Buhos na Ulan, Aking Mundo'y Lunuring Tuluyan

CHAPTER 5 - The Car Broke Down

—AIAH—

It was a Friday, katapos lang ng shift ko sa bakery, and wala akong pasok sa school tuwing Friday rin so rest day ko. As I rested on my bed, grabe, ramdam ko yung pagod ko. Maliban kasi sa work and acads, nakadagdag pa yung encounter ko with Boss Mikha. Ang awkward kasi kaya nakakadagdag sa iniisip ko. Pero finally, weekend na. Hindi ko siya makikita. Salamat naman.

Until I received a text message. It was from Sir Lauren.

7:59 PM Sir Lauren:

Good evening, Aiah. Sorry to disturb you but I need you to come with Boss Mikha tomorrow for the ocular visit ng bagong branch sa Tagaytay. I just had a family emergency. I emailed you the details and don't worry you will just accompany Boss Mikha and take notes sa mga gusto pa niyang iparevise. Sorry talaga, sana available ka.

Shet naman! Kakasabi ko lang na buti at hindi ko makikita yung boss ko. Ano ba namang tadhana to. Si sir naman eh!

I lay in bed for 30 minutes thinking if papayag pa ko. Available naman ako and I think hindi maganda kung walang makakasama si Mikha sa ocular visit tomorrow.

I finally surrendered to myself. Trabaho lang to. Trabaho lang.

I replied to Sir Lauren right after.

Hi sir, sige sir, ako na lang po ang sasama kay Ma'am Mikha bukas. What time po ba ang call time?

I pressed send. Lord naman!

Sir Lauren instantly replied.

8 AM ang call time tomorrow. Pumunta ka lang sa shop. Inform ko na lang rin si Boss Mikha. Thank you, Aiah!

Sumigaw ako ng "No!!" Habang nakasubsob sa unan ko. Naglumpasay ako sa kama ko hanggang sa napagod na lang at pilit iniintindi kung bakit kailangan mangyari to.

...

Saturday morning came too quickly. I dragged myself out of bed, already dreading the day ahead. I got ready, put on a casual but neat outfit, and made my way to the shop.

When I arrived, Mikha was already there, looking as poised and professional as ever. I felt a knot in my stomach, knowing we'd be spending the whole day together. As much as I tried to avoid it, there was no escaping this.

"Good morning, Aiah," Mikha greeted me with a polite smile.

"Good morning, ma'am," I replied, trying to hide my nerves.

"Let's go. We have a lot to cover today," she said, leading the way to her car.

The drive to Tagaytay was filled with awkward silence at first. I focused on the scenery outside, trying to calm my racing thoughts. Eventually, Mikha broke the silence.

"So, how are you finding the work at the bakery?" she asked, her tone surprisingly gentle.

"It's good, ma'am. Busy, but I'm managing," I replied, keeping my answers short.

"I've noticed you're very diligent. It's one of the reasons I requested you to come along today," she said, glancing at me briefly.

"Thank you, ma'am," I said, feeling a bit flustered by her compliment.

We arrived at the new branch location, and I was struck by the breathtaking view of Taal Volcano. It was a beautiful spot, and I could see why they chose it. We spent the next few hours touring the site, Mikha discussing her vision and making notes of the changes she wanted.

Despite my initial reluctance, I found myself getting absorbed in the work. Mikha was thorough and insightful, and I started to see her in a different light. She was passionate about the business, and her dedication was inspiring.

As the day came to an end, we stood outside, watching the sunset over the lake. It was a moment of calm after a busy day.

"Thank you for coming with me today, Aiah. I appreciate your hard work," Mikha said, her voice soft.

"It's my job, ma'am. But thank you," I replied, genuinely touched.

The drive back to Manila was less tense. We talked about various things—our favorite books, movies, and places we'd like to visit. It was surprisingly easy to talk to her once the initial awkwardness wore off.

As we neared the expressway, the car suddenly stopped.

"Oh shit, what's happening?" Mikha exclaimed, panic evident in her voice.

Mikha tried everything to restart the car, but it didn't work.

"Ma'am, what's happening?" I asked, worry creeping into my voice.

"I think the car broke down. Let's just put it on the side of the road," she said.

Mikha managed to maneuver the car to the side of the road for our safety. "Stay here, I'll check the engine. Here's my phone. Can you call Kuya Robert and tell him to pick us up?" she said, handing me her phone as she stepped outside.

I held Mikha's phone and started to search her directory, but then I noticed there was no signal!

I went outside the car to approach her. "Ma'am, wala pong signal," I informed her.

"Shucks, hindi nga? Naputol yung wire dito, hindi na talaga gagana. Paano kaya tayo niyan? May Grab ba dito?" Mikha asked me.

"Naku, ma'am, I don't think may Grab dito sa Cavite," I said.

"Shet, gabi pa naman na. Wala tayong mahihingan ng tulong dito," Mikha said worriedly.

"Ma'am, what if maglakad na lang tayo pabalik dun sa bayan? For sure may signal na don," I recommended.

Mikha agreed, and we started walking towards the town, leaving the car behind.

While walking, Mikha apologized for the inconvenience. She didn't mean for this to happen.

"Wala 'to, ma'am. I think better nga kung sumama ako sa inyo kasi kung kayo lang yung nagpunta today sa ocular, paano na lang kayo. Hindi pa naman kayo familiar sa Pilipinas," I said.

"I think you're right. Thank you,  Aiah," she said, looking at me with a sincere expression.