Midas' Touch [COMPLETED]

Chapter 30

"Midas, huwag dito. Ang mamahal naman nila. Sa mas mura na lang tayo bumili---"

"I don't like cheap things, Kalonice. I prefer the expensive ones. The higher the price, the higher the quality. You can afford thrm, anyway. If you're saving, I will buy them for you. Or this whole company. Just say it and I will do it."

Bumuga ng hangin si Kalonice. Midas gave her a shrug bago kinuha ang kaniyang kamay at nagsimulang maglakad-lakad. Sumasama ang pakiramdam ni Kalonice sa mga nakikitang presyo. Ang isang baso lang ay nagkakahalaga na agad ng limang dolyar. Just a single cup and it's worth for over two hundred pesos.

"Hindi naman magagarang kagamitan ang tipo ko, Midas. Hindi sila babagay sa bahay. I want something that looks...old. Old-styled furnitures. Vintages and antiques."

"You are born in a modern day. Why buy old and fragile things? They will be useless." Umismid siya.

"You have no taste," she hissed. "Bahala ka nga dyan. Basta ayoko dito. Bumili ka mag-isa mo." Binitiwan niya ang kamay ni Midas at nagmartsa papalayo sa kaniya. Natameme si Midas nang ilang sandali bago siya sinundan hangganv sa sila'y nakalabas ng shop.

"New furnitures are better than the old ones, okay? Vintages? Antiques? They are lame."

Kalonice turned around with glaring eyes. "They.are.ARTS."

Midas held a step back because of intimidation and fear. Siya'y napalunok at alanganing tumango.

"O-Okay... Okay, okay. If that's what you want..." He wrap his arm around her waist. "Don't get mad about it. Bibili na tayo ng gusto mo, okay? Let's go. Smile." He pat her head gently. Kalonice smiled and nodded. Nakahinga siya ng maluwag. He manage to stop from its pending eruption. He's saved.


They are walking around the busy streets of New York when a certain shop caught Kalonice's attention. It was the furthest and there are people who barely went there. What actually caught her attention is the wooden chair and tables outside with mannequins seeming like having a tea party, dressed in the 40s or the 50s fashion.


Tinapik niya ang balikat ni Midas bago ito hinila patungo roon. A woman on her mid-40s came out to sweep the floor. Natigilan ito nang sila'y makita. Surprise flashed around her pale face before beaming a welcoming smile to them.

"Good dsy, Ma'am and Sir!" she greeted with vibrance and energy. Kalonice smiled and greeted her back. She lead them inside.

"Grandpa, we have visitors!" She shouted across the room before chuckling.

"Sorry. My grandpa's hearing is already weak so I need to shout so he could hear me," anito at kinilig. Bihira lang may pumasok sa kanilang shop. Kung meron man ay dadaan lang, hindi papasok, o kaya'y papasok naman ngunit magtitingin-tingin lamang.


Iginala ni Kalonice ang mga mata sa loob. Sinisiyasat ang kabuuan ng mga bagay rito. Her heart is pumping in joy and excitement. The shop have what she wants. It has what she likes and prefer and she want to purchase all of it at once really quick.

"Wait a minute," paalam ng babae at umalis habang tinatawag ang lolo nito.

Lumapit si Midas mahabang lamesa at hinawakan ang candle holder. Kupas na ang kulay nito ngunit hindi naman kinakalawang. Ni wala nga itong alikabok o dumi man lang. Each item are cleaned and was taken good care of obviously.

"Midas, halika. Tingnan mo 'to. Ang ganda!" Nilingon niya si Kalonice bago ito agad na nilapitan. She was sitting on a chair, facing an elegant vanity table and dresser with lights.

"Ang ganda diba?" ani Kalonice at binuksan ang mga drawer nito. Tumango si Midas.

"It's beautiful," he said and remarks, "But doesn't it look like haunted? Like, what if its past owner died tragically and whoever will purchase that will be cursed? Horror movies-things,"

Her smile turned into a frown.

"I was just kidding." Bawi niya agad bago pa ito mainis.

"Here, here, grandpa. They are our visitors,"

Napatayo si Kalonice at tumabi kay Midas. Dumating ang isang matandang laki na nakayuko, hawak ang isang tungkod at mabagal ang paglalakad. He squint his eyes on them at inayos ang suot niyang salamin.

"Hello..."

"Good morning, Sir," bati ni Kalonice nang may matamis na ngiti.

"Welcome to our vintage and antique shop. What are you looking for? We might have it here," sabi nito at naglakad palapit sa isang lamesa.

"We're looking for furnitures, Sir. They are great. I can't choose what to buy here. All of them are beautiful!"

Humulma ng ngiti ang matanda sa kaniyang mga labi at tumawa. "I'm glad you love them..."

Lumapit ang babae sa kaniya. "He's the one who made them. This shop was built since 1900's. He's the fourth owner already. Our family is a lineage of potters, carpenters... You know, making furnitures. They are with us ever since, since people demands the newest forms and modernised furnitures for their homes..."

Her eyes widened from the story she told him through whisper. Midas was following thr old man, listening to his mutters kahit hindi niya ito maintindihan dahil na din sa katandaan.

Kalonice followed them. "It's for you? I have a collection of furnitures in my room. You will definitely love them, because my father and grandfathers made them for their wives. Come, come. I know you will love them," anito nang may masayang ngiti at sila'y pinangunahan. Kalonice looked at Midas. They followed him together.


Hinawi ng matanda ang isang kurtina. Treasures are after their eyes. Kalonice almost burst in joy the moment she sees them. It felt like the room they entered brought them back to the classic time where everything is better than the modernised time. They are the antiques and vintages used in the movies. Indeed, old is gold.


"Are they sturdy enough to last for a decade?" tanong ni Midas na nagiging metikuloso at praktikal.

Tumawa ang matanda. "They won't last for more than a decade if they are not, little boy,"

Naasar si Midas sa itinawag nito sa kaniya ngunit pinalampas na lamang niya. Bumaling siya kay Kalonice na nakahiga sa isang kama. It was four-poster bed with curtains. She's feeling its softness. It relieves the aches of her back. It gives her peace. She's in love with the bed.

"I want this bed, Midas..." aniya habang nakatitig sa sining na nasa itaas nito.

Midas took his wallet out. "How much for that bed?"

"That will be $200," sagot ng matanda na siyang nagpakunot sa noo ni Midas.

"$200 for a baroque four-poster bed? That's too cheap."

The old man smiled at him and replied, "What's important is that it was finally bought and will be used again. Money does not matter to me that much. I'm old and will soon pass away. But this...this makes me happy, to see our family's treasure being part of a new family again. That's what all I ever wanted."

Bumangon si Kalonice at umupo sa kama. Midas nodded. "I will go to the bank nearby, Kalonice. Wait me here. I will withdraw---"

"Hindi. Dito ka lang. Ako ang magwi-withdraw. Tumigil ka sa paggastos sa akin, Midas. It's my house, my money, I spend." Pigil ni Kalonice sa kaniya at tumayo. Nagpaalam siya sa mga ito na aalis muna at iniwan doon si Midas.

The old man watch her as she walk away. A female figure flashed before his eyes as he gaze at her. "Margaret sure doesn't gets old, huh..." He chuckled, pun intended.

Napatingin sa kaniya si Midas nang wala sa oras. "Margaret?"

"Hmmm?" baling sa kaniya ng matanda.

"Who is Margaret?" tanong niya habang naniningkit ang mga mata sa matanda.

Malapad itong ngumiti. "She's the sweet girl who used to work here before she worked as a maid in a private suburban here in Manhattan. She's so generous. That girl reminds me of her. She looks exactly just like her."

Tumango ang babaeng apo nito. "She's so nice and kind and thoughtful. I wish she's doing great. I would love to see her again,"

Hindi magawang makaimik ni Midas. The Margaret woman is known by the shop owner. He wants to ask questions, but he's afraid that he won't get much informations from them. But trying is assuring.

So he asked, "Do you know where she came from?"

Nagtaka ang dalawa sa kaniyang itinanong. Sinagot siya ng babae. "I could vaguely remember. But I know she's from this beautiful country with Filipinas---"

"The Philippines."

She flick her fingers. "Yup, you are right! She's from that country! By the way, why did you asked? Do you know Margaret too?"

"No, no. Not at all. I was just...curious about her..." He lied at nilihis ang atensyon sa ibang bagay.

Kalonice came back. She instantly smiled at them before continuing the search for the furnitures she wants to replace the ones in the house. Everything is ready already, but the problem is that they have nobody to bring the furnitures over. So, Midas called Octavius to borrow some of his men which he gladly agreed.

Kalonice handed the envelope to the man. Ni hindi man lang nito itinanong kung magkano ang kabuuan ng lahat ng iyon, basta ay inabot niya ang kaniyang bayad at nagpasalamat. Midas took a photo of the shop's exterior amd posted it in his IG with a caption: Antiques and vintages are her style; he tagged Kalonice after.

"I'm hungry. Let's stop by a restaurant,"

"Okie." Kalonice. Midas looked at her because of her adorable reply. She looks so happy. She do really love the furnitures she bought.


They spent the whole day furnishing everything in her new house. Hindi pa niya alam kung saan ilalagay ang mga pinalitan nilang materyales kaya itinambak muna nila ang mga ito ng maayos sa front lawn at tinakluban upang hindi mabasa o madumihan. They also bought appliances in the same day. Naging mabilis ang mga proseso dahil maraming tauhan ang ipinahiram ni Octavius sa kanila. He wants them to move in as soon as possible, because Larry told him so. Para mapaghiwalay na daw ang dalawa. Gustong-gusto talaga nitong inaasar ang anak.

"Here are the documents. Keep them," abot ni Midas sa envelope kung saan nakapaloob ang mga titulo at mga dokumento, patunay na sa kaniya na ito.

"I called fashion designers. They will be the ones to fill your closets with clothes. Ganun din ang para sa mga kapatid mo. I also called Uncle Octavius. He will summon the maids that will work for you once you finally moved in."

Ngumiti si Kalonice sa kaniya. "Salamat, Midas." He looked away.


If only he could change her mind, he did it already in the first place. Realizing how the days pass by fast, thinking that she will soon live without him anymore, he doesn't know what to feel. Was it sadness? Longing? He's uncertain. But one thing for sure, he already miss her.

Kalonice hugged him when she noticed his sulking. Nothing came out of their mouths and Midas hugged her back.

He's proud of her on the other hand. He will respect her decision and choice. It was her right, anyway. He understands her reasons. Tama nga lang din atang hindi sila maging attached sa isa't isa masyado.

He doesn't want to look obsessed and possessive.