Aiah
January 27
7:00 am sa Pantry ng Studio
"Ang aga mo ngayon ah." Aiah greeted me with a smile.
"Nauna lang ako sa'yo ng ilang minuto pero late pa rin ako." Sagot ko sa kaniya.
"Traffic?"
"Nope. Late lang talaga ako nagising kanina."
The call time was 6 am but I arrived at the studio around 6:30 in the morning and Aiah arrived 5 minutes later. We are going to have a shoot today para sa isang magazine. As usual, we anticipated lates kaya nag-adjust ng oras sina Ms. B at Kuya Nilo.
"I heard sa beach tayo ngayon eh. Are you excited?" She said while searching for her cup sa cupboard namin dito sa pantry.
"Yeah. Ilang months na rin na nagcrecrave ako ng beach and vitamin sea." I said while we both chuckled.
"Magkakape ka ba?" Tanong ko sa kaniya.
"I bought a carton of green tea kagabi while walking Honey. Gusto mo ba? Medyo hinihilab kasi ako sa kape lately eh."
Aiah is the oldest BINI member kaya maingat na siya sa mga kinakain niya nowadays lalo at hindi rin ganoon kalakas ang resistensya niya sa mga sakit.
"Green tea? Let me try one. Nagpasobra na ako ng tubig na ipapainit ha?" I told her.
"Okay. Wait me here. Get ko lang yung tea for you." Inilapag niya ang kaniyang baso sa mesa.
Aiah is a good person. Siya ang bunso sa kanilang magkapatid pero siya ang ate naming lahat dito sa BINI. At napakamapagmahal niyang ate. I like to call her "Ate Aiah" because she so much deserves that respect from me but she insisted na hindi niya bagay kapag tinatawag ko siyang Ate. Silly, right?
"Heto na yung tea, I hope you will like it." She excitedly told me habang winawagayway niya ang sachet nito.
"Ay hala, hindi mo na-press yung sa heater. Nako, ikaw talaga. Kabata-bata mo pa pero ulyanin ka na." She teasingly giggled.
"Aiah, question lang. What is love for you?"
"Ang random mo naman. But, thank you for that wonderful question." As always, she smiled before turning her expression in serious mode.
"Love..." She paused for a bit.
She looked happily to me and said, " Love is always free."
"Double meaning ba 'yan?" I asked out of curiosity.
"It depends how you take my answer. Pero para sa akin, love is when you can both make yourself and the receiving end feel free. Like hindi nakakasakal. Sabi nga nila, di 'ba, if you love someone, set them free."
"If he comes back, he's yours. If not, he was never meant to be." Dugtong ko.
"Alam mo, ang pagmamahal ay malaya at mapagpalaya."
"Have you ever been in love, Aiah?"
"I did. Many times... before."
"Eh ngayon?" Out of nowhere, I asked her.
Her reaction was calm. Then she smiled silently.
"I just set her free."
"H-her?" Bakas sa pananalita ko ang pagkagulat. "You are in love with a she?" I asked again.
As always, she smiles as a way for her reply.
Her quiet smiles are the perfect definition of Aiah. It reflects her tranquility, her pureness. It is her smiles and no other else. And the only thing that runs in my mind right now is that how come this ever gentle Aiah is in love with a she?
"S-sino?" I asked again.
DING!
The electric cattle made that noise implying that the water is now ready and hot.
"It's tea time~" She sang.
"So spill the tea." I said excitedly.
"Dear, spilt tea causes stain. So let's just enjoy this tea without spilling it, all right?" She smiled.
Ah! That smile. I thought. That uplifting smile of Aiah saying she's happily in love with someone.
"If you're happy, I'm happy. Tara, let's enjoy our cups." I said.
"I am, so don't worry. Okay?" She held her cup high saying cheers.
You will always have me. I thought.
"Ate Aiah" I called her ate because she so much deserves that respect from me but she insisted na...
"Hindi bagay." Then we both laugh on our way.