VERONICA (Montero Series # 4)

Chapter 9: Better

Elijah

Hi I'm a Fiddle Leaf Fig tree.

I hope you'd welcome him. Don't worry about keeping it alive. Ako ang mag aalaga, huwag mo lang ipatapon. Please? 😅

I shook my head. I don't have a single plant because I don't want insects and mosquitos to latch over it. This, is one of the few that I have to bear. Ang dami pa niyang binili, hindi lang isa kundi tatlo. Isa sa gilid ng pinto isa sa tabi ng coffee table at isa malapit sa sink.

I went to the fridge to get myself a water pero may naabutan na naman akong note na nakadikit doon.

Don't starve yourself.

Pagbukas ko, there was no room or space for me to fill in. She bought stocks that could probably last me for three months. Ni hindi ako dito kumain. It seldom happens.

I emptied the bottle of water in one swig.

"Nica..." I muttered exasperatedly. I don't know what I'd do with her anymore.

I went to take a shower to let loose the tension that I had for the day.

I couldn't lose my head now that there were too much weighing on my shoulder. I don't want to disappoint my family, Nica's family and above all her. Lalo na si Nica. The least I'd do was to hurt her but I already did.

I bathed as fast as I can and went to review the project proposal for our meeting tomorrow pero hindi ako maka focus. I was beginning to question myself if I was still doing the right thing for Nica and for myself.

I thought of the little things I read earlier on her journal. Kung okay lang bang pagbigyan ko siya kahit mahirap iyong gawin.

Iyon lang ang nasa isip ko hanggang magising ako kinabukasan. I don't even think if I had slept decently.

After washing my face, I took my phone and went to the kitchen. Hindi na ako nagulat nang maabutan ko si Nica, nakatalikod at may hinahanda sa counter. She'd already bath wearing nothing but a short cotton white thin strapped dress that hugged her slender body, exposing her long shapely legs. Her long black locks looks beautifully wind swept behind her back.

"Goodmorning!" she turned to greet me, her doe eyes shining. Akala ko hindi niya naramdaman ang presensiya ko. "Breakfast is ready,"she smiled, her naturally pinkish cheeks turned a shade darker. She had put on some light make up but her cheeks remained natural.

This is one of the many but I don't want to take away that positive look in her eyes today.

"Morning,"sagot ko at tiningnan ang naka handa sa mesa.

"I asked Manang Angge to teach me how to do this," tukoy niya sa poach egg na nakalagay doon. There were also fried black rice, sliced cucumber and mango.

It wasn't perfect but it wasn't bad either for a first timer.

"They look fine. Kumain kana?"

She prepared only a plate and a glass for me.

She nodded. "May pupuntahan kami nila Bebang," she bit her luscious lips, the glow in her eyes slowly faded.

I wonder if it's because of the dog. Binilin ko kay Manang kagabi na isuli ang aso ngayon. I told her that there's no need for Nica to know that I knew but she has to return the dog now.

"Can you eat this first bago ka maligo, please?" she pleaded after filling my glass of water. Nica knows that I don't drink coffee in the morning and that I always eat breakfast after bath.