Versailles Series Book 5: The Barista

CHAPTER 2

~tabi~

A few years later...

I wasn't at Versailles today because we are celebrating Tasteful Trails' fifth anniversary. I opened it up when I was 23 years old. The team has prepared for tonight's dinner service. I glanced at the chef's table. There were seven seats there tonight. Three for my family and three for Calhoun's family.

Marty, my boyfriend of six months said he couldn't come to celebrate because he was flooded with work before I could even say which restaurant is it. Marty is a real estate agent I met through a common friend. I almost bragged to him how difficult is it to reserve a table in my restaurant and I was doing him a favour. We never dined here just because I didn't want my staff ogling at me. He was sweet and caring but he was as busy as me which I liked because the issue I had with my exes was the loss of quality time. This was the first anniversary that he was attending.

The dinner service was halfway but none of the seats on the chef's table were occupied yet. I glanced at the clock. It was almost eight o'clock. I glanced at my phone and called my mother. Minsan, dito na lang ako umaasa na ito ang makaalala ng mga importanteng bagay sa buhay ko. Sadly, she's been forgetting it like my dad and sister.

"Ma? Nasaan na kayo?" Wala sila sa bahay kanina nang umalis ako kaya hindi ko na nakausap ang mga ito.

"Ha? Bakit?"

Pinigilan ko mapabuntong-hininga. Parang alam ko na kung ano ang nangyari.

"Nasaan ba kayo Ma?"

"Ah eh...nasa Tagaytay kami anak."

"Tagaytay? Bakit kayo nandiyan? 'Di ba anniversary ng restaurant ko ngayon?" They have never been to any of my restaurants. I'm starting to think they don't care about me at all. That they have forgotten they have another daughter.

"Na-traffic kami anak eh pabalik naman na kami. Pero baka hindi na kami umabot."

"Bakit ba kasi kayo pumunta diyan?"

"Eh nag-aya iyung ate mo ng bulalo kasi. Saka namasyal kami kasi lilipad nanaman ang ate mo. Naiintindihan mo naman 'di ba?" Kapag malambing na ang boses ng nanay ko ay nanghihina ako. Kailangan ko lang nanaman pagbigyan ang mga ito at kalimutan ang sama ng loob ko.

"Sige po, Ma."

"Sige, sa bahay na lang tayo magkita."

Bumuntong-hininga ako nang maibaba ko ang telepono ko.

Napukaw ang atensiyon ko nang tumahimik ang mga tao. Nakalimutan ko saglit ang lungkot ko nang makita si Calhoun, Mama Sierra, at Tito Calvin sa may pinto ng restaurant. I went to greet them and gave them a hug.

"Glad you can make it." Pilit kong pinasigla ang boses ko.

"Eh ang hirap mag-book dito. Noong anniversary namin ng Mama Sierra mo, akala ko makakabook kami."

"Sana sinabi niyo na lang sa akin."

"Ano ba, nakakahiya naman."

Hinatid ko ang mga ito sa mesa. Calhoun scanned the three empty chairs and looked at me. I smiled sadly at him and shook my head, signalling him to not ask anything.

I was helping serve the entrees when I stopped in my tracks. I caught a familiar figure at the front door. It was Marty, my boyfriend, who told me he was busy. On his arm is a fake blonde woman in a dress that didn't even fit her well. He froze when he caught sight of me.

I was about to talk to them when Calhoun stood up and was on his way in his direction. I always make sure that Calhoun meets my boyfriends and he lets me meet his girlfriends in return. I know he recognized him and he knew what was happening here.

I have to stop him in time before he can cause any commotion.

"You fucking bastard-"

I held his hand. "Let me handle this, Cal. Please?"

He gave him a hard look before walking away. I glanced at the crowd and it looked like they were busy enough to notice the tension.

The dumb bitch who was on his arm doesn't seem to know what was going on. She looked at me and had the audacity to look at me from head to toe.

"Oh, you work here? Can you show me and my boyfriend our table? We reserved a table for our monthsary."

Pinigilan kong tumaas ang kilay ko. "Can I get your name please?" Tanong ko rito at binigay naman nito. "Pang-ilang monthsary ang sine-celebrate niyo?"

"Second!" Halos patili na sabi ng babae.

I clenched my fists.

Before I could answer, Calhoun dragged them into a corner where no one would notice the four of us. Marty's woman had her eyes glued on Calhoun who was wearing a gorgeous suit that night.

"Your reservation is forfeited. You are permanently banned from this restaurant. If I ever see your face here, I will dig every dirt in your fucking name and have you blacklisted in every real estate company in the metro. If the media gets a whiff of this, I will make sure your name will not be remembered at all. Now get out of this place and don't look back. You will not text Tabi or call her. Get it?"

"Teka, bakit-"

"Get it?" Madiin na sabi ni Calhoun habang nakatagis ang bagang na nakatingin kay Marty.

Tumango ito na parang robot at hinila na palabas ang babaeng kasama nito habang nagrereklamo pa ang babae.

I felt numb and I knew I was about to cry. Calhoun subtly pulled me into my office and locked it. When I heard the lock, he gathered me in his arms and caressed my back.

I hate that he knew what made me cry. I hate that he knew what made me weak. I hate that he knew what broke my heart.

But I am thankful that he knew what to do when I was like this. When I'm not the iron chef everyone sees me as. When I'm not the bubbly and curly-haired girl that's usually the source of energy in the room.

"He's not worth it, Tabi. You can cry now but please don't in the succeeding days. He doesn't deserve you. He doesn't deserve your tears."

I slowly held on to his shirt and my tears turned into sobs that my shoulders shook. I leaned into his warmth as it gave me the familiar relief he always had for the past decades of our friendship. Calhoun just let me release everything. This is the part where I am happy that I hired great staff so they know what they are doing even without me.

"Why do they keep hurting me, Cal?"

"They don't deserve you, Tabi."

I continued to cry on his chest as I let all the heavy emotions out. I felt spent. I'm tired of welcoming people in my life that doesn't love me as much as I love them. Hindi ko alam kung saan ba ako nagkukulang? Bakit lagi na lang nila akong iniiwan sa ere?

"I'm tired of this, Cal. I'm tired."

Not just with men either cheating on me or leaving me for crazy reasons. It's also with my family who I don't feel in my life anymore. The mother I was expecting the most from in the family is also barely giving me the minimum.

"Just power through, Tabi. There are better people out there. For now, the restaurant needs you. Your people need you."

"I know, Cal. But I don't think I can still go back there. Not like this. I'm a mess."

He wiped my tears and kissed my forehead like he always does. I should stop hoping for people who never show up to show up.

"Then stay here. I'll let your team know. They will understand." Sabi nito nang maiupo ako nito sa couch sa opisina ko. He squatted in front of me. "I'll be back."

And when Calhoun promises me something, he almost always comes through.