"How's Zia?" David asked gently as he guided Selene into the chair like a true gentleman.
They're in a fine dining restaurant. He invited her for dinner and she did not decline. So here are they now, settling into their designated table and about to order food.
"Okay naman siya," simpleng sagot ni Selene habang tinatawag ni David ang waiter. Nang may lumapit naman na waiter sa kanila ay hiningi lang nila ang menu. At nang wala na ulit tao sa paligid nila, hindi niya napigilan ang humugot ng isang malalim na hininga. Gusto niya kasing ipagtapat ang totoo. "Actually, hindi ko alam kung okay lang ba talaga ang anak ko," saad niya bago pa makapagsalitang muli si David.
It's been three days since that night happen. At simula nang araw na 'yon, pakiramdam niya parang may nagbago; parang may nag-iba kahit na mukhang normal naman ang lahat.
David instantly disregarded the menu in his ands and focused his undevided attention to her. "What has been happening?" he asked. He sounded calm but there was also an outpouring of concern in his tone.
"Ang sabi nina Ate Prisitine, wala namang nagbago kay Zia after that night. Pero ewan ko ba," panimula ni Selene. Sumandal pa nga siya sa silyang inuupuan para mapanatili ang composure niya. "Pakiramdam ko ang cold niya these days. 'Pag kaming dalawa na lang ang magkasama, ang tahimik niya. Hindi naman siya gano'n. You know her, she wouldn't shut her mouth," pagtatapat pa niya.
"Baka naman wala lang siya sa mood, Sel."
She shrugged her shoulders and paused for a second. "I don't know," she hesitantly said with a worried face. "Napansin ko rin na palagi siyang nasa cellphone niya lately at kapag nagda-drawing siya... palaging napupunta sa basurahan ang sketches niya kasi hindi niya nagugustuhan or hindi niya kayang tapusin."
Hindi nakakibo si David sa sandaling 'yon. Parang nahinuha na rin kasi niya na may punto si Selene.
"David," she then called with her weary eyes. "Ikaw ang pinuntahan ng anak ko nang araw na 'yon. Do you know anything?"
Doon ay napasandal rin si David. He took a deep breath as he tried to recall what happened really that day and what Zia told him.
"You know, I was trying to talk them through, pero pareho silang mag-ama. Ayaw nilang magsalita."
David gave her an empathetic smile. But instead of commenting about what she said, he decided to flip the menu open. "Why don't we order first, then let's talk about it while we're having dinner?" he kindly suggested to which she wholeheartedly agreed.
Doin na nga sila pumili ng kakainin nilang hapunan. Once they decided what to order respectively for themselves, they called the waiter to get the food settled.
Ilang minuto rin ang itinagal bago i-serve ang orders nila, at sa mga sandaling iyon, pinili muna nilang ibang topic na muna ang pag-usapan. Nagkwentuhan na lang muna sila tungkol sa naging araw nila. They talked about something lighter until the main course was served and indulged.
"So, I think I recalled everything that happened that evening," David suddenly said after finishing his serving of a very good Beef Wellington.
"What evening?"
Medyo natawa si David sa tanong ni Selene. Akala niya kasi nakasunod ito sa pagpapalit niya ng topic pero mukhang hindi pala. "That evening when Zia called me," pasimpleng sagot na lang niya.
Selene quickly swallowed the food in her mouth. "So gabi na pala no'ng tawagan ka ni Zia?" she asked, reiterating.
"Yeah." He sipped from his wine for a moment. "I still was in the office that time when she called. She was crying. She sounded so upset and helpless so pinuntahan ko siya."
BINABASA MO ANG
Chasing Chances (Chase Series #2)
RomanceONGOING | R18 | MATURE CONTENT After tragically losing their little daughter during a summer vacation, Dale Christian Gomez spirals into an excruciating turmoil that leads him to abandon his wife, Selene Marie, and start a brand new life with his ot...
