A Second Chance

Part 17 - Feels Like Home

Dusk is setting in when the cab dropped her off the Departure Area of NAIA Terminal 3. It took her almost 30 minutes to get there when she was just across the airport. She should have walked.

'I didn't realized the traffic is horrible at this hour' she made a conversation with the driver out of boredom.

The cab driver told her its normal during this time of the day. He said its rush hour.

She walked along side the mirrored glass. Stopped to check her cellphone for Paolo's messages. Nothing. She looked through the mirror, she can see the people inside. She texted him.

...already here. About to enter. Where are u?'

✉ Paolo

'let's meet inside'

He's already here? She removed her sunglasses and looked through the glass wall again to look for Paolo.

She was surprised someone is looking at her from inside. He's just staring at her. She looked behind her, no one is there. She looked at the guy again. The glass is kinda dark so she cannot really see his face clearly plus the lighting is against his face. She waved at him. No reaction. She danced, still he's just staring straight. Ok, he cannot see me. Maybe the glass is one-sided. She put her face near the glass wall to see his face better. She wanted to examine his face a little but then he turned around and sat. Put his arms up behind his head and shook his leg. I bet he's agitated and bored.

She put back her sunglasses and went in line to get inside. The security personnel asked her

'is that your real hair ma'am?

'huh?' she removed her sunglasses and placed it on her hair

Mr. Security pointed at her hair

'Oh. no, no. It's just a wig. Sorry' she made a peace sign and removed her wig. Her long brown hair cascaded down her shoulder. She put her wig inside her bag.

Once inside, she looked for the check-in counter while she dialed Paolo's number. Finally it rang! she remembered the guy earlier and simply scanned the place. It was a quick scan but she's not sure who he is from the guys seating on the bench that lined the glass wall. Why do I care?

'Paolo, where are you?' she asked when Paolo answered

'you're here? but where? she looked around

'I saw Alex, my favorite driver from The Resorts World Hotel, with your luggage. Apparently he is waiting for you here for you to pick it up. So I already checked-in our luggage. He seemed enchanted by you, by the way' Paolo added

'Alex? you mean Alex, the van driver from The Resorts World?' Charm repeated

Paolo laughed on the other line 'yes that's what I said'

'what do you mean he's enchanted by me and favorite driver, huh?'

'questions...questions...questions...you never ran out of questions. He was enchanted because he heard your perfect tagalog plus your big tip'

'oh...' she giggled when she remembered Alex, the receptionist and Roxy's reaction when they heard her speak tagalog, 'yeah right...my big tip huh? that's because I have no choice but give him the smallest bill in my wallet' she explained

She passed the area where she think she saw the guy. Out of her peripheral view a man stood up and then she heard an indistinct music from somewhere.

'I'm on my way to the check-in counter' she slowed her pace and tried to find where the music is coming.

'Somebody's playing my favorite song, Paolo' she knows the song because she have watched it's music video countless of times on Youtube, one of her favorite Filipino songs.