The Girl From The Wardrobe

Chapter Thirteen

XIII.

Mon. 22nd Dec 2014

Ilocos Sur, Philippines

×.

Morning in the countryside was crisp, and invigorating. The ball of blazing fire was ascending at the eastern sky, sending off golden luxes to the dull bluish firmanent. The morning star also shines lustrously with the rising sun.

Felisa cautiously pressed the wooden window sideward. Passing lightly over her face was the fresh breeze of the dawn, as it opened. The swooshing leaves, chittering birds, and crowing cocks were the euphonies in her ears. She had slept sweetly last night, no bad dreams haunted her.

"Who's that?" murmured Felisa, when she heard a cracking sound of wood from below.

She craned downward, and there she saw, from not so far, Gabriel grasping an ax by his both hands. With much force and strength, he hoisted the ax up – muscles twitching in his veined limbs. He hit it down to a corpulent piece of wood vigorously, cutting it into halves. He looked upward onto Felisa featly.

"I'm so sorry. Did I disturb your sleep?" Gabriel asked in such a rich voice.

"No...no," Felisa shook her head swiftly, and smiled, "Good morning."

"Good morning," Gabriel greeted back. His white undershirt was drenched by his perspiration, so as him.

"What are those?" she interrogated reluctanly, tiptoeing to elevate herself high over the windowpane to see him.

"Logs, for coals." he answered nonchalantly.

"You don't use electric stoves here?"

"No, Ma'am." he said.

"Well, that's great!" Felisa beamed.

Gabriel didn't know what to reply. He just settled on to beam back, before he picked the chunks of wood up from the ground, and put them all in his arms.

"Can we have coffee together?" Felisa said cordially.

Hunkering down, Gabriel paused awhile but chose to neglect her and resumed collecting the lumps. In fact, he wasn't even certain about what he heard. There was no way she would...

"Gabriel!" Felisa shouted plangently. He dithered as he slowly lifted his chin up on her, "Is my voice too soft and low, or you just don't want to have coffee with me?!"

Felisa thrust out her lips, and crossed her arms in displeasure – pretending she was in a petulant fit of rage.

"Ma'am?" Gabriel nervously muttered. She seemed bent out of shape, and he fretted that it was because of him.

"Please, Gabriel. Please," Felisa curtly smiled, pleasing him in a puppylike way. It instantaneously made him blush.

××.

Sitting by the undersized table in the balcony, Felisa patiently cooled her heels for a few minutes until Gabriel came with a flat, round tray with the two cups of coffee, and a brown paper bag. He situated it conservatively over the surface, and sat on the other undersized chair opposite to Felisa.

"What's this?" she queried, "Oh, pandesal!" she almost shrieked.

Felisa was blissed-out to see a bag full of pandesal, it was her favourite bread like ever. She didn't need a spread to make it much tastier. She'd just love to dunk the pandesal into a coffee, and that was it.

She took a small bite at the piece of bread before she stuffed it all in her mouth, "Hmmn, I miss it." Felisa cooed.

Gabriel was dazed. A smile pulled his lips. He couldn't disavow her lovely cuteness when she ate.