Lightnings from the Past (Bicol Series 1)

Prologue

I'm headed towards Baguio to check the site currently in progress of clearing. Kanina pa ako na-stuck dito sa opisina dahil maraming kliyenteng naghahanap sa akin but I have to prioritize this one para masimulan na rin ang paggawa. 

Dumaan muna ako sa drive thru ng Jollibee because I haven't eaten yet since this morning and I can hear my stomach rumbling because of hunger. When I got my order, I went back on the road and followed the directions on the screen of my car. 

Sa expressway na ako dumaan dahil traffic sa service road, lalo na dahil alas nueve pa lang ng umaga. My drive was smooth, naging traffic lang when I passed along some intersections and parts where some accidents happened due to speeding. 

I looked at the screen when the music stopped playing, may tumatawag pala sa akin. 

"Good Morning, this is Architect Gage Cronico from QNRY Constructions, how may I help you?" I said, starting with formalities.

I will probably be staying here for a week, lalo na't kaunting renovation lang naman ang kailangang gawin sa ancestral house ng kliyente ko. Pupunta na lang ako dito tuwing kailangan, o kaya'y ipinapatawag.

"Architect, good thing you answered, we've been trying to contact you since this morning." Sagot ng nasa kabila.

"Sorry, I passed through some places with poor cell reception. Why?" I asked.

I heard him talk to someone on the other line before giving his attention to me. 

"I know this is a wrong time to say this, but someone's here, demanding to see you." Nang sinabi niya iyon ay saka ko lamang siya na-boses-an.

"Jay, you made clear with them that I'll be gone for a month, right?" I asked him. 

"I did, but what she said was: 'Hindi ako magpapagawa ng bahay kung hindi si Malia ang architect,' specifically," Saad ni Jay sa kabilang linya. 

I sighed, that's when I realized that it was a friend of mine.

"Sinabi mo ba sa kanya na wala ako for a week?" 

"I did, she said: 'I will wait,'" Saad ni Jay sa kabila.

"Schedule her after a week," saad ko bago ibinaba ang tawag dahil dadaan ako sa toll gate. 

I arrived in Baguio at 2 in the afternoon, the ride was really the time consuming one. It takes 14 hours for me to get here, my company is located in Bicol kaya naman ay kailangang talagang maghanap ako ng hotel na pwedeng pag-istay-han dito lalo na't travelling that far isn't advisable.

Good thing I have this day for me, I booked a hotel in advance, very money-consuming but the company will be the one to pay for it. Pagkarating sa hotel ay inayos ko kaagad ang mga gamit ko bago nag-ayos dahil lalabas ako para bumili ng groceries because I won't survive by just ordering foods.

Kinabukasan ay nagsuot lang ako ng acid blue wide leg pants at puting longsleeve, nagdala na rin ako ng payong at jacket in case umulan, November na kasi ngayon kaya madalas nang umulan kumpara tuwing Marso na talagang tag-tuyo.

When I arrived at the site, nakita kong nagsisimula na silang mag-ayos ng living room, transferring the things there to the kitchen area. Naisipan kasing palagyan ng bar area sa ibaba lang ng hagdan para raw ma-make use ang space doon.

Kahapon pa pala inilagay ang mga gamit sa kusina, ngayon ang inililipat na lang doon ay ang ilang gamit na hindi nailagay doon kahapon. Kumuha ako ng hard hat mula sa isang gilid bago pumasok sa loob, inaayos din kasi ang kisame.

Una kong pinuntahan si Engineer Marco na ngayon ay may kausap na worker.

"Ayusin niyo. Dagdagan ng kaunting semento sa kanang parte, paling eh." He said.