Beneath Your Smile (The Old And The New Series #1)

Kabanata 43

Kabanata 43

"Ma'am ganda, gising na po. Nandito na po tayo."

I stirred from my position and slowly opened my eyes. There's an unfamiliar man in front of me. Panic covered my whole body and I was about to kick him when he put his hands in front of him as if to stop me.

"Ma'am, si Loki po 'to. Nandito na po tayo sa farm."

Farm.

I blinked my eyes countless times nang maalala ko kung bakit ako nandito. I'm here because of my job! I'm here because I'm going to design the farmhouse of this farm! Muntikan na akong may masuntok!

And the man in front of me was the man who's driving the SUV from the airport to Barili. He's not a bad guy.

Dahan-dahan akong umupo nang maayos. Kinuha ko unan at niyakap 'yon kahit hindi naman 'yon akin. Nilibot ko ang labas ng SUV. Wala akong nakikitang kahit na ano sa harap ko maliban ang mga puno. There were so many trees in front of me and it stretched to the neverending end of land na kitang-kita mula sa kinauupuan ko. But I don't have any idea if it's already the end or may ilalayo pa ito.

"Nandito pa sa likod ang farmhouse," sambit ni Loki nang mapansin nito na pinag-aralan ko ang nasa harap ko at kumunot ang noo ko nang walang may makitang bahay roon.

"Ilang oras ang biyahe papunta rito?" I asked him when I fixed myself to turn at my back.

"Mahigit dalawang oras po, ma'am. Sigurado pong gutom na kayo kaya pasok na po tayo sa farmhouse at naka-ready na po roon ang pagkain para sa inyo. Hindi pa po maganda ang loob pero puwede na po 'yun pagtulugan at pag pahingahan."

I'm going to stay here in the farmhouse. Walang hotel na binanggit si Tobias sa email na s-in-end nito. But he already mentioned it to me that I will be staying at the farmhouse for the whole week at hindi raw marami ang nakatira roon. Iilang katulong lang daw ang nandoon, ang may ari, at ako.

I went outside the SUV and the gentle breeze of the province's air met my skin. It was so calming and refreshing that I almost wanted to go back inside the SUV and hugged the pillow to sleep again.

Sinundan ko si Loki na lumalayo na sa akin. I stopped from walking nang makita ko na hawak nito ang on the go bag ko.

"Loki, where's my suitcase?" I asked him.

He stopped and turned to face me. "Ay ma'am, pinauna ko na po sa loob... Galit po ba kayo at pinakialaman ko po ang gamit niyo?" he asked carefully.

Umiling agad ako dahil umiba ang tingin nito sa akin. I'm not the old me who just label someone else even though they didn't do anything wrong. It's the old Eanne. Ibang-iba na ang Eanne ngayon.

"No, no. I was just asking. Akala ko kasi naiwan mo."

Para itong nakahinga nang maayos sa sinabi ko at ngumiti nang malaki. "Tara na, ma'am!" aya ulit nito sa akin.

Nagsimula ulit ito sa paglalakad nang tinawag ko ulit ito kaya tumigil ulit.

"Ma'am?" he asked.

"Where's the owner? He should be the one welcoming me. Sa kanya 'tong farm, 'di ba? Siya rin ang tumawag sa kapatid ko para pumunta rito. So why he's not here?" I asked him.

Hindi nagpatuloy si Loki sa paglalakad kaya ako ang lumapit sa kanya.

On his back was the farmhouse he was talking about. From the view outside, the farmhouse was in a rustic farmhouse style. It's roof is in gambrel form. The farmhouse is a two-storey house. Unfinished wood designs and distress finishes scattered on the exterior of the farmhouse. Big windows scattered on the places giving light on the inside of the farmhouse. The exterior designs were also completely okay. Naaayon naman at hindi sira-sira ang disenyo nito. Halatang bagong ayos lang talaga ang farmhouse.