Breathless (Book 1&2)

Harder to Breathe #10

Harder to Breathe #10
Noreen

We were all quiet inside the SUV. It's awkward, really awkward!

"Something urgent happened?" Gabriel asked Cloud, kanina pa din siya nakatingin lang sa labas and as his usual self, di rin nagsasalita.

"Ah. I just need to talk to someone." He simply replied.

Talk to someone? Sino? Si Danica?

"Wife? Fiancée? Girlfriend?" Gabriel teased. "Miss mo na siguro."

Nakatingin lang ako sa harap at nakikinig sa pag-uusap nilang dalawa. I don't really care kung ano ang topic nila. Hindi ko lang talaga maiwasan na di mapakinggan.

"I'm single." Bigla akong napatingin sa rear view mirror matapos ang sinagot niya and to my surprise, he was looking at me too.

I cleared my throat and looked away.

Single? Eh ano mo si Danica? Bakit ganun siya makapulupot sa iyo??

I heard Gabriel's laugh.

"This off-road SUV is really useful with this kind of road no?" Pag iiba niya ng topic and it somehow made me uncomfortable. "Kung hindi, maglalakad talaga tayo ng malayo."

Why don't you continue asking him questions Gabriel? You are actually useful today!

We were covered with silence again after Gabriel's remark. After the long bumpy ride, nakarating na ulit kami sa town proper.

"Check your phone, there should be a stable signal by now." Gabriel said after patayin ang engine.

I hurriedly checked my phone and messages finally came in. I even opened my data to check my emails pero mas inuna kong basahin yung messages na galing kay Yaya.

I sighed so deeply after reading all her messages.

Keysha is having tantrums again. Yaya can't control her. Sometimes I really can't understand my own child. Most of the time she acts calm and collected na parang matured para sa edad niya but once in a blue moon ganito siya. Feeling ko tuloy she has two personalities, hindi ko alam kung saan ba siya nagmana!

"Something happened?" Cloud asked me matapos akong mapansin. Gabriel is outside na and already talking to someone.

I looked at him and I can't explain why suddenly I got so irritated. Inirapan ko siya at mabilis na ring bumaba ng sasakyan.

I immediately typed something and sent it to Yaya.

Yaya, ngayon lang ako nagka signal. I'll call you later after ng meeting ko or kindly text me if it's okay to call na.

"Dad is available now, meron daw siyang biglaang meeting mamaya. You can meet him now." Gabriel told me.

"Thank you Engr. Gabriel,"
"Oh please, call me Gab."

Naiwan si Cloud sa harap ng Municipal Hall, he is currently talking to someone over the phone and I don't care kung si Danica man iyon or hindi!

I had the chance to meet the Mayor. I was fully ready to present to him the current proposal but to my surprise, inabot lang ng secretary niya yung folder na dala ko saka pinatong sa ibabaw ng mesa.

"D-Dad, I mean Mayor Martinez. Ms. Noreen wanted to-," bigla kong napansin ang pag iba ng ibip ng hangin sa pagitan ng mag-ama.

If Gabriel is a pride lion in front of other people, he is just like a mere pup in front of his Dad now.

"I told you to handle this matter. You really like wasting my time, huh?" I saw how Gabriel's face changed. Ah, they must have an estranged father-son relationship. This atmosphere is really familiar.