Letters from Spring Street

Chapter 12

Jose notices the smile on Richard Junior's face, and more importantly, how it has been plastered on his face since he came in this morning. He approaches the younger man with a sly look on his face, plops to chair directly in front of Richard's desk, "Tatanong ko lang ha, Sir Rj, pero sobrang ganda ba ng binabasa mong report kasi parang mapupunit na ung mukha mo sa kilig mo eh."

"Grabe ka sakin, Kuya Jose." Richard replies as he snaps out of it, "Masaya lang ako na the meeting went well yesterday."

"Let's be more specific, Sir. Which meeting? The board meeting or your date with Ms. Mendoza last night?"

Richard stops and thinks about how to respond, If I say it out loud will I jinx it?

But his happiness overcame him, "Both, Kuya Jose." He smiles serenely and started reviewing the daily reports again.

"Ayun namaaaan!" Jose punches the air dramatically with a triumphant grin on his face. Then he noticed Richard going back to the reports and his face deflates, "Halaaaa! Sir, wag ka naman ganyan! Konting details naman dian, Sir! San kayo pumunta? Ano nangyari?"

"I'm not one to kiss and tell, Kuya."

Jose stands up dramatically and started grasping his chest, clutching it, as if he was having some sort of attack, "Jusmiyo! Nagbibinata na ang alaga ko! Edi nagkiss nga kayo! I knew you were smooth, Sir Rj! Nakoooo! Magkakapo na si Madam Rio!"

Richard rolls his eyes at Jose, but couldn't hide the amused look on his face. "Hindi po literal, Kuya Jose. Chill lang tayo, ok?"

"Ano ba yan! Akala ko ayun na eh! Akala ko naka-isa ka na, Sir Rj!" He plops back down on the chair, "Pero sabagay, ganon talaga tayong mga gwapo, minsan pakipot din."

"Grabe ka sakin, Kuya Jose. It isn't like that." Richard replies, "Everything happened so fast, not that I'm complaining. But the last thing I want to do is scare her away."

"Trust me Sir, you are not going to scare her away. Aba, edi sana matagal na sya umalis, ang landi landi niyo kaya." Jose starts to talk animatedly again, "Ni hindi niyo na nga namamalayan kapag may ibang tao sa paligid niyo. Akala ko may sarili na kayong mundo eh."

Richard just stared at Jose, oblivious to the fact that his ears were piercing red already.

"At ito Sir, ang pinaka-tell-tale sign na napansin ko ha, kasi hulog na hulog ka na ata kay Ms. Mendoza."

Richard sat up straight, legitimately curious, "Tell-tale sign talaga, Kuya? Sige nga ano yun."

"Ha! I bet you didn't even notice, Sir. But since you met Ms. Mendoza, I haven't heard the name "Menggay" even once! Akalain mong, halos magdadalawang taon na si "Menggay ko" ang bukang-bibig niyo, and when Ms. Mendoza came along, ni hindi niyo pa sya nabanggit kahit isang beses."

Richard looked at Jose, completely stunned. It was true, he hasn't mentioned Menggay even once since he met Maine. Sure, Menggay crossed his mind, but there was a lack of the same urgency, lack of the same longing.

And Richard was not sure how he felt about it.

*********

Maine walks across Le Chateau's lobby slightly tapping the letter she wrote Tisoy hidden in her denim jacket pocket. As she walked towards the letter box, she was overcome with guilt-- she has been staying at Le Chateau for months and she has completely forgotten about writing Tisoy a letter.

She reaches the letter box, craning her head from side to side, highly conscious of the fact that she may be caught by hotel personnel, or worse, Richard.

She knew this letter sending thing was silly--there was no way Tisoy would ever get them. They're all probably still inside the letter box, because who sends letters through the post nowadays? She knew Le Chateau's letter box was there more for aesthetic, and not for function.