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Red immediately let out a soft laugh the moment he caught a glimpse of Jaden, his face morphed into a frown, stress and nervousness evident on his expression.
Jaden scowled at him, “Natawa ka pa talaga?”
“Relax, Ja. It’s just your lola.” Red reached for his thigh giving it a squeeze as if it should be enough to calm him down.
“You see… This is what I don’t get.”
Red’s lips stretched into a smirk, as he raised a brow at his lover,
“Paanong ako yung kinakabahan tapos ikaw relax na relax ka lang diyan?”
The way Red sits, the way he talks, and the way he keeps his composure whilst being playful towards Jaden is his usual self. It was as if he was not gonna meet Jaden’s overly conservative and very Chinese lola.
“Why would I be?”
“Cause—”
“Ja…” Red then pulled Jaden’s chair close to his, “I am holding onto your words. Hindi mo na ako hihiwalayan no matter what. I am trusting you. You’ve always known you’re the only voice that mattered to me, and that did not change. So whatever happened here, and whatever your Guama tells me, good or bad— To me… It’ll always be your word against theirs.”
Jaden finally let go of the air he was holding in, as he nodded.
Red definitely changed. He matured more. But what did not change was his effect on Jaden. How his words still have a strong hold on the younger. How Jaden knew he could hold onto the younger’s words.
“Apo..” Both Red and Jaden turned in front of them when they heard a familiar voice,
“Guama…” Bati ni Jaden, before walking towards the elder, giving her a kiss on her cheek, bago inalalayan sa kanyang upuan.
“Good afternoon, Mrs. Singson.” Pormal na bati ni Red sa matanda, bowing a little as he did.
Jaden watched his grandma intently. He saw how his grandma looked at Red from head to toe,
“I must say, you resemble your late grandfather Joaquin when he was young.” Natatawang ani neto,
“I heard that a lot po.”
Jaden pressed his lips into thin line, the three fell silent when the server came with their drinks. The older carefully and sophisticatedly sipped tea from her cup. Anyone could tell that the older Singson was raised to be a lady with class, which she is.
“Did you know your great-grandma was trying to set me up with your grandpa, well she’s setting up her son with all the elite women in Davao but your lolo had a reputation of a 花心大萝卜 (womanizer/skirt chaser)…but I know I could do so much better.” She said almost casually. Jaden’s jaw dropped a bit, “No offense.”
“None taken.” Red chuckled as he shook his head.
“Do you work?”
“I’m an engineer po.”
“Ah, you followed your grandpa’s footsteps huh?” The elder nodded, fingers tapping against her cane, “You work for your family’s company?”
“I do, Ma’am.”
“My apo here owns and manages his own hotel chain, I hope you don’t expect me to settle with just an engineer for my apo.”
“I know, ma’am. I know Jaden deserves so much more than just an engineer with a struggling firm..” Jaden felt Red’s hand tighten his grip, making him look at the younger. Red maintains a calm expression.
Tumikhim ang matanda bago nagsalita muli, “To be frank with you, Ijo..” The old lady smiled, “I don’t like you for my grandson.”
Jaden felt his stomach drop, his insides clenching, that it almost made him want to throw up. This is not what he expected from his Guama. Million of questions, thoughts, and doubts raced inside his mind.
Then a warm and soft hand reached for his shaky hands, enveloping them and soothing him slowly. All his thoughts dissipate into thin air. He turned to Red who was holding him still looking at his guama as if he was listening to her every word.
‘Right. I don’t have to worry. I know what I want. I know what to do now.’
“Same with your Ahia for Jaden’s Achi.” Jaden’s Guama smiled almost bitterly, “But mostly you. For what your Ahma did to my grandson dahil lang minahal ka niya.”
“Guama—”
The older raised his finger, silencing Jaden. Jaden bit his lowerlip, fighting back the urge to talk.
‘That’s not Red’s fault naman…’
“But I learned a lot with my panganay. What love does to people. I had to learn how to accept things the hard way. It’s no secret sayo na our family is much more traditional than yours, I don’t understand what being gay is honestly.” The elder then straightened her back, before diverting her gaze to Jaden, “But I know that love knows no bounds. That love will always find its way to conquer. I love my grandson enough to accept who he is, and I love my grandson enough to accept you.”
Jaden felt tears cascading down his cheeks as he reached for his Guama’s hand, holding onto her tightly, “I may not like the family where you came from, but I won’t let that define who you are. So prove yourself to me, Jared Soyangco.” Guama wiped the tears threatening to spill, before looking at Red, eyes serious and stern, “Prove to me that you are worthy of my apo.”