Invitation

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

One luggage, one handy bag, and thousand matters. Business matters. That's what I carry along with me as Davis and I travel into the traffic in a Friday dusk. Curt didn't come with me because of some paper works that made him tied up in office. But I'm still stunned of him being interested now in business. As far as I can remember he told me that only matters to him is to live a life with an earning that will let him eat a meal three times a day. I smirk at the thought. Honesty with a humorous sense. It's so him. No doubt it's one of the reasons I loved him. And it hit me like a slap in the face that makes me guilty. He's been honest with you, M. what about you? He's been sharing all of his experiences and stories with me. It's as if I've totally known him. But he didn't totally known me. But he don't need to. Why should he? It's already okay with me if he'll only know who I am today. I know it feels like I'm cheating to him, but it's for him, too. And it's the right thing. Shaking the thought out of my head, I focus myself on my trip.

After we accessed through I-90, the car pulled in a private car park. There, Rheah is already waiting for me. She's wearing jegging and a fit top that reveals her curves with matching pumps. Jeez, she's really ready to travel. Unlike mine: simple long sleeve top matching cream sweater, black jeans and flats. I hope she'll remember that we'll go to a conference, not some-party crap.
"Hey, M!"
"Hey. You arrived early," I commented rather than greet. She just rolled her eyes. I know she's going under tantrum if I do or say anything again. So, I just turn my attention to the man in an airline uniform standing by.
"Where to wait?" I ask in a cold tone.
"This way, please." Responding quietly, he leads us to a reserved waiting lounge.

My seat by the window of a business class plane might just give me a pleasant flight while Rheah sits in the center. A poke caught my attention.
"I'm curious, who's the man with us?" Rheah inquires as she pinpoints the man in black suit calmly sitting behind me.
"Oh. That's Davis. Our guard in this trip. Why?" I utter in a matter-of-factly.
"Nothing," she shrugs. "I wonder if what awaits us in the Philippines, and the things..." I hold out my index finger making her stop from talking. "Shut Up," I say in a deadpan tone and she stops from talking about it. Seriously, why is everyone are interested in that country? Rheah, Curt, Dad...ugh! I don't even want to talk about it!
A female voice of a flight attendant makes her pre-flight for safety speech. It's long but the only phrase I remember she said, "Bound for Manila, Philippines," After that, I begin to wonder if Philippines changed. I wonder if it changed just like me. And mom's advice rings to my head again like some sort of reminder. I sigh. You'll just come there for business, M, nothing else. No digging, No throwback crap. The plane taxied on the runway and off we departed from Chicago.

"Ma'am, were about to land." A voice jolted me awake. It was the female flight attendant.
"Another stop-by?" I rub my eyes and see Rheah reading a magazine.
"No Ma'am," she smiles. "Were already here."
"Thank you." And she leaves. The beam of sunlight attracts me to look down and see the tall buildings. They're taller than before. And no sooner, we've landed. Once we exit the plane, the urban, warm air of Manila greet us as we proceed to arrival area. Two men in dark red shirt are carrying one placard each. I noticed them immediately not only because they're wearing red but also what was written in the placard. 'Ms. Monique Russeltowe, M HOLDINGS, INC.' on the first placard and 'Ms. Rheah Woods, WOODS HOUSE OF PUBLISHING' on the second one. And I know it's them who are waiting for us.
"Ms. Russeltowe?" the first man asks.
"I am." And turn to Rheah's direction, "That's Ms. Woods if you ask." I added.
They nod and lead us to two black sleek Almera cars parked by. "They'll take you to your stay, Ms. Russeltowe." The first said as he opens the car door. "And we'll take care of your luggage, Madame."
"Okay. Thank you." I enter in the back seat of the Almera and we go through the traffic.

The ride was pretty long. But it's a relief once we arrived at the Resort's World. After the long travel. Jeez, I've never travel like that since long time. But the receptionist in dark red dress and her black hair in bun. Hmm, Filipina, talks off my tiredness as she talk over the schedules and receptions of each event in this conference. But only half my brain is attentive to her, and the other half is attentive to what surrounds me: big and luxurious place, a man reading newspaper seats near the reception desk, a woman talking to her friends, and a young man facing the glass wall, talking to someone in phone. Pretty familiar.
"Here are your own map around the hotel and list of events for you to follow if you forgot it Ma'am. Please let us know if you need anything." She gives a warm smile.
"Nothing for now. Thank you." I smile back and she leaves. My phone vibrates and it's Ivan calling.
"Ivan."
"Good morning there, Ms. M."
"Good Morning, too. Report please."
"Everything are good and were starting..." Ivan totally talks off my tiredness because of the report I assigned him to do every day while I'm here in the Philippines. I know Ivan's report is gonna be long so I approach Rheah, who drinking a refreshment and sitting like a tourist.
"Ivan, can you please hold on a second? Bestie, Can I ask you a favor?"
She shrugs. "Being here with me will do anything."
"I'm gonna be upstairs now. Please just check our luggage and tell them if what room, ok?"
"Okay. Simple as that." And so I go straight to my room.

Very opulent and modern my room is but, I'm not into resting now that I need to listen to Ivan's reports to the company back in Chicago and manipulate things here in Manila. Just as I've ended with the phone call, Rheah comes in followed by one of the staff carrying a black luggage.
"So, this is your room. Mine's just few doors from here." She utter as she walks to observe.
I focus my attention to my luggage but...
"Rheah?"
"Yup?"
"It's not my luggage."
Her head sweeps to me. "Not your what?"
"IT'S NOT MY LUGGAGE!" I shout at her as the alarms are raised in my head. I must not lost it because of some papers that are in there. Leaving Rheah still standing confused in my room, I storm back to the reception.
The receptionist that I encountered while ago was there when I came back. No one's to approach but only her.
"Yes Madame?"
"Listen, one of my belongings is missing and..."
"YOU!" a strong male voice growled that almost of the people in the reception area can hear it. But I didn't mind whoever that is and continue telling my situation.
"You! Talking to the receptionist!" he's referring to me but I ignore him.
"You thief!" Now he got my attention! He's calling me a thief!? My head sweeps up to look at him. He's wearing white crisp shirt, no tie, hair a pretty mess, and blue eyes furiously darted at me as he walks to my direction.
"You thief! You stole my luggage!" he snarls.
"Pardon?" I said calmly even though I'm already in my boiling point of anger for calling me a thief and making a scene in a public place.
"You're here while ago and steal my luggage!"
"I didn't steal anything and I'm not a thief."
"No! You're here while ago and carry with you my luggage!"
That's it! I'm beyond boiling point of anger! "Listen, rich jerk! I didn't steal you're damn luggage!"
"No you listen, red lips! I saw you here while ago and you carry with you my luggage! You're a thief!"
This man is really testing my boiling point! Ugh! "Want to know the difference between right and wrong? I'm here while ago, you're right, but steal your luggage, you're wrong! Want to know my situation? It's same as yours, my luggage is missing too. So don't tell me that I'm a thief because I have my own luggage and I'm not interested with yours!" He and people that are watching us are dumbfounded after my outburst. Just like what I'm expecting.
"So will you excuse me, I'm looking for my luggage." Turning my back, I intend to leave the scenario but I remember the advice that I want to tell him. "And by the way, next time you look for something, try using your eyes first before your mouth." And before he can speak, I turn to my heel and walk out.

Minutes after I've finished talking with the manager in second floor lobby, Rheah comes with Davis. And as I can observe from her glaring look, I know she'll scorn me. Jeez, I don't need another mother!
"What the hell did you do out there?!" I'm right about it. But why she's sounding out to me that I'm the one to blame? Good thing that the manager leaves us.
"Well he started it and he really did well in losing my temper." I utter in a matter-of-factly tone and pride of making people speechless swells up. I've mastered it. And Rheah is really glaring at me. "Do you even know who that man is?" her tone is more of demanding than asking.

"Yes I know. It's Alexander Alton."