Rings 15 – Outsider looking in
Isang linggo makalipas ang pagpunta nila Jenny at Sir Angelo sa Cebu ay medyo naging maayos na ang trato ni Sir Angelo kay Jenny. Mas naging malapit ito sa kanya. Kaya lalo lang nahumaling si Jenny sa amo niya. Alam niya na di pwede pero di niya magawang tapusin ang nararamdaman.
Paano nga ba mawawala ang pag-ibig kung lagi silang magkasama. Paano niya ba maiiwasan ito?
Alam niyang mali ito pero paghanga lang naman ito. Just a harmless crush.
Ngayon ang first day ni Peter sa eskwela at inaya siya ni Peter na ihatid ito sa eskwela. Kaya maagang umalis si Jenny at nagtungo sa bahay ng mag-ama.
Naabutan niya si Peter na nag-aayos kaya tinulungan niya ang bata na itali ang tie nito.
“Are you excited for your first day?” tanong niya dito.
Tumango naman si Peter at ngumiti, “Excited and nervous.” Pag-aamin nito. “What if they don’t like me?”
Umiling siya, “Then they are fools. Only fools would not like you.”
Nang ngumiti ulit si Peter ay mas lalong lumambot ang puso niya sa batang ito. “Pick me up later for ice-cream?”
“Promise.” Magpapa-alam nalang siya kay Sir Angelo na kailangan niyang sunduin si Peter.
Bumaba sila at dumiretso sa dining room kung nasaan nakaupo at kumakain na si Sir Angelo. “Good morning, Peter. Are you ready for school?”
Umupo si Peter at ganun din si Jenny. “Yes. Jen-Jen will come with me!”
Sir Angelo smiled at his son and Jenny couldn’t tear her eyes off that face. How lovely he looked. “I’ll go with you too.”
And Peter smiled at his father. And she was so happy. When she first met Peter, he was sullen and angry. But now, the kid was happy. There was lightness in him.
She was so proud of how far he’d come.
“Yay. My two favorite people!”
“I do hope I’m not intruding.” A voice that Jenny was familiar with came behind her.
Sir Angelo stood and welcomed the guest. “Babe, what are you doing here?” he asked.
Jenny followed his movement and it took everything in her not to flinch when she saw him kiss her lightly on the lips and how his hand snaked around her waist.
“I wanted to be there for Peter’s first day.”
And she knew her place, so she turned to Peter and smiled at the kid. “I’ll pick you up for ice-cream?” she whispered.
Peter frowned, he looked at her and then at the couple. Then he nodded, “Promise?”
She smiled, “Promise.” Then she stood and faced the couple. “Sir, mauna na po ako sa office.”
Sir Angelo also frowned at her sudden decision but he nodded. “I’ll see you at the office then.”
Tumango siya at muling nagpa-alam kay Peter. Nginitian naman niya ang marchioness at tuluyan ng umalis. Narinig niya ang pag-uusap sa dining room at narinig niya ang tawa ni Peter.
Pinahid niya ang isang luha na tumulo. Alam niya bakit siya nasasaktan. Kasi alam niya na kahit kailan di naman magiging kanya ang pamilyang ito
Dahil haggang ngayon isa lang siyang dayuhan sa buhay nila.
At masakit isipin iyon. Masakit ang katotohanan. But she was an outsider looking in.
***
Angelo followed with his eyes the retreating back of his assistant. He saw that sad eyes again and he couldn’t understand why something is always tugging at him whenever he saw those eyes.
“Babe?”
He returned his gaze back to Bryony and smiled at his woman. “Thank you for coming.”
They ate breakfast but Bryony only drank tea, she said she was not feeling that well. And that warmed his heart because even if she wad not feeling well, she still decided to join them.
After breakfast, they left to send Peter for his first day of school.
They reached the school that Bryony selected for Peter. It was a school for special needs students. It was prestigious and Angelo heard it was the best.
Bumaba sila ng sasakyan at umupo siya para maging magka-level sila ni Peter, “Good luck. I know you can do this, son.”
Tumango si Peter, “Thank you, daddy.”
Bryony also knelt to level with him, “Don’t go outside okay? Don’t talk to any strangers. Just stay inside and please please be safe.”
Peter frowned at her but nodded.
Niyakap ni Bryony bigla si Peter at may binulong ito, tumango si Peter dito at nginitian ito.
Pagkatapos ay hinatid na nila papasok si Peter.
Nang pumasok ng tuluyan si Peter ay hinawakan ni Angelo ang kamay ng nobya, “Thank you for being here.”
“It was a pleasure.”
He had the best girlfriend.
***
Nasa opisina na si Jenny at nagsimula ng magtrabaho. Hindi na niya inalala pa ang nangyari kanina. Wala naman siyang magagawa. Dahil di naman siya pwede kay Sir.
Alam niya ang lugar niya.
Ang daming hadlang para sa kanila ni Sir. Alam niya na di papayag ang Kuya James niya lalo’t na at may anak na si Sir Angelo at isa pa ang laki ng age gap nila.
Pero bakit nga ba niya ito naiisip pa? Kahit naman di tutol ang pamilya niya. Di naman pwede. May nobya na ang Sir Angelo niya.
At kahit kailan di naman titingin sa kanya si Sir Angelo. Ni hindi nga ito natingin lagi sa mga mata niya e.
“Hello, luv.”
Napa-angat ang ulo niya sa bumati sa kanya at tinignan ng masama nang napagtanto kung sino ito. “What are you doing here?”
“I work here now.” Chuck Price answered arrogantly.
Nagulat siya sa sinabi nito. Kailan pa ito nag trabaho? At bakit dito?
Mukhang narinig ni Chuck ang nasa isip niya dahil sumagot ito, “I’m cut off from my trust and I have a debt to pay. So Angelo let me work here.”
Nanliit ang mga nata niya sa sagot nito. Talaga ba? Si Chuck Price magtratrabaho?
Tinaas nito ang kanyang mga kamay na para bang susuko, “I promise I am really going to work. No funny business.”
Hindi parin siya naniniwala sa sinabi nito.
“Your words hurt. But I guess I needed the wake-up call. I’m a grown ass man and I am still living off my parents. I need to grow up.”
She smiled. “You do.”
He acted that she shot her. “Ouch woman.”
She chuckled at his silliness.
“How about lunch together?”
“I didn’t know I’m paying you to slack off, Charles.”
Jenny looked behind Chuck and saw her boss, so she rose from her chair, “Sir good morning.”
“I’m not slacking off, Angelo. It’s not even 9am yet. And please do not call me Charles.”
“We have meetings. Charles so I suggest you go to your desk because I need my assistant.” Sir Angelo said and went inside his office.
Jenny smiled at Chuck who was frowning at the door of Sir Angelo’s office. “My treat later.” She said and she went straight to the kitchenette.
Chuck followed her, “‘course it’s your treat. I am penniless, woman.”
She laughed as she made the coffee for Sir Angelo.
She had a bad date with this man but he was trying to grow up and she needed a friends.
Maybe being friends with someone new will help her.
A/N:
I'll always try to update this. Angelo keeps bugging me. I'll also try to update The Presidential Wife, but right now, Amelia is missing from my head so I cannot write theirs.
Thanks for reading!
I'll try to update next week again!!
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