Frank didn't expect that he'd be visiting Mariely's house today
to meet her parents.
"This is absolutely hilarious," he thought to himself. Still, he knew he had to go through all of this if he wanted to earn their full trust in their relationship. That he was serious about Mariely.
He chuckled internally, wondering how he even ended up in this kind of situation.
How in the world am I going to introduce Mariely to Mom? I already know she'll freak out. She'll definitely scold me afterward… he muttered in his head.
"Well, you need to do it, Frank," he told himself.
To his surprise, the Celestial family welcomed him warmly, and things even felt natural during his earlier conversation with Nathan.
How would they react if I ever hurt this girl? He wondered, glancing at Mariely, who sat quietly, nodding along to the conversation.
She turned to look at him and smiled. He reached for her hand and held it.
Would they still accept me if I end up breaking their daughter's heart? he asked himself again.
It was late in the evening when their dinner finally ended. Mariely walked him to the gate.
"Sorry if my parents were a bit too chatty," she said shyly.
"It's okay, I don't mind at all. I'm just glad they accepted me—especially your big brother." He chuckled, shaking his head.
She gave him a smile. "Sorry again about that."
Just then, Mariely's mom came out, holding a plastic bag. "Ah, good thing I caught you, hijo. I packed some extra food for you. Take this," she said warmly, handing over a bag filled with containers.
"Oh wow, Tita, you didn't have to go through the trouble. Thank you so much." He accepted it without protest, figuring it would be faster to just take it.
"No problem at all. Drop by whenever you want," she added.
He nodded and smiled. "Thanks, Tita. I need to get going."
"Take care, okay," she said before going back inside.
Only the two of them were left at the gate.
"Take care," Mariely said softly.
"Yeah," he replied, pulling her in for a hug.
He gave her a goodnight kiss. "See you tomorrow. Take care," he said with a grin.
She nodded and didn't leave the gate until he had driven away.
As he started his car, she gave him a small wave. He glanced at the bag her mother gave him.
Where am I even going to put this? he thought to himself.
By the time he got home, his parents were already asleep. He texted Mariely that he'd arrived, just in case she was worried.
It's kind of annoying, but you've got to stick to this, Frank, he thought with a sigh. He placed the food in the fridge.
He changed into his sleepwear and checked his phone—no reply from Mariely. She's probably already asleep, he figured.
He didn't have work today. He didn't really follow a strict schedule at the office anyway, since their family owned the company. Unless there was an emergency or something urgent, he could come and go as he pleased.
His mother had already left early for school. He was about to reheat the food given to him last night but couldn't find it in the fridge.
There was a sticky note left on the fridge from his mom. Apparently, she ate it and didn't leave him any.
You're kidding, right? Do I really have to cook? he thought, scratching his head.
He continued reading the note—There's still some left for you.
Sigh, thank God. "My mom still has some mercy left," he muttered to himself. He quietly ate what was left and made himself a cup of coffee.
XX
Where the heck did Frank get this food from? Becca wondered. He hadn't said anything about it, but she loved the meal—it was obviously homemade.
She couldn't help herself and warmed it up in the microwave. She almost didn't leave any for her son.
Gosh, no—what if he's seeing a married woman? She gasped at her own thought.
I need to ask that man, she thought, shaking her head. It had been a while since she'd made homemade meals, what with her responsibilities as a school principal.
I better cook again for Frank. What if he really is seeing a married woman? That would be sinful. I can't let that happen.
She also noticed that Frank had been coming home either earlier or later than usual. He said he had errands or meetings. Sometimes, even on his days off, he'd go out. Becca didn't restrict her son from going out, but she was curious about who he was spending time with.
Unless he was with Clover Jordan—those two always had plans.
That day, Becca decided to leave school early. Things had calmed down after a wave of school events, and she felt inspired to cook again. It had been a while since she'd done that for the family.
When she got home, she immediately started preparing a homemade meal. She caught Frank rushing out.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
"Just going out, Mom. I'll be back later." He kissed her cheek and gave her a hug.
"Hey, come home in time for dinner. I'm cooking tonight," she called out.
He frowned a little. "Really?"
"Yes. So make sure you're home. And if Clover insists again, invite her over for dinner," she added.
He just laughed. "Yeah, yeah. Bye, Mom. I'll be back before dinner."
"Okay," she said with a nod. She didn't even bother changing clothes. She'd do that after she finished cooking. Their helpers were off today, so she was doing it all herself.
It had been a while since she cooked for the family, so she decided to give it her best. When she checked the time, it was almost 7 PM. She planned to serve the food once Frank got home.
"Mom? I'm home," Frank called out.
"Oh, good timing! I'll serve dinner now," Becca said.
Frank chuckled. "Okay." He followed her to the dining table as she set everything up.
"What's the occasion? Why the home-cooked meal?" he asked.
"What? Do I need a reason to cook now?" She replied as she laid out the dishes.
"Is this your way of making up for finishing all the food I brought home yesterday?" he teased.
"Well, that too. I got inspired," she said with a shrug.
They started serving rice, and Frank just shook his head.
"By the way, Frank, where did you get that food yesterday?" she asked while eating.
"It's a secret," he replied with a cheeky grin.
She raised an eyebrow. "Hey, are you seeing a married woman now?"
"Mom! Out of all the people I could date, why would I go for someone married?" He fired back.
"I just want to make sure you're not breaking up someone's family," she said, shaking her head.
"Mom, I'm not a homewrecker, okay? I don't destroy relationships," he said firmly. "If anything, they chase me, not the other way around."
"Wow, someone's full of himself again," she replied sarcastically.
"Why? I am good-looking," he said, laughing.
"Stop it," she muttered, rolling her eyes.
"Mom, what if I told you I was going to introduce a girlfriend to you?" he asked suddenly.
She choked a bit and stared at him. "What? What are you saying?"
"What if I said I wanted you to meet my girlfriend?"
"You? Introducing your fling? Are you feeling okay?" she asked, clearly in shock.
He sighed. "I was planning to introduce her to you and Dad."
She studied his face. "Wait, are you serious? Is this relationship serious enough for you to introduce her to us?" she asked while sipping water.
"I don't bring just anyone home, Mom," he replied.
Becca sighed. "So, who is she?" she asked.
He grinned mischievously. "You'll meet her on Sunday, Mom. Dad will be home then, right?"
"If you're messing with me, Frank, I swear…" she said, shaking her head.
"No, I'm serious. I'll introduce her to you," he said with a smile.
She didn't respond and just quietly continued eating.