Apart but Chained

chapter forty-one

"Good morning."

Magnus planted a soft kiss on my temple when he caught sight of me entering the coffee shop near our workplace. He took my hand and guided me as we fell in line over the counter.

"Sorry na-late ako," sabi ko. "Tinulungan ko pa kasi si Mama."

"It's fine." He smiled up at me and intertwined our fingers. "Have you told Tita yet?"

"Not yet." I pursed my lips. "B-baka mamaya."

Hindi pa 'ko sigurado.

Hindi ko rin alam kung ano'ng magiging reaksyon ni Mama rito. Si Tash naman ay siguradong matutuwa kaya Si mama lang talaga ang iniisip ko. Kahit kasi gusto niya si Magnus, alam kong ako ang iisipin niya. Baka tanungin niya pa ako ng mga bagay na hindi ko kayang sagutin.

"I can be with you when you tell them," Magnus gently said. "But later, Mom was asking me to bring you. I already told them."

My lips parted a bit. This was all fast. I stared at him and saw him looking at me intently so slowly, I nodded my head.

I asked for this.

When it was our turn in the counter, he ordered our go-to drinks and paid for it. Then, we moved to the next counter to take our orders and left the coffee shop.

I was silently sipping on my coffee while we were inside the elevator. Magnus was holding my laptop bag on his left hand while his coffee was on his right one. When we stepped off, he walked me until my cubicle.

"Good luck on your work," he said, placing my bag on my table. "I'll see you around."

I nodded my head and smiled up at him. "Good luck din."

He smiled back and kissed the top of my head before he walked back to his office. When I couldn't see him anymore, I glanced down at my table and realized I didn't have anything to do. 'Yung kay Camron lang naman 'yung beat ko.

I caught my forehead using my palms when I realized, too, I hadn't had the chance to continue the interview with Camron—even the shoot. What would I do now?

"Tate, Editor Madriaga was asking for you in her office," I heard Claire say.

I looked up to her who was walking near our cubicle. As she got closer, I noticed there was something wrong with her reaction.

"Problem?" I asked.

"None," she answered while pouting. "But Editor clearly has. God, she said I need to edit and proofread my article again before submitting it to her!"

My chest hammered. "W-why was she asking for me, then?"