When I Was Just Sixteen?

My niece from my Kuya Roel, Kamille, has grown up to be just like her tita (who else but me).

Even when she was a kid, my lolas and lolos would mistake her for me. Kamille talks, walks, sings, dances and even looks like me. My father recounts that he often catches her doing the same thing I did when I was “nagdadalaga” –which is to turn my back on the big mirror, holding a small mirror to see how my hair looks back view. I was also surprised too see her wetting her lips all the time, one mannerism which up to now I still have.

I had the biggest laugh for this January when one day I was in Thailand, she texted me “Tita, pinakita ko yung pic natin sa Music Teacher ko. I asked him to guess how old you were. Sabi nya 16. Muntik na syang mahimatay nung sinabi ko na 30 ka na”. I laughingly shared the text to my boss and even our picture to show the proof. Well, it’s a bit flattering but nah, I would have been more flattered if he guessed I was just 25.