[b]006[/b] "O, san naman punta mo?" Mom asked me when she found me packing my things up. "Ilang araw ka namang mawawala?" She asked again while helping me put stuffs at my bag. "Tagaytay lang. Overnight lang.. or maybe two days. May balak pa kasing pumunta ng Baguio if di nila magugustuhan yung Tagaytay eh." "Ahhh. Seems like a big person. Whose wedding is this?" Bigla akong napatigil. "Mr. Uychiat." Napatingin si Mom sakin - waiting for a complete name. I let out a heavy breath. "Ralph Uychiat." "Oh." Sabi niya lang and continued helping me pack. "You sure you'll be okay?" "Mom.. It was years ago. Of course, I'm gonna be fine." "I know.. it's just that-" "I'm okay." I smiled at her at ngumiti rin si Mama sakin. "Since Ralph is getting married, bakit ba anak, di ka pa naghahanap ng iba?" "What? Ang labo naman ng question mo. Parang ang labas eh, kailangan kong maghanap ng iba kasi ikakasal na si Ralph, ganun?" "Ay, hindi naman ganyan, baby. Alam mo yun. Okay, rephrase. Bakit di ka pa maghanap?" "Bakit naman?" "You're at the right age, you're 26 na. You're a very successful woman. Nakapundar ka na rin ng sariling pangalan. I think you should find a special someone na to complete your life." Napatingin ako sa kawalan at napaupo sa kama. "Hindi ko alam, Ma. I feel happy naman just being single. Tsaka sa panahon ngayon, 26 is still young no!" I giggled. "At some point, you're right naman." She just agreed and continued to help me. *** "Manong, di ko na dadalhin yung kotse. Sasabay na ako sa clients ko." "Sige po, Ma'am. Tawagan niyo na lang po kami kung may problema." "Manong ha, andiyan naman si Mama. If anything goes wrong, sa kanya niyo na ikonsulta." "Sige Ma'am. Andun na po yung taxi sa labas. Ingat po, Ma'am." "Sige, bye. Manang Linda, kayo na bahala ah." "Opo ma'am." Nagtaxi na ako papunta sa shop kasi baka 48 years pa akong makaabot dun kapag nagdrive pa ako. Naku no, baka basa na rin yung kili-kili ko sa stress sa traffic. Kaya eto na, afford naman ang taxi eh. Nang dumating ako sa shop, nandun na si Ralph nakaupo sa lounge. "Good morning." I smiled at everyone. Teka, bakit mag-isa lang ang kumag na to? Asan ang bride to be? "Ready to go, Ralph?" I asked him. "Yeah. Uhmm, we're going to wait for Kath dun na sa highway." "Bakit?" "I don't know. Yan sabi niya eh. Nag out of town kasi kahapon, so dun na siya bababa." "Ahh, okay." Sabi ko. "Where are your things?" "Nandun sa kay Manong." Turo sa guard ng shop. "Kunin ko na." "Please, thank you." Sabi ko lang. Then biglang pumasok sa isip ko, OMG. Both of us.. alone.. for like 30minutes or 1 hour pa pag minalas sa traffic? Shit. Makaya ko kaya? "Let's go?" He asked. "Clara, ikaw na bahala dito ha? Call me if anything goes wrong. Pero I'm sure naman, you can handle it na." "Hay naku no. Wag ka ngang pressured. Yeah, I can handle this." She smiled. "Enjoy." Hinila ko siya. "Lokaret ka, anong enjoy? Di ako magbabakasyon no!" Bulong ko sa kanya. "Yan na ba boyfriend ni Miss Yel?" Tanong ng isang client. "No, ma'am. Client po." "Ahh, akala ko naman bf mo. Bagay na bagay e. Gandang-lalaki." Sabi ni Mrs. Santos. "Naku, hindiii." Sabi ko. "Ma'am, we'll go ahead na." I smiled at lumabas na ng shop. Ralph was waiting for me outside. He parked his car at the other side of the street so we have to cross pa. When I stepped to cross, he stood at my left side.. kung san papunta yung cars na dumadaan. Then nung nasa center na kami, he went to the other side naman. [i]Shit. College. Ganitong-ganito yun e. Shit.[/i] Then he opened the door for me. "Pasensya na if medyo makalat yung car." He smiled. "Ayos lang. Sanay na ako." Ngumiti din ako. "Ha?" Bigla naman akong napatahimik at napaisip. "Sanay sa?" "Sanay na makalat yung kotse. Kasi.. uhm.. yung kotse ko makalat din e." Sabi ko. Naman e, muntikan na. Nung college kasi kami, makalat din yung kotse niya. Argggh. "Ahhh. Kala ko kung ano." He laughed. Then he revved up the engine. Bigla namang nagring yung phone niya. "Hun? Where you at na? Bakit? Teka.. pano to-.. But-..Hun? Hatid pa ba kita? but-Okayy.. just take care, okay? I love you. Call me when you get there.. Okay. Okay. Bye." "Si Kath? Where's she na?" I asked worriedly kasi parang ang worried naman ng face ni Ralph. "She'll call you." Sabi niya lang and nagring naman kaagad yung phone ko. "Kath? Yeah, we're on our way.. where are you na? HA?!??! No way! But-... I just can't- But kath.. this is your- Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah.. okay.. bye. Ingat." HINDI AKO MAKAPANIWALA! "So-" "It's okay, right?" Sabi niya. "What's okay?" Tanong ko. "I mean.. yung ikaw na bahala sa lahat. Hindi mo naman siya masisisi. Her mom got hospitalized sa Davao, and she really needs to go. It's her mom, after all." "Y-yeah. I guess, it's okay then." "Pero you still look worried." Sabi niya. "Well- Ugh. I don't think this is good-" "Why?" "Cause-" "Look, if you think this is awkward, what more to me?" "Yeah. But-" "I'm your client. And you're a professional. Let's deal it that way." I looked at Ralph and I saw the changes in his personality and in his appearance. Hindi ko alam kung nandito pa nga talaga yung Ralph na minahal ko noon. Pero what's the point of finding that Ralph before? He's getting married. [b]TAGAYTAY. [/b] "Hun, may reservation ba tayo dito sa Tagaytay?" He called up Kathleen kasi kanina pa kami hanap ng hanap ng hotel or pension house. "Awww. Ba't naman? Full lahat ng hotels dito. Yeah, okay. Bye. Love you." Nakatayo lang ako sa gilid ng sasakyan while he was talking to Kathleen. "Wala siyang reservation eh. Kasi nga nag out of town diba? Sorry ha. Hanap nalang tayo." "Okay." As if I have a choice. So ayun, paikot-ikot lang kami ng Tagaytay looking for a hotel or a pension house, pero walang vacant - well, meron naman, pero yung.. arrrrrrgghh -- matrimonial. Eh hindi naman pwede yun! Kung hindi ganun, single occupancy lang yung available. Ano ba yan. "Hmm, I guess we have no choice." He said. "We can transfer din naman daw kaagad as soon as may magbaback out sa reservations nila." Napaisip ako. "What if next time nalang to?" "Yel? Andito narin lang naman tayo.. wag na nating ipanext time." Sabi niya. He took out his wallet and gave the receptionist his credit card. Then he took our bags and we went upstairs. "You know, I'm not really comfortable-" "All we need is a sleeping place. Yun lang. Whole day, wala rin naman tayo dito e. I can sleep at the floor or at the sofa if meron." "Well-" "Okay? Okay na?" "Yeah. Okay." He opened the room and super liit ng kwarto. AS IIIINNN! Walang chair, walang sofa.. ang liit ng floor. SINGLE OCCUPANCY! Bwisitttt. "Wow." I sarcastically whispered. And it was 3:30 in the afternoon na. "Bukas na tayo maghanap ng places for the wedding. I need some rest." "Wow. Okaayy? Go get the bed." Sabi ko at pumasok ako ng bathroom. SABI KO NA NGA BA, IPAHANDLE NA ITO KAY CLARA E. ARRGG!

Last edited by *kim-a-holic (2010-05-11 23:03:18)