Jack & Destiny

Chapter 6: Destiny

I found out the reason why Destiny was back in Calgary the next morning.

She was seated at the dining table staring into space, her hands wrapped around the white coffee mug with a bear holding a red heart design.

It was my favorite mug.

There was food on the table and the smell of freshly brewed coffee tickled my still foggy brain.

I am not fully awake yet and wondered if what happened last night was a dream.

But when she spoke, I knew it was all true.

Destiny was not a product of my lovesick mind.

"I made breakfast. Come on. You're going to be late."

Tumayo si Destiny at lumapit sa coffee brewer.

She poured me a cup, opened the fridge to get the cream and then added at least three heaping teaspoons of sugar.

I smiled.

She still remembered how I take my coffee.

I glanced at the wall clock.

She was right.

I had less than an hour to get ready.

Hindi ko man lang namalayan na tumunog ang alarm sa phone.

We were up late talking and of course, sex.

"Here," Tinapik niya ang upuan na nasa kabisera bago nilapag ang mug nang kape.

Lulugo-lugo akong lumapit at umupo.

"I'm so tired." Reklamo ko.

"I told you we should sleep. But someone wants more." She kissed the top of my head.

The gesture made me feel warm all over.

Inalis niya ang plastic cover sa plato.

She made scrambled egg.

"You don't have any bread so that's all I could make." Hinila niya ang upuan sa tabi ko.

I drank coffee first.

The sweetness and the slight bitterness gave my brain a jolt.

"Aren't you going to eat?" I picked up the fork and took a bite.

"I got laid off."

"Oh....kay," I suddenly felt a heaviness in my stomach.

"That's the reason why I'm here."

"You needed a place to stay."

Tumango siya.

"What happened?"

"The pandemic happened."

"I know that but weren't you retained?"

"Yeah. Then it got worse and Brandon had to let go of more people. He felt bad but there was nothing he could do."

I placed the fork back on the plate and looked at her.

Nang una ko siyang makilala, the word that came to mind was fearless.

The party we were at was a little formal.

There was no dress code or anything naman pero mga sosyalin ang mga guests.

Ang mga lalake were dressed in sport coats and slacks while the women wore elegant dresses.

Kulang na lang talaga ay mag tuxedo at gown ang mga babae.

When Destiny came in, I wondered how she got invited kasi nga, crop top with skintight leggings, white sneakers at high ponytail.

But she and my coworker were friends since high school.