Another dark calm night as the cool breeze pass. A young man in his early twenties walked down the streets with orange dimmed lights in a straight path carrying his stuffed backpack on his shoulder and one hand with a small brown paper bag. He then stopped in his tracks and opened the green steel gate in front of him with his own keys from his pocket. The creaking sound from the gate was loud enough for someone on the ground floor of the house to hear someone arrive.
“Oh, Carlos! You’re home. Mama and I just finished eating dinner.” A female voice said, who looked like in her late twenties said and helped her brother. “I bought mama’s favorite dessert.” The brother said and handed out the paper bag to the woman. “I’ll transfer this to a plate, remove your shoes then clean up yourself.” She said and opened the main door wide open for the both of them to enter.
Carlos removed his shoes and placed them in the shoe rack beside the door. He then removed his backpack from his shoulder and threw it to the nearest couch. “Ma, I’m home!” He said loudly for his mother to hear. His mother went down the stairs and smiled seeing her son who just came home from college. “Have you eaten dinner? Did you eat somewhere with your classmates? Are full or still hungry? We have leftovers pa.” His mother throwing out questions with worry as she helped her son remove his blazer. “Yes po, I ate with my fellow classmates. Don’t worry, I’m already full.” He politely answered with a smile. “I also bought your favorite dessert.” He added, making his mother smile wider showing more of her wrinkles at the corner of her eyes. “Thank you Carl, let’s eat it together with your Ate.” The old woman said and went to the kitchen seeing the older sister preparing the food.
Carlos then fixed the pillows on the couch and helped his mother carry the glasses of water. Carlos and his mother sat down on the couch waiting for the sister. “It’s a bit hot so be careful.” The older sister said and placed down the warm food on the coffee table. Carlos handed the metallic forks to everyone and started digging in. However, the mother didn’t start eating and just stared at it with sad eyes. Carlos noticed her and asked his mother if she was alright. She nodded and gave him a sad smile. The mother’s eyes met her son’s eyes. “Alam mo ‘nak, you’re just like your father.” She said in a shaky voice. The atmosphere around them started to become a little stiff and down. She smiled at him once more as she remembers the love of her life. “There’s a reason why I love bibingkas so much.” She said as she unwrapped the warm rice cake from the half-burnt banana leaf. “It was because of your father when I first met him.” The old lady said and started telling her love story.
“I first met your father when Simbang Gabi happened. We both met outside the church at a small cart who sold bibingka.” She said as she took a bite of the steamed rice cake with some little saltiness from the salted egg. “He bought bibingka for the both of us. Ever since that day happened, we would always meet each other at the same church. Soon we got closer until we started dating and listened to the Misa de Gallo together with our families every Simbang Gabi.”
“Is that why Papa would always buy bibingka for your birthday and during Christmas?” The older sister asked as she munch on her bibingka. Their mother nodded then sighed softly. “However, he isn’t here anymore with us. So every time I see one, it would always remind me of him and our first time together.” She said with a sad smile. Carlos went up to his mother and gave her a warm big hug. The eldest daughter joined the group hug as well and both gave a kiss on each of their mother’s cheeks. A small tear escaped from the mother’s eye and laughed it off. Her two children joined her as Carlos wiped off her tear using his hands.
“Here, have a bite. Your bibingka will get cold.” Carlos said and fed his mother.
Literature by Mikaela Motol
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