One Summer in Bicol ✔

Kabanata 30

Duyan

"Baka may alam kang raket dyan, Jacob. Reto mo ako, ha? Ha?" she said and winked.

I stopped the car when the lights turned red. I faced her who is currently smiling while looking on the road. I smiled too at the view. She had her overtime again and she still doesn't talk about her reason pero alam ko naman kung bakit. Hinintay ko ulit sya. We've been doing this for almost a month now. Pati ang pagsama sa kanya sa gym every sunday morning.

I sighed. "Do you like kids?"

She looked at me and nod enthusiastically as she is. "May marerecommend ka? Kaso every weekend lang ako pwede--teka! HR Manager ka e! Baka i-fire mo ako kapag nagkaroon ako ng ibang trabaho! Huy, I promise gagawin ko yung trabaho ko nang---"

"Calm down, Avery," sabi ko. "My Uncle has a baby girl. They are looking for a tutor at mag-aalalaga din this Christmas vacation."

"Oh! Ilang taon na sya? I like kids pero ayaw ko ng 6 year old and up kasi hindi na sila cute for me. Is the baby a she or a he?"

"She's Sam a 4 year old baby. I think you'll like her."

"Oh! Call! G! I like it! I like it!"

Natawa ako. "Hindi nga halata e."

Hinampas nya ako sa braso. Sakto namang nag-green ang traffic light.

"Sinong Tito pala? I didn't know na may Tito ka," she said almost a whisper.

"Tito Samuel. Pinsan ni Papa."

"Kailangan ko ba magpasa ng resume?"

"No need. I got you," I told her.

"Yon! Kaya sa'yo ako e, boss Jacob!"

"Really." That is a statement because I am really hers.

"Tse! Feeling."

The previous days and week went well for the both of us. Slowly, she is becoming more open to me like before. We are like friends who know each other for so long. Magkaibigan. Hanggang doon lang muna ako. Because she has personal issues she wanted to solve and so am I.

Nakuntento na lang ako sa paghintay-hintay sa kanya sa overtime nya. Sa paghatid sa kanya pauwi kahit hindi nya ako pinapapasok sa kanila. Sa pagsama sa kanya sa gym. Sa minsang pagluluto ng paborito nyang ulam. Sa pagtanaw sa kanya habang binubuhos ang oras sa trabaho na alam kong masaya sya.

Contentment.

This is such a perfect thing on a perfect pacing. I realized that as I grow older, building yourself before entering a relastionship is such a healthy thing to do. For me, for my partner, and for our mental health as well.

"Bro, may goodnews ako sayo," the bungad sa akin ni Manolo.

"I'll take a guess. Binasted ka na ni Shelle dahil nagsawa na sya sa baby talks mo."

"You! Ungrateful friend! Matapos ng lahat ng ginawa ko para sayo--"

"Cut it, man! What's your news?"

Inayos nya yung tayo nya. Hinawi pa ang magkabilang side ng ulo nya. Inayos ang polo at pinadaan ng dila ang labi.

"We will have an intelligence team under Marketing Department to be trained in Kuala Lumpur!"

Tumango-tango si Manolo saka ipinagpatuloy ang sasabihin. "At hindi lang yan, bro. You'll be happy with this for sure. Dahil. . . dahil!" he said adding intensity in every 'dahil' word. "Kasama ang mga bebe natin sa prospect na maging bahagi ng training."

Humalukipkip ako. "Thank you for the news Mr. Predroso but may I just remind you that I am the HR Manager."

"Oh! I just thought hindi pa nasasabi ni Martin because you know," he shrugged his shoulders and continue, "you guys are rivals."