I Will Take Hold of You

Chapter Four

Monday to Friday, Isa goes to the market but not on Saturday and Sunday. Nicholas does not allow this. What's the point of having your own business when you can't even rest on weekends? He said to his daughter. So in those two days, when there were more customers, the girl left it to Juana. Anyway, the latter can have a day off anytime on weekdays.

"Pa, I think the carriage would be finished today?" she said while putting Garlic Fried Rice and Egg on her plate.

"It's still early, hija. But if you want, go to the end. There is no other big house next to our house but the workshop and Pareng Rene's house which is behind the workshop. It's only a two to three-minute walk. "

"If anything, I haven't even been around here yet. I guess this is the right chance."

"Find Paolo, hija..."

The girl stopped eating. Paolo? It seems to be the name of the tartanilla driver. She shrugged her shoulders. Maybe just the same name.

"I'm going there after eating, Pa."

The girl is wearing a yellow traje de mestiza.

"You're gorgeous, darling, the people who work there might get into trouble," said Nicholas.

"Thanks, Pa. But don't worry. I won't take you a mechanic son-in-law," the young woman joked while tying her hair. Then took her umbrella.

Nicholas laughed out loud. "Beware, beware. We don't know who will hear what we say..."

"Yes, papa. I'm going to walk, now." And she headed for the door to leave.

Later, Isa was walking down the rocky road. All she could see were trees and grass and two houses on the right side of the road. She stopped right in front of the workshop. What she sees is just like any other shop of broken carriages. Her eyes searched for their carriage. She saw it near a building that was small and probably the most office. Someone is painting.

People stopped working when they saw her. Everyone is greeting her. She closed her umbrella and went inside. Approached a man smiling at her.

"Excuse me... where can I see Mister Paolo?"

"There miss." He pointed to the small building. "Paolo is inside."

She noticed the men working whispering as she walked towards the small building. She ignored them. Her eyes were focused on the chariot painted, exactly at the damaged part.

She stopped for a moment and looked meekly at the painting. She did not notice the knock on the door of the one he was looking for. He watched her for a while before speaking.

"I'm sorry if I didn't deliver your carriage this morning, Miss De Leon. My painter got sick yesterday and just came in today.

The girl suddenly turned around. She knew that voice. And again, the tartanilla driver was in front of her. Just now she saw him standing and he was tall. She didn't even reach his shoulder.

The man walked towards her. She pulled back slightly.

"That will be over later. Please tell Godfather Nicholas that I will bring your carriage myself later."

"Y-you own this place?"

"If you don't get angry, yes," Paolo answered with a smile.

Will she melt with that smile? She kept looking at it when a beautiful woman came out from where the man came from.

"I'm leaving, Paolo..." she said, when she saw her, it smiled. "Hi." And it was gone. Unconsciously she followed her gaze.

"Come inside, Miss De Leon."

The girl stepped to follow but accidentally caught her right foot on a blocking root of the tree that she didn't notice. In order not to fall, she quickly supported her left leg and poured her strength there. Made worse because her injured knee could not handle that kind of stress. And if she hadn't been quickly grabbed by Paolo's arms, she would have probably fallen.

Isa closed her eyes in pain.

"Ohh..." Clumsy! she accused herself.

"Easy..." And without a word he carried her into the office. She seemed to be a paper in his arms.

"Please put me down!"s he said between pain and embarrassment.

The young man placed her on a chair.

"T-thank you. I'll be fine in a minute..." almost no voice came out.

But the pain felt on her face was obvious.

"Godfather said that your left knee was caused by an accident. You shouldn't have walked towards here."

Isa did not answer. She knows the man is right. She strained her still not fully recovered leg. And adding what happened recently.

The man grabbed her leg without saying a word and raised her skirt slightly.

"Your knee is a little swollen. You can't walk home."

"I-I can. Can I ease the pain a little?"

The young man stood up. "Don't stand, wait for me here and I'll take you home."

"Don't. I can go home." And she tried to stand up and was about to try to take a step when Paolo violently pushed her back into the chair.

"Miss de Leon, you'll only make your knee worse if you insist on standing up and walking even though I know you won't even reach that door. Don't be stubborn and wait a moment. I'll just get the car out, okay?" she was like a child being reprimanded by him.

Isa didn't say a word until Paolo got out. She was disgusted with herself. She was lifted and will be lifted by a total stranger. Or, well, her father may know him but to her they are strangers to each other.

A few moments passed quickly and Paolo peeked at the door again and without saying a word, he lifted her out again. She's talking.

"You don't have to carry me! You can just hold me!"

"Shut up! Be shy around the people, miss," his hostile reprimand made her stop. The mechanics and the helpers looked at them.

Isa closed her eyes. She must be dreaming! Two nights ago she was fantasizing that the handsome tartanilla driver was hugging her. Now, here, it's not just a hug, she is dramatically being carried by this hunk driver! Will she laugh or be annoyed? She couldn't be sure which of the two.

He still carried her upstairs followed by Nicholas who pointed out where her room was. The old man opened the door of the girl's room. Paolo carefully laid her down on the bed.

"I'm leaving, godfather." And after saying this, he continued to descend.

"What happened, hija?" Nicholas turned to his daughter.


Isa told how she strained her left knee.

"It just gave the plan justification if we hire a temporary coachman, Isa."

"Pa, you're kidding!"

"I can't drop you off and pick you up every day, hija. And you don't want to just commute. And I won't allow you to ride a horse with that injured knee of yours. So, having a coachman is a very good idea."

"Oh, well, if you yourself didn't have a coachman because you prefer to ride horses, me either, papa. I feel safer if I'm maneuvering Panyang, just like you reasoned," she protested.

"What I am telling you, Isa, is that you will have someone temporarily drive the carriage for you while your knee is defective. One month at the most. And I don't want to hear any arguments," the finality was there in her father's voice.

The girl took a deep breath. Rubbed the swollen leg. At this point in time having a coachman is really an advantage rather than her riding a tartanilla and walking. If it's only about a month, maybe she can put up with it.

"And who are you going to hire as a coachman? In this day and time, it's dangerous to just hire someone. That's another thing I don't like, papa. There's another guy in our house that we don't even know. And who will agree that he is only temporary?"

"I'll come up with one, hija. By monday, you'll have a coachman," Nicholas said as he headed for the door. "If that knee still hurts, you can take your previous medicine."