as i know hindi naman mapili si tita sa damit, besides marami ng damit si tita, i dont think thats a unique thing that you would gift to someone and i believe kung yan ang susuotin ni tita, babangon ata sa hukay ang papa mo” 
Napatingin naman ako sa kanya. For a second napagtanto niya yung sinabi niya. 
“I-im sorry, I didn't mean to bring that up” he was cursing himself at napasapo naman siya sa noo niya. 
“That's okay, matagal naman wala si papa” i said. 
“Lipat na lang tayo sa ibang store” pagaalok niya sakin. 
Tumango naman ako bilang tugon. 
“How about that jewelry store” turo ko sa kanya. We both walked inside the store at naglibot libot.
Habang nag libot-libot kami sa loob ng store. The sales clerk were staring at me kaya napatitig din ako sa kanya. 
“Hi, is there seems to be a problem?” Tanong ko dito. Nakasunod lang sakin si Dustin habang nakatitig samin. 
“Ah, w-wala po maam. Ikaw po ba yung nasa news?” Tanong nito sakin. 
News? What news? Is that the news that my secretary is talking about? 
“Namumukhaan po kasi kita, ikaw po ba yung may ari ng DA airline? Pwede pong maki picture?” She was looking at me. 
“Sure” sagot ko naman dito. Nagpresenta naman si Dustin na mag siya ang kukuha ng picture. 
“Fan po ako ng airline niyo, maam and sana makapasok ako bilang flight attendant sa isa sa mga airline niyo po. Biruin niyo zero report yung airlines niyo sa crashes or aksidenteng nangyayari” manghang sabi niya sakin. 
I don't know how to react. Hindi naman ako sanay na may makukuha akong compliment besides, if ever ba hindi pinakita ang mukha ko sa news malalaman ba nilang ako yung may-ari? 
“You will definitely get there,” I smiled at her. 
She assisted naman sa mga alahas na imported galing sa middle east. 
“Ito po ang pinaka mamahaling alahas meron kami, galing pato sa middle east maam” saad niya at inilahad samin yung ember pendant. 
It's an old luxury type. 
Tumingin naman ako kay Dustin, to have his approval. Ngumiwi lang ang kanyang mukha, as if hindi pasok sa kanyang taste. 
“I don't think tita would like that kind of expensive gift” he said in disapproval. 
“I'm sorry miss, we'll look for another store for now” i said. Lumabas naman kami mula dun sa store. 
Nag-aya muna akong umupo sa may park dito sa mall. Iniwan muna ako ni Dustin sa park, may bibilhin daw muna siya. Tumango nalang ako pero hindi ko siya nilingon, since busy ako kakamasahe sa paa ko since nangangalay na ren ito. 
Mga ilang minuto lumipas may ice cream lumitaw sa harap ko. Napaangat naman ako ng tingin. He was eating an ice cream. I looked at him confused. 
“Kunin mo na matutunaw tung ice cream” he said. 
I sighed and kinuha yung cookies and cream na ice cream sa kanyang kamay. Tumabi naman siyang umupo sakin. He was looking in the distance kaya malaya akong nakakasulyap sa kanya. 
The same style as before, mas mapula pa yung blush on niya sa blush on ko. Tas makintab yung labi niya dahil sa lipgloss at halatang naka eyeliner siya. 
I looked away and inubos nalang yung ice cream. This is crazy, why did I even invite him to join me in the first place? Hindi ko den alam kung anong pumasok sa isip ko bat ko yun sinabi. 
“May naisip ka ng regalo mo?” He asked, breaking the silence between us. 
“Not yet. Hindi ko alam kung anong ireregalo ko den sa kanya. Walang pumapasok sa isip ko. What would be the best gift I could give to someone who's already in their 70’s?” I asked back. 
“Ano bang gift na magiging masaya yung mama mo?” He said, habang nagiisip ng maigi. 
Hindi naman ako kumibo kasi nag-iisip den ako. It took me a while to understand what my mommy wants, what makes her really happy. 
Pumasok sa isip ko yung sinabi ng kapatid ko nung pagbalik ko dito. 
“I already know what my gift is” kalmado kong sabi. 
“Ano?” Taka niya naman tanong sakin. Pero nag kibit balikat nalang ako. 
It's odd that we're sitting together like we used to before. 
Tumayo naman ako saking kinauupuan.
“Aalis kana?” He asked. 
“Oo, alam ko na kung anong magandang regalo sa kanya, there's no need for me to stay here” i said. 
“Ganun ba, sige” he said. 
Hindi pa ako nakakahakbang palayo. I turned around to look at him and he looked at me confused. “If you're not busy tomorrow, you have my invitation to attend her birthday,” I said. 
Ng makalabas ako ng mall. Tangina why the heck their parking lot is a few meters away from the mall!. Nang makasakay ako sa saking sasakyan, i quickly drove back home. 
Nang makarating ako sa bahay. Nakakita ko si Anastasia nasa living room nakaupo habang nanonood ng TV. She glance at me. 
“You're back” she said. 
Umupo naman ako sa tabi niya. 
“So anong nabili mo?” Tanong niya sakin. 
“Wala” tipid kong sagot. 
Yung atensyon niyang nakatuon sa TV lumipat sakin, she was giving me a questionable look. 
“Anong wala?!, let me remind you that it was mom's birthday tomorrow” sino ang mas matanda samin? Kung maka sermon to parang birthday niya. 
“Chill, sis. I know what I am doing, "I said. 
Huminga lamang siya ng malalim. When it was dinner, we all sat down in the dining table and tahimik na kumakain. 
“I invited someone in mom's birthday” basag ko sa katahimikan. 
Kunot noo naman silang nakatitig sakin. 
“Sino?” Takang tanong ni james. 
“It's Dustin” rinig ko ang malakas na singhap ng dalawa as if they couldn't believe what they just heard. 
“What the heck is wrong with your reaction” masama ko silang tinignan.
They both glanced at each other and neither one would dare to speak. 
“That's great! Dustin is a good man and she's your best friend since college Divinity. So it's right to invite him” masayang sabi ni mommy sakin. 
She doesn't know that our friendship ended years ago. 
Hindi naman umimik yung mga kapatid ko as if i did the worst decision in my life.