Someone You Loved (COMPLETED)

15 - Jar of Hearts

3rd Person's POV

"Mabuti at hindi nagtatampo si Stanley? Your brother should clip your wings already. Paniguradong malaki ang maitutulong mo sa kompanya nya eh."

"Tito, si Kuya kaya ang nagrecommend sa akin sa current work ko. Tsaka hindi pa naman nya ako kinakausap to work for him."

The Faulkerson patriarch poured another whiskey to Gael's glass. "Sphinx Corporations. Oh, what a headache."

The company owned by Gael's brother is a rival of the Faulkerson's and the old man must admit that it's performance is skyrocketing. Recently lang, nakakuha sila ng kontrata from a foreign investor.

"Kuya Stanley's standard of service comes from you po, Tito. He's a fan. Nagtatatrabaho na sa inyo si RJ?"

"Yup. He requested for it. Gusto ko sanang magfocus sya sa pagpapari nya pero," he paused, "you know, things happen. Might as well support him. Although malaking tulong din si RJ sa akin lately. If ever he decides to leave his religious vocation fully, ipapamana ko na sa kanya ang kompanya. Eh ikaw Gael, ano ang plano mo?"

"Tatapusin ko lang po ang kontrata ko abroad then uuwi na."

"Talaga. Huwag mo ng i-extend kasi excited na kaming dumalo sa kasal nyo nitong si Zoe," panunukso nito.

Zoe leaned on Gael's shoulders, "Ninong po kayo ha?" Matamis na ngiti ang ipinukol nito kay Mr. Faulkerson Sr.

"Our pleasure, my dear. Masaya siguro kung si RJ ang officiating priest ninyo, ano?"

"Ipagdasal po natin yan. By the way po, nasabi po ba ni RJ kung anong oras sya uuwi?"

"I reminded him to go back right away pagkatapos nyang maihatid yung kaibigan nya."

"I see."

"They could've stayed nalang sana."

"Baka po kailangan ng umuwi ni Joy."

"Well, yan din ang iniisip ko. By the way Zoe, magkakilala pala kayo ni Joy?"

"Ah, opo."

"Boo, inaantok ka na ba?" Pag-iiba ni Gael ng topic.

"Hindi pa naman."

"You can rest at the guest room, hija. Kami na ang maghihintay kay RJ."

Zoe is really sleepy pero pinipigilang nyang matulog kasi she needs to talk to RJ. Kailangan nyang i-relay ang mensahe ni Fr. Fausto. Yun lang, no more, no less.

"Hindi na po Tito. Ayoko naman po iwanan si Gael."

"Miss na miss nyo na talaga ang isa't isa. Napakaswerte mo dito kay Gael. May direksyon sa buhay."

"Ako po ang swerte kay Zoe. She gave me that direction I needed."

"Nilalanggam ata tayo," tukso sa kanila. "I pray that you'll have lots of kids."

"Yan nga po ang plano para masaya ang bahay."

"At maingay," dugtong ni Zoe.

"I can see why you two are working hard. Lalo ka na, Gael."

"Opo. Ayoko na po sanang magtrabaho si Zoe once ikasal na kami."

"But women right now seem to love the corporate work kahit may pamilya na."

Medyo may pag-aalala ang mga mata ni Gael which Zoe eased right away kahit na hindi nito na-consult sa kanya ang planong pagpapatigil sa pagtatrabaho once they're married. "I don't have problem resigning from work po. Being a housewife is a tough work. Kelangan ko po sigurong maging hands on sa pamilya ko." Zoe squeezed Gael's hand na nakahawak sa kanya.

Gael's smile of relief made Zoe happy.

"Talaga naman itong mga batang ito... masaya ako para sa inyong dalawa. Alagaan mo itong si Zoe, Gael. Pag ikaw mangbabae, dalawa kami ng daddy nya na bubugbog sayo."

"Takot ko lang po sa inyo."

Nagtawanan silang tatlo at di nila namalayan na nakarating na si RJ.

"Nagkakasiyahan kayo ah." Kumuha ito ng shot glass at umupo ito sa tabi ng ama. Bale, he seated across Zoe. Hindi nya ito tinitingnan sa mata. "Kelan ka babalik, bro?"

"Pambihira ka naman RJ. Kararating nga lang ni Gael, pinapaalis mo naman agad. Maiwan ko na kayong tatlo dito bilang nandito ka na naman. Ikaw na ang bahala sa kanila. Pag magutom kayo, you know what to do."

Nagpaalam ang daddy ni RJ sa kanila dahil magpapahinga na ito.

"Hindi naman kami magtatagal, tol. We just waited for you. I know kelangan mo narin magpahinga. It's almost midnight na eh."

"Yeah... ubusin lang natin tong whiskey. Konti nalang naman."

Gael's trying to start convo kasi naramdaman nyang awkward ang atmosphere. "May problema ba tayo?"

He asked RJ na focused sa iniinom nito. "Wala naman. Sorry, I'm spacing out. Pagod lang siguro."

"Naikwento ba ni Zoe sayo na nagkita kami ni Fr. Fausto doon sa Seoul?"

Zoe bit the inside of her cheek. 

"I think she was able to mention about it."

'Sinungaling' Zoe mentally spite RJ. His answer to Gael's question confirmed Zoe's speculation that RJ is playing cool about them. He doesn't want to let Gael know that him and Zoe's not in speaking terms for a while now.

At bago pa man kung saan saan mapunta ang usapan, Zoe has spoken to RJ finally. "Perhaps you haven't checked your email? Nakita mo na ba ang email ni Father sayo? Nabanggit nya kasi kanina na naghihintay sya ng reply."

"Oh, that. Yeah, nabasa ko. Nakalimutan ko lang magreply."

He smiled at her but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"You want coffee? Ubos na to." Pertaining to the alcoholic drink.

"Huwag na, tol. We'll just grab along the way. We need to get going. Maraming salamat ha? Kita pa tayo bago ako bumalik ng Scotland." Nagfist bump silang dalawa.

"Oo ba."

"Aalis na kami," pagpapaalam ni Zoe. She couldn't take the animosity, the coldness from a once warm friend. She retrained herself from hugging RJ. The latter walked them towards Zoe's car outside.

"Mag-iingat kayo." Were RJ's parting words.

A few minutes after they left...

"Okay ka lang, Boo? RJ doesn't seem to be himself no? Weird."

"Hayaan mo na."

"Yeah. He'll come around."

Gael turned the music up. "Coffee, future Mrs. Saavedra?"

"I'd love that, boo-boo."

"Boo, knock knock!" Gael's on it again. Lol.

"Who's there?"

"Voodoo."

"Voodoo who? Pag yan, waley, lagot ka."

"Voodoo you think you are? Running 'round leaving scars... collecting a jar of hearts, tearing love apart..."

"Hahahaha! In fairness."

It successfully swept the sleep in her eyes and she even sung to finish the lyrics, "You're gonna catch a cold from the ice inside your soul so don't come back for me. Don't come back at all," she paused and asked Gael to join the punch line which the boyfriend did willingly, "voodoo you think you are... voodoo you think you are.. VOODOO YOU THINK YOU ARE..."

The two of them were lauging hard and the knock knock game stayed until the next day.

Zoel is such an OTP. Fight me.