Moment That I Met U

Chapter 7: WhateverPaMore

All day I had to run around the store, serving food and getting orders. Kala ko this morning super dali, yun pala mali ang akala ko, "Rhianna." I called out for her, while I was cleaning the countertops and tables in the customer seating area.

Rhianna drags her body out of the kitchen, "Yeah yeah yeah?" she sounded very tired.

It's 8:49 pm, almost closing time, and I couldn't wait to go home and take a shower and go to sleep. "Accomplish!" I gave her a thumbs a up but she responded with a whinning sound that made her sound like she was literally dying.

"Yaya?" Hinahanap ako ni Lola, ang mga Rogelio nya nakaupo sa isang table nagpapahinga, buti pa sila, may break kami ni Rhianna wala pa kahit once. "Yaya, asaan ka?"

"Lola?," binulsa ko sa apron yung spray at pamunas at nilapitan ko si Lola na naka tayo sa harapan ng mga Rogelio, "ano po yun?"

"Nakita mo ba kung asaan si Alden?" tanong nya sa akin, "I've been looking for him everywhere," dagdag pa nya. "At itong mga Rogelio ko, ayaw magsipag galaw, Huy ano 'to, pahiga-higa nalang kayo ha?" 

"Magpapakita rin po yun baka nasa banyo lang."

She sounded more worried, "I already checked the banyos, sinabihan ko ang mga Rogelio na hanapin sya sa loob."

Kung wala sa banyo atsaka sa kitchen, ah... alam ko na kung asaan sya, "Lola hayaan nyo po, hahanapin ko po siya." She was very pleased to hear this kaya, bumalik na si Lola ginagawa nyang business sa cellphone nya. I went outside and as I expected, andun ulit siya nasa kotse nakahiga, "Alden?" I noticed that the car door's window was open, so I just peeped through it to see him sleeping in the back seat of the car. Parang deja vu lang...

Narinig ko siyang humihilik ang braso nya nakapatong sa kanyang mga mata, mukhang napagod si tisoy sa trabaho today ah. Tisoy daw, pati na nickname binibigyan mo na sya, kinilig ako sa sinabi ni inner voice, "Alden?" I tried to wake him up again.

I called his name several times until, "Anong ginagawa mo dyan!" nagulat ako, si Lola Nidora sinigawan ako habang nakadukdok ang ulo ka sa loob ng kotse ni Alden. "Asaan si Alden?"

I scratched my head and I pointed to the inside of the car, "nag try po akong gisingin sya pero tulog na tulog po eh..."

Lola walked towards me and told me to move a little, "let me try iha, ipapakita ko sayo kung paano ito gawin." I stepped away a few feet from the car, pinasok ni Lola Nidora ang ulo nya sa loob ng kotse kagaya ko kanina, pero ang approach ni Lola ay different sa ginawa ko, kung ako pabulong ko lang siya ginigising, si Lola sumigaw ng malakas. "Alden!"

Nilabas ni Lola ang kanyang ulo sa kotse at sumunod lumabas sa kotse ang inaantok pang Alden, "Lola bakit po?" sabi ng inaantokna Alden.

"Tara na uwi na tayo." sabi ni Lola na papasok sa loob ng bakery, "kukunin ko lang ang mga Rogelio at aalis na tayo."

"Pwde nyo naman ako gisingin pag ready na po kayo." 

"Hindi pwede, baka pag nagdrive ka ng kakagising mo lang baka makatulog ka habang nagdri-drive." she reasoned with him. "Teka lang, yaya ay Maine pala, samahan mo si Alden dito mabilis lang ako."

Lola left us waiting outside, it felt awkward being alone with Alden in the dark. Hindi ko alam kung ano gagawin ko para matanggal ang vibe na 'to sa amin. And out of the blue, I just felt like saying something, "good job." I sheepishly said.

"Hahaha salamat," he awkwardly laughed, "ikaw rin galing mo today." I responded with a nod, without giving him any eye contact. After that conversation, we had a long period of silence, sya tinitingnan ang mga bituin at ulap, habang ako pinapanood ang mga insektong gumagapang-gapang sa cemento. He then continued our conversation, "sorry ha." Sorry? sorry saan may nagawa ba sya mali?  This time, I finally looked at his face, "sorry kay Lola, kung tinatawag ka nyang yaya."