I Will Take Hold of You

Chapter Six

Although Isa tried to be casual. She focused on the food.

"Who is Miguel, miss?"

"Juana's fiancee. They're engaged to be married, probably by the middle of this year."

Paolo stopped eating for a moment and looked at the girl.

"You, Miss de Leon, do you have a boyfriend?" it's a formal question.

The girl almost choked on what she was eating. She didn't answer right away. If only she could say that there isn't yet. If she could just deny the existence of Thomas in her life at that moment, she would. Instead she replied with a gentle nod.

For a moment the young man's eyes clouded over Isa's thoughts but for a moment she thought that her imagination was just playing with her. Paolo didn't speak again until they finished eating.

Paolo called the waiter and at the same time Isa opened a bag and took the money from the wallet. When the waiter got close, the young man gestured for the bill. The waiter turned back again.

Paolo turned to the girl with sharp eyes.

"Keep your money, Miss de Leon..."

"Will you stop calling me that!" the girl's irritated answer. "And then I will pay this with my money."

The young man's eyes narrowed and narrowed. "I know what that money means. Even if I'm just a driver, I'm not an ignoramus!" he said softly but emphatically.

Isa closed her eyes. "I'm sorry but what I mean is that I will..." the young woman didn't finish what she had to say because the young man promptly answered.

"And especially don't insult me! So you only know me as a driver and a mechanic, but I never let a woman pay for me!"

The girl moved herself closer to the table so that they could not attract the attention of other diners.

"I'm not insulting you, Paolo. That's being chauvinist! I should pay for what we ate because..."

"Because I'm your driver."

"Be sensible, Paolo. How about we eat out every day?"

"If you eat out with your boyfriend, or go for a walk or date, does he pay for it?"

"O-of course..."

"Have you tried to offer to pay for him?"

"N-no... but..."

"Not, because you know your boyfriend can pay and I can't. And you say you're not insulting me!" the young man's voice was soft and the girl could barely hear it but she thought it was like a volcano exploding.

"I'm sorry, Paolo. Papa forced you to do this. Can you not consider this my treat?"

"No!" when the waiter approached, the young man grabbed the wallet from his pocket and paid the waiter while not taking his eyes off Isa.

They remained speechless until the waiter returned and handed over the change. After leaving a tip, the two stood up and returned to the store without saying a word.




Even before they parked, Isa already knew that Thomas was there because she saw the car in the parking space on the side. The girl covered her forehead. She was in no condition to face her boyfriend.

Paolo opened the door for her without hesitation.

"Hello, Thomas," she said with her eyebrows almost touching.

"Hello!" he greeted her in return and was about to kiss her on the lips but she deliberately avoided it so the kiss landed on her cheek. Then she glanced at Paolo.

"Thomas, this is Paolo. Paolo, Thomas," she introduced the two.

Paolo, who was about to sit down, extended his hand to the man. Thomas reluctantly accepted it.

"Are you friends with my girlfriend?" this question has a claim. "Looks like I just saw you..."

"I'm Miss de Leon's driver..." the young man replied with a mocking tone while glancing at Isa. His eyes are challenging.

"Driver?!" Thomas repeated, turning to his girlfriend who sat in her chair.

The girl was thinking about what to say. Why is it difficult for her to explain to her boyfriend that Paolo is a real driver, she met him as a driver. She was concerned more for Paolo.

"He is papa's godson, Thomas. Like I said, papa won't let me ride and the carriage is still broken so he asked Paolo to be my temporary driver..."

"So, it is your father again..." the young man answered gently but Isa's ears caught that.

"What do you mean by that remark?"

"I'm leaving, Isa. I'll be back soon. That's why I passed by here because I had an appointment this morning somewhere near here. I was thinking that you're just going to have lunch late so I might be able to pass you by, but I'm late of the former. A matter of three minutes," the animosity in his voice was undeniable.

Before leaving, Thomas glanced again at Paolo who was sitting on the chair and reading the newspapers. He think the man looks more like an actor than a driver.

After Thomas came out, Paolo raised his head and looked directly at Isa who immediately looked down.

Later there was a customer and for a moment the girl forgot the tension from the restaurant to Thomas. For a while they were busy dealing with those who came.

Two hours passed before Isa's lover returned. And asked her to come near his car.

"If all you need is a driver, Isa, could have done it. If I can't do it every day, I have drivers at camp and at home," said the young man.

"Why didn't you do it, Thomas? Why didn't you suggest something like that to Papa?"

"You did not give me the chance. Your father has already decided for you and you cannot even do something about it," the anger in his voice was there.

"What you say is not true!" her voice got louder and she suddenly glanced at Paolo who was in the store who was also looking at them. "You know about my transportation problem since my accident, but you didn't do anything about it. And now, with the tone of your voice, it's like you're accusing papa of manipulating me...?" she lowered her voice a bit.

When she glanced at him again, he was smiling as if teasing. As if he was enjoying her predicament. The brute!

"Isa, are you listening?" Thomas again.

"I'll have lunch with you tomorrow, Thomas, and we'll talk this over." Isa walk back inside the store before Thomas could speak again. Upon entering, she leaned on the chair and met Paolo's gaze. Paolo stood up and approached where she was. He grabbed her chin and lifted it up.

"Anímate. Este es solo mi primer día". And immediately released her and turned to go out. When he came out, she saw that he grabbed the cigar and lighter from his pocket.

"Wow, did you hear that? A driver-mechanic who speaks spanish! And who moves and walks like my prince charming!" Juana shouted.

"Shut up! That won't be surprising now. Spanish is a common language even for the garbage man. I'll be surprised if he talks to me in Arabic. And he's right, this is just his first day but the tension he's created since earlier in the restaurant until now. What about the next few days?"

"I guess, he paid what you eat in the restaurant..."

"Good guess, and why?"

"That's what I think of him. And that's where I lose you, darling. I'm a very good judge of character. And like the tensions he is creating. Very romantic."

"You know, Juana, one of the heavy reasons why we both click is because of that habit of yours. You take things in stride, with humor and whatever else just to lighten things up."

"And you're a very serious person. You're always tense. Oh, aunty, just take it easy. And then what I want to know is why someone like Paolo agreed to be your driver, and he's still using his car, huh?"

"And why not, eh, that's his job. Granted, papa doesn't pay him, but he can't deny it."

"And really using his car, huh, maybe yes and maybe not..." Juana meaningfully glanced at Paolo who was leaning against the car and smoking.