Say Yes

31

Inigo

The Sunday mass ended at 1030AM.

Kumusta kaya ang meeting ni Chiara?

Naglalakad na ako palabas ng simbahan ng matanaw ako ni Min.

"Inigo!!!" Malakas niyang tawag sa akin? "Pauwi ka na ba? Sabay naman ako, dala ni Inah ang kotse ko eh, kahit hanggang farm lang, dun na lang niya ako susunduin." Hindi naman talaga siya nagtanong because the next thing I know, nasa passenger seat na siya at nagsusuot ng seatbelt.

We settled ourselves inside and left the church afterwards.

Wala pang ilang minuto, nakatanggap na ako ng reply sa message ko from Chiara.

Ok lang. Tapos na mass? I replied again and she sent another message. Nearby resto, talking to someone regarding JC Escapes. I am pretty sure I dropped her off sa compark. They must have met in a resto.

"Hindi ba si Chiara yun?" Pukaw ni Min sa akin ilang minuto lang mula ng umalis kami ng simbahan. May nadaanan kaming resto along the highway. Nasa windows side sila kaya natanaw namin. He's talking to a guy opposite to her. And she looks uncomfortable. Another message pops in as I pick up my phone from the dashboard. Nakalampas na kami ni Min sa kanila.

Asan ka, bahay ka na ba?

There must be something wrong for her to look for me while she's meeting someone. A part of me wanted to go back.

Now.

"Min, may emergency ako. Hindi kita maiisabay ng farm. Magcommute ka na lang." I pulled over on the side. "Baba na. Bilis."

Kunot na kunot ang noo ni Min na bumaba ng kotse. Ibinwelta ko pabalik ang kotse. I replied to some of Chiara's message as I parked the car in front of the resto and I saw the guy in front flirting with her and she is not okay with it. The guy was staring at her intently.

San ka?

It took a while for me to respond.

**Watching my girlfriend being seduced by some asshole? Is he making pass on you? I thought you are on a business meeting on a Sunday?

Bumaba ako ng kotse, making my way inside the resto, still typing a message.

**If its for business and he is making you uncomfortable, tell me. Bibigwasan ko yan. I can clearly see here what he is doing to you.

And I was inside, few feet away from them, nang biglang tumayo si Chiara, seem to be bolting away. The man grabbed her arm.

It only took me a few steps before I reached their table.

"May problema ba?"

Unang lumingon si Chiara, sunod na tumingin sa akin ang lalaking kausap niya.

"Inigo---- Chiara looked tense. Napalunok muna siya bago magtanong at sumulyap sa nasa harapan niya.

"Are you okay?" I asked again.

"Yeah, yes. Ahh--- itinuro niya ang lalaki sa harap niya. "Architect Gabriel Mercado, this is Inigo Jung, owner of Jung Farms. Inigo, this is Gabriel, Sabrina's brother. May kinoconsult lang ako sa kanya about JCE. He is a landscape architect."

"Hi." Inabot ni Gabriel ang kamay niya sa akin. I made a quick look at him bago ko tinanggap ang kamay niya.

"Anong ginagawa mo dito?" Mahinang bulong ni Chiara sa akin. Hindi ko siya sinagot. Humarap na si Chiara kay Gabriel.