Estralita Guimao, Fredlyn Abayon, Dolores Lontayao, and Lorna Pansacala stood in line together at the general store, bitterly complaining about the fact that the horn that goes off at the sugar mill, to signify the end of the day, should also signify to their husbands that it's time to come home from work and spend time with the family.
Lately, this has not been the case. It doesn't happen every night, but at least once a week. The husbands come home and do what needs to be done with the family and around the house until after dinner. Then they shower, get dressed, and get picked up by one of their friends and head out into the evening. Where the husbands go is the problem. The wives have no clue, that is, until a matchbook cover was found in the shirt pocket of Estralita's husband. The Moon Cafe. Fun nights, dancing girls. Happy hour. In even smaller print is the address. 24 Waipahu Depot Rd. Honolulu, HI. 96797. Arguments ensued, and threats of leaving the Philippines with the children were made. Estralita and her friends were girls from the Visayas, specifically Sequior, which meant you shouldn't push them past a certain point. Such was the case for all four of them because when words and threats didn't work anymore, the cast-iron frying pans came out, and at worst, the knives."My husband made a good argument," Estralita said. "He works hard all day in that hot sun; he needs a break at the end of the day, at least once a week."
"At a bar where they only serve alcohol is one thing, if that were the truth." Lorna inserted. "But dancing girls? Bullshit!"
"That's my husband went to work with a black eye," Dolores nodded.
"Eutiquio had scratches on his face so his friends could see," Fredlyn said in a quiet tone.
"As long as Crisanto gives it to me when he gets home, I'm not worried." Estralita chuckled. "Don't get me wrong, I give it to him really good. I make sure his legs are weak, and sometimes I don't let him wipe his face."
The three women recoiled, shrieking at the thought and the visualization of such an image.
"I didn't know that you and Crisanto do that?" Fredlyn was shocked. "Bayani and I just do it and have kids, I didn't know there were other things you had to do?"
"There are lots of other things, but I feel like I'm doing wrong to what the bible says," Dolores replied.
"There's nothing in the bible that says you can only have sex one way," Estralita whispered. "Crisanto comes back sober because he only has one or two drinks. There's no smell of another woman on him. In fact, some of the guys told him last night that if he doesn't start loosening up, they are going to dis-invite him from going with them anymore. See? Keep your husband happy at home."
"Keep him home through good sex instead of arguing?" Lorna mused. "So, ignoring him is making him go to the bar even more, then?"
Estralita was the first in line to make her purchase. Renaldo, friendly as ever, greeted Estralita and asked her about her day, and she answered that all was well. She excused herself and told her friends that she'd be waiting outside.
"I couldn't help but overhear your conversation, ladies," Renaldo whispered. "If you want, and only if you want, I can host a game of Mah-Jong at my house on the nights when your husbands are at the bar. I got the game from a friend of mine in Malaysia, the tiles were said to have been blessed by a monk! Bring your kids too! It's not a problem!"
The ladies were excited to do so and took Renaldo up on the offer right away. They'd intended to include Estralita, but they remembered that she used explicit sex to keep her husband at home. So, they decided it was prudent to say nothing to her lest she tell her husband, who would in turn tell their husbands. The plan was afoot, and once a week on a Wednesday evening, the three women gathered at Renaldo's home. It felt comfortable and worry-free because all three women were allowed to bring their children along, who, when they were there, did their homework together and were given snacks and drinks from Renaldo to occupy their time. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. A month into the Mah-Jong game, as it was running like a well-oiled machine, Estralita sat at the Mah-Jong table. Three of her friends were surprised to see her. It was apparent she'd been crying. Joining Renaldo, the three women sat at the table, asking her what the matter was.
"You tell them," Renaldo encouraged her. "They're your friends, they'll understand."
"I thought Crisanto behaved himself at the bar because of the great sex I gave him," Estralita said. "I found out that he's not interested in the girls who dance there. He's interested in the bartender. Fredlyn's husband had to go take a piss behind the bar one night because the bathroom was crowded. That's when he saw Crisanto and the bartender having sex in the alley. To think I had his Pitoy in my mouth after he would come home from the bar!"
"Estralita wants to be a part of the Mah-Jong game, but I told her she has to promise not to say anything to her husband," Renaldo said.
"Screw him," Estralita nearly spat the words out. "He gets nothing from me!"
The Mah-Jong game continued for a while until one day, when Renaldo saw the ladies at the general store. He took them aside and quietly asked them to find babysitters for their children for the next night of Mah-Jong. He had an important announcement to make, and that it was not for the ears of children to hear or to know about. Without question, the ladies agreed and that following Wednesday, Renaldo served a sumptuous dinner, and poured the finest Rum for them to take in shot glasses. After everyone was relaxed and at ease, Renaldo excused himself to the next room, saying that he'd be right back.
Among them, the women began to joke about whether Renaldo was single or not, and where his wife was, or if he even had one.
"Ladies? Are you ready?" He called from the other room.
"YES!" They replied in unison.
Into the dining area where they played Mah-Jong for the better part of three years, appeared a giant-sized Aswang. Without pause, the women freaked out, shrieking, yelling, screaming, holding on to one another, grabbing cutlery, and throwing it at the creature. Not once did the Aswang move, or growl, or do anything that monsters like this one are supposed to do. It just stood there waiting until the four women regained their composure as much as they could manage. The Aswang then left the room. A second later, Renaldo appeared. The four women screamed at Renaldo to be careful, that the Aswang had just left the room and that it might return to do him in.
"You're mistaken," Renaldo told them.
In that instance, the top half of his torso broke off. That bottom half remained where it was. The Aswang climbed out of the bottom half and stood before the four women.
"I'm the Aswang," the creature said in Renaldo's voice. "I'm not going to harm you. The four of you are my friends, and I like all of you. I will give you all immortality, eternal life, if you worship me and bring me offerings."
"Only God can give eternal life!" Estralita yelled at the creature. "Not you!"
"God can," the creature agreed. "But only after you die. I can give it to you now. Just worship me, and bring me offerings."
"How are you going to give us immortality?" Fredlyn asked.
"He's going to make us like him," Dolores confirmed. "It's the only way."
Lorna broke into a dead run, heading for the front door. It was locked. She tried the windows, but they were locked too. The back door was also the same way; every portal in Renaldo's house that could have been a secure escape route was closed tightly.
"You won't have to be like me," Renaldo assured them. "All you have to do is worship me and bring me offerings. Go home and discuss among yourselves. The next time you see me at the general store, you can give me your decision. Unfortunately, if you tell your husbands or anyone else about what happened here, I will know. I'll have to kill your families while you watch. I don't want to do that, especially to your children. Take as long as you need. You'll know where to find me."
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