May 1st is Lei Day in Hawai‘i. It is a celebration of the Aloha spirit in the Hawaiian culture. Every school has its own May Day performances but due to the pandemic, the students didn’t do any performances this year. When we get through this pandemic and go back to normal, we hope to watch the May Day King and Queen dance with the Royal Court performances representing each island again.
May is also a celebration of Mother’s Day. Happy Mother’s Day to all the Nanay, Inang, Inay, Yena, Ima, especially to my mom, Dolly Butay. Happy Mother’s Day to my sisters, Daisy, Dianne and Debbie and to my daughter, Vanessa Kate Erin. Wanna express your love or write a message to your mom or wife this Mother’s Day or on her birthday? Here’s something you can practice on. Thank you for loving and caring for me. I love you. In Ilokano: Agyamanak iti pinangipateg mo ken pinangdunggom kanyak. Ay-ayaten ka. In Tagalog: Salamat sa pagmamahal at pag-aaruga sa akin. Mahal kita. In Ilonggo: Madamo gid nga salamat sa pagpalangga kag paghalong sa akon. Palangga gid taka. Cebuano: Daghang salamat sa paghigugma ug pagpalangga nimo sa akoa. Gihigugma taka.
Where are we in the story of Michael and Angel? Let’s find out.
Angel breaks down and sobs. “I came to the U.S. because I wanted to help my family. I wanted to feed my family and be able to buy medicine for my dad. I wanted my mom to be able to buy food and not worry when my siblings will be able to eat. I didn’t know it was all a scam. My family borrowed kwarta (money) from a lot of people just for me to get here. I want to do trabaho (work). I want to send them salapi (money) so I can pay those people who we owe pera (money) to. Michael, nanoyin (what) can I do?” Angel belts out a stream of emotion for the first time and the unbearable tears fall to the ground.
Michael reaches out to give her a yakap (hug) and pulls her into his arms. He is gagap-pan (hugging) her as if she was the only thing in the kalibutan (world) that matters.
With a mournful look in her mukat (face), Angel gakos (hugs) him back.
They arakup (hug) for a long time, his korason (heart) singing and confused at the same time.
He kawul (hugs) her until she stops sobbing. His puso (heart) aches for her.
“Ana (What) are we going to do?” thinks Michael.
Michael wipes away the teardrop from her cheek and tells her “Come with me.”
Angel buries her arap (face) deeper into his chest. He feels a great sense of tension just fallen from her. She begins to cry again. And he holds her.
“Hani (What) is this? Ano (What) is this feeling? I have a beautiful strong woman in my arms. She is crying her puso (heart) out. I’m here holding her, being all manly and stuff. She is just melting inside. All I want to do is hold her and tell her it’s going to be ok. All I want to do is take these tears away. All I want to do is protect her and shield her. For the first time in my life, I am not the one melting. I am not the one folding. I am the strength. Yes, I can be that for her. I can be her rock. God let me be her rock. What do I do?” thinks Michael.
As Angel melts further and further into Michael, Michael with his kasingkasing (heart) pumping and his mind racing, moves his gamat (hands) slowly up her sides. The electricity that is coming out from his lima (hands), she can feel every bit of it. She sobs further and further. The smell of his fragrance on his body, to the feel of his shirt on her nawong (face). The touch of his ima (hands) on her side. She can’t help it. She has been longing to be loved for so long. She has been longing for someone to hold her like this, for someone to tell her everything will be okay. Is this him? Did God send him to me?
Michael’s kamay (hands) move the way that they want. Briskly grazing her arm and then her shoulder. Chills running down her back, she finally looks at him with bloodshot eyes. They look at each other for just a second. Her dilated pupils open for him, giving him access deep into her soul. There he sees the extreme pain and hurt that is trapped inside. A girl desperate to come out, distressed and tired.
Michael thinks: “Ano (What) is this feeling? I feel a different energy. I feel power. I feel strength. I feel empathy, and compassion. I feel obligation and warmth. Anni (What) is this that I’m feeling? Is this the feeling of being a man? Is this ana (what) it’s like to care for a woman? Is this the feeling of Love?”
There is a power brewing inside of him that is churning and bubbling. His eyes turning from a helpless boy to a strong loving man. He looks at her with a new conviction. And slowly cups both of his kamay (hands) around her jaw. At this moment Angel drops her defenses as Michael firmly goes in for a ummo (kiss).
This halik (kiss) was his first and so was hers. In a wild turn of events that led to this moment in the kitchen of Lydia’s house. Without a single word being said, Angel surrenders her puso (heart) to Michael and Michael internally vows to protect her. All the buildup of the tensions for the past few days is released and a new bond fortified through the heat as they rest their mukha (faces) on each other.
Michael goes in for another anggo (kiss) and then grabs her kamot (hand).
“Go pack some damit (clothes) and your important stuff,” Michael says.
“Huh? Where are we …” Angel tries to ask.
“Away from here. … Alistuam (hurry) and meet me outside,” Michael firmly says.
“Only the important ones,” says Angel, confused but she hurries to her room.
“What am I packing?” she asks herself.
She opens the closet and grabs the backpack that Rosie gave her and walks toward the bed and looks around the room.
What do you think is going through Angel’s mind? What is Michael’s plan? Where are they going? What are they going to do? Keep an eye for the next issue. Please visit us on our Facebook page and leave us a comment or ideas at www.facebook.com/FilAmVoiceMaui.
I’m Dulce, helping you to master your Filipino Languages. Like always, let’s laugh, let’s makinig (listen) and Let’s Talk Pinoy! Hanggang sa muli! (Until next time!) Ingat! (Take care!).
Dulce Karen Butay was graduated from Maui High School and earned her Associate in Arts degree in Liberal Arts from Maui Community College and her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, specializing in Accounting, from the University of Hawai‘i—West O‘ahu. She is currently the Administrative Officer at the County of Maui, Department of Finance. Butay is a licensed Resident Producer of Life Insurance with World Financial Group and an Independent Consultant of Saladmaster. She is now part of the Travel Club of Saladmaster and won an all-expenses paid trip to Cancun, Mexico with the love of her life, Paul Manzano. Butay has traveled to Texas, the Philippines and Thailand as one of the delegates from Island Healthy Solutions, a Saladmaster dealer here on Maui.