The (not so) Sweet Serendipity

43.1

Saturday

In a flower shop....

Before I went to her place, I remembered her favourite were yellow carnations. So I decide to come get her some before surprising her in her place. She doesn't know I'm here yet.

So I go in a flower shop and go straight to wherever it was yellow. I ask someone who worked there, specifically for yellow carnations.

While I was in line to pay for them, some random guy beside me suddenly spoke to me, "Ito pala favourite ng girls ngayon no?"

I looked at what he was getting, peculiarly he also had the yellow carnations in his hands too. "Oo nga eh. Marami pala may gusto nito. Sabagay, maganda naman."

"I'm sure magugustuhan ng girlfriend mo yan."

"Sana sana. Ikaw ba para sa girlfriend mo rin ba yan?"

"Future wife."

"Congrats bro." It was my turn to pay so I turned my attention to the cashier. After I paid, "All the best to you and your future wife!" I say to him before leaving the shop.

MAINE

My friends left rin nang madaling araw, totoo pala talaga na hindi sila pwede today. Pero okay lang, I'm glad they made time for me kahit papano. I woke up Saturday close to lunch time already. Maraming left over food so thank god, that wasn't a problem. Then I saw a note from my parents that they left early, may aasikasuhin daw. Then susunduin na lang daw ako tonight para sabay kami papunta sa dinner. Grabe naman yun. Akala ko ba no working today. Pero okay lang, at least I got to sleep in.

Pinilit ko nang bumangon, hindi naman ganun karami na inom ko, sakto lang, pero I really need to have food in my stomach now. I checked my phone, marami nang nag greet pero no text from Richard still. So I put it down again and serve myself brunch.

Afterwards I showered. Ang sarap ng feeling. Happy birthday to me. Umalis rin sila Val bago mag 1am kasi nahiya rin sila sa magulang ko, feeling nila pagod na daw sila tsaka yung importante naman daw nasalubong naming yung birthday ko. Naappreciate ko naman effort nila. Talagang ginawan nila ng paraan na isingit birthday ko.

It was close to 3pm now. I called my parents.

"Hello ma, san kayo nagpunta pala?"

"Happy birthday anak! Sorry we had to leave early ha, may dinaan lang kami for the business, pero hindi pa tapos eh, sunduin ka na lang namin diyan mamaya ha. Okay lang ba hintayin mo kami diyan?"

"Ahh okay. Sure, okay lang naman. Wala naman po akong ibang plans today. See you guys later."

"Sige anak. Happy birthday ulit. See you later!"

Okay. So parents are busy. I have nothing to do. I decide to just turn on the tv and watch whatever was on. No, I was not going to do any work today, it's my birthday and I was not going to even think about work.

....

...

....

I woke up with someone knocking on the door.

Shit! What time is it?

I grabbed my phone right away. Almost 6. Fuck, nakatulog ako. Sila mommy na siguro yan. Baka naiwan nila susi nila.

I opened it.

Oh.

"Hi."

Hindi ako makareply. Pagbigyan na, kakagising ko lang eh.

"Sorry. Happy birthday." He kissed me on the cheek and gave me flowers. Aww, they were my favourite ones.

"No it's okay. I'm sorry kasi kakagising ko lang. Yellow carnations. You remembered, thank you."

"Syempre naman. I wouldn't forget that. Sorry for waking you up."

"What are you doing here? Diba next week pa dating niyo dapat?"

"Well, nagpaalam ako mauna for your birthday." Elmo said.

I just smiled at him, "Come in, come in." He followed me into the living room. "Sorry kung makalat, friends came over yesterday sinalubong naming birthday ko. Dito ako natulog. Andito rin kasi sila mommy. They flew in yesterday."

"Oh are they here right now?"

"No not right now, may kailangan daw sila puntahan eh. Pero later we're going out for dinner actually, you should come join us."

"Sure. I would love to if that's okay."

"Oo naman. Wait let me call them lang. Para sabihin ko na we can meet there na, dapat kasi balikan pa nila ako dito eh. Upo ka."

I dialed mom's number right away.

"Hello ma."

"Menggay, sunduin ka namin ng mga 7?"

"Ah huwag na po. May kasabay na po ako, kung okay lang yun."

"Sino?"

"Surprise po. Mamaya na lang."

Natagalan siyang sumagot, parang kinakausap si daddy. "O sige, sigurado ka ba diyan anak? Okay ka na?"

"Opo, don't worry. See you po ng mga 8?"

"Yup reservation's at 8. We will be there rin by that time."

"Sige po, see you guys."

I ended the call. Tapos tumingin ako kay Elmo, head to toe. Okay naman suot niya, medyo papasa na sa fancy restaurant. Well, actually pasado naman talaga.

"Bakit ganyan ka makatingin? May masama ba sa itsura ko?"

"Hindi. Kasi fancy restaurant pinareserve nila mommy eh. Pero okay naman suot mo."

"Ganun ba? Well may coat ako sa car kung kailangan talaga."

"Okay. Ayos na yun. Buti na lang nakabihis ka kahit papano."

"Eh kasi, iinvite naman talaga sana kita for dinner out. Pero I don't mind coming with you and your parents. It has been a long time na rin."

"Yeah. Surprise ko rin nga sila eh. I didn't tell them na ikaw kasama ko."

"Sure ka okay lang na sumama ako? Baka nakakadisturb ako sainyo ha."

"Ano ka ba. Okay lang yun. Matutuwa yung mga yun. So 8 yung dinner, alis tayo bago mag 7:30?"

"Sounds good to me."

"So kailan ka nanaman dumating? Alam mo ikaw, you keep popping out of nowhere."

"This morning lang actually. I remembered it was your birthday and I am already coming here anyway so might as well why not just come a bit early and make it to your birthday right?"

"Well that's true. Pero walang usapang work tonight ha. Bukas na lang ulit."

"If you want kahit Monday na, enjoy your birthday weekend."

"Huwag mong sabihin yan, kakagat ako sa mga ganyan."

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To be continued...