Arrangements

10

I am caught off guard. If I defend myself, they might take it wrong. It was years ago and I already buried away my memories with Anna. They're just giving me pain.

"Sorry-" I start but I am interrupted by the knocks on the door.

We all look at the door when it opens. It is their maid.

"Sir, sorry po."

"It's night time," kuya Miko reminds. "What is it?"

"Sir, ma'am Anna has a visiting. The man that sir Michael banned."

"Dave?"

"Yes, sir. They're out near the pool."

Kuya Miko quickly goes outside to see, and so do I and tito.

It is indeed Dave. He's with Anna, they're sitting on the swing, happily chatting like nothing happened between them before.

I hesitate to follow kuya Miko and tito. I don't want to see Anna being happy again with Dave. It pinches me to finally see Anna smiling again and it is because of Dave.

I stay first at the living room, try not to see them. But I become curious when kuya Miko and tito don't do anything to pull Dave away. I thought they were not fine? The last thing I know is that they curse Dave to death for Anna.

I approach them to see what is happening and I am really confused, they look like nothing is wrong. Everything is wrong here! Dave must not be here at the first place. It's already midnight! And he's her ex-husband. God!

I see a bouquet of flowers held by Anna. Is it from Dave? Not again, Dave. She's my fiancée now, asshole! Well, not really that kind of fiancée but... ugh, I don't know anymore.

"Why are you here?" I abruptly ask.

"Oh. Love, you're here too?" Anna says. Love? Again? When did she start feeling okay with calling me love again? Because that feels too awkward for me.

"Yeah. I talked to tito and kuya Miko. Why is Dave here? And those flowers..."

"Ah. He called while I was enjoying this one flower," she explains and shows me the sunflower she was staring at awhile ago.

"And he gave me more of it. They're beautiful, aren't they?" she says, and then she looks at Dave. "It's so kind of you, Dave. How did you know these are my favorite?" she continues. God! Are they friends again? What's happening here?

Kuya Miko fakes a cough to cut the conversation. "Let's talk, Dave."

"Anna, I'll just go talk with your brother," Dave excuses and he even smirks at me when he passes by me. Asshole! He seems to be provoking me.

"Honey, why are you still awake? You shouldn't let Dave to come here. It's already late," tito says but Anna just laughs.

"Sorry. I was bored. I couldn't sleep. And Dave said it was okay," Anna defends, and then she looks at me, "oh by the way, love, you should've told me you were here! Then maybe Dave didn't have to go here."

"Whether I told you or not, he still shouldn't come here," I am trying to make a point. It's just too common sense. Why would she let her ex-husband come here like everything's fine? "Why did you call him to come?"

"What?!" Anna laughs, "I told you he's the one who called me."

"You shouldn't have answered it! Why did you answer his call anyway?"

"Well, why not? He's our friend. What's the problem about it?" Anna finally notices I am not happy with this, and her laughs are just making this thing crazy! Dave is our friend? She must be kidding!

"There are lots of problem about it. That's not proper! We're soon to get married and you're accepting flowers from a guy?"

"A guy? Love, he's our friend! And wait, we're soon to get married? Is this how you propose?" Anna asks amusingly. Do I have to propose? I didn't see that in our conditions.

I can't respond quickly and my silence seems emphasized. "Oh, I get it," Anna says. "We'll eventually get married," she giggles. "But what are you worrying about? These flowers are just flowers. From a friend!"

Tito fakes a cough. I was out of it, I forgot tito was with us, and that about our wedding... I am not even sure about it now.

"Oh my God, love, are you jealous?" Anna teases. God! That's no way.

"Of course not!" I defend. But Anna just laughs hilariously.

"Pa! Did you see that? Pa, Leo is jealous!" Anna is laughing too hilarious that tito has laughed too.

"That's enough, honey. You're embarassing Leo," tito says. Hey, I'm not embarassed at all.

"Fine, fine. I'm just happy! Love, I'm not going anywhere. I love you," she says. And she looks sincere. Like she really meant it. Awkward.

I am flustered again. I look at tito. "What's happening?" I mumble to myself.

Why is Anna acting strange? We talked not too long ago and she was fine. I know she was also mad at me. But now? She loves me again that fast?

I sigh, giving in to Anna. "Just don't do it again." I say and walk inside.

Before I even get inside, I hear Anna asking "love, are you mad?" and tito saying that he'll talk to me, that Anna doesn't have to worry about me being mad.

I walk to their stairs, ready to go back to their library because I seriously need an explanation for this.

As tito walks nearer, I ask immediately, "what's wrong with Anna? She's acting strange."

I am worried. I know Anna, she can't love me again that fast, but she also didn't look like lying.

I read her journal just awhile ago. It was not even a journal because they're letters for me. And most of them were about how I've failed her. And then what is this now? She forgot them all? Just why? Is this for our wedding? What for? We both know that this is all for the sake of our business. Does she have other motives?

"You know what, son," tito starts smirkingly.

"What?"

"Go home."

"Tito-"

"Have a rest. You look so tired nowadays. I don't want to have an ugly man as my son-in-law." Tito jokes.

What! Is this... Yes!!! The mergence will continue as planned!

"Tito... Really? Wow, thank you. Then... Um, I'll come visit again tomorrow?"

"Of course. Go home now." He says smilingly.