Ah February, the love month! Are you ready with Valentine’s day? Roses are red, violets are blue, how did I get lucky with you? Aaah, so sweet. How about this… Roses are red, violets are blue, I’m in love with you, Don’t you have a clue? Wow, I think I’m getting good at this. I have to stop because I might get carried away. But if you need help, contact me and I might be able to help you. Whatever your plans to celebrate, don’t forget to get a flower or bouquet of flowers for your Valentine. It will surely brighten up her day or even bring a smile to her face. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Shout out to our February birthday celebrants: my good friends Leilani Maglaya Corpuz, Crisian Baguyo Chelsky and Andre Baguyo. Happy, Happy birthday! Maligayang bati sa inyong kaarawan!
Also, celebrating their 21st Wedding Anniversary on Valentine’s day are Andre and Jovy Baguyo. You two make a perfectly ideal couple. Happy Anniversary to both of you! Cheers!
Let’s see what’s going on with our story this month and where Michael and Angel will be going next, shall we?
Michael pulls into a dirt road with overgrown grass. He goes outside to open the gate. “This is actually a friend’s get away house. It’s actually pretty remote and off grid,” he excitedly tells Angel until he realizes she is sleeping. “We need a place that no one can get to.” He locks the gate and proceeds down a gravel dirt road. From there he parks on the grassy area.
He wakes up Angel. “Wake up babe,” smiling as he says it.
Angel pops open her eyes quickly because she hadn’t really been sleeping. She gets up. “Were you sleeping?” he asks. “Of course!” she turns her head. “Nokarin (Where) are we, Michael?”
As they get out of the sakyanan (car), he finds a stick and whacks some of the grass out of the way. “Here,” a hard thump. As he pushes the grass out of the way, there sits an old military hummer.
Angel rubs her eyes and steadily proceeds to ask Michael question after question.
“Michael, ano (what) is that?”
“How are you going to drive that?”
“Do you have the susi (key)?”
“Does it still run?”
“Inno (Where) are we going with this?”
“Who is going to be there?”
“How long are we staying there?”
“Do we have supplies?”
Michael glances over at Angel with a confused/stressed look on her nawong (face). He continues to look for the hidden yabi (key) for the hummer. “San o (Where) is the tulbek (key)? Saan (Where) is the pang’able (key)? echoes in Michael’s head.
The questions continue.
“Michael, hani (what) time is it?”
“Is there anything to eat? I think nagugutom ako (I’m hungry).”
“When was the last time I ate?”
“Did you eat yet? Mabisin ak (I’m hungry).”
“Did I just say maranup ku (I’m hungry) again?
“Should I bring down our bags?”
“Do you think we forgot something?”
“You think Lydia will be mad that I just left and never said anything?”
“Do I have my ID card? Aha (Where’s) my purse?”
Michael realizes Angel is having a breakdown so he walks towards her and he gives her a gagap-pan (hug). She kawul (hugs) him tight.
“Sshhhh … calm down…everything will be ok,” he says softly.
Angel frees herself from the arakup (hug) and looks him in the eye.
Even in the dark, Michael can see Angel’s watery eyes. And she continues to ask questions.
“Do you think so? I am in trouble?” she shrieks as they stand next to each other.
He walks her to the passenger side of the hummer. Holding onto the back of her head and kissing through her worn out headband, he whispers “Everything will be okay.”
Angel lets out a cry. A cry that is years of pain and suffering rolled into a few consecutive gasps of air as she unravels herself into Michael’s braso (arms).
“I don’t know what’s going on yet but we will figure it out when we get there,” Michael continues and holds her kamay (hand) tight.
Angel continues to cry.
“Ok?” Michael says.
No answer.
Michael continues to comfort her, rocking her back and forth, resting in his gamat (arms).
Slowly the cry turns into a pant and then fades away.
Now what? What is Michael’s plan? Will everything really be ok? Are they hiding? Until when?
Anyways that’s all I have. Keep an eye out for my article every issue. 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 received her Associate in Arts degree in Liberal Arts from Maui Community College. She earned 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 Saladmaster’s Travel Club and won an all-expenses paid trip to Cancún, Mexico. Butay has traveled to Texas, the Philippines and Thailand as one of the delegates from Island Healthy Solutions, a Saladmaster dealer here on Maui.