Gains and Losses

A week ago, we were set to watch 6CycleMind at 19 East (Sucat). It was in Caitlin's calendar for, I think, more than a month, ever since she got the band's gig calendar. It was a Thursday and we agreed on meeting at Festival Mall around 8 (the gig starts at 10pm, we were told) instead of Alex having to come home to pick us up.

7pm-ish, mother and daughter are already seated at McDonald's waiting for him. Alex said he had to go to the wash room first. I asked Cae to text her dad back to say that there's a washroom at the Greens & Grills so he doesn't have to walk too far. He said he'll just pass by Caltex along Alabang-Zapote road and to wait for him in front of Seatlle's Best. It was raining hard by that time. Cae and I were standing outside expecting Alex to show up any time when we got his call that he was bumped by a passenger jeepney on his way to Festi. I rushed towards the office (thank God it was just near) to call for help.

On our way there, Cae was starting to cry. She knew we weren't going to make it to the gig. While we were at the police station, I thought she was going to murder the jeepney driver (who kept on insisting Alex was the one who bumped him). If looks could kill , the driver would have died on the spot.

The next day, off we went to file an insurance claim. Luckily, I was on leave that day that I didn't have work-related baggages to bring along. To cut the story short, Kikay's left fender and bumper were severely damaged. She's at the Honda Alabang Service now for repairs, which will cost us around P25K. Again, thank God for insurance, we only have to shell out 7K. Well, it's not exactly cheap but at least... I hope we'll be able to get her out before my birthday .

Weekend, Papa and Mama treated us out. It was after all Alex's 36th birthday. We went to Macapagal Avenue for a lunch of grilled seafood and pork (for Alex) at Claire dela Fuente's restaurant. The family was complete, including Tito Boy and JC. Then we went to MOA where we spent the afternoon just walking, shopping and eating. The babies even slept for a while. Ang layo ng dinayo namin para lang kumain ng chicharon at matulog ang mga makukulit.

Suddenly, we were startled by Meg's cry, "Si Ate MJ!" She saw our long-lost cousin MJ walking and she and Ate had to run after her. MJ was crying when she approached us. It has been three or four years since she left us to live on her own, after her mom (my aunt) died. She used to live with us and she's been afraid to show up ever since. I wasn't really absorbing everything because I didn't want to cry. MJ promised to keep in touch. I hope Diche is smiling down on us from heaven.

I am taking this opportunity to greet Alex online. What can I say, but people come, people go. At the end of the day, tayo pa din ang magkasama.