Yellow Tulips from my boyfriend

September 4, 2019

I came home finding a huge bunch of yellow tulips on our kitchen counter. I thought it was another birthday gift for Edmund from associates. Last week kasi there were two gifts sent to our house, one fruit basket, and one assorted goodie from EWB.

So akala ko sa kanya pa rin.
It was only after I started taking pictures when I noticed the card. It says sweetheart. That’s me.

I still didn’t think it was for me. I opened the wrappers, then I opened the card. Akin nga.
At long last, I finally got flowers from my boyfriend for our boyfriend-girlfriend anniversary. For several minutes I was still not sure of what was happening. Naisip ko nga baka my son ordered the flowers. He was the only one fond of giving me tulips.

I didn’t know what to think and feel. What have I done to deserve these lovely flowers?

I was busy the whole afternoon until night time.   That morning I wanted to ask him to go to the movies with me, to watch The Angel Has Fallen, but I have a board meeting in the evening and he was also going to have dinner with his friends after playing a round of golf.  I also didn’t want to remind him that it was our bf-gf anniversary.  Sabi nya kasi dati kalimutan na yun.  Ang dami naman daw petsa na dapat nyang tandaan,  so huwag na lang kung hindi naman importante sa kanya.  We should just remember our wedding anniversary.  So from then on I stopped greeting him or reminding him every September 4.   If it’s no longer relevant in our lives then so be it.  That’s why I was wondering what I have done to deserve these flowers.

I had difficulty counting how many stems there were. I counted three times. There were 30.
I was able to split the flowers into two vases.

I arrived home from the office at 8 pm and hurriedly grabbed something to eat after I had placed the flowers in the vases.  I was in a hurry because the board meeting was at 8:30 pm.  My husband called at 8:15 to check if I was home.  Syempre he wanted to know my reaction.  I thanked him of course.  He sounded excited while telling me how he bought the flowers.  he ordered color red but the store ran out so they replaced it with yellow.  I love yellow tulips.  When my kids were still very young, every time I traveled to London I would buy a bunch in the morning of my departure to Manila so that the flowers stayed fresh.  Tuwang-tuwa ako, hina-hand carry ko pa.  I always bought the yellow because they brightened up the room.  Masayang tingnan.

I told my husband I had difficulty counting how many stems. He said one stem per year.  He said it was never too late.  True,  it’s never too late.

Honestly,  after I realized that my husband indeed gave these flowers to remember our bf-gf anniversary,  I was touched.  I just stood there in front of the counter, staring at the flowers.   Parang kataka-taka.  My mood turned pensive and I was silent for a few moments.  Weird.

I sent my kids a photo of the tulips.  Oyen said “Oh wow what’s that?”  After I told her it was from daddy she replied “Awwwww”.  Nyke said “Oh wow! That’s so nice of dad”.