Strange Voices of the Dead

30: Cold Snap

Kanina pa gising si Wicker at titig na titig pa rin sa laruang kotseng iniregalo sa kanya ni Annara. He can't believe he completed the whole E-chariot collection. Kay gandang pagmasadan niyon na kumpletong naka-display sa isang estante mula sa k'warto niya.

Matagal na niya itong gustong makumpleto, ngunit dahil sold out agad ang pre-order nito noon kaya't tumagal nang tumagal ito at nahirapan na siyang kumpletuhin agad.

He's so satisfied, it's evidently imprinted in his wide smile. He's so thankful for Annara. He couldn't believe of all people, Annara will be the one who could give this kind of satisfaction to him. Not even Catherine who never had shown him the interests to this.

Mayamaya lang ay tinawagan na niya si Olly para ibalita ito.

"Dude, seriously? Annara gifted you an E-chariot red? How?" hindi makapaniwalang tugon ni Olly mula sa kabilang linya.

"She said, she found it in an old antique shop named Garrison. I've never expected her to give me something I am only wishing in my dreams." He chuckled. "At least ngayon, wala na tayong po-problemahin," Wicker added.

"That's good, Wick. Panatag na ang loob mo ngayong napasakamay mo na ang paborito mong car toy collection," masayang sambit ni Olly. "By the way, I have to apologize for something I haven't tell you yet."

"What?"

"I told Catherine that you and Annara were having a dinner together. Hindi niya kasi ako tinigilan. She's bugging me all the time if is pertaining to you. Kaya naibulalas ko sa kanya 'yong plano mo."

Napailing si Wicker. "I knew it! Kaibigan nga talaga kita, Olly." He scoffed.

"But I think it ended well. Mukhang masaya ka naman at ang tono niyang boses mo ngayon. Anyway, how about seeing Catherine and Annara in one table? Awkward? Intense? Problematic? Tell me everything. I have lots of time to listen." Naririnig ni Wicker ang pagtawa ng kaibigan.

"It really ended well, I guess. Si Anton lang ang panira sa dinner night na 'yon!"

"Anton? Iyon lalaking buntot nang buntot sa girlfriend mo? Dude, I think there's something about him. I could smell him, the way he looked at Catherine, oh God!"

"I trusted Catherine. She'll never do anything I won't like. Isa pa, ang sabi niya ay kailangan naman talagang kilalanin nila ang isa't isa since business partners sila. An owner and its supplier relationship. Catherine would never do that to me," Wicker told him and securing there's nothing going on between his girlfriend and Anton. "Ikaw, kailan ka bibisita ulit dito? Gusto kitang ipakilala kay Annara . . ."

"I would love to meet her too, but I am kinda busy these coming days, like an after class and weekend duties. Mom's with me as she's signing contracts for new business franchises. And one more thing, I'd be my Dad's assistant for a week in his clinic, nag-leave kasi 'yong assistant niya. I am not assisting like a psychiatric aide, I would just be receiving phone calls, assisting walk-in patients and schedule their appointments. Kapag iniisip kong bibisita pa lang ako dati sa clinic niya, natatakot na ako. There's a time that some of the patients screaming out of nowhere, or laugh as hard as if they going out of sane or talking so much. I salute my Dad for taking care of them mentally and physically. Ang hirap din ng trabaho niya," k'wento ni Olly.

Olly's father is a licensed psychiatrist for seven years. His mother is a branch bank manager and they had some running business up 'til this day. Kaya'y nasuporthan niyon ang pag-aaral ni Olly pati na ang pangangailangan nilang pamilya.

"Anyway, Wick. Ano pa lang iniregalo ni Catherine sa 'yo last night? Did you two hangout after dinner? Nasa hotel kayo 'di ba? Did you check her in?" Olly asked him with so much teasing in his tone. Wicker knows what he's asking about.