I Will Take Hold of You

Chapter Three

"She'll love these for sure. are we going to make all the bouquets that will be used for her daughter's debut birthday?"

"Right, girl. And that would keep us all busy until the end of the week. And you have a bonus from me..."

"Thank you, but it can't be rushed. Maybe, we need to hire a temporary salesperson to help us."

"You can take care of that. In the meantime, I'll take these designs to her so she can approve. Hmp! You know, it's really a big deal that I don't have a carriage. Like now, I'll wait for a tartanilla instead, or walk, when my customer's house is only on 6th street," she said annoyed.

"Maybe your carriage will be fine this week..."

"That's another thing that annoys me. Do you know that Papa made it fixed in the workshop near us. They were fence-hanging workers. Maybe if that happens, the carriage will be even more damaged."

Juana looked at her friend for a moment. "You know, if I didn't know you, I would say you are looked down at poor people. Why is it that since you moved to Bulacan, I haven't heard anything good from you?"

Isa sighed and slammed the desk drawer shut. "You can't blame me. The distance from the commercial center, the workplace, in everything..."

"Isa, your place is not far. You probably haven't come from town yet. In Meycauayan Poblacion, that's thirty minutes more or less drive from your place. There are first-run theaters there, there are commercial centers, eateries like here."

"And why do you know?"

Juana smiled meaningfully. "I got there when Miguel introduced me to his parents."

"No wonder your opinion is biased," she answered flatly while picking up the designs, put them in the bag and headed for the door. "Wait for me at lunch. And if Thomas came by, ask him if he could possibly take me home."




THOMAS came by at the shop and waited for Isa to return so that he can take her home.

"Until now, I still don't understand your father's decision to move to Bulacan. Haven't you thought about the trouble of going back and forth?" Thomas complained when they were on their way driving his Model T.

"Oh, Thomas. I argued with my father a hundred times already. I even suggested that I rent an apartment near the shop but nothing happened."

"Like today, when we get to your place, it's almost seven o'clock. We'll just talk a little and I'll leave right away because my home is still in San Pedro de Makati. Very inconvenient, sweetheart."

"What are vehicles for?"

The young man did not answer because he stopped at the exit when he saw his fellow soldiers and saluted.


"Sweetheart, why don't we just schedule our wedding. Can I tell your dad now that we're getting married?" Thomas continued as the car sped up again.

"There you are again, Thomas. You know I'm not ready for marriage yet. We're still young, aren't we? You're twenty nine and I'm only twenty four."

"Just the right age to be quiet. By the time I'm thirty, I might expect someone to call me daddy."

"We'll get there, Thomas. In the second place, I can't just leave my father. Two years ago, my mother died. And my father hasn't recovered from that. Just when, my grandmother. It's unfair if at this time I will be separated from my father."

"This is one thing I hate with your culture. Close ties." And Thomas didn't move.

And as he said, they arrived after eight o'clock. After less than an hour, the young man left.

The next day, Nicholas couldn't bring his child to the market again, so the girl looked for a tartanilla again. And as before, she's irritated with the situation.

She started walking when a tartanilla stopped in front of her. She was even surprised to recognize the driver.

"Get on, miss..." he said staring at her.

It was as if the girl's stomach had suddenly been dug up. Those sexy eyes again! Eyes that in her estimate if you stare, even a living stone will melt.

When the driver coughs, it was only then that the girl came to her senses and turned around and rode behind the driver again. And as usual there are passengers on the way. But whenever someone tries to sit beside the woman, the driver politely tells them to sit on the other side.

Unlike yesterday, there were only a few people riding today. Isa wanted to ask but she restrained herself.

They were already on the national road when the girl handed over the fare.

"I'm sorry, I forgot to pay yesterday, take it from there..." she said handing the money to the driver.

"It's alright, Miss de Leon..." the man replied formally.

Isa was surprised. Looked at the driver. "I don't remember meeting you..." she spoke weakly. She didn't want those in front of her to hear her talking to the driver.

"Our houses are close to each other and we immediately know who the new faces are, miss..."

The girl shrugged her shoulders. After all, their place is a province and there are only a few houses near the farm. But before coming to them there were no houses.

"Well... I insist that you take my payment. I am not exempted. I can afford to pay, mister," she said formally.

"It will probably be embarrassing for the people riding if we insist here, Miss De Leon. Let's say, I'm headed to Avenida Rizal and I just let you ride. I'm not really a public tartanilla," the driver replied formally.

Isa didn't insist even though she was surprised. They were both silent until they arrived at Kamatsile. She gave a 'thank you' before going down. The driver just nodded.




"DO you know that my payment was not accepted?" Isa told her friend when she arrived at the market.

"Maybe he has a crush on you," Juana answered with a smile.

"If anything, he's really handsome, Juana. He's my type, really. He's a super hunk. It's just that he's just a tartanilla driver and it sucks."

"I guess I want to believe that the driver you're talking about has a face, ah."

"Believe me, Juana. If he's not a driver, maybe I'll talk to him and be charming."

"Isa, you don't need to be charming to be noticed by boys. You can qualify in the Santacruzan, be a zagala or even be Queen Elena," said Juana who glanced at her and looked at her whole body. "Is that driver as handsome as Thomas?" she mentioned again.

"No. But it doesn't mean he's less handsome compared to Thomas. Thomas is smooth, clean-cut, executive type, etc.,etc., you know, with matching amercana and attache case plus the expensive car," she said accompanied with a shrugged on her shoulders at the description of her boyfriend. "This driver is different. Rugged, rough, masculine, his hair is porous. And mind you, I like the scent of his cologne, local or otherwise. And every time he's close, the hair on my arms wants to stand up. And when he looks, even a diamond melts . That's why, instead of an attache case, tool box. And instead of expensive car, passenger tartanilla."

Juana laughed. Isa also accompanied.

"Really, Isa, in your description of this man less the tool box and the tartanilla, I'm dying to meet him."

The girl would have answered but there were customers who had already bought flowers.