Allie & Xander #Wattys2015

Alden Interiors

Alexandra slung her tote bag over her right shoulder, tucked folders and binders underneath her left armpit, and held her cell phone in her right hand and pressed it against her ear. She was quickly making her way to the coffee shop near her office para makabili muna ng kape bago sya pumasok. Sumasakit na kasi ang ulo nya at hindi pa sya nakakapag lunch. She was at a site overseeing her design with the carpenters at one of the condo units she was working on nang biglang tumawag si Denise sa kanya. Urgent daw na makabalik sya ng opisina dahil may meeting pa sya na new client. Naguluhan naman si Alexandra dahil ang alam nya ay wala syang naschedule na meeting dahil nga she will be at the site all day. Dahil nga ang akala nya ay nasa site sya the whole day, she was just wearing jeans, a white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, and green loafers. Kahit na she looked pulled together naman, napaka-casual ng outfit nya. Usually kasi ay naka business suit sya or dress pag alam nyang may ka-meeting syang bagong client.

"Hello?" sinagot nya ang kanyang telepono habang pinagbuksan na sya ng guard ng pinto ng coffee shop. "Den?"

"Alex, asan ka?"

"Malapit na. Bibili muna ako ng kape."

"Parating na yung client in ten minutes."

"Opo, ma'am, malapit na po. Pero hindi ko mahaharap kung sino mang client na yan kapag naiistress ako and I need my coffee. Kalma lang, pwede?" Alexandra teased her friend.

"Sabi nga ni Carmi na wala ka namang naka-sched na client meeting, pero nung tumawag ito kanina ay pinakausap pa sa akin ni Carmi dahil mapilit nga daw. Sabi ko nga ako na lang ang maghahandle ng ipapagawa nya, pero persistent sya, gusto nya ikaw."

"Kilala mo ba kung sino to?"

"Hindi eh. PA nya ang nakausap ko, pero her boss will be present naman daw for the meeting."

"Hmmm, mysterious," Alexandra replied. "One black coffee, please, for Alex," she interrupted her phone conversation with Denise momentarily para maibigay ang kanyang order sa barista. Nagbayad na muna sya ng kapeng inorder nya at naghintay na tawagin sya kapag ready na ito. "Pero sige, fine, let's humor him. Sana lang ay hindi joke ito ha, I'm so busy today. Hindi pa nga ako nakakapag lunch eh."

"Ha? Papabili ako kay Carmi. Anong gusto mo?"

"Hindi na, okay na ako. Mamaya na lang pagkatapos ng client meeting."

It had been three months since their Boracay trip. Kinasal na si Denise sa kanyang fiance na si Renz sa isang engrandeng kasalan sa Manila Hotel. As promised, hindi nila binuksan ang kanilang interior design firm na Alden Interiors until nakabalik na si Denise galing sa kanyang honeymoon in Greece. Alden Interiors has only been officially been up and running for a month, and so far, maayos naman ang takbo nito. It helped na they were backed by Alexandra's husband, David Ocampo, one of the most prominent sports agents in the country. He knew a lot of famous movers and shakers in the country, and syempre, nirerecommend nya agad ang firm ng asawa nya for any of their interior design and decorating needs. Kahit na may problema silang mag asawa ay nagpapasalamat pa rin naman sya sa mga connections nito.

She and Denise have never brought up her fling in Boracay again. True to her word, whatever happened in Boracay stayed there at hindi na sya inusisa ng kaibigan. Siguro nga nakatulong na naging busy si Denise sa preparations ng kanyang kasal at naging busy din naman si Alexandra sa pagtulong dito bilang her maid-of-honor. Ngayon naman ay subsob sila sa trabaho kaya hindi na rin na bring up ang off limits topic na yun. Nakalimutan na rin naman ni Alexandra ang mga pangyayari, pero hindi dahil ginusto nya. There were still times na naiisip nya si Alexander at kung paano sya nagpaubaya na lang sa binata. She still couldn't believe that she was capable of cheating on her husband, but it happened. Kahit pa man sabihin nyang she had a good reason to cheat, hindi pa rin nya sana ginawa yun. She teetered between regretting and not regretting; but the former always won out. Gaya ng sabi nya the first time it happened, ginusto nya naman ang nangyari, and as big a mistake it was, it was her decision and she owned up to that decision.