Kabanata LI: HIS TRAP AND THE CHINSTRAP

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His Trap And The Chinstrap.

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WHEN THE NIGHT CAME, Tita Norin called me to have dinner at the mansion. Dahil sa pagod mula sa trabaho at para na rin makatipid, I accepted her invite.

“How was your meeting with our client?” Dad asked while we were in the middle of dinner.

Tumigil ako sa pagsubo. Nilapag ko ang hawak kong kubyertos at tumingin kay Dad. “It went smoothly. Jest is right, hindi mahirap kausap ang kliyente,” sagot ko.

Tumango-tango naman si Dad bago niya inabot ang baso sa gilid niya. Uminom siya ng tubig doon bago ibinalik ang tingin sa'kin habang nilalapag ang hawak na baso. “That Mr. Ladrizabal seemed really interested in you. I wouldn't mind him as your boyfriend,” Dad stated in a very casual tone—dahilan para masamid ako kahit wala naman akong iniinom!

“He's more decent than—”

Hindi na naituloy ni Dad ang sasabihin niya nang tuluyan na akong mapaubo! Shit!

Nag-aalalang inabutan ako ng tissue ni Tita Norin. I grabbed the tissue from her and wiped my lips!

Despite all that, Dad, beside Tita, didn't take his intent gaze off me.

He even narrowed his eyes. “What's wrong? Hindi mo ba gusto ang taong 'yon?”

I squeezed my eyes in disbelief. “Dad…” I uttered and then opened my eyes. “We're just batchmates, and besides, we only saw each other again yesterday. How could I say I'm interested in him kung kaka-meet lang ulit namin?” Halos pasinghap kong sagot kay Dad.

Dad pursed his lips. He glanced at the bracelet on my wrist before straightening his shoulders. Seryoso na ang mga mata niya.

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          MY 5:00 AM alarm jolted me awake. Today is the first day of my very first project as an architect in Dad's firm.

After all the preparations—contracts, permits, surveys—we were finally starting the renovation of a Spanish-style house owned by Jaei's great-great-grandmother.

Following my usual routine, after kong maligo at mag-ayos ng sarili, bumaba na ako sa kusina. Hindi na ako dadaan sa office. Diretso na ako sa site kaya simple lang ang outfit ko. I'm only wearing a chambray top with short sleeves and midnight blue jeans. For my shoes, I wore a brown loafers dahil kung itim ang susuotin ko, panigurado, mamumuti lang ito sa alikabok mula sa buhangin at graba. Regarding my makeup, I only applied powder and glossy red lipstick. Sinubukan kong ipusod ang lahat ng buhok ko, but since it's not that long yet, a few strands slipped out of the tie. Some are now framing my neck, but I just let them be.

I just had a light breakfast—toasted garlic bread and, of course, coffee. At habang nagkakape, I studied my planner on the table.

After breakfast, naghanda na ako sa pag-alis. Habang nasa biyahe, I couldn't help but wonder about the people I'd be working with, especially the project engineer. I let out a breath. Sana lang ay magkasundo kami. Ideally, mas magandang magkasundo ang architect at engineer sa isang project. If it happens, both sides benefit. Magiging magaan ang trabaho, less stress, less arguments and fewer revisions! But actually, that doesn't happen often.

Habang nasa biyahe, tumunog ang cellphone ko sa passenger seat. Someone's calling. Nilingon ko ito at nakitang si Dad ang tumatawag.

Gamit ang isang kamay, kinuha ko ang earpods ko sa compartment ng sasakyan. I connected the earpods to my phone and just wore one earpod in one ear.

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