Eternal

Chinito

Jesse's supposed to be meeting discussed over lunch at one of Leni's favorite restaurants nearby got cancelled and rather moved to another day. So he figured he'll drop by her office to take her out for lunch instead.

But he has been calling her for a while already and she hasn't picked up. Hence, feeling a little uneasy while driving on the way.

Finally nearing her office and after what seems to be the 5th attempt to call her, she picked up.

"Hi, ma. Office ka?"

"Yes. Bakit, pa? sorry, new case arrived sobrang hectic."

"Ooh, I see. I'll drop by sana to pick you up. Let's have lunch?"

"Nako, pa. I forgot to tell you pala. Nag yaya sina Tina and the other batch mates na mag lunch."

"Oh, I see. I'll pick you up then, tas hatid na kita doon?"

Leni knew this whole hatid kita isn't gonna work. Jess would most likely tell her later that he'd like to accompany her so she offered it already.

"Sama ka nalang, pa?"

"Pwede?"

Leni gave a small laugh.

"Alam ko namang gusto mo. Sige na"

—

They both arrived at the resto quite taken aback by how long the reserved table was by her friends. Some of them he knows already but there were quite a few faces who he doesn't seem to be familiar with.

"Uy, andito na pala si Atty. Leni!"

"Good afternoon po, Mayor."

"Uy, Tin akala ko ba tayo tayo lang" Leni asked a little surprised to see their close friends almost complete.

"May special guest kasi tayo today" Tina excitingly said while leading them to their seats.

They settled on the long table with Jesse on his wife's right side. Almost all of her batch mates came with no one, but his wife bringing him is not a new sight because he always tagged along even on rare girl's night out.

As Leni would always tease him, Ang possessive mo naman.

As they were having lunch, a tall hunk figure walked towards their table.

"Atty. James!" Joanne, one of her close friends exclaimed standing up and hugging the mestizo guy and the rest of the others went straight to him too.

It seems that they weren't expecting him to come for they were all shocked yet excited. The girls were screaming lightly each standing up and giving the guy a beso, looking so delighted to see him.

"Atty, kelan ka pa nakabalik?" Melva asked.

"Last week lang, actually. Si Tina lang nga nakakaalam para ma surprise kayo"

"Grabe naman 'tong si Atty. bigla nalang sumusulpot" Leni uttered.

James looked at her and slowly walked towards their direction looking at the empty seat beside Leni.

"Ay mayor, good afternoon po" He seemed a little surprised to see their city's mayor there but he shook his hand regardless. His next move staggered Jesse.

He neared his wife and placed a slight beso on her cheek since she was one of the few who weren't able to stand and welcome him for she has already started eating. He took the seat on Leni's left.

It wasn't such a big thing for everyone else because its an act of norm and he does it to all of the other women in the room too. But as an avid human of jealousy, seeing a man -a mestizo hunk one's cheek touch his wife's make him very uncomfortable. Hence, he didn't utter a word through it all.