At Angelo's office, the handsome president is busy on the phone.
"Mom, what is it?"
"Good morning too, son." His mom sarcastically greeted her son.
"Morning. So, what request do you have now?"
"Can't I just call my son to ask how his day is?"
"Mm." Angelo doesn't seem to believe his mom.
"Well, I need you to contact your 'wanderlust' brother."
"He is busy with his job somewhere in a remote place, so even if I call him… I don't think he can answer it."
"You two are close. I don't believe he will ignore your call. Don't bother telling me that there is no signal to wherever he was, since he has the best of the best satellite phone that is connected to our very own personal satellite. Don't make excuses for your brother."
Angelo sighed. "I'll try."
"Your dad wants to talk to you."
He can hear his mom forcing his dad to talk on the phone.
"Son."
"Mm."
"Your mom wants me to tell you that you need to do what she is asking you to do." Angelo's dad confessed.
'Why are you so blockheaded!' He can hear his mom reprimanding his poor dad.
"Ok."
"Just do what your mom tells you."
"Mm. We can never win when it comes to her. Dad, why are you so yielding with mom?" Angelo asked his dad in curiosity. His father is a king in his own right and never shows any weakness to anyone. But when it comes to his mom, he is different. He never heard his dad shout or hurt his mom physically. He respects and dotes on her. There are only a few instances where he witnessed his dad showing his fangs, and that was when people crossed his bottom line.
"Because I am able to. Most importantly, I care for and cherish your mom. I wanted to make her happy for the rest of her life, for as long as I can. You will know when you have found someone precious to you."
'Oh my..old man, you are making me blush.' He can hear his mom saying. He can already imagine the coy look on his mom's face.
"Is this what they call, a happy wife, a happy marriage, a happy life?"
"Mm."
"Son?" It seems like his mom took back the phone.
"Mom."
"Take your dad as a blueprint - a guide of what a good partner should be, ok? That is the secret to a happy life. He respects and cherishes our relationship, and I to him. He compromises and I do too, it is a give and take thing. Although... he does compromise a lot for me, I must admit."
"Mm." Angelo agreed, especially on the part where his mom mentioned how his dad is the one who always gives in a lot. Looking at it from an outsider's perspective, anyone would think that his mom holds the reins between the two. Although it looks like it, but in reality, his mom can't say anything when his father starts to hold the helm. His dad is the only one who can tame his mom.
"Wait. Why am I even giving you love lessons? You don't even have a girlfriend. You are loveless." Angelo's mom mocked his son's lack of romance.
That just hit our dear handsome president. He is loveless, so what?
"Anyway, call your brother, ok?"
"Mm."
"Tell him to come home within this week or I'll smash his camera collections."
"Mm."
"Tsk, you are just like your dad. You always talk to me 'hm-ing' and 'mm-ing'. Can't you and your dad talk like normal human beings? I don't speak alien, ok?" He can hear the irritation in his mom's tone. His mother couldn't wrap her head around why her husband and eldest son are so few-of-words most of the time.
Angelo feels a bit amused by his mom. There is never a dull moment with her, he thought. Besides, if even both he and his dad become talkative too, then their whole family would be out-talking each other, and what a disaster that would be.
"Ok. I still need to work so I'll hang up now."
"Hang on. All you do is work. Do you even go out and look for ladies?"
"Mom.."
"Don't mom me. Be honest, are you bent? Why are you not showing interest in dating?"
"I'm as straight as a flag pole." Angelo usually doesn't react to this type of question regarding his sexuality. He could have ignored it because he knows that he isn't 'bent' as how his mom put it. But, somehow, he is not particularly keen on just ignoring the question at that time and so he felt the need to defend his sexuality.
"Are you sure? You are just not hiding it, are you? Don't worry, we will try to accept whatever sexuality you have. I and your dad are open-minded people. Don't worry about people talking, they can't do anything once we decided to make a move. So, I'll ask you again, are you gay?"
"What would you do if I am?" Angelo exasperatedly asked his mom. No matter what he says, his mom would always doubt his sexuality because of his lack of romance.
"You are??!!!" It seems like Angelo shook his mom to her core.
"No, I'm not."
"But..but you just said you are… gay." His mother stuttered and whispered the last word as if she was out of breath.
"I just said that because you always doubt my sexuality."
"Oh my… my poor heart. This unfilial son, you almost gave me a heart attack. Good… that's good then."
"What happened to your talk about accepting my sexuality if I happen to be gay?" Angelo teased his mom.
"Well… I mean...it would still be nice if you go with what you are born with. I still want to have grandkids from you - my eldest son, you know. But I will do what I have said if one of my sons turns gay. That is what mothers - a family, would do to support their children in what they wanted as long as they don't step on people and ruin their own life."
"Mm." Angelo agreed.
"So, when are you getting a girlfriend." Here they go again. Angelo's mom always makes it a point to ask his son about a possible romance. "You are not getting any younger, you know. Do you want to grow old alone?"
"Mom, I understand your concern."
"No, you don't."
"Let us talk some other time."
"Ok.. I'll let you off for now, but we will talk about this again."
"Bye, mom." And he ended the call.
After the call, Angelo can't help but think about what his mom told him. He did think that being alone for his whole life isn't ideal. Suddenly, he began to imagine his life with the silhouette of a woman. He sighed and shook his head.
He just met her once… well twice, if you include the car incident. He must admit that he felt attracted to her... but he couldn't possibly be thinking of a future with her. That would be ridiculous and a bit shallow for him. He needs to get to know her first. What is he even thinking? He sighed again, his work rhythm for the day was interrupted by his mom's phone call. He sighed for the nth time and resumed what he was doing before being interrupted.