Complicated Love

Twelve

*Casey's POV*

Late na ko dumating sa office, but hey! It wasn't my fault. Pinatawag kasi ako ni Chris to discuss something at ngayon lang kami natapos.

Busy yung mga dati kong teammates kaya di na muna ko dumaan sa kanila para mangumusta. Wala din si Neil sa station nya, nagbreak siguro.

Napatigil ako nung may makita akong isang long stemmed rose sa mesa ko with a card on it. Dejavu ah. Is this from Chris again?

Can we talk later?

That was what the card says. Walang pangalan na nakalagay and I'm quite sure that this is not from Chris, iba yung penmanship eh.

Anyway, I just shrugged my shoulders and smelled the rose. I can't help but smile as I did that.

*Joaqui's POV*

Naramdaman kong siniko ako ni Chuck, so I put my phone on mute and asked him what does he need.

Hindi sya sumagot, instead may inginuso lang sya sa'kin.

I looked on to what he was pointing to at napangiti ako nang makita ko si Casey na hawak yung rose na iniwan ko sa station nya.

Mas napangiti pa ako nang makita kong ngumiti sya bago umupo sa upuan nya at tinabi yung rose sa gilid ng mesa nya.

I badly miss her. And I intend to win her back.

*Casey's POV*

"Sasabay ka ba sa'kin maglunch?", tanong sa'kin ni Neil.

I looked at him and looked at the time na nasa desktop ko. It's already lunch time na pala, hindi ko napansin because I'm working on a case na galing kay Ivan.

I smiled at him and shook my head, "Mauna ka na. Tatapusin ko lang 'to. I'm pretty sure nagwawala na mga alaga mo sa tyan kaya mauna ka na."

Natawa naman sya sa sinabi ko, "You're right haha. Anyway, maglunch ka na din. Pwede naman mamaya yan.", then he walked away from me.

Few minutes later, someone sit on my table. Yes, you read that right, sa table ko umupo. Pagtingin ko, si Chuck pala.

"Busy?", he playfully asked.

"Obviously. Bumaba ka nga dyan, baka bumigay yung table sa bigat mo", sarcastic at nagbibirong sabi ko sa kanya.

Natatawang bumaba naman sya at kinuha yung rose na nasa mesa ko, "Naks! Mukhang may admirer ka na naman ah."

"Hindi ko nga alam kung kanino galing yan eh. Bakit ka pala nandito? May problema ba?", I asked without looking at him.

"Problema agad?"

Tumango lang ako. Usually kasi yung mga agents na lumalapit sa'min may mga problema sa kliyente nila na hindi na kaya ng access nila yung resolution, kaya lumalapit sila sa'min ni Neil since (let's just say) we're more powerful than them.

"Lunch na. I'm here para ayain kang kumain. Mamaya na yang ginagawa mo."

I was about to protest pero nilock na nya yung PC ko at hinatak ako para tumayo. I got no choice but to come with him.

Naglalakad na kami papunta sa pantry ni Chuck when he blindfolded me.

"Hey! What's this for?", I asked and I hold on to his arm.

"May surprise kasi kami sa iyo."

"What surprise?"

"You'll see.", he told me as he lead the way papunta sa kung saan man.

Few steps away, huminto na din kami, "Just stay here. Someone will take the blindfold off your eye."

I didn't answer but I do exactly as he said. Not a minute passed when Chuck left, I felt someone on my back. Bigla akong nakaramdam ng kaba nang maamoy ko yung familiar scent na yun, yung scent na matagal ko nang namimiss. Slowly, the blindfold was removed from my eye.

Medyo nasilaw pa ako kaya napapikit din ako agad nung dumilat ako. I took a deep breath and open my eyes slowly, hanggang makita ko yung nakahanda surprise para sa'kin.

Sorry Casey. Please give me one more chance

A banner was hanging in front of me, just below that banner was a bouqet of roses, a bar of chocolate, and a basket with a little dog stuff toy on it.

Not knowing what to say, I slowly made my way towards the stuff toy para sana kunin ito nang nagulat ako dahil biglang tumahol yung akala kong stuff toy.

"Did you like her? That's uhmm. I actually do not know what name to give her. But since ikaw ang mommy nya, ikaw na ang magbigay ng pangalan sa kanya.", someone told me from behind.

Kinuha ko yung puppy sa basket at nilaro ko as I faced him, "Para saan 'to?"

"I'm asking for another chance Casey. I'm even willing to beg kung kinakailangan, just give me this one last chance to be with you, to love you.", Joaqui told me.

"B-but si Ginny, yung magiging anak nyo? I can't be selfish Joaqui and take you away from them."

I noticed him clenched his fist, "She tricked us Casey. Sinabi nyang buntis sya kahit hindi naman talaga. She did that to get me back."

Nagulat ako sa nalaman ko, di ko rin mapigilang makaramdam ng inis. All this time, I am hurting for nothing? What the hell lang di'ba?

But still a part of me understood her. Siguro nga nahirapan talaga sya nung naghiwalay sila ni Joaqui.

Napatingin naman ako kay Joaqui, he's still waiting for my answer.

I smiled and slowly nodded my head to him.

"Talaga?", he asked in disbelief.

"Yes, another chance for you. And hopefully, noone will blew this up for us.", I said to him and he pulled me for a hug.

I could never be happier.

**

"Casey is there a way for us to grant this request?", an agent asked me.

Sakto naman yung lapit nya kasi inaantok na ko. I was not able to get enough sleep for tonight. Blame Joaqui, we went out on a date and he did not take no for an answer.

"Let me check the account and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. If you want to, I'll be the one to call your customer as soon as I find a resolution for this.", sagot ko dun sa agent. After nyang magpasalamat, bumalik na din sya sa station nya.

I stiffled a yawn when someone put a frappe on my table, when I looked up, I see a smiling Joaqui in front of me, "Sleepy?"

I picked up the frappe on my desk, took a sip and nod at him, "Very very very sleepy. Your fault.", nakanguso kong sabi sa kanya.

Natatawang itinakip nya sa labi ko yung palad nya, "Quit pouting! Baka hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili ko halikan nalang kita agad. Sige ka, dami pa naman tao dito."

Pilit kong tinanggal yung palad nya sa labi ko, "Yah! You ruined my lipstick.", nakakunot ang noo ko sa kanya lalo pa nang makita kong nagstain sa palad nya yung lipstick ko.

"Okay lang yan. Para mabawasan din yung mga tingin ng tingin sa'yo dito. Kanina ko pa gustong manapak eh.", nakangiting sabi nya sa'kin.

"Whatever! Go to the washroom and wash your hands.", utos ko sa kanya na natatawang sinunod naman nya.

"Ang sweet huh!", sabi sa'kin ni Neil nang makaalis na si Joaqui.

"Isa ka pa.", nakangusong sabi ko sa kanya.

Napatingin naman sa'kin si Neil at natawa bago tumingin ulit sa monitor nya, "He's right. You should stop pouting. Kahit ako natutuksong halikan ka pag nakanguso ka haha!"

Napasinghap naman ako sa sinabi nya sabay takip ng dalawang kamay ko sa bibig ko, lalo lang natawa sa ginawa ko si Neil. Naiinis na pinalo ko sya sa braso, "Yah! Wag ka nga mang-asar dyan."

Natawa lang si Neil sa'kin, "Just stating a fact here Casey. Kung hindi ka nga lang binabakuran ni Joaqui, baka pati ako nakigulo na sa mga gustong pumorma sa'yo eh."

Napatigil ako sa sinabi nya, natawa nalang ako at napailing, "Sira!"