Cinderella's Diary

FIFTEEN

This is the transition for the "twelve years earlier" timeline. The next three or four chapters will be focused and set in Ella's time in San Francisco, California. As always, it will be edited when the whole novel/novella is done. Enjoy the reading! And thank you for doing so...

FIFTEEN

SIGH. I asked my little brother for a favor this morning. The package in my mailbox was from Patrick—it was my birthday gift. But I didn’t want it. I had half a mind to throw it away. Judging from its weight and size, it must be a book. “What can I do for big sister?” said my little brother.

“I need you to accompany me to NAIA terminal 3 tomorrow.”

“Yes, yes wee…” he chirped “Free ride wee…”

My baby brother felt excitement in this trip. Otherwise, I would not have included him in it. It’s bad enough I’m dreading what I’m about to do. It wouldn’t make sense if two of us did. The task I had in mind was simple enough. I need only to return this unopened gift to this giver. In which case to Patrick, who was certainly back in the Philippines. Flights usually take a few delays so a two-hour interval was expected. Julian got down from the front seat and carefully bore the package with him. He was to return it to Patrick in my place. Whether or not the man guesses my involvement and my presence near the area, is none of my concern. All that mattered was that I owed him nothing. And none of his was with me.

“I’ll be back in a flash ate,” called my little brother as he got down “Are you sure you don’t want to come and see prince charming?"

“Just go,” I snorted “Even the kid is on Patrick’s side…” 

I remained inside the car. And imagined the scenario—as Julian sent me a text message of the place, people and little details he noticed. People buzzed through the entrance and exit. Scurrying and crowding around the luggage counter to await their own in the circling machine—as though hungry to pick dishes in a Japanese restaurant. Patrick, said my brother, wasn’t hard to spot. He stood out. Being a half-Filipino, half-European male does have some incentive. Particularly the kind that other guys envied the most, true to his claim—my younger brother continued on with his “adjectives and description” of my supposed suitor. Little brother said there was a glowing aura on him. What the hell? Don’t tell me he turned into an alien or an angel and finally developed a halo above his head.  The nerve of him, asking my hand in marriage in front of my parents, while maintaining his relationship with Katherine wasn’t a sign of commitment. 

“Hand the package over,”  I quickly typed in my iphone6 (yes, rich people have it better and faster) “And leave the man in peace, don’t talk to him anymore…”

“Yes ate,” replied my brother in a nanosecond.

Moments later, I saw him approach from the side mirror. With a tall rough man behind him, Julian walked, or rather ran ahead of him. Tugging on an expensive looking balloon in his right hand, as the “man in black” with dark shades tied it firmly on his wrist. “Look ate,” he giggled over to my side of the car—I pressed open the automatic window. I frowned when I saw the package in the man’s hands.

“He’s really tall, ate,” Julian reported in excitement “And he spun me high up and down like a big brother would.”

“You’re talking about this guy over here?” I clarified in sarcasm with my thumb sticking out toward the man. “He looks like a wall, I’ll give you that.” 

“Ms. De Vera,” he cleared his throat “The master will not accept this back.”

“Patrick you mean?”