Whoa! Second month of the year already? That was quick. Ah February, the love month! Are you ready for Valentine’s Day? Get those poems out and be ready with it.…Roses are red, violets are blue, my life is happy because I have you.… Aaahhh, so sweet. How about this? Roses are red, violets are blue, I’m in love with you, Don’t you have a clue? Roses are red, violets are blue, I’ll never love someone the way I love you.… 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: Leilani Maglaya Corpuz, Renie Garo Menor, Yuki Lei Sugimura, Zina Andrade-Nefalar and Esmeralda “Esmie” Damo. Happy, Happy birthday to you! Maligayang bati sa inyong kaarawan! (Tagalog) Naimbag nga panagkasangay mo! (Ilokano) Makapagayaya nga aggaw na nikeyana mu! (Ibanag) Masayang kebaitan queca! (Kapampangan) Masadya gid nga adlaw sa imo pagkatawo! (Ilonggo).
Let’s see what’s going on with our story this month and where Michael and Angel will be going next, shall we?
Angel lifts her kamut (hand) and points her other kamay (hand) with the phone.
He sees the light on his phone. It is on. He takes it from her ima (hand) and looks at who is on the other line.
It says, MOM.
His mukha (face) turns white.
Nanang (Mom) is on the phone, he says to himself.
“Mikey! Mikey!” Ima (Mom) screams.
Angel gives the phone to Michael.
Michael stares at the phone. He is blank.
Angel grabs his kamay (hand) and gives the phone to him.
He stares at her blankly.
“Nanay? (Mom?) Are you my inahan (mom)?” Michael says nervously.
“Of course, Michael! I am your yena (mother)!” she says furiously. “Oh Mikey, nasaan (where) are you?” she says worriedly. “Are you ok? Are you hurt? Are you safe? Come to the balay (house).” Endless questions she wants to know the answer to.
“I am fine, Ima (Mom). I’m safe. Nothing to worry about.” Michael says calmly.
“Michael, you have to umuwi (come home) and we need to talk. I think it is not safe for you to be out and let alone this time. Pauli (Come home), my son,” she pleads with him.
Michael looks at Angel and he says to his mom, “I’m with Angel, Inang (Mom).”
“I know, son. The two of you should pauli (come home) so we can talk about things. They said Angel killed a cop,” Mom says shakingly.
“Unsa (What)?” Michael is shocked. “Sino (Who) told you? How did you know that?” Inno (Where) did you get that news?” Michael’s turn to have endless questions for his Nanay (mother).
“Michael, calm down. The detectives are looking for her so it’s best to agawid (come home) so the two of you are safe. Magpauli (Come home), son, please?”
Michael is quiet for a moment then he says, “Ok yena (mom), we’re coming home.”
Michael gets out of the sasakyan (car) and takes five steps and then walks back to the lugan (car).
Michael is quiet. He is thinking. No, he is not thinking. His mind is blank. He doesn’t know what to think about.
He faces Angel and says nothing.
Angel asks him, “Michael, are you ok?”
“Is there something you want to tell me?” Michael asks instead.
Angel freezes. She doesn’t know ana (what) to say.
She takes a deep breath and says, “I think you should agawid (go home). I don’t want you to get in trouble. I’ll call Rosie to come and get me.”
“No, I’m not gonna let you go until you tell me about it,” Michael says angrily.
“Ok, calm down. I will tell you. Anni (What) do you want to know?” Angel asks calmly.
“Did you kill a cop?” he asks seriously.
Angel laughs.
“It’s not a funny question,” Michael says.
“Michael, do you think I am capable of killing a cop? How did I kill him? I am scared of thunder, let alone fire a gun? Come on, Michael …” says Angel.
“Don’t ‘Come on Michael’ me. Answer the question,” Michael demands.
“No, I did not,” Angel says seriously.
“Then why did my Inahan (mom) say you killed a cop?”
Michael looks up at Angel crying. “Ano (What)? Is this true?”
Angel’s tears fall from her mukha (face) and she says, “No. I don’t know nanoyin (what) she is talking about.” And she starts sobbing.
She is uttering some words but Michael can’t hear her over her sobbing.
Michael walks away from Angel.
Will Michael just leave Angel in the middle of nowhere late at night?
Anyways that’s all I have. Keep an eye out for my column in 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.