Kabanata 30
Plane
Hindi na kami muling nagkita ni Damion. Hindi rin siya nagparamdam. It's like it never happened. Parang bumalik kami sa kung ano kami years ago. Like we didn't exist on each other.
Hindi na rin namin pinagkwentuhan magkakaibigan si Damion. I cannot assume something na wala namang kasiguraduhan.
Isa pa, masyado kaming busy para sa kasal nina Cali at Orion. Me and the girls are helping Cali on her wedding plans these past few months kahit na may hinire naman siya para doon.
We are so excited for her! 'Yon lang pati na rin ang pagpapalago ng restaurant ko ang inasikaso ko sa mga nagdaang buwan.
This June ay ikakasal na sila Cali at Orion. Actually, it's already happening this week.
"Ma'am, Ms. Saavedra called-" pumasok ang sekretarya ko.
"What did she say?" putol ko sa secretarya ko. Ngumiti ito ng tipid bago sumagot.
"She just wants to remind you that her wedding will be 4 days from now and your flight is on 23, which is..... sa isang araw. " Napairap ako at pilit na tumango sa kanya.
Bakit ang kulit ni Cali? Araw-araw niya ba talagang ipapaalala sakin yung about sa kasal niya?It's not like I would forget about it. I already cleared my schedule for 5 days for her wedding!
I clenched my jaw when I saw Cali calling on my phone. She already called my secretary and now, she's calling me again!
Nagpaalam sakin si Janine para lumabas na sa office so I nodded my head before answering Cali's call.
"Goodness, Cali! Hindi ako ulyanin, please lang!" salubong ko sa kanya.
I heard a laughter kaya napairap ako. She having fun being this annoying! She's so weird!
"I'm sorry!"sabi niya habang natatawa pa din.
Ganito ba talaga kapag ikakasal na? Nagkaka-saltik?
"Bakit ka ba tumawag?"tanong ko.
"I just want to remind you that you have to meet us in the airport an hour before para maayos ni Orion yung seats natin, okay?"she said in a sweet voice that made me cringe. There's really something wrong with her.
"Yeah, whatever!" singhal ko.
"I love you too! See you soon!" she shouted happily kaya bahagya kong inilayo ang phone sa tainga ko.
Binaba ko na ang tawag at huminga ng malalim. As far as I know ay may private plane sina Orion at yun ang gagamitin namin to go to the island where they will have their wedding.
Mauuna kaming mga close friends and family nila para ma-tour ang island. The other guests would travel on the same day of their wedding since hapon pa ang kasal. We also have 2 days to spend on the island after the wedding. Bale ay 4 days kami doon sa isla na mag-stay.
Ang plano nina Cali at Orion ay mag-stay muna kami sa island ng dalawang araw para makapagbonding so I really cleared my schedule for the next days. Miss ko na rin na makasama sila sa mga trips.
Ilang sandali pa ay napagpasyahan kong bumaba.
I am done with paper works and my office is getting boring! It's past lunchtime so nagugutom na din ako.
As usual, marami ang tao sa restaurant ko. Malapit kasi ito sa mga kumpanya at ilang establishments.
My employees greeted me with a nod. I give back a smile to them. Dumiretso ako sa kitchen at nakitang medyo busy sila doon.
Iilan lang ang lumingon sa pagpasok at ang karamihan ay talagang busy. Wala naman akong balak na manggulo sa ginagawa nila so agad akong pumunta sa pakay ko.
"Are you guys doing okay? Any problem?" I looked at what he was doing.
He swiftly chopped the vegetables at hinugasan yon bago ihulog sa niluluto niya.
I love cooking pero I won't have the skill to chop that fast and good like what he's doing. He's really talented! And he's the one behind the delicious taste of my dishes. I'm just so glad na siya ang nakuha kong chef!
Ilang minuto pa bago niya ako mapansin. Kung wala pa siyang kinuha sa gilid ko ay hindi niya ako tatapunan ng tingin.
Ang sungit!
May magandang nilalang sa tabi niya pero hindi manlang niya tiningnan!
"What are you doing here? Mainit dito." Puna niya habang patuloy sa ginagawa.
I stared at Timothy. He's the head chef in our restaurant since I opened this. He's actually a family friend kaya siya na ang kinuha ko.
Actually, siya yung dapat na irereto ni mama. I can't believe it either! Syempre ay pareho kaming tumanggi. We are just good friends now.
I first experienced his cooking skills noong pumunta kami sa bahay nila. I can't remember the last time I saw him before that day. Balita ko rin ay kauuwi niya lang mula Paris kaya kami inimbita nina Tita doon.
Then, nalaman niya na magbubukas ako ng resto and since he's not going back to Paris anytime soon, he talked to me privately to say that he's interested in the job.
He's actually good looking too. I'm not even surprised kung maraming eployees ko ang may gusto sa kanya. But of course, they should still be professional because this is work!
"Should I put a full blast aircon here then?" nakangisi kong sagot. Umismid siya at umiling.
I know what I said is stupid dahil hindi yon convenient dito. I just want to annoy him kasi bored ako.
"Good Afternoon, Madamme!" bati ng dumaang junior chef. I smiled and greet him too.
"Good Afternoon, Josh!" he blushed before walking away. Napangiwi ako sa aking isipan.
"You're distracting them." Sinimangutan ko siya dahil sa sinabi niya.
Me? I'm distracting who? I'm literally just standing here in the corner!
"Chef Timo! A VIP customer wants your presence—Good Afternoon, Ma'am!" Napataas ang kilay ko sa sinabi ng waitress namin.
May naghahanap na naman sa kanya? Isa nanaman siguro sa mga babae niya. Hindi na naman bago yon. Madalas ay dito kumakain ang mga nagkakagusto sa kanya para lang masilayan siya. Kumikita ang negosyo ko so wala na akong pake. Isa pa, buhay niya naman yon.
"Okay. I'll be there in a minute. " Timo replied.
He washed his hands and cleaned himself to be presentable. Sanay na rin naman siyang humarap sa mga customers. Ibinilin niya ang niluluto sa isa pang chef na may nanunuksong ngiti sa amin.
Nginisian ko lamang ito. Kung ano man ang nasa isip niya ay dapat niyang itigil. My heart is still somewhere...
Hinarap niya ako nang makita na sinusundan ko siya. I raised my brows at him.
"Why are you following me?" kunot noo niyang tanong.
"Because I wanted to?" sarkastik kong sagot.
