ARE YOU MAN ENOUGH?

Chapter Twenty-Seven

LILY FOLLOWED BETA. Siya na rin mismo ang nagsara ng pinto dahil huling pumasok sa office room ni Walter sa The Org.

Pagkatapos kasi mag-mall, sa The Org dumiretso ang dalawa. Sasamahan ni Lily si Beta sa paghihintay sa asawa nito na matapos sa trabaho bago umuwi. Since they used Lily’s car to pick up Beta from Corinstones and head to the mall, they carried out her friend’s shopping bags.

Nilapag nila sa couch malapit sa bintana ang mga shopping bags ni Beta. Naiwan naman sa kotse ni Lily ang mga pinamili na para sa kanya, kaya malayang natulungan niya sa pagbitbit ang kaibigan.

“Sigurado ka ba talagang dito ka magbi-birthday party?” sulyap ni Beta.

“I am very sure!” her tone was light and self-assured. “I would love a lap dance on my party. Sexy men in red briefs dancing around me like a Trip To Jerusalem while I sit in the middle of the circle.” She gasped, struck by a new idea just now. “Oh! And I’ll be tied on that chair too. Gusto ko, sa main floor ng The Org ‘yon ganapin. Where everyone can watch!”

The idea made her giddy all of a sudden. She could already imagine Jared’s darkened face.

“Iba ka talaga mag-isip,” hindi makapaniwalang iling nito. “Shouldn’t you focus your creative energy on something else even just for once?”

A corner of Lily’s lips twitched into a smirk as they paced toward the visitor's chairs in front of Walter’s office desk.

“With a job as boring as mine, wala nang paglalagyan doon ang creative energy ko,” sagot niya bago mabilis na kinambyo pabalik sa mga plano niya ang usapan. “And you’re friends with Jared, right? Make sure he’ll be invited.”

“Ah,” panghuhuli nito, may kasama pang pamewang, “ngayon alam ko na kung para saan lahat ng ito.”

Painosenteng nagkibit-balikat siya bago umupo sa visitor’s chair.

“I can’t believe, naghahabol ka pa rin sa kanya.” Umupo na rin si Beta.

“You know what they say,” she flipped her hair with a left hand, tapos sumandal sa kinauupuan. “Try and try until you succeed.”

Beta gave her a bored look. “This doesn’t sound like you, Lily. You never chased a man in your life.”

“I know, but also remember that, no man has ever said no to this—” Tumagilid siya ng upo. She moved a hand to point along the curve of her body.

“Oh, girl, please,” Beta groaned, looked up to the ceiling.

Natawa siya sa reaksyon ng kaibigan at umayos na ng pagkakaupo.

“That’s why,” she continued, “hindi pwedeng maging exemption si Jared. He can’t leave without wanting this body. ”

“Well, good news,” a voice chimed in, shocking the two of them.

Nagmula ang boses kay Walter. Galing ito sa mini kitchen ng silid na divider lang ang nagkukubli. He wore a pair of gray slack pants and a black, polo shirt.

“Tsismoso pala ‘tong asawa mo, Beta,” bulong niya sa kaibigan habang namimilog ang mga matang pinanood ang paglapit sa kanila ni Walter.

Napailing lang si Beta, napamasahe sa sentido.

Dumako si Walter sa desk nito at may inangat na application form.

“Member na ng The Org si Doc Jared,” he proudly announced. “It means, we can invite him to your party here.”

Sumayad saglit ang napanganga niyang bibig sa sahig. Tumikom agad si Lily, napailing bago lumapit kay Walter.

“Member? H-How…”