“Because that’s lying,” Kira said, stating the obvious. “And when it blows up in your face, which it will, because your mom is friends with Ate Nessie, and Ate Nessie knows everything, you do not want them to be caught left-footed. Flat-footed? Whatever.”
“So what do we do?” Alfred asked, his face serious, even if Kira knew that the nachos were his weakness. The man was ready to work, and Kira appreciated that.
“Mikaela, your parents are traditional, no?” Kira asked, and the younger girl nodded. “Then you have to take on this ligawan in a traditional way.”
“What, gather my friends and sing under her window?” Alfred asked. “Because I’m a terrible singer.”
“And is it courtship if we’re already together?” Mikaela asked curiously.
“Oh it’s not a courting for you, it’s for your parents,” Kira said. Traditional ligawan in the Philippines was all about impressing your intended’s parents. If you managed to follow their rules long enough, you were “granted permission” to go out.
It was horribly, horribly antiquated, in Kira’s opinion. But changing an adult’s mind wasn’t going to happen if you didn’t consider their concerns in the first place. “They have to know that Alfred is not a threat to you. That he’s worthy of your trust and affection, and they’ll come around, too.”
Gosh they were both adorably clueless. Kira wondered if she was like this when she was twenty-four.
“The shop sells a tub of 88% dark chocolate triangles,” she said suddenly, seemingly apropos to nothing as she picked up a nacho.
“My dad’s diabetic,” Mikaela pointed out.
“I know,” Kira said, nodding. “I make the triangles with coco sugar, and it’s mostly cacao. He can’t eat too many, but he can eat a little. I know your mom also loves Sunday Bakery, Mikaela. So if I were you, Alfred, and I’m not saying I am, I would get a tub of chocolate, an order of those gorgeous cheese rolls Gabriel makes, then I would go to Mikaela’s house and offer it for merienda as Mikaela’s friend. Your intentions are clear without having to overstep her parents, which is what they don’t want.”
Kira couldn’t pretend to know why Mikaela’s parents were the way they were, but that’s just how it worked. In this country, you took the bad with the good, and worked around it, because you had no other choice sometimes.
She saw Alfred cast a wary glance at Mikaela, and she looked worried, too. Kira wanted to sigh, it was so freaking adorable. She’d always been part of the club that saw other people in love, and reacted with, “sana all!” in a lovingly joking way.
As much as she was used to waiting for love, it didn’t mean she wasn’t jealous when she saw it happen for other people. How was it so easy for her to find love for others, but not be able to see love for herself except in the form of teleserye fantasies and chance kisses?
People told her that it meant that she just wasn’t ready yet. Apparently falling in love meant being vulnerable, and vulnerability was a very real fear for someone who felt like the lone family member that needed adult supervision (a Luz trait more than astrology, really). Easier to be the all-seeing being that helped other people fall in love. Then maybe it would come back to her, one way or the other. Ready or not.
“Don’t worry, you two,” Kira told them with a small smile. “Love favors the brave. So be brave, and give it a try. If all else fails, I’m happy to chaperone your date from a very respectable distance.”
Chapter Five
December 27
The Luz House, Haraya Subdivision
Bolbok, Lipa
Today’s Horoscope: Entering Capricorn season doesn’t come without challenges, and this is a big one. But with your usual ease and effortlessness, Gemini, you can get through it! Trust your decisions, and you will be fine. Let the waning gibbous moon bring enthusiasm.
“Tita Kira?” Cassie Luz-Ang, Kira’s one and only niece, asked as Kira paced the room.
It had been five days. Five days since Kira and Santi kissed at the Carlton, andstillshe hadn’t heard from him. Not even a peep. In the five days since the wedding, Kira had helped Ate Tiana perfect her chocolate tableya recipe, had discussed the merits of white chocolate pain au chocolats with Gabriel, helped Sari repaint her bedroom, while Alfred and Mikaela secured permission to go out on a date (with Kira as a chaperone, but hey, we love compromise).
But still, Kira hadn’t heard a thing from Santi.
“Tita?”
She’d considered calling him, of course, but it didn’t feel right. It feltweird. Because their interactions over the last three years since he came back in that shiny red Mercedes were always in the realm of professionalism (him) and being a caring but nagging friend (her). Before this, Kira saw his business partner Gabriel more often than she did Santi, and Santi was supposed to beherfriend. She could always count on Santi to dole out business advice once she wore him down a little, and he seemed to enjoy explaining “rent escalation” and “escrow” to her when she wheedled him for it. But it wasn’t anything beyond that, until that wedding.
Remnants of her upbringing in all-girls Catholic schools from prep to high school had taught her that feelings are things you repress, and not share with anyone. The first act of having a crush was to deny, deny, deny. Deny until the world ends, because god forbid people find out that you actuallydesiredsomeone. Ngek.
“Tiiita...”
Not that she “desired” Santi. She didn’t. She would just prefer to know his thoughts on him possibly desiring her before she reciprocated. Totally normal. Hay, sometimes her being an air sign really bit her in the ass.
“Tita!” Cassie exclaimed, and Kira snapped to attention.
