Stonehearts 2: Amethyst

Three

"Saan kayo nagkakilala?" Tanong ko habang nakatungo sa tablet ko. Matagal kong hinintay ang isasagot niya pero wala siyang kibo. I raised my head to look at him. "So? Saan kayo nagkakilala ni Cynthia?"

He looks like he's thinking deeply. 'Yong talagang malalim ang iniisip. Nakatitig siya sa akin pero halatang blangko tumatakbo sa isipan niya. I sighed heavily. There's no point in wanting to hid infos that I needed. "Chancellor, at least give me something. Paano kita matutulungan kung hindi mo ako tutulungan?"

"Well, why don't you talk to her yourself?" He said suddenly. Is he serious? How am I going to talk to her kung hindi ko alam kung anong ugali niya? I squinted my eyes at him as I get completely suspicious. Something tells me that Cynthia isn't his one true love. I know this kind of look. Alam ko ang mga patutyadang ganito.

"Magsabi ka nga ng totoo. Sino ba talaga si Cynthia?" His eyes widened for a minute before he was able to compose himself. He fixed his coat before clearing his throat, "She's my one and only." He answered, almost choking. But he was able to hide his anxiety when his lips curved one sidedly. Damn it! Ayan nanaman ang mga ngiti niya. He got his coffee and took a sip on it. "Yeah? What's her last name?" I challenged him.

Nabulunan siya sa kape niya. He coughed while spilling some of on his suit. "Vena! Water! Vena!" He shouted all the while coughing. Napatayo ako at napapunta sa tabi niya para tapikin ang likod niya. I just can't let him choke to death. Ayokong masangkot sa isang krimen. Tumatakbo ang sekretarya niyang pumasok na may hawak na baso ng tubig at nagmadaling iniabot sa kanya 'yon.

When he was calmed and okay, he shot me one dirty look. "This is your fault! You asked too many inappropriate questions!" Galit na tugon niya. What?! Why is this my fault? Kasalanan ko bang tatanga tanga siyang uminom ng kape? I tapped him twice on his back, harder than it should. "Ouch!" Banggit niya. Tumayo ako saka bumalik sa pwesto ko."Kapag magpapalusot ka galingan mo naman." I said mimicking his voice. He glared at me even more, his eyes piercing through me. Does he think I will back down?

"What's your deal Chancellor? Ano ba talaga 'to? Kung tinawag mo ako para lang tulungan kang lokohin ang isang babae, hindi ko gagawin." I muttered with conviction and finality in my voice. I grabbed my bag but he grabbed it before I can even stand.

"Upo." Bumalik nanaman ang galit na tono ng boses niyang barito. Yung tono na seryoso, the kind of tone that will send shivers to your spine. I don't know what got into me pero napaupo ako ulit. He went to his table and rummage his drawer, as if looking for something. Saka siya biglang lumapit sa akin, "Geron. Her last name is Geron. This is her business card, ikaw na bahalang makipagusap sa kanya." Sabi niya sabay abot sa akin ng maliit na green na papel. With that, he dismissed me. Something's not really right. Alam kong Chancellor is only pursuing Cynthia dahil sa isang bagay. Pero ano?

I huffed for some air while I sat inside my car, gripping on the steering wheel. Gusto kong iuntog ang sarili ko, "Lord, anong gagawin ko sa taong ito?" I whined.

"Daddy, hindi ko na alam kung anong gagawin ko. I don't know how to help him. Mismong apilyedo nga ng babaeng tinutukoy niya 'di niya alam." Pagrereklamo ko day daddy habang kumakain kami the night after I talked to Chancellor.

He just laughed at me, "Love, wag ka ngang bumubusangot. Nawawala ang maganda kong anak." He took another spoonful to his mouth before he continued. "Some people are not really used to adapting. Kung ikaw ang nakakaintindi, bakit hindi mo intindihin? Anak, isa ka sa taong kilala ko na may busilak na puso. I know you're doing this dahil natatakot ka rin para sa mga empleyado mo. If that Mr. Caldereta-"

Natawa ako sa binanggit niyang last name. "Dy, Calderazzo kasi yun."

"Sorry anak. Pinapasimangot niya kasi ang Love ko kaya kailangan kong magpatawa." Sambit niya sabay ngiti. "Like I was saying, Mr. Calderazzo is just a hurdle you need to overcome. You can do it anak, alam kong kaya mo."

Kinabukasan, pinuntahan ko si Cynthia sa opisina niya. Kung hindi lang talaga kay daddy hinding hindi ko gagawin ito. Ayokong nagaalala siya sa akin, dahil last time na nangyari 'yon inatake si dy sa puso.

Cynthia Geron owns the biggest online fashion store in the Philippines. Pero ayon sa nakalap kong impormasyon, anak siya ng isang mayaman na hotelier. Hindi naman mahirap makakuha ng appointment sa kanya kahit walk-in ako. Mabilis naman akong napayagan na makipagusap sa kanya.

"Hi, hello. Dr. Buendia!" She greeted me with high spirits. She is 5'6 tall I think, with a face curved to perfection and a body to die for. Ngayon, alam ko na kung bakit naghahabol itong si Chancellor. But, with a guy like him who can get any woman he wants, why stick with this woman? What makes her different?

"Please, matagal na akong hindi nagdodoktor. Just call me Amy." I answered as I accept her hand. She offered me a seat.

"So, what do I owe the pleasure? I must say you're quite a buzz around the area, the great Love Doctor." Thrill was evident in her voice. Hindi ko naman alam na ganoon na pala kasikat ang Love Line. She made gestures like a magician. For a moment, I felt bad na magkakatuluyan sila ng walang modo na Calderazzo na yun. She's such a sweetheart. I leaned forward, "Thank you so much for the compliment Miss Geron." She blushed when she heard me say her name, she's only 24 years old and her innocence is still blooming.

"Ate Amy," Ate na talaga ako, I am 29. I suddenly felt old. "Please call me Cynthia na lang."

I smiled at her, "Cynthia, actually I'm just here to look at your shop in person. I learned that you have such a variety of clothes online kaya naisip ko, why not take a visit?" Lie, lie, lie. I have to gain her trust, siya ang susi sa ikakabuti ng kompanya ko at sa mga taong nagtratrabaho sa'kin.

She was ecstatic when she heard what I said. Kaya napatayo siya at hinatak ako papunta sa kwarto kung saan nakatago ang mga damit na naka-post sa online store niya. "This is Givenchy, a part of their fall collection." I held the fabric. She knows so much about clothe, like the cut, the fabric, the type of thread used, how it was sewed, lahat-lahat.

Habang nagsasalita siya, nakatitig lang ako sa kanya. She's a people person. Bakit naman niya hihiyain si Chancellor ng ganoon? Well, maybe because that guys is grade A asshole and a pain in the ass.

"Ate Amy, take this. It's a gift because you visited my shop. I mean, the great Amy Buendia. You take this and next time we will see each other I want you to wear it." Sabi niya sabay abot sa akin ng Givenchy na hawak namin kanina. Tumanggi ako. "Cynthia, I cannot take this. It's too much."

She held my hand sabay sukbit doon ng paperbag ng damit. "Ate, I insist." Wala na akong nagawa. From the way I read her words and actions kanina, I know she doesn't do well with rejections kaya tinanggap ko na.

I went home, spent after that day. Nag-dinner pa nga kami ni Cynthia. She talks too much, marami siyang kwento. I learned that she's the only daughter out of four children. Hinihintay ko na magkwento siya tungkol sa kanila ni Chancellor pero wala naman siyang nabanggit. But I'll give it some time. I know she won't discuss intimate things with a complete stranger.

"Dy." Bulong ko nang nagpunta ako sa kwarto ni daddy. Tulog na siya, hindi na kasi ako nagpahintay. I kissed his forehead goodnight. Saktong pagkalabas ko ng kwarato niya my phone rang.

"Hello? Amy speaking, may I know who this is please?" I heard a faint chuckle on the other line. "Amorr, I learned that you went out with Cynthia today. How was it?" Tanong niya.

Napairap ako. His voice is enough to irk the hell out of me. I was about to say something but I heard someone moaning on his line. Is he bedding someone while calling me? "Chancellor, I think you are quite busy. Sa susunod na lang tayo magusap." Tugon ko.

"Ahh...Cube..baby...faster.."

The woman screamed, the nerve of that man! Pinapaayos niya ang relasyon niya sa akin and then he is in bed with another woman! How fuck up can he be?! Napababa ako ng linya and fought the urge not to call Cynthia at sabihin sa kanya ang lahat-lahat.