My mom calls me everyday. Sometimes two, three times a day. Heck, sometimes, two or three times in half hour.

Either to tell me she misses me (let’s face it, she misses Daniel) or to tell me to buy Gardenia bread on the way over or to ask me why her handbag cabinet is missing one more handbag. My response to the last one is always “I have nooooo idea” and I quickly hide all her handbags in my closet.

But lately she hasn’t called and my phone felt lonely. I missed getting five missed calls from her in the span of two minutes.

So I barged into her room yesterday and there she was, sitting on her massage chair looking down at her iPad and giggling by herself. My first thought “Oh my god, she has a boyfriend.” Bahahahaha I’m joking. Have you met my mom? Loyal to my dad like mad.

“Mom?” I called out.

She ignored me.

“Moooooommmm?” I called out again.

Still ignored me again.

“MOMMMM!”

She almost jumped and looked up. Looked at me, gave me a big smile and took off her earphones.

(Where’d she get earphones from?!!)

“V, Ya Allah, you startled me!” and then put her earphones back on and continued with her iPad.

(Ummm, hello??? Nice to see you too???)

I went over to her to see what was so interesting. She was watching a Filipino TV Series… with no subtitles. What the.. does she even understand what they’re saying? Someone, bring my mommy back!! I asked her what she was watching.

Like a teenage kid, she giggled and said “V, I haven’t slept watching this! It’s soooooo good this drama series. I’m so addicted. I don’t understand what they’re saying because there is no subtitles but I think I kind of get the point… it’s so good, you should watch it.” 

Wow… she sounded just like.. me.

I shook my head and tried to get her off her iPad. “Mom, let’s go down and have tea!”

She was already so fixed to the drama. “Huh.. yeah.. love you too…”

Beyond repair.

Our elders these days….