ARE YOU MAN ENOUGH?

Chapter Fifty-Nine

LILY FOLLOWED JARED'S CAR. Huminto siya sa likuran nito nang dahil sa stoplight. Natanaw niya si Jared sa sasakyan nito. Medyo umangat ang ulo, sumilip sa salamin na nakabitin sa ibabaw ng dashboard. Then, he placed an elbow over the backrest of his seat.

Tinanaw siya nito.

Nginitian.

Lily smirked right back at him. He's checking on her and a sense of safety swept all over her.

Then this doubt.

She didn't want to fail him.

She didn't want to mess up again and disappoint a person she loves— something she was notorious for since she was, probably, born.

Lagi niyang nadi-disappoint ang mga taong mahalaga sa kanya— ang mga magulang niya, ang mga kapatid, ang mga nakarelasyon...

She always managed to please the men she fucked and experimented with at The Org. But that was just too shallow. Being a disappointment in everything except sex... Hindi niya matatanggap na hanggang doon lang siya.

Lily wanted to be good at other things other than that.

If Jared believes that there's something more to her than being everyone's disappointment and being good at sex, then she will keep on believing in herself. She will keep on believing that she can be good at other things. With something else.

She has substance...

She wanted to have substance...

I'm fine. I can do this, Jared. You believe that I can do this, right?

Napapitlag siya nang marinig ang caller ringtone ng smartphone. Napagawi sa dashboard ang tingin niya roon bago nagtapon ng nag-aalangan na tingin kay Jared. He looked at her, unaware of what she was dealing with. Nagtaas ng isang kamay si Lily, sumenyas dito ng sandali lang. Bago inabot ng isang kamay ang smartphone.

Maayos niyang nilagay iyon sa naka-install na phone holder sa kanyang kotse. Then, she answered the phone call from an unregistered number. Ini-loudspeaker niya iyon.

Lily.

That voice. Kahit hindi niya nakikita ang kausap, nai-imagine na ni Lily ang pagkakabusangot ng mukha nito. Mukha nitong kitang-kita dahil sa malinis na pagkaka ponytail ng buhok nito, lahat ng hibla ay hatak na hatak ng panali sa likuran ng ulo.

"Hi," she sighed in relief. "Akala ko, hindi mo na ako tatawagan ulit."

Gustong madaliin ng kanyang kausap ang phone call.

I already set an appointment for you, salubong sa kanyang pandinig ng baritonong boses ni Clint. He sounded a little static over the phone line. Atty. Kristen David is new to one of the law firms I work at. That's why, she has a lot of available slots for new clients.

Lily sucked in a deep breath. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang sasabihin. Parang naninikip sa tuwa ang kanyang dibdib. "S-Salamat—"

Hindi narinig ng kausap na nagsalita siya kaya nagpatuloy lang ito.

Specialized siya sa women's rights at kasama na roon ang karapatan ng mga babae pagdating sa employment so, you're lucky we got the exact person you'll need.

"My, my..." nangingiting wika niya. "Thank you, Clint—"

Ite-text ko sa'yo 'yong mga schedules niya sa firm na iyon. As well as her contact numbers. Kayo na ang bahalang magkasundo kung kailan kayo magmi-meet. She's expecting you to follow up within this day.

Saglit na nawala sa kasalukuyan ang atensyon at presensya ni Lily.

"I... I don't know what to say, Clint. I don't expect that you'll help me with this one... I..." napailing siya, nanginginig ang labi sa hindi maipaliwanag na abot-langit na pasasalamat. "I just want to thank you."