Chapter 61: 61
We headed down and we saw that everyone was there. My aunt made a nice spread of food and a container was filled with juice and on one corner, a keg of beer was placed with a few bottles of hard liquor. A few beer bottles are on a cooler with ice is also prepared by her husband Conrad. I finally met Andrew Sr. And his wife and the kid we found on the last house was also there. The kid’s name is Peter and he slowly introduced himself to me by signing with his hands. I also introduced myself slowly so he understands. He made a small bow after and then he went back to Andrew’s family.
Arthur’s family was present as well and Arthur is more docile now as he greets me when I came close to him.
“H-hey, sorry for earlier.” he said.
“No worries, remember our deal yeah? For the meantime, just enjoy yourself and get to know everybody here.” I said as Oscar walks up to me.
“Hey, everyone is here, should we start or…” Oscar said to me.
“Yeah, we could just start eating.” I said.
“Don’t we need to say something first?” he said.
“Nah, up to you if you want to say something.” I said.
“Okay kid, let me have a few words.” he replied.
“Sure old man, don’t get to poetic since you can’t rhyme for shit.” I joked.
He’s holding a beer bottle and he clangs it with his knife. He has a nasty grin but I let it slide.
*Clink* *Clink* *Clink* *Clink* *Clink* *Clink*
Everyone’s attention was piqued on the sound and all of the eyes are on our direction.
“Everyone, now that I have your attention, Sky has something to say to all of you.” Oscar said with a grin.
“This old man!” I said to myself as I gave him a glare. Kaley was laughing silently on the side when this happened. Everyone is now looking towards me while I made an impromptu speech.
“Well hello everyone, nice of you all to be here for our small celebration. I’m just happy to say that having our own safe area here is a huge weight off my shoulders. It took us a few days but we did it! We still got lots more work to do but, in the meantime, I think a celebration like this is in order. We made a slightly large meal for everyone and we brought out some alcohol. But please pace yourselves. To those who are drinking, I’ll be keeping your guns for now in case an accident happens. I-”
“You won’t be drinking Sky?” Jared asked.
I continued, “No, sorry. We still need someone in their proper minds to be holding guns and keeping order. Just a reminder though, I’ll be keeping watch on everyone here. If someone makes a ruckus from drinking too much, you’ll know that you caused a ruckus because you’ll feel something tomorrow when you wake up, okay?” I said menacingly.
Some of the group gave nervous smiles and some who didn’t were laughing at the ones who did. All of the guys surrendered the guns I lent them since they already have a bottle in their hands. Surprisingly, Tatiana just stood behind me and didn’t drink along with a few a.d.u.l.ts and the kids of course. Kaley reluctantly gave me her weapons as I start to place it all on my room. The small celebration then started and everyone is having fun while someone brought out their speakers and started on playing music. A few of them swam on the pool while me and Tatiana grabbed a plate of food for ourselves.
“Why didn’t you drink though?” I said to Tatiana.
“Ah, alcohol is something I avoid. It dulls the senses and someone has to help you keep others in line, correct?” she said.
“Correct, I’d just keep them in a lock or break a few bones if they get too rowdy. I did tell them to pace themselves though. Hmm! This food is good! My aunt really knows how to cook.” I said as I took another bite.
“I agree it’s been a while since I tasted food that’s cooked by a mother, it’s always the best and I can’t help but take seconds.” she said.
“A mother’s cooking huh? My mom was the best though.” I said to myself.
“How can you eat so much and not gain weight though? I had a hard time doing that.” I said.
“I really don’t know. A metabolism thing maybe? So, you mean to say that you didn’t look like that before, correct?” she said.
I pulled out an old picture from when I was a teen and showed it to her.
“This is me a few years ago when I was in gradeschool.” I said.
Her eyes widened and she looked alternatingly at the picture and me for a few times. She said, “Well that was really surprising, you look so young and innocent there…and round, really round.” she said.
“Hey! Is that your old photo? Let me see!” Kaley said. She has a plate of food and a plastic cup with beer on it.
“When was this?!” Kaley exclaimed.
“Sixth grade, it’s when I participated on a folk dance at my school. That’s why I was wearing a Barong Tagalog.” I explained.
The three of us were sitting on the catwalk and we saw Oscar has a few bottles in his hand approaching us.
“Here, kid.” he hands me an opened bottle.
“Sorry, I think I wouldn’t be taking anything from you anymore.” I said.
“What? Why?!” he exclaimed while I noticed that he’s trying to act.
“Well, you did admit that you got me piss drunk to hook me up with women and you also said that you dropped a few pills on my drinks! I’m a little worried you’d do the same thing again.” I said with a smile and my eyebrow is raised.
“Hah! That was before you refused to be with anyone! You have someone now! Just a bottle wouldn’t hurt! C’mon kid! You have two beauties left and right, have some fun!” he negotiated.
I looked at Kaley and Tatiana and they just laughed it off though Kaley is blushing since she had a few drinks already.
Kaley said, “It’s just a bottle, right? Let’s just avoid the hard liquor and we’ll be good.”
“I agree with them, you deserve a little drink.” Tatiana said.
I contemplated for a while and said, “Give me the closed one though.”
I looked at Oscar and he paused for a while. He sighed and he hands the other bottle.
“Tsk!” Oscar clicked his tongue
“What does that mean?!” I exclaimed.
“Nothing! Here!” he said as he threw me the closed one.
He then went back to the pool area with the others. I popped the cap off and I took a sip. Kaley lifted her cup and Oscar went back to the pool area to get some more; Kaley took my plate and she said that she would refill it also with Tatiana’s other plate. She walked down the steps and went straight in the pool area. It was just the two of us for a while.
“So, are you gonna tell me about that prison tattoo?” I asked.
She flinches though she kept on eating the food on her plate. Yes, she brought two.
“It’s a rose with a dagger piercing it, you also have a skull baring its fangs underneath the first one. If I’m correct, that means you were in prison before 18 and you have a deep-seated hatred in the authorities. How did you become a soldier though?” I asked.
I was seating on top of the wall facing the pool area while she’s in a chair facing the other side.
“Why do you know so much?” she asked. This was the first time I saw her with a melancholic expression.
“Photographic memory, sorry. I read a lot in my free time. Only need to see something once and I remember it forever.” I said.
“I see. That’s really impressive, out of all the memories I have, this one is always on my mind. It’s the worst out of all my life.” she said.
“What happened then?” I asked.
“I never told this story to anyone after I joined the military, you’re the first one to hear it after all this time.” she said.
“I’m a lucky man then, I love hearing stories.” I said.
“Hmph! It’s something I always try to forget though; I’ll only tell this once okay?” she said.
I nodded and then she places her plate on the wall I was sitting on. She asked for my bottle of beer so I gave it to her. She took a huge swig before she opened her mouth.