AGS 4: The Best Man's Wedding

Chapter 25: Practical

"Grabe, Sab, hindi ko inaasahan 'to, ha?"

I glanced at Clark. He was following me inside the office to verify my personal record.

Fortunately, hindi sila mahigpit sa requirements dahil wala akong dalang kahit na anong ID. I presented them the scanned copy of my IDs na nasa online drive at tinanggap naman nila. I even presented a special power of attorney and affidavit of loss.

After all, kompleto naman ako ng biometrics kaya makikita naman nila sa system 'yon.

Huminto kami sa dulong window saka nagtanong sa attendant.

"Sabrina Dardenne, miss," I said.

"75 pesos. Barya lang po, ma'am." Clark gave the attendant a fifty-peso and twenty-peso bill and a five-peso coin.

She gave me a copy of a paper na same sa NBI clearance, with my face and personal records. It wasn't the best document to present for any transaction kasi ang laki ng papel for an ID, but I should adjust. Wala akong choice.

"Okay ka na?" Clark asked while I checked my voter's certificate's details.

"Can I borrow your Mastercard?"

"Bakit?"

"O-order ako ng authentic copy ng birth certificate ko. Online ako magbabayad."

"Wow."

Dumeretso kami palabas ng office habang tutok pa rin ako sa document na hawak ko.

"Buti may idea ka sa mga kukuning document," sabi niya, inaalalayan ang daan ko para hindi ako matapilok. "Hindi mo first time, 'no?"

"Noong kumuha ako ng mga ID, pinasama ako ni Mum sa maglalakad ng papers ko para nga raw hindi ako tatanga-tanga kapag ako na lang mag-isa. I should know."

Clark chuckled and clapped slowly. "Tita Tess and her mommy mode. Applauded. Pero sure ka sa 30k lang? Hindi ba kukulangin sa 'yo 'yon?"

"Mum said if I want to borrow money, I had to make sure na kaya kong bayaran agad regardless if it was enough for me or not. Thirty thousand is a realistic figure na madali kong mababayaran a few weeks from now."

"Mum again! Halatang dinikdik kayo ni Tita Tess noong bata pa kayo ni Rico, ha."

Paglabas namin, dumeretso agad kami sa parking lot.

"You have meetings, right?" I asked him, pointing to his face.

"Well, sana." He bobbled his head from side to side.

"Kaso?"

"Sinasamahan kita."

I placed my hands on my waist and looked at him. "How urgent are those meetings?"

"Bakit?"

"So I can weigh your priorities."

"Hahaha! Himala, uso pala sa 'yo 'yan."

Pinalo ko tuloy siya sa braso. "Ano nga? Urgent?"

"Well . . ." He massaged his forehead and grinned at the lot. "Makikipagtsismisan lang talaga ako kina Mrs. Dominguez tungkol sa business park na itatayo nila sa South . . ."

"And?"

He narrowed his eyes and raised his pointy finger for a moment. "May tatawagan lang ako."

Saglit siyang pumunta sa bandang dulo ng parking lot, malapit sa barricade para sa mga halaman.

I was staring at Clark at hindi rin naman siya mukhang makikipag-meeting formally. He just wore a loose black shirt tucked in white casual slacks and white slip-on shoes. He paired his look with a plain black leather necklace and a black leather wristwatch. Hindi siya nag-wax sa buhok, so his medium-length hair was showing his soft facial features kasi bagsak na bagsak. Ang bango niyang tingnan, though he really smelled good. Ang ganda ng pili niya ng cologne for his look. Not the usual "seduce me, bitch" kind of cologne, but more of a "hug me, sweetiepie" kind of smell.