Page 31

Now

Seth spent much of Saturday with his Dad’s side of the family. It was his Uncle Christopher’s birthday, and they were hosting a small barbeque at his place.

He was actually looking forward to seeing his little cousins, who were old enough now to be playing console games and have wrestle play fights.

Regardless of the strangeness that Seth would feel about his parents’ marriage, he always loved hanging with his family.

When they arrived, most of his relatives were there.

It was just his Uncle Chris’s family - Auntie Katherine and his little twin cousins Georgio and Joshua - as well as his grandparents and his Auntie Tabitha with her boyfriend of 5 years, Ben.

The barbeque aroma consumed the space, and as Seth grabbed a serving of a skewer, he thought suddenly of Nina.

A couple of weeks ago, she was out with her family, checking out a new Filipino restaurant that’d opened up in a nearby suburb.

One of the dishes served there were these barbeque skewers that were supposedly very popular within the Filipino cuisine. Since then, he’s been craving it.

And truthfully, everything else that was on the food table from the pictures that Nina posted on her social media.

“Seth, did you hear me?”

His grandma stood in front of him, a plate in her hand. Seth hadn’t realised she’d asked a question.

“Sorry grandma, could you repeat that?”

She pursed her lips, but her eyes twinkled in amusement.

“Where is your mind at, boy? What are you thinking about?”

She picked up a skewer, and poked Seth’s hand with the end of it, “Is it a girl?”

Heat blossomed on Seth’s cheeks, before he could form a cohesive response. It wasn’t uncommon for his relatives to ask him if he’s got a girlfriend yet, especially now in his 20s, and having never had a partner.

Usually, he’d shrug and say that he was simply having fun. Going with the flow. But now -

His lips opened and closed, clapping idiotically like a fish.

“I - uh -” he stuttered on his words, before swallowing.

That’s when his grandma’s head lurched backward in laughter.

“Oh, you look just like your grandfather when he was trying to ask me out on a date,” she declared, “Seth, whoever she is, she must be your keeper.”

Again, he tried to form words, but got caught between denying it and asking her what she meant. Instead, he settled with incoherent gibberish.

He sat at a table with his Dad and uncle, with his Mum sitting across from him. His Uncle began to ask him all about how university was going, and Seth happily told him about the capstone project, and of the idea he was developing.

He still needed to sharpen his presentation for when developers come in, to assist with marking and potential progression, but the fact he was on the right path, and passionate about an idea, was all so exciting.

They must’ve sensed his energy, because Seth’s Uncle, along with his own parents, began to smile so widely.

“You must be so proud of him, Robert,” his Uncle exclaimed, clapping Seth’s Dad on the back.

“Always, obviously,” his Dad responded.

Always , and yet, he rarely expressed it.

As Seth ate, sinking from the conversation, the three of them began to reminisce, as his relatives often did when they got together.

“So, your anniversary is coming up, isn’t it?” Uncle Chris mentioned. Seth observed his parents’ expressions as they nodded, a smile enlightening their faces.

“Well, actually, we’re starting to lose track of which anniversary we’re celebrating,” his dad interjected, and his Mum’s laughter did nothing to ease the pang in Seth’s chest.

They did this alot - allude to what happened between them, the separation, the other partners, to then falling back together. It was all a big joke to them now, yet Seth was always the one who wasn’t laughing.

Still, the three of them continued on. So, to block out the noise, he did what he does best. Distract.

Picking up his phone, he opened Instagram and was immediately met with the brightly lit circle around Nina’s profile picture at the top of his screen, indicating that she’s currently posting on her story highlights. He started to flick through them. There, her smile simmered through.

Smiling at the lunch table, where Veronica and Celine treated her. Grinning at the arcade, where there was a video of Nina as she ruthlessly played a zombie shooting game.

Seeing her happy made him happy. He felt content, knowing that the truth of Carlos’ feelings didn’t affect her as much.

As the laughter of his parents filled the lunch table, Seth imagined he was with Nina instead.

On Sunday morning, while doing the groceries, Seth decided he wanted to do something for Nina.

Something nice. Something as a friend.

A best friend, even.

He picked up some of Nina’s favourite snacks that she’d mentioned idly over their time together.

A packet of maltesers, and some corn flavoured chips, as well as a packet of instant mint-hot chocolate. He went by the self-care section, and picked out the nicest looking face mask. Cherry blossom aloe vera.

Was this enough?

He dropped by a used-goods store that sold DVDs, and picked up some copies of some of her favourite films she’d talked about.

Aliens , Singing in the Rain, When Harry Met Sally.

He hoped that would be enough.

Once he got home, he unloaded the groceries into the fridge, and tucked away his little gift for Nina in his room, putting them into a gift bag that he’d fished from the linen closet.

His Dad was out front, mowing the lawn, with Mum watering some plants beside him. Seth observed them, for a moment. Watched their movements, the way they seemed to sync up.

A pang rung through Seth. Maybe they did truly love each other. It might be a little messed up, how their story unfolded.

But isn’t the important part that they fell back together?

He texted Nina at around midday.

Seth: Are you home? X

Nina replied five minutes after he’d sent the text, right when he was beginning to have a little mental breakdown over the added ‘x’.

Nina: I am :) Tired from the weekend, haha. Thank goodness for the uni break. Even if it’s one week, boo

Seth: can I come over? If you’re up to it, ofc

Nina: Sure, maybe this afternoon? Elena is going to be out at a KBBQ for a birthday tonight then sleeping over

Seth: Perfect. I’ll see you then x

He dropped by just a little after 5pm, when the sun had begun to dip low into the horizon. The night time winter chill had come at full force, nipping at Seth’s arms as he knocked softly on Nina’s door.

Barking sounded through the door, and Seth smiled.

“Hi Spencer,” Seth called.

Then, the door opened. It wasn’t Nina, but Nina’s Mum. He remembered her face from graduation, and parent-teacher interviews. Her eyes were deep and dark, just like Nina’s.

“Oh?” Nina’s Mum asked.

Her eyes took in his appearance, her lips settling into a hard line. It was subtle, but it was there. Nina’s Mum was cautious.

A chill ran through Seth’s spine, and it was more than a result of the night’s weather.

It was four years ago, since they’d parted ways, but would she remember him? Would Nina have spoken about him?

“Is that Seth?”

Nina appeared beside her Mum, dressed in these fluffy, light purple pajamas. Her hair was tied half-up and Seth wanted to melt.

“Hi. Mrs Mendez,” Seth smiled, hoping to manifest all the charm that Nina once saw in him. Hoping that it worked, if it was even there.

“I haven’t seen you since high school. How have you been?” she asked, after a moment, her expression softening the slightest. Before he could respond, Nina clasped her fingers around Seth’s wrist, and pulled him through.

“Nina!” he exclaimed, smiling in Mrs. Mendez 'direction as he slipped between and trying his best not to stumble over Spencer’s excited yelps.

Before walking any further, he pulled off his shoes, and left it neatly against the doormat.

“Wow, I’m impressed,” Nina commented, with a grin.

“Are you hungry, Seth?” Mrs. Mendez asked, “My husband just finished cooking some pork sinigang. It’s this really nice Filipino soup dish - my girls absolutely love it.”

He hadn’t realised he’d been hungry, until food was mentioned.

“Yes, please. Thank you so much, that sounds good. It smells good too,” he professed, the aroma of the fresh cooking now wafting through the house.

Seth has never been in Nina’s house before. There was no reason for him to be, back then. It was small, yet cozy - through the entrance, Seth was greeted with the living room, where a channel called GMA seemed to be playing.

Nina led him through the doorway, welcoming him into what he could assume was another media room, for Nina and Elena, which conjoined itself with the dining room.

Through the kitchen walls, Seth could hear some R&B tunes.

Nina guided him through, introducing him to her Dad, and he heartily shook his hand.

After helping himself to a serving of pork sinigang, they settled themselves on the futon couch of the media area, where they had the space to themselves. Beside the TV unit was a looming bookshelf bursting with numerous books and DVDs.

“This is for you, by the way,” Seth said, lifting the bag.

“I was wondering what this was,” Nina replied, with a smile. She placed her bowl of sinigang atop the coffee table, before pulling the gift bag to herself. “What is this - wait -”

Slowly, she drew out each item. First - the bag of chips. She gasped, holding it against her chest.

“My favourite!” she exclaimed.

The aloe vera mask, “I needed this!”

Then, the DVDs. One by one, she pulled the cases out, yet this time, she was silent. Her eyes studied each title, and he began to chew on his lip a little. Nervous.

She’s motionless for a heartbeat. Her lips parted in the slightest, yet no words came out.

That’s when a smile curves the corner of her mouth. Her gaze lifted, resting on him, flickering like the flame of a candle disturbed by a breath.

“Seth, what is this?” she whispered, eyes holding his.