Taste: Six

“I will not deny but that the best apology against false accusers is silence and sufferance, and honest deeds set against dishonest words.”—John Milton

He doesn't like it? I thought. Hindi pa nga niya natitikman eh.

"You...you don't like it?" hindi ko mapigilang tanong. Worry is evident in my eyes as I look back at him.

He leaned his back on the chair while crossing his arms over his chest. Tinitigan niya ako bago magsalita.

"Sit and we'll talk," aniya. Agad naman akong umupo at ngumiti sa kaniya para hindi niya mahalatang nanginginig ako sa kaba.

He's more intimidating than his father!

"What did you cook for me?" tanong niya.

"My specialty sir," agad kong sagot.

"This is your specialty?" Itinaas niya ang kanyang kilay at tumingin sa niluto ko. "I don't want to eat it."

Napahinto ako sa sinabi niya. "Tikman niyo po muna sir bago po niyo sabihing hindi niyo gusto," suhestiyon ko.

"I didn't say I don't like it. I said I don't want to eat it."

Ano raw?

"Kung gano'n ay bakit ayaw niyo pong tikman? May gusto po ba kayong ipaluto? About that, tell me po what food you want me to prepare for your meals everyday," sabi ko habang kinukuha ang cellphone ko sa bulsa. Doon ko ililista ang gusto niyang lutuin ko.

"My father didn't tell you?"

"Po?"

He pursed his lips when he heard me, kaya napanguso ako.

"Chef Aisha, isn't it rude not to know your client first before cooking for them?" seryosong tanong nito.

"That's why I'm asking po." Hindi ko mapigilang mapangiwi dahil sa pagpipilit na maisama ang 'po' sa bawat sasabihin ko. I don't want him to think I'm rude but he thinks I'm like that anyway.

Hindi ko intensyong maging personal chef sa taong hindi ko naman talaga kilala ng personal. His father hasn't gave me further instructions and details that made me think, I and his son will just arrange about it when we meet.

"Stop saying 'po' everytime you talk. You're making me look like I'm that old," he strictly told me.

I bit my lower lip to stop my cheeks from heating. Napansin niya pala 'yon?

"Sorry about that Mr. D," hinging-paumanhin ko.

Huminga siya ng malakas bago lumingon sa'kin. "Since my father already hired you but you don't have any idea about me. Then your task is to know everything about me. That way you can know what food I'm eating."

Ano?

Paano ko naman malalaman iyon kung ibang tao nga wala ring alam sa kanya? At bakit may pa ganito pa? Hindi niya na lang sabihin ang gusto niyang kainin para matapos na 'to at wala nang maging problema pa.

But yes, reading and knowing one's personality can give you an idea about the food they love to eat. The food that suits their taste. People's moods change so as to the foods they want to eat. It's only a probability, a high probability. However, sometimes what you think is not always the right one.

At times you think they liked heavy foods because they give off that kind of feeling when in fact it's the opposite. You will mess up big time. Well, that's okay. You can't just stop because they don't like the food you prepared for them. You can make another one until they're already satisfied. Keep trying, there's nothing wrong about that especially if you love doing it.

But you can also tell about how they lived, do they live a healthy lifestyle or they consume foods that are loudly shouting 'YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE, EAT ME!'? Some people don't care about the food as long as it's delicious. At syempre ang mabubusog sila.

There are many reasons, readings and understandings. Eating is what makes us continue living. It gives us energy to keep moving. That's why food is very important. The food we intake affects our body. Kaya mabuting alamin namin na nagluluto ang bawal at hindi bawal. Dahil minsan ang ibang pagkain na kinakain natin ay hindi gusto ng katawan natin. Especially those who have allergies.

Allergy.

"You have an allergy?" agad kong tanong.

Ang mukha niya ay nagpapahiwatig na tama ang naisip ko. May allergy siya. Bakit hindi ko naitanong sa kanya iyon bago ako magluto?

Mukhang nawala ang tamang pag-iisip ko kanina nang makita siya. Ang mukha hanggang katawan niya. Bakit kasi wala siyang suot na damit, alam niya namang may ibang tao, 'di ba? Buti na lang may suot na siya ngayon.

At nangsisisi ka pa?

"For a chef, you're being too late to think about that."

Napanguso na lang ako sa sinabi niya. I know, I won't deny it's my fault.

Tumayo ako at kinuha ang niluto ko. I may not have any idea about what allergy he has but my specialty contains ingredients for serious allergies.

"What are you doing?" he asked, I heard a hint of panic in his voice.

I took a deep breath while looking at his hand holding the plate. I hate how his touch affects me. It gives off a feeling I didn't experience in my 25 years of existence. I think it was familiar but at the same time it wasn't. I don't know, maybe because it's my first time being in contact with a man. Intimately.

Ganito pa lang na hinawakan niya ako ay nagkakagulo na isipan ko. Paano pa kaya kung...okay, stop right there.

"I will make you another food. This one contains not good for serious allergies," I told him. Ibinababa ko ang kaniyang kaniyang kamay na nakahawak sa'kin gamit ang isa ko pang kamay. Hindi naman siya umangal.

"No need."

Nagtataka akong lumingon dahil sa sinabi niya. Anong no need? Kakainin niya?

"You prepared another dish and I can eat them for breakfast. Just leave your specialty and I'll give it to someone. I don't like wasting food," he added.

Marahan akong tumango ako sa kanya bago binalik ang niluto ko. Umayos naman na siya ng upo at sinimulang kumuha ng pagkain na inihanda ko maliban sa specialty.

Napansin ko ang manaka-naka niyang lingon sa nakalapag na isang pagkain. Hindi ko alam kung matatawa ako pero mukhang gusto niyang tikman 'yon pero pinipigilan niya ang kanyang sarili dahil nga sa allergy niya.

May 'I don't want to eat it' pa siya. Iyon pala, he can't eat it.

"Ano po pala ang allergy mo?" huli na nang mapansing may 'po' na naman sa sinabi ko.

Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay bago sumagot, "Alpha-gal."

I was in daze when I felt a hand waving in front of me. 

"Hoy, sis. Tulala ka diyan!"

Napalingon ako sa kapatid ko na nagtatakang nakatingin sa akin. Nakaupo ito sa carpeted mat habang nakakrus ang mga binti. May nilagay rin siyang maliit na unan doon. Ako naman ay nakaupo sa couch kaya nasa harap ko siya.

"Bakit ka nandyan?" tanong ko.

"Ha? Ngayon mo lang napansin? Kanina pa kaya ako nandito." Nakakunot ang noo nito na animo'y naweweirduhan sa'kin. Then she looked at me deeply trying to figure out what made me lost in thought. 

"Inaalam niyan kung ano ang itsura ng anak ni Mr. Williams," narinig namin sa bagong dating.

Ngumiti ako kay Alisha na umupo sa tabi ko. Anong oras na at kakadating palang niya galing sa trabaho.

"Done eating your dinner?" I asked her.

"Yeah, thanks for asking," pagod niyang sagot at sumandal sa akin.

Napalingon ulit ako kay Asaisha nang magsalita ito, "At bakit mo alam? Manghuhula ka na ngayon?"

"Hindi. Pero alam ko kung ano ang nasa isip mo. Kung hindi kahalayan, ewan ko nalang." Ayan, dahil sa kanya ay kung ano-ano na ang iniisip ko.

Tiningnan siya ni Asaisha ng masama dahil sa sinabi nito. Kahit pagod ay nakikipag sagutan pa talaga sa isa. Alam niya namang hindi siya uurungan nito. They could bicker all day if no one would not interfere with them. 

"Ang hard mo sa'kin! Anong kahalayan? Sumbong kita kay mommy," nakanguso nitong sabi. I felt Alisha slightly move in my shoulder before settling in a comfortable position.

"Alam mo bang tumawag siya sa'kin at nagtanong kung sinabi mo raw ba sa'kin? I'm in the middle of operation when she called me. Imagine our shock when we heard my phone loudly ringing!" pagsusumbong ni Alisha.

"Tanga. Hindi uso silent sa'yo?"

"Baliw. Hindi uso text sa'yo?"

Napakamot nalang ako ng ulo dahil sa kanila. Ang lalim na ng gabi at heto pa sila nagbabangayan. Tulog na sila mommy, Athasha, at Anisha kaya hindi ako magugulat kung magising sila sa ingay ng dalawa.

"Guys, lower your voice. Asaisha, you have to say sorry to Alisha for disturbing her. Paano na lamang kung may nangyari sa pasyente? Will you take the responsibility?" pangsesermon ko sa kanya. She stick out here tongue before rolling her eyes at Alisha. Lumingon naman ako kay Alisha na nakasandal pa rin sa balikat ko. "And you, next time you have to silence your phone. It's a protocol while you're having a surgery. Or you don't have to bring it with you."

Agad namang sumabat si Asaisha. "Oh ayan, mas may alam pa siya kesa sa—" napahinto siya dahil lumingon ako sa kanya. "—okay, sorry."

Hindi ko na pinuna ang pilit na paghingi niya ng paumanhin. Hindi na rin nagsalita si Alisha.

"Okay then. Let's all sleep na," pang-aaya ko sa kanila. Nagbabakasakali na titigilan na nila ako sa kakatanong.