Boss Lady #3: Gold's Impurity

Epilogue

FOUR years later...

Gold parked her car as she arrived at the restaurant where she will be having lunch with Patch and Erika who also brought her daughter Thalia. Erika has given birth to a bouncing baby girl five months ago, at ngayon lang ito muling nakalabas para makipagkita sa kanila ng kaibigan dahil kinailangan nitong magpahinga at tutukan ang pagiging ina.

When she arrived at the reserved table for them, Erika is already there with her daughter who is smiling and cooing when Gold arrived.

"Hello, my darling Thalia!" masiglang bati ni Gold sa anak ng kaibigan. Lalong lumawak ang ngiti ng sanggol sa kanya at humagikgik pa ito. "Awww, you are so cute, baby girl! Pwera usog ha?"

"Mars, ano? Ako 'di mo man lang babatiin?" bwelta sa kanya ni Erika na kalong kalong ang anak nito.

Gold grinned as she sat down in front of her best friend. "Hello, mars. Kumusta ka naman? Kumusta ang buhay ina?"

"I'm happy being a mom! Nakakapagod lang din minsan kasi itong si Thalia eh madalas magising kapag gabi. Parang night owl," wika nito sabay hinalikan ang tuktok ng ulo ni Thalia na nababalot ng pink baby beanie.

"Mabuti naman kung ganon, mars. I know how tiring that is kahit hindi ako nanay," sabi ni Gold. "Pero at least masaya ka. Being a mother is a fulfilling job."

Tumango tango si Erika habang nilalaro naman ni Gold ang mga kamay ni Thalia na nasa table. Ang chubby ng mga kamay nito kaya nakakagigil hawakan.

"Si Patch pala? Where is she?" tanong ni Gold sa kaibigan. "Ang tagal ko nang hindi nakikita 'yon. Mga three months na rin. Hindi rin masyadong nagpaparamdam."

Erika shrugged and said, "She's on the way na—oh, wait here she comes."

Gold looked behind her and was in shock upon seeing Patch walk towards their direction, wearing a dress and a small baby bump obviously showing on her stomach. Behind her is a tall, handsome man who has his hand on the side of Patch's waist. Looking closely at the man's face made her gasp, and it seems Erika realized it too because she heard her gasp after.

What on earth...? Gold thought. Wala siyang idea na may boyfriend ang kaibigan, na buntis pala ito, at nobyo pala nito ang isang sikat na mayor!

An awkward smile appeared on their faces as Patch and her boyfriend reached their table.

"Uhm... so..." Gold muttered.

"Hello, mga mars," bati sa kanila ni Patch saka sinenyasan ang binata na nasa kanyang likuran. "Uh... meet Luke. Luke, meet my best friends, Erika and Gold, and Thalia, Erika's daughter."

Tumango ang mga ito sa kanila at nagbigay ng tipid na ngiti. "It's good to meet you both. Patch has told me a lot of good things about you two."

"Good to meet you too, Mayor. It is an honor for us to formally meet someone as honorable as you. Please, take a seat," Erika said from behind Gold.

"No, I won't stay. Hinatid ko lang dito si Patch at aalis na ako," wika nito. Si Patch naman ay hinarap ang binata at nag-usap nang mahina ang dalawa, at maya maya'y ginawaran nito ng halik si Patch sa labi saka nagpaalam na.

"Tangina, Patrizia Marie Santos, maupo ka nga rito. Ang dami mong dapat ikwento," utos ni Gold sa kaibigan na agad namang sumunod matapos makalayo ang binata.

"Patch, what happened? Paano ka nabuntis?" tanong ni Erika.

"Syempre nakipag-sex siya, mare. 'Di naman ito ang susunod na Virgin Mary na nabuntis ng holy spirit," wika niya saka bumaling kay Patch. "Ano nga ba nangyari, mars? How come nabuntis ka? Ilang buwan na ba ito?"