Healed in his arms (De Alleje 1)

29

story

"Taby is a friend of yours?" I queried. Soren said that girl is living in South Bonnie Brae.

"She's the ex girlfriend of mine… and yeah, a friend now."

Umawang ang bibig ko habang tumatango.

"So how do you do?" Seryoso niyang tanong habang nagbabasa sa menu.

I swallowed, "just fine, at ikaw?"

She cleared her throat, "I'm doing fine too."

"You've changed a lot!" Di ko maiwasang punahin ang datingan niya.

Dati ay hindi siya makikitang nagtatali ng buhok. Lagi iyong nakalugay. Hindi rin siya nagmi-make up ng madami gaya nito ngayon, kaunting lip gloss lang noon. At ang usual outfit niya ay jeans and tank top o di kaya t-shirt lang pero tawag pansin pa rin ang kagandahan niya.

Pero ngayon lalo siyang gumanda. Napakaglamorosa niya. I wonder kung ganoon pa rin ba siya… lesbian? O pati 'yun ay nabago na rin?

Yup, her overall get-up now is too feminine for the old Bloom, but I can't really tell if she's now straight, looks can be deceiving!

She chuckled, "yeah! We all have changed," she winked.

"T-tama." Damn. Why did I stammered in that part?

Bigla kong naalala kung paano kami naging malapit noon… at ang rason nu'n, maging ang katotohanan noon kung bakit ko siya pinagseselosan. Then I swallowed hard the lump in my throat. It's all bygone Catherine, don't hark back on that!

We're on a business meeting so get a grip on yourself. Stay focus!

"Uh so what do you do for a living?"

"Modeling," she smiled.

Napanganga ako. Ilan beses ko na'ng napuna at nasabi sa sarili na bagay siyang magmodel but I never expected she would try to be it dahil nga hindi siya siya feminine noon.

"Wow!" Bulalas ko, "that's good to know, gaano katagal ka na bang nagmomodel? Is it international?"

"Almost one year and yeah, international," she beamed, "and you? Gaano ka na rin katagal sa trabaho mo? I'm stunned that you're doing business for a living now."

"Bago pa lang e," ngumiti ako, "I didn't finish my college."

Hindi ko dapat sinabi 'yun. Walang ganoong sinasabi sa business dealings. It's personal!

"I've heard some stories about you way back in Phil before you left."

Tumango ako, knowing which story she's referring to.

She smiled, "I was so glad for you, nothing is as priceless as the moment a daughter finally met her father."

Natigil ako at naalalang pareho pala kaming nawalay sa ama noon.

"T-thanks," ungot ko, "you might not believe it, pero naging masaya rin ako nu'n para sa'yo though hindi tayo close nang mabalitaang nagkatagpo kayo ng dad mo."

"Thank you!" She smiled widely.

Umorder na kami ng pagkain. Hindi nga lang ako makapag-concentrate sa pagkain, at hindi ko rin masimulang mag-discuss tungkol sa insurance policy dahil distracted ako sa mga katanungan sa isipan ko at sa malaking pagbabagong nakikita ko sa kanya.

Bibili siya ng insurance, that means hindi lang siya nagbabakasyon dito sa LA.

"Kelan ka umalis ng pinas?" Tanong ko.