KOI NO YOKAN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

I let him chill on his own habang nag simula na akong ilabas ang mga naunang i-bake na mga pastries, some of the bakers also arrived and entered the shop from the back door, hindi ko lang sure kung alam ba nilang nandito si Jathen pero 'di ko rin sure kung kilala pa ba nila 'yan since most of them are in mid thirties and are loyal staffs to Papa ever since.

I started fixing the showcase kasi medyo marami rami akong kailangan ayusin.

When I went back to him naka subsob sa 'yung ulo niya sa lamesa at nakapikit, I'm not sure if he's really sleeping or nagpapahinga lang siya but since he's resting his eyes, ako na ang nagbukas do'n sa Bible and read some habang nag aantay ng ibang ilalabas at aayusin sa showcase.

I love what they did to the pastry shop, kahit minsan nakakapagod ang showcase, I love how the place turned out.

I also made sure that the packed cookies and other desserts are being displayed nicely and neatly. 'Yung mga baker naman sa kitchen ayun naging busy na rin and they just continued to cook the pastries for today, iba iba na rin kasi 'yung mga nilalabas na pastries every week, minsan pinapalitan nila after two days or three days, depends kung ang napagkasunduan ng mga baker at ni Kweslin.

Minsan naman iniisip din nila kung anong suggestion ng mga customer sa previous week para ayun ang ilalagay nila for the following day.

I smiled when I passed through Jathen and he looked like he's really sleeping as he sat on the booth seat beside the glass wall. Pumanik ako sa second floor para i-check lahat ng nandoon and also to fix the chairs since ilang oras na lang din mago-open na kami. Bumaba lamang ako pagkatapos ko mag ayos ng mga dapat ayusin and when I heard my cousin's name.

"Anong gawa mo dito?" tumaas ang kilay ko ng makita ko si kuya Erreo sa likuran niya.

He was talking to Jathen na nagpupunas ng mata niya at humihikab.

"Hellooo," pakantang bati ko and hugged Kweslin and then turned at kuya Erreo na umupo sa kaharapan na pwesto ni Jathen.

"Nakiki-inom ka na naman ng hot chocolate?" he slightly chuckled when he saw the empty mugs on the table.

Tumango ng tahImik si Jathen and slid the bible off the table to his lap.

"Sa 'yo galing?" I nodded at kuya Erreo, smiled at him, and talked to him using my eyes and I'm hoping he gets it.

He slowly nodded at me as he stared at me and then looked at the person in front of him na naka-palumbaba na ngayon habang nakatingin sa labas.

I started wiping the tables beside the booth seating side of the pastry shop since nai-baba na rin naman ang mga wooden chairs per table and then naglagay na ng mga tissues.

After no'n since na-busy na si Kweslin sa kitchen para sa mga cookies niya at nag refill naman ako ng mga gamit inside the counters, I made sure na na marami na ang refills kasi mamaya kapag nag-rush hour mahihirapan na kami maglagay ng maayos kaya ayun sinamantala ko na.

"'Di ba may interview ka for next week?" I heard kuya Erreo say as he leaned on the counter.

"Yes, we just need some staff on the floor, lalo na sa second, minsan kasi 'di na rin kinakaya ni Ithiel magbalik balik, I think we will be ending like two or three and then oks na rin to enter the counter." Kweslin explains as she sips on her own hot chocolate kasabay ni kuya Erreo.

Nagbibilang na ako ng pera dun sa kaha para 'di ko na p-problemahin kasi magpapasok na rin kami ng mga pastries sa showcase. I took a peek over at Jathen and saw him scanning the pages as he sat in the same place quietly.

Iniwan na rin siya mag-isa ni kuya Erreo, I'm thankful and he understood that he doesn't need to say anything about now.

"Ithiel."