Before Anything Else (Absinthe Series 2)

Kabanata 34

Kabanata 34

Before Anything Else

A week passed and I didn't see Eion after that night. Bigla na lang siyang nawala na parang bula. Ang kaniyang apartment ay parating madilim tuwing gabi, ibig sabihin ay hindi na siya doon tumutuloy. Tinanong ko si Aling Lotie kung nabakante ba ulit iyon, ang sabi naman ay hindi at nagpaalam naman sa kaniya si Eion.

He was back at Manila and I didn't know when will he return. Napapaisip ako na baka tinupad niya ang kahilingan kong mag-isa muna. Maybe he understood me after all. Alam kong kaya akong intindihin ni Eion. Even before he was always the understanding one and he always make me feel better.

I sighed. Nag-iisa na lang ako sa apartment dahil si Adina ay lumuwas na rin pa-Maynila. She passed according to her application and she'll undergo screening. Hindi ko alam kung kailan siya babalik dahil kapag natanggap siya, mukhang matatagalan pa siya roon.

Sabi ni Adina ay may bakanteng trabaho sa Munisipyo but I was contemplating whether to get it or not considering I had no money left. Isang buwan lang naman kaya siguro ay pwede na rin. Sabi rin naman ni Exodus na marami talagang gawain and it would be better if I could help.

" Payag ka na? Are you sure?" sinuri ako ni Exodus. I told him I would get the job pero isang buwan lang dahil sa Mayo ay marami na namang gawain sa MCI.

Pinagtaasan ko siya ng kilay. " Ayaw mo ba? Pwede akong maghanap ng trabaho sa mga resort kung ayaw mo."

He lowly chuckled. " Fine. Magsimula ka na bukas. Meet me there." he winked. Umirap lamang ako sa kaniya.

Tulad ng sabi niya ay pumunta ako sa Munisipyo kinabukasan. Exodus was standing right at the entrance wearing a black polo and pants.

" Magni-ninong ka?" tukso ko. His lip lifted up in a smirk before he shook his head. Iginiya niya ako sa kaliwang hall kung saan maraming desks at iilan doon ay mayroon ng nakaupo at nagtatrabaho.

" All you need to do is sort out papers. May iilan kasing forms na naghahalo-halo. Some of them were needed to be photocopied. You could ask help from Minzy baka may iilan rin siyang ibibigay sa'yong gawain." Exodus called a short haired girl with a black rimmed glasses. She's short and cute. Bumagay sa kaniya ang itim na pencil skirt at puting blouse.

"Sir?"

"Minzy, this is Zepporah. She's a friend of mine from the coastguard. She'll be helping us here for a month. Kung may gusto kang ipatulong, she's very reliable."

Nakita ko ang pamumula ng babae. She glanced at me and smiled. Ngumiti rin ako pabalik. Hindi naman siya nagtagal sa amin kasi kailangan niya pang tapusin ang ginagawa kaya naiwan ako kasama ni Exodus.

" Ikaw? Saan ka nagtatrabaho?" I asked him.

" Bakit? Susundan mo ako roon?" he wiggled his eyebrows.

Umirap ako. " Hindi. I was just making sure you won't disturb me at all."

Humalakhak siya. " I work upstairs together with my uncle. Gusto mong sumama sa akin? I could introduce you. Baka gawin kang permanente dito."

"Hindi na." agap ko. " I told you I am going to work here for a month. Alam mo namang busy na ang coastguard at MCI sa susunod na buwan."

"Okay. I'll go now. See you at lunch." tinapik niya ako sa balikat at agad na siyang umalis.

Bumalik ako kay Minzy at nagtanong sa aking gagawin. She led me to my desk scattered with papers. Inayos ni Minzy ang kaniyang glasses at napangiwi.