CHAPTER 21
It was currently Friday. Aurora and Ade's classes ended at 4:00 pm. They immediately got back to their dorm to prepare for going to the airport. A private jet was waiting for them.
Before they hopped on board with the jet, Ade's jaw was still on the floor with awe displayed on her face. She shook her head. "Iba talaga kapag mayaman. Kapag sobrang mayaman." (It's really different if you're rich. Filthy rich.) She uttered.
Aurora chuckled at that. "That's why you should stick with me." She have her a side-ways glance.
Ade wounded an arm to her elbow. "'Till death do us part, Signorina."
"Baliw." (You're crazy.) Then she was the first to take on the stairs. Ade followed.
An hour after, they finally arrived in Rome. A car was waiting for them already when they exited the airport. Ade had someone to get her. Her mamma. Her mother was on leave to get to bond with Ade for the weekend. So, another chef must on the shift to work in the mansion.
Fabio asked how she was. He was the one who came to get her. He also asked about his niece, Ade. After a few quick inquiries, silence loomed inside the car as she looked outside the window. She missed the tall buildings and busy streets. The familiar routes that she used to take when she was still studying in the City.
After a few more minutes, they turned to a private property. A gate opened for them and they rounded a fountain before they stopped at the entrance of the mansion. Adolfo and Sofia were standing side by side at the opening of the grand hallway. A man opened the door for her. A maid waiting at the side, took a step to her and reached for her bag and coat.
"Please bring these to my room." She requested.
"Si, Signorina." The maid nodded. She walked past her before the girl moved. All their maids knew English and Tagalog aside from Italian. That was one of the basic requirements in their household employment so that everybody could understand each other easily.
"Anak!" (Daughter.) Her mother greeted and hugged her. She responded with a tight embrace. Adolfo was standing, waiting for his turn. She also hugged her father lovingly.
"Papa, kumusta po kayo?" (Father, how are you?) She asked when they let go of each other.
"We're fine. Gutom ka na ba?" (Are you hungry?)
"Medyo. Hindi na po ako kumain sa jet kasi mag d-dinner din naman tayo." (A little. I didn't eat anything while in the jet because we'll be having dinner together.)
"Butler Durante, is everything ready at the table?" Her mother turned to the butler who was at the side, standing quietly while waiting for any requests.
This was Ade's father. Almost in the same age with her own dad.
"Yes, Signora. Everything is set at the dining room." He answered.
"Thank you, Durante. Pwede ka ng umuwi ngayon. (You can go home now.) You're only daughter just got home too. Spend time with her habang nandito sya. (While she was here.) Come back on Monday." Her father said.
"Thank you so much, Signor. Pero bago po ako umalis ay may ipagbibilin po muna ako sa mga tauhan natin." (But before I leave, I just have something to say to our people.)
"Go ahead, Durante."
"Sige po, Signor. (Okay.) Welcome back, Signorina." He turned at her and nodded at them before he left.
They directly headed to the dining room. Aurora missed this kind of feast with her parents.
In the middle of their dinner, a conversation started.
"So, how's life there, anak?" Sofia asked while slicing a steak on her plate.
As usual, Filipino cuisine was displayed on their table. There was Lechon belly, Chicken Adobo, Afritada, her favorite pork Sisig, grilled bangus, and there was seafood also.
"A bit different from here but I could adjust quickly. Ade was with me so it wasn't that hard."
"That's good to hear." Adolfo stated and sipped his wine.
"How about your living situations? Your dorm? Just tell us anytime if you want to transfer to a condo. So, that you'd be much safer." There she goes again. Her mother couldn't stop worrying about her choice of settlement in Rimini.
"Ma, I can survive there. Ade is with me." She was cutting a piece of lechon belly.
"Kung wala si Ade, hindi talaga ako papayag sa choice mo." (If Ade wasn't there with you, I would never agree to your choice.) Her father commented.
"Anyway, how about your school? Have you met Max?" There was delightful smile in her mother's face.
"It was fine. It's only a week so the lessons aren't that difficult yet. But I know I can handle it."
"Of course. You're a Fontalva. You're not just a pretty face." Adolfo stated. She grinned at that.
"Right, papa. Nagmana ata ako sayo." (I took after you.)
"No. You took after me. You're artistic in other things. And your arrogance came from your father." Sofia wouldn't want to be tampered down.
Adolfo burst out laughing, and he wipe his lips with the table napkin before he spoke. "As usual, you always throw bars on me, Sofia."
"That's my love language, Adolfo."
In an instant, her father's face changed into a serious demeanor. "Don't call me that."
"Then don't call me by my name also." Her mother snapped back.
Aurora wanted to roll her eyes in her parents' banter. They don't want to call each other by their names, especially her father. What he only wanted to hear was an endearment from his wife.
She was now chewing a shrimp. She loves seafood. Crustaceans specifically.
"So, how about Max? Have you met him there?" Her father asked because she didn't answer it the first time.
"Yes." Her mere reply.
"Have you two talked?"
"He helped me, and Ade in unloading things in our dorm. We met at the restaurant after I get Ade from the train station. He was with his friends. Then he offered to help us. He also gave us a tour around the campus."
Aurora hadn't noticed that her parents were exchanging looks as she was busy peeling the shrimps in her plate. She gestured a hand for a maid to step up to her side. There were servants also at standby behind them.
She gave the plate of shrimps to the maid and ordered for her to peel the shells for her at the kitchen. She wanted to eat continuously. The maid nodded and brought the plate as she left her side.
"So, how was he?"
"He's fine." Why do they kept asking her about him? They could ask his parents if they wanted to know how was Max or they could just contact him directly.
"Aurora, how do you find Max?" She finally looked up to her mother's direction. There was a glint of curiosity in her eyes. She remembered Thalia in it.
"What do you mean?" She asked in confusion.
"Do you find him attractive?"
Her forehead knotted. "What kind of question is that? Even a blind person, once they get a whiff of him, would certainly think that he's attractive."
Even just hearing his voice. Her mind added.
It was just through the phone. She contradicted the other voice.
It was her first time hearing his voice through the phone.
Aurora paused in eating and she shook her head. What was happening to her? That it seemed like there was another person inside her head. More like, her mind got divided into two.
Sofia was smiling as she glanced at her husband who was at the head of the table. While she and her daughter were sitting across each from other.
"Do you think he had a girlfriend or mentioned that he had one?" Her mother continued.