The Coño Boy 6: Ten Lifetimes With You

Chapter Twenty Five: Nubes Obscuras [Dark Clouds]

Fabrica de Compaña el Nuevo Sueño
Hacienda Santa Ines
San Angel
20 de Noviembre 1887

It is the third day of full operations at the fabrica. Segismundo and Rafael share an office at the second level of the fabrica. There are two writing desks located at each end of the office facing each other. Segismundo occupies the one nearest the door while Rafael occupies the one at the far end. There is a wall with a view of the factory's activity below through a long narrow window running from end to end.

Segismundo:
Gauin mong anim ang mga obrero nang mapa-bilis ang pagsalin ng aceite.

Segismundo instructs Andong, the new encargado at the fabrica, as he reads through the report.

Andong:
Opo Señor Segismundo.

Segismundo:
Dumating na ba ang mga barricas [barrels] galing Binondo? 

Andong:
Wala pa po, Señor Segismundo.

Segismundo:
Anong arao ba iyon dapat dumating ayon sa tala?

Andong checks his notebook.

Andong:
Kahapon po.

Segismundo:
Maaring na-antala lamang iyon.

Andong:
Ipina-patanong po ni Susing cung saan dao po sila mana-nanghalian?

Segismundo:
Saan mo nais mananghalian, Rafael?

Segismundo asks Rafael who is seated by the desk directly facing at the other end of the room yet his attention is fixed on the window, watching the workers go about their task.

Segismundo:
Ma-aaring sa poblacion na lang kami mananghalian, Andong. Hayo na at ipa-utos mo nang abangan na sa laua ang mga cargang barricas.

Andong:
Opo, Señor.

Andong takes his leave.

Segismundo:
Canina ca pa ualang cuibo riyan, Rafael.

Rafael does not say anything. He is lost in his thoughts. His eyes fixed on the window looking into the fabrica while holding the pocket watch Segismundo had gifted him earlier that year during Dia de los Tres Reyes Magos.

Segismundo:
May dinaramdam ca pa ba?

Rafael never showed up yesterday. He sent word that he was not feeling well and that he needed to rest. Segismundo brushed it off as him being tired from the busy day before. But Rafael's silence since he arrived this morning has him quite concerned.

Segismundo rises from his chair and walks towards Rafael's writing desk.

Segismundo:
Rafael...

Segismundo calls his name out ever so gently.

Rafael:
Pacui-usap, may tina-tapos pa aco, Señor.

He answers without taking his eyes away from what he is looking at.

Segismundo:
At bumalic na naman aco sa pagiging si Señor Segismundo na lamang. Ano bang tina-tapos ang iyong nabanggit?

Segismundo checks the papers on Rafael's writing desk. They are all blank. Except for one where Rafael drew what looks like a ship sailing on the ocean.