My Boss is a Freak (Published under Pop Fiction)

43: Mira

"Thank you rito, Sir Vren!" Kung hindi lang nakalagay sa isang gigantic paper bag ang brand new at nagmamataray na kulay pink kong teddy bear ay kanina ko pa ito niyapos. For now, I just had to content myself with pinching its face, half of which was poking out of its paper bag.

"Don't mention it," sagot naman niya sa akin habang nakangiti. "What are you going to name her?"

Saglit naman akong nag-isip. "Alam ko na! MB!"

"MB?" Bahagyang sumimangot si Sir Vren. "As in the letters M and B?"

"Uh-huh," I said, pleased with my brilliance. "As in Monster Bear."

He shook his head, back to smiling. "You are weird, Mira."

"I know, right?" sagot ko naman sa kanya sabay tawa. "So, saan na tayo, sir? We could watch a movie, though I don't think may magandang palabas ngayon. Pwede rin namang magpagala-gala na lang tayo rito."

"Let's just stroll around," he decided. "I'm not in the mood to watch a movie, to be honest."

Naglakad-lakad nga kami, at pansin ko na halos mabali na ang leeg ng mga kababaihang nakakasalubong namin, kakasunod na lang ng tingin kay Sir Vren. Hindi ko rin naman sila masisisi — kahit ako na halos araw-araw nang nakakakita sa kanya, natitigilan pa rin minsan kapag napapansin ko kung gaano pinagpala sa larangan ng kagwapuhan ang boss ko. What more ang mga unang beses pa lang na nakakakita sa kanya?

Natigilan lang kami sa paglalakad nang out of nowhere ay biglang may nag-flash na camera mula sa gilid namin.

Sabay kaming napatingin sa pinanggalingan ng nakabubulag na flash, only to be greeted by a rather dumpy man with a DSLR camera dangling from his neck. With his figure, smile, and two slits for eyes, he strongly reminded me of a famous religious deity. Kulang na lang, buhusan siya ng gold na pintura... I pushed the thought aside before I could even blurt it out.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs...?" bati ni Mr. Dumpy sa amin. Agad naman akong napaismid.

Misis? Ako? Excuse me lang, mukha na ba akong maybahay?

Sasagutin ko na sana si Mr. Dumpy na mag-ingat-ingat siya kung sino ang tinatawag niyang misis, pero natigilan ako nang maramdaman ko ang pag-akbay sa akin ni Sir Vren.

Teka, anong nangyayari?

I looked at my boss, who laughed and said to Mr. Dumpy, "Oh, we're not husband and wife... yet."

"Ah, mag-boyfriend-girlfriend pa lang pala," Mr. Dumpy muttered, smiling apologetically.

Beside me, arm still around my shoulders, Sir Vren chuckled. Ako naman, naramdaman kong nagsimulang mamula ang mukha.

Mr. Dumpy approached us, extended his hand to Sir Vren, and said, "Frank Santos, sir. You are?"

"Vren Montevilla," sagot ng boss kong kumag. "And this is my girlfriend, Mira."

Lalo akong namula. Boyfriend and girlfriend? What was that announcement for?

I tried to glare at Sir Vren, but he was still looking at Mr. Dumpy — Frank, whatever — and grinning back at the man with the camera.