What is love?

Chapter 45

"What?" She said with her hands up "kala mo di ako techie" natawa ako sa sinabi niya "ano ka ba Dawn kaming apat techies" tito said and they all laughed. "Osige kausapin ko lang si manong jun at sasabihin kong aalis na tayo maya maya" i said and I went to the garage andon kasi lagi si mang jun. I heard him on his phone "ma, sige tatanungin ko sila sir kung pwede ako mag day off nang ganong araw" "manong" i said and he ended his call "ay ma babye muna ha" he said and smiled at me "yes mam?" "Manong alam nyo po ba saan yung hotel ni Carla?" I asked "ay opo, doon po malapit sa isang beach mga 2hrs away" he said cheerfully

"Okay lang po ba na ipag drive nyo kami papunta doon?" "Ay oo naman okay na okay" he said "okay manong salamat po" i was walking away pero I turned around again "manong kelan nyo po gusto mag day off?" I asked and halatang nahiha siya "ay sa monday sana mam eh" he said "manong nako birthday ni papa yun, invited panaman kayo" i said "ay talaga mam? Okay lang ho ba na isama ko pamilya ko?" "Oo naman no" i said and smiled at him "oh sige manong balikan ko lang sila don, sabihan nalang kita pag aalis na tayo" "sige po" i walked back to the garden

When they were all done eating eh agad nadin kaming umalis sa bahay, sumakay kami sa Van ako na ang umupo sa harap sila mama at papa sa 1st row tapos si tito and tita sa 2nd at si Von ayun nag iisa sa dulo nagmumuni muni ata. It was a long ride and 30 mins in nakatulog na ang mga oldies si Von naka earphones. Naisip kong kausapin si manong jun "manong" "yes mam?" Sabi niya "saan nyo po ba balak pumunta sana sa day off nyo?" I asked smiling "ay mam hehe sa parke po sana" he said na nahihiya "bakit po parang nahihiya kayo manong?" I smiled kasi hindi naman dapat ikahiya ni manong

"Wala lang kasi po simple lang kaya ko para sa pamilya ko eh" he softly smiled "nako manong okay lang po yun no as long as masaya kayo" i said and touched his shoulder "opo mam, actually si sir po tuwing namamalengke eh namamahagi ng grocery" he said "totoo po?" i said and sa totoo lang hindi ko alam kung gaano ka generous si Richard but based from their stories he is. Siguro kelangan ko pa siyang mas makikala "opo mam buti nga po eh kasi nababawasan gastusin namin sa bahay" he beamed "ilan taon na po ba mga anak nyo?" "Ay isa pong 18,15, at 12" "wow manong malalaki na pala ano ho" "ay oo mam problema na nga lang po namin yung pag aaral pero ever since naging driver nyo ako eh mas nakakaraos na po kami" he looked at me "salamat po mam ha" he said "nako manong walang anuman po". "Mam parang nitong mga nakaraan na araw mas nagiging close kayo ni sir ah, yiee" panloloko ni manong. Grabe din mga kasama namin sa bahay eh interesado sa lablayp namin "hehehe opo" ako naman ngayon ang nahihiya "pero mam buti nga eh mas ano si sir ngayon parang masayahin" he said "bakit kuya dati ba malungkot siya?" "Hindi po pero mas naging mas relax siya mam, kasi dati tuwing uuwi na kami eh parang nagiging matigas siya bigla nag iiba mood niya"

Alam ko kung anong sinasabi ni manong kasi sa bahay para kaming laging hindi relaxed ni Richard "ikaw din po mam parang blooming ka" he said "ay salamat kuya" nakangiti kong sabi makikipag chikahan pa sana ako sakanya when Carl called "wait lang manong sagutin ko lang ho ito"

Heyaaaa-D
Oh you sound excited-C
Well bawal ba?-D
Hindi naman nakakapanibago lang, anyway kamusta na yung sculpture we have 3 more months-C
Oh yeah about that medyo ano eh, on time naman pero di ko siya masyadong focus-D
What? Dawn you know how important that is-C (he sounds dissapointed)
Carl, I have a husband na I need to tend too din no, hindi puro work-D
Husband? Husband? You're changing, you never called him that before-C
Well Carl people change and so does their priorities-D
Basta be on time, okay?-C
Oo no di ko naman sinasantabi eh, birthday pala ni papa sa monday-D
Ay oo nga pala tita invited me-C (awow naging happy bigla)
You're going??-D (na excite din ako)
Oo naman, tagal na kita hindi nakita eh-C (yan na nakikipag landian na siya)
Wow so ako pala talaga ang dadayuin mo-D
Well Dawn alam mo naman you're special to me-C
Carl-D (i sighed)
Oo na alam ko, back off muna ako until magkahiwalay kayo hehehe-C
*napuputol ang call dahil nakita kong may incoming call din si Richard*
See you, Richard's calling me bye-D
Wait Daaaa-C (nilayo ko na kasi phone mula sa tenga ko kaya di ko na narinig)

Ay nako eto naman si Richard ang lakas ng radar, naramdaman ata na kausap ko si Carl

Hello, may iba ka atang kausap-R (wow seryoso bosses)
Oo jowa ko-D (i said joking)
Grabe ka ah may asawa ka na ngang pogi eh, kulang pa ba?-R
Oo eh-D (natatawa na ako)
Mmmm, sige yan ka nanaman tapos mamaya may mapipikon-R
Hindi ako pikon mo-D
Hindi daw, by the way malapit na ba kayo?-R
Oo ata, why?-D
Wala lang baka makasunod ako-R
Nako wag na busy ka diyan-D (pero gusto ko din siya makasama)
I'll always make time for you no-R (halatang nakangiti na to habang nagsasalita)
Asusss, sige na sige na I will sleep muna-D (iniiwasan ko lang makipag landian muna sakanya)
Ok bye, mwuah-R
Mwuah your face-D (and tumawa ako tapos binaba ko ang tawag)

I'm not sure if I should tell Richard na Carl is coming siguro surprise nalang I know they know each other pero they're not that close. I will explain nalang kay Richard na Carl can be touchy with me sometimes kasi sanay na siya eh after ilang years ba naman ba nang paglalandian without label namin eh. Pero i will make sure na hindi sosobra si Carl at baka masapak pa ni Richard yun or hmmm I provoke ko nanaman kaya siya. Natatawa ako sa naisip kong balak bago umidlip kasi medyo matagal pa daw ang biyahe.

Napa himbing ata ang tulog ko at hindi dahil naramdaman ko nalang parang may umiihip sa may tenga ko at pisnge "hmmm ano ba" sabi ko sabay hampas sa kung sino man yun "wakey wakey" sabi nung hinampas ko na nasalo ang kamay ko "ano ba Von epal ka eh, 2 more mins" bigla akong binigyan nang peck sa lips at napadilat ako "hi" Richard said grinning "hmm loko loko" i said and slapped him lightly. "Tara na" he said while pulling me to go down "bakit andito ka?" Sabi ko while scratching my eyes

"Gusto ko lang kayong samahan" he said "baka gusto mo lang makita si Carla ha" i bitterly said "hayyyyy" he just said. Eh hindi niyo ako syempre masisisi na ibalik nang ibalik yung issue kay Carla nakaka inis eh. Ayun nag lalakad na kami hhww nanaman "saan sila?" I asked "andoon na sa loob ang tagal mo kasing gumising eh" he said as he opened the door for me "welcome po" bati ng mga empleyado "asan sila?" Richard asked "nasa may beach po banda"

"Okay pare salamat ha" he said "may malaki bang events room dito?" I asked kasi maganda nga ang hotel nitong si Carla in fairness malaki at mukhang malakas ang business niya. "Oo yun ang alam ko" he said and smiled at me. We stopped in the hallway going to out to the beach and he rested his back sa wall at hinatak ako for a hug "hmmmmmm, i needed this" he said "are you tired?" I asked while resting my head on his chest

"Oo,eh" he said "kasi dapat di ka na sumama" i said and raised my head to look at him. He was just looking at me din while smiling "i liked the tulips" i slowly smiled "sabi ko na eh" he said hugging me tighter "do I get a prize for that?" Malandi niyang tanong "prize agad" I said and raised my brows "joke lang HAHAHA" he laughed and kissed the tip of my nose "ehem, need ko ata tumawag ng pest control" napalingon kami sa pinag galingan ng bosses

It was carla standing there clutching some papers, I smiled at her and I saw Richard gulp a little bit. Nagbitaw kami mula sa yakap and he held my hands " bakit naman Carla, may pest ba dito nako kung ganon we might as well bring my papa's birthday to another hotel" i said na mataray "hindi, pero minsan kasi may nakakalusot na isa or dalawa" She said walking towards us. "Kamusta Richard?" And she angled her face for a beso and Richard looked at mo for approval kaya I just nodded