"Hello, good morning!" I greeted and did a little respect gesture to Kate's mom.
"God bless you. Kate's dad just left. Kate's still snoozing away. You're up early, huh?"
"Yeah, I heard Kate's in section one now. And Jeric got separated, he's in the afternoon class. But you never know with Jeric, he's got his tentacles everywhere..."
"Don't worry, we're really keeping an eye on Kate. Let's wait for Balong. King Kong is gonna talk to his buddy who's a police colonel."
"Have you had breakfast?" Aling Beatriz offered.
"Yup, I had breakfast early at Pag-asa."
"There's Balong, coming in on his tricycle."
"Balong! How's it going?"
"All good, sis," Balong replied as he stopped his tricycle in front of Aling Bea's store. They had no fish to sell today, the sea was too rough early in the morning so they couldn't get any. No veggies either, they were busy taking care of Kate who had a high fever last night.
"Let Kate rest for now, alright? She might not be up to talking, still recovering. Her fever's down but she keeps saying it hurts," Aling Bea said in her usual tone.
"---- Hey, you, we need to talk later, okay? I haven't told King Kong yet. Just hold on," Aling Bea whispered with a hint of threat. It seemed like she had found out the real reason behind Kate's condition.
"This is Balong, he used to drive Kate when she was in the center until elementary. Balong, this is Chris, my daughter's friend --- boyfriend," said Aling Bea.
"Wow! Kate's got a boyfriend already?" Balong said in his rough Tagalog.
"Yeah... I feel like I'm gonna be a grandma soon. Hey, you!!! Don't go knocking up my Kate!"
"Whoa, going straight to baby talk, huh?" Balong chuckled.
"So, Balong, you're picking up and dropping off Kate at 5:30 AM and 11:45 AM every day. Some kids have been bothering her," Aling Bea explained.
"Who are these kids?"
"You know, just some punks. One of them was her classmate last year. Keep a lookout, Balong. Maybe they'll back off when they see you with her. 'Cause if it's just Chris, they'll probably still mess with her..."
"Got it, sis! I'll talk to my boss, but I'll be there at 5:30 to pick up Kate. On Monday, I'll have Chris point out those troublemakers."
"Thanks, Balong. We'll talk about your pay later, and I'll cook for you every day. You can have lunch here."
"Oh, thanks! How about dinner too, sis... Just kidding!" Balong teased.
"Alright, you got it! You know you're my favorite!!" Balong took off after that little banter to deliver some bread to other bakeries.
"Balong's a good guy. He bought that tricycle with his own money. He's not from here but he's been a big help since my kids were little. He used to drive a pedicab. Now he's got a motorbike with a side car. He runs deliveries and errands around here. So hardworking."
I thought Aling Bea had moved on to another topic.
"Wait here, okay? I'm gonna buy some food and soft drinks. Rice is cooked, eat with me. Don't go anywhere," Aling Bea said firmly.
She left to get some food and drinks. So, I guess Aling Bea knew something went down between me and Kate. She probably sensed it 'cause she's a woman too.
When Aling Bea got back, she told me to set the table with plates, spoons, and forks. She served the food on the table, bringing out a bag of fish sauce and chili.
"Go ahead and eat even if you're already full. Kate won't be up for a while," Aling Bea said as she sat down.
We ate in silence, just the sound of utensils clinking against plates and us swallowing our food.
"Hey, Chris... I know... confess. Did you do something to my daughter? I can tell easily 'cause I'm a woman too," Aling Bea whispered sternly. I knew it...
"She's not clutching her stomach when she says it hurts, but her privates. Haaay...." Aling Bea sighed deeply.
"King Kong doesn't know yet, but I hope he doesn't find out. He'd understand, but he's the sensitive one between us. Me, sure I cry, but he's a man, he holds back. He gets lost in thought, I know he's thinking about Katrina. That's why I hug him when he's like that. He'll shake his head, but no matter how much he hides his pain, I know. It's not your fault either 'cause my daughter can be... passionate. Once Kate recovers, she'll know the pain. You might end up doing it more often, but please, if you can't control it, use a condom, okay? I'll get some from the barangay. You won't be able to stop, and if we separate you two, you'll just sneak around. Better this way, at least we can see you. If we get angry and start investigating, you'll just do everything in secret. You're older, you should be a good influence on Kate," I just nodded, and after that, Aling Bea finished her meal.