Crumbled

En route Sixteenth.

"Baliw ka na ba? Desperate? Adik? Sumagot ka, Richard!"

"Nico, wag kang magulo. Kelangan kong matapos 'to. Mag-iimpake pa ako. Susmaryosep, 5 hours nalang."

"Tigilan mo ko, tukmol ka. Alam kong kahapon palang, nakahanda na yung mga gamit mo. Kausapin mo muna ako."

"Jusko ka, teka. Matatapos na ko."

He sets the wine glasses, the newly delivered supplies, and his notes for inventory aside as he finally finished all the things he needs to do. He left notes and had the schedule finalized for the staff that will be manning Rosario's for the next 4 days.

When Maine agreed on going on a trip with him for a few days, he immediately had everything planned the moment they got home that day.

Ecstatic is definitely an understatement. He spent almost the entire night planning everything - what time they will be leaving, where they will be staying, what are the places they are going to visit, what will be their means of transportation, and how can he possibly make it extra special.

Maine, of course, offered help. But the only thing he asked her to do is to have her things ready and leave everything else to him.

So far, it is a well laid out plan and he can only pray to the high heavens for all of the plans to go well.

They are leaving in five hours and instead of helping him, Nico decided to make use of his time bugging him.

"Ano na, pare? Tagal!"

"Eto na! Eto na! Ano ba kasi yun?"

"Anong balak mo sa pinsan ko? Saan mo sya dadalhin? Anong gagawin mo? Itatanan mo na ba? Haaaah! Bubuntisin mo?"

"Tarantado!"

"Kasi namaaaan! Ilocos?? Sus ginoo, Richard! South to North!? Oo, sinabihan kitang mamasyal, lumabas ng Davao. Pero sa Ilocos talaga, brad? Pwede namang sa Manila! Sa Cebu!"

"Ang clingy mo sakin, pare."

"Ulol!"

"Tsaka, Manila? Boring dun."

"Anak ng -- "

"Hahahaha, relax kasi. Ilocos lang yun. Pilipinas pa rin, Nico. Wag ka masyadong mag-alala."

"Hindi ako sayo nag-aalala, gago ka. Sa pinsan ko! Dadalhin mo sa Norte ng kayong dalawa lang. Ano namang alam mo sa Norte? Mawala pa kayo dun. Maryosep!"

"Alam mo ikaw, wala kang tiwala saken. Alam ko ang ginagawa ko. Okay? Si Maine nga, pumayag at chill na chill sa idea na sa Ilocos kami pupunta. Tapos ikaw, kung makapag-inarte ka naman parang ikaw ang kasama ko."

"Alam mo hindi masamang idea yan. Sama na lang kaya ako?"

"Ulol, sapakin kita. Gusto mo?"

"Tignan mooooo! Gusto mo lang talagang masolo sa malayo lugar si Menggay eh!"

"Hay nako, Nicholas! Uuwi na ko, marami pa akong aayusin sa bahay, bwisit ka."

"Hahahaha! Napakapikunin mo. Osya sige. Basta, ingatan mo yung pinsan ko dun ha! At pare.."

"Ano na naman?"

"Galingan mo ha, para matuloy na yung pagiging tito ko."

"Tarantado ka talaga!"

He could still hear the sound of Nico's laugh as he walks out of the bar to head home. Truly, his bags have been ready since yesterday.

When he got home, he suddenly felt tired. He's been working at the restaurant since last night because he needed to make sure there won't be any problem while he's out of town. It's a Friday and they will be in Ilocos for the entire weekend and a day. For sure, Rosario's will be jampacked by the weekend, kaya sinigurado nya na walang magiging problema.